9702 · Cambridge International A Level
9702/52
Planning, Analysis and Evaluation
Physics · June 2024 · Variant 2
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: Cambridge Assessment International Education
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.5 / 5
270
465 min
Practical skills, experimental planning, and data analysis
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
270
Duration
465 min
Session difficulty
3.5 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
The May/June 2024 Physics 9702 papers presented a moderate-to-high level of challenge.
While Paper 12 (Multiple Choice) stayed close to historical trends, Paper 22 and Paper 42 required deep conceptual reasoning and precise mathematical execution.
The A Level Structured Paper (42) highlighted complex electromagnetic induction sketches and multi-step nuclear binding energy calculations that tested students under tight time constraints.
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
Weight: 6100%Data & Graphical Analysis
Weight: 583%Analysis (Conceptual Explanation
Weight: 467%Experimental
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. 82% of maximum mark
Level A
Approx. 70% of maximum mark
Level B
Approx. 59% of maximum mark
Level C
Approx. 49% of maximum mark
Level D
Approx. 38% of maximum mark
Level E
Approx. 28% 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.
Match the expected response style for “Determine” questions.
Give reasons and link mechanism to outcome; each point needs a because/so chain.
Match the expected response style for “State” questions.
State features in sequence or list observable properties — do not explain causes unless asked.
Match the expected response style for “Sketch” questions.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
Min per mark: 2.5
Min per mark: 1.9
Min per mark: 1.3
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Discharging a capacitor / Practical planning
35 marks this session
Oscillations
20 marks this session
Errors and uncertainties
18 marks this session
Mass defect and nuclear binding energy
13 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)
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Paper 12:
Paper 22:
Paper 32:
Paper 42:
Paper 52:
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
Discharging a capacitor / Practical planning
35 marks this session
Practise in RevuiOscillations
20 marks this session
Practise in RevuiErrors and uncertainties
18 marks this session
Practise in RevuiMass defect and nuclear binding energy
13 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
The May/June 2024 Physics 9702 papers presented a moderate-to-high level of challenge.
- 2Message
While Paper 12 (Multiple Choice) stayed close to historical trends, Paper 22 and Paper 42 required deep conceptual reasoning and precise mathematical execution.
- 3Message
The A Level Structured Paper (42) highlighted complex electromagnetic induction sketches and multi-step nuclear binding energy calculations that tested students under tight time constraints.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
June 2024 2024
Physics
The May/June 2024 Physics 9702 papers presented a moderate-to-high level of challenge. While Paper 12 (Multiple Choice) stayed close to historical trends, Paper 22 and Paper 42 required deep conceptual reasoning and precise mathematical execution. The A Level Structured Paper (42
The May/June 2024 Physics 9702 papers presented a moderate-to-high level of challenge.
While Paper 12 (Multiple Choice) stayed close to historical trends, Paper 22 and Paper 42 required deep conceptual reasoning and precise mathematical execution.
The A Level Structured Paper (42) highlighted complex electromagnetic induction sketches and multi-step nuclear binding energy calculations that tested students under tight time constraints.
- Total marks
- 270
- Duration
- 465 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.5 / 5
Session analysis
The May/June 2024 Physics 9702 papers presented a moderate-to-high level of challenge. While Paper 12 (Multiple Choice) stayed close to historical trends, Paper 22 and Paper 42 required deep conceptual reasoning and precise mathematical execution. The A Level Structured Paper (42) highlighted complex electromagnetic induction sketches and multi-step nuclear binding energy calculations that tested students under tight time constraints.
Updated Jun 12, 2026
Paper breakdown
Paper 12:
Paper 22:
Paper 32:
Paper 42:
Paper 52:
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.
78% 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.
Structured/Short Answer
160·45·59%
Practical/Experimental
70·4·26%
Multiple Choice
40·40·15%
Study ROI
Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.
Difficulty trend
Compare difficulty across recent years.
Time vs marks
Compare marks with suggested time allocation to plan exam pacing.
Paper 12
0.53 m/minPaper 22
0.80 m/minPaper 52
0.40 m/minTotal marks
130
Total time
225 min
Avg pace
0.58
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
Gravitational field of a point mass
5%5%
Photoelectric effect
4%4%
Difficulty Verdict
The May/June 2024 Physics 9702 papers presented a moderate-to-high level of challenge. While Paper 12 (Multiple Choice) stayed close to historical trends, Paper 22 and Paper 42 required deep conceptual reasoning and precise mathematical execution. The A Level Structured Paper (42) highlighted complex electromagnetic induction sketches and multi-step nuclear binding energy calculations that tested students under tight time constraints.
Examiner notes & key calculations
- Unit Mismatches: Many candidates failed to convert milliseconds (ms \text{ms} ms) to seconds (s \text{s} s) when calculating alternating current frequency and rates of change of magnetic flux.
- Significant Figures: Marks were routinely docked for over-specifying answers (e.g., giving 5 significant figures from 2 s.f. input data) or failing to show adequate intermediate working in "show that" questions.
- Graph Sketching: In the capacitance and electromagnetic induction questions, sketch lines often lacked critical features such as the correct starting coordinates, sinusoidal shape symmetry, or proper asymptotic behaviour.
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 1h 15min
- Total marks
- 30
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.