9702 · Cambridge International A Level
9702/41
A Level Structured Questions
Physics · June 2023 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: Cambridge Assessment International Education
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.8 / 5
270
465 min
Errors and uncertainties
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
270
Duration
465 min
Session difficulty
3.8 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
Marks are heavily concentrated in Physical Quantities & Errors, Forces and Equilibrium, and Waves & Superposition.
A significant portion of candidate marks was lost on:
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Shows the skill mix this paper tested most heavily.
Mathematical & Calculation
Weight: 6100%Conceptual Understanding
Weight: 583%Practical
Weight: 350%Design
Weight: 233%Graphical & Practical Skills
Weight: 117%
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
No data available in official reports
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Report type
Cambridge Principal Examiner Report — component performance and international standards
Level A*
Approx. 79% of maximum mark
Level A
Approx. 68% of maximum mark
Level B
Approx. 57% of maximum mark
Level C
Approx. 48% of maximum mark
Level D
Approx. 38% of maximum mark
Level E
Approx. 29% of maximum mark
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
No data available in official reports
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
Show formula, substitution, and unit; method marks need visible working.
Give reasons and link mechanism to outcome; each point needs a because/so chain.
Match the expected response style for “State” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Determine” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Define” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Show” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Sketch” questions.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
Min per mark: 20
Min per mark: 2.5
Min per mark: 1.3
Min per mark: 0
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Errors and uncertainties (Physical quantities and units)
32 marks this session
Forces, density and pressure (AS Level Physics)
27 marks this session
Electricity (AS Level Physics)
21 marks this session
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
Errors and uncertainties
Errors and uncertainties (Physical quantities and units)
Practical circuits (D.C. circuits)
Forces, density and pressure (AS Level Physics)
Simple harmonic oscillations (Oscillations)
Electricity (AS Level Physics)
Fundamental particles
Doppler effect for sound waves (Waves)
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Paper 11 Multiple Choice:
Paper 21 AS Level Structured Questions:
Paper 31 Advanced Practical Skills 1:
Paper 41 A Level Structured Questions:
Paper 51 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation:
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
No data available in official reports
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
Errors and uncertainties (Physical quantities and units)
32 marks this session
Practise in RevuiForces, density and pressure (AS Level Physics)
27 marks this session
Practise in RevuiElectricity (AS Level Physics)
21 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
Marks are heavily concentrated in Physical Quantities & Errors, Forces and Equilibrium, and Waves & Superposition.
- 2Message
A significant portion of candidate marks was lost on:
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
June 2023 2023
Physics
Marks are heavily concentrated in Physical Quantities & Errors, Forces and Equilibrium, and Waves & Superposition. A significant portion of candidate marks was lost on:
Marks are heavily concentrated in Physical Quantities & Errors, Forces and Equilibrium, and Waves & Superposition.
A significant portion of candidate marks was lost on:
- Total marks
- 270
- Duration
- 465 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.8 / 5
Session analysis
Marks are heavily concentrated in Physical Quantities & Errors, Forces and Equilibrium, and Waves & Superposition. A significant portion of candidate marks was lost on:
Updated Jun 12, 2026
Paper breakdown
Paper 11 Multiple Choice:
Paper 21 AS Level Structured Questions:
Paper 31 Advanced Practical Skills 1:
Paper 41 A Level Structured Questions:
Paper 51 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation:
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by chapter
See where the marks were concentrated so revision time goes to the highest-value topics.
Mark accessibility
Estimate which marks were basic, mid-level, or high-difficulty.
76% within easy or medium reach
Command word frequency
Spot common command words so answers match the expected response style.
Question type mix
Compare the mark share of each paper section and question type.
Paper 21 & 41)
160·18·59%
Paper 31 & 51)
70·4·26%
Paper 11)
40·40·15%
Study ROI
Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.
Time vs marks
Compare marks with suggested time allocation to plan exam pacing.
Paper 11 Multiple C…
0.80 m/minPaper 21 AS Structu…
20.05 m/minPaper 31 Practical …1
0.05 m/minPaper 41 A Level St…
0.40 m/minTotal marks
492
Total time
190 min
Avg pace
2.59
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
Superposition (Diffraction Grating)
92%92%
Oscillations (Simple Harmonic Motion)
88%88%
Electromagnetic Induction (Lenz's Law)
85%85%
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 2h
- Total marks
- 100
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.