PHYSICS · Pearson Edexcel IGCSE
PHYSICS/12
P: Core Physics
Physics · 2024 · Variant 2
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: Pearson Edexcel
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.5 / 5
180
195 min
Forces, movement, shape and momentum
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
180
Duration
195 min
Session difficulty
3.5 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
The Summer 2024 International GCSE Physics exams (Papers 1PR and 2PR) offered a well-balanced spread of direct recall, challenging multi-step calculations, and demanding graphical analysis.
While many parts of the papers accessed basic knowledge via direct equations, several higher-tier conceptual questions and practical skills evaluations elevated the difficulty index to a solid 3.5.
Students who mastered core formula manipulations and standard practical setups were well-positioned to score highly, though top-tier grades required a strong grip on experimental error and rigorous mathematical justification.
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: 8100%Experimental
Weight: 788%Conceptual
Weight: 675%Physic
Weight: 563%Direct
Weight: 450%Recall & I Multi-Perspective-Perspective-Perspective- Evaluation
Weight: 338%
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
Examiner report — national grade boundaries and question-level commentary
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
Give reasons and link mechanism to outcome; each point needs a because/so chain.
Show formula, substitution, and unit; method marks need visible working.
Match the expected response style for “State” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Draw” questions.
State features in sequence or list observable properties — do not explain causes unless asked.
Support your choice with specific evidence from data or the scenario given.
Match the expected response style for “Show” questions.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
Min per mark: 1.2
Min per mark: 1.1
Min per mark: 1.1
Min per mark: 1.1
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Forces, movement, shape and momentum
27 marks this session
Light and sound
26 marks this session
Electromagnetic induction
15 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
Forces, movement, shape and momentum
Radioactivity
Movement and position
Electromagnetic induction
Electric charge
The electromagnetic spectrum
Light and sound
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Paper 1PR:
Paper 2PR:
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
Forces, movement, shape and momentum
27 marks this session
Practise in RevuiLight and sound
26 marks this session
Practise in RevuiElectromagnetic induction
15 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
The Summer 2024 International GCSE Physics exams (Papers 1PR and 2PR) offered a well-balanced spread of direct recall, challenging multi-step calculations, and demanding graphical analysis.
- 2Message
While many parts of the papers accessed basic knowledge via direct equations, several higher-tier conceptual questions and practical skills evaluations elevated the difficulty index to a solid 3.5.
- 3Message
Students who mastered core formula manipulations and standard practical setups were well-positioned to score highly, though top-tier grades required a strong grip on experimental error and rigorous mathematical justification.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
2024 2024
Physics
The Summer 2024 International GCSE Physics exams (Papers 1PR and 2PR) offered a well-balanced spread of direct recall, challenging multi-step calculations, and demanding graphical analysis. While many parts of the papers accessed basic knowledge via direct equations, several high
The Summer 2024 International GCSE Physics exams (Papers 1PR and 2PR) offered a well-balanced spread of direct recall, challenging multi-step calculations, and demanding graphical analysis.
While many parts of the papers accessed basic knowledge via direct equations, several higher-tier conceptual questions and practical skills evaluations elevated the difficulty index to a solid 3.5.
Students who mastered core formula manipulations and standard practical setups were well-positioned to score highly, though top-tier grades required a strong grip on experimental error and rigorous mathematical justification.
- Total marks
- 180
- Duration
- 195 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.5 / 5
Session analysis
The Summer 2024 International GCSE Physics exams (Papers 1PR and 2PR) offered a well-balanced spread of direct recall, challenging multi-step calculations, and demanding graphical analysis. While many parts of the papers accessed basic knowledge via direct equations, several higher-tier conceptual questions and practical skills evaluations elevated the difficulty index to a solid 3.5. Students who mastered core formula manipulations and standard practical setups were well-positioned to score highly, though top-tier grades required a strong grip on experimental error and rigorous mathematical justification.
Updated Jun 13, 2026
Paper breakdown
Paper 1PR:
Paper 2PR:
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 Explanations
80·18·44%
Calculations
51·16·28%
Short Answer & Graphing
45·12·25%
Multiple Choice
4·4·2%
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 1PR Q1-Q4 (Ba…
0.85 m/minPaper 1PR Q5-Q8 (De…
0.90 m/minPaper 1PR Q9-Q12 (M…
0.92 m/minPaper 2PR Q1-Q4 (HR…
0.94 m/minTotal marks
153
Total time
170 min
Avg pace
0.90
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
Cosmology
85%85%
Work and power
80%80%
Ideal gas molecules
75%75%
Difficulty Verdict: A Fair but Rigorous Challenge
The Summer 2024 International GCSE Physics exams (Papers 1PR and 2PR) offered a well-balanced spread of direct recall, challenging multi-step calculations, and demanding graphical analysis. While many parts of the papers accessed basic knowledge via direct equations, several higher-tier conceptual questions and practical skills evaluations elevated the difficulty index to a solid 3.5. Students who mastered core formula manipulations and standard practical setups were well-positioned to score highly, though top-tier grades required a strong grip on experimental error and rigorous mathematical justification.
Examiner notes & key calculations
- Unit Conversion Errors: A major pitfall was observed in the electrical resistance calculation where current was provided in milliamperes (mA\text{mA}mA). Many candidates failed to convert this to amperes (A\text{A}A), resulting in a powers-of-ten error of 1000x in their final resistance values.
- Imprecise Graphical Skills: Drawing a proper line of best fit on the voltage-current graph or completing the oscilloscope sine wave trace requires precision. Candidates often drew sketched lines instead of smooth curves, costing easy marks.
- Incomplete H-R Diagram Labels: On the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, labeling the y-axis simply as "brightness" instead of the accepted "absolute magnitude" or "luminosity" was a costly omission.
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 2h
- Total marks
- 110
- Weighting
- 61.1%
- Question types
- Multiple Choice, Short Answer / Calculation, Long Answer / Explanation
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.