Q1
ORIGINAL
An irregular mineral has mass . When fully submerged, it displaces of water. Calculate its density in .
[4 marks]
Total for this question: 4
All AQA GCSE Physics topic questions
AQA GCSE Physics · Topic 4.3
Particle model of matter questions
Practice questions covering particle model of matter from this specification. Every question below is the real AQA question as it is printed on the paper, with its mark scheme.
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6 questions on Particle model of matter, each with its mark scheme and worked method. Reveal the answer when you have had a go.
- Q2ORIGINALA sealed container holds of ice. The ice melts completely. State the mass of water formed and explain why it is unchanged.
[3 marks]
Total for this question: 3
- Q3ORIGINALA solid is heated but does not melt. Explain how its particles and internal energy change.
[3 marks]
Total for this question: 3
- Q4ORIGINALA metal block warms by . Its specific heat capacity is . Calculate the increase in its thermal energy store.
[2 marks]
Total for this question: 2
- Q5ORIGINALA frozen material is already at its melting point. Calculate the transfer required to melt it completely, given .
[2 marks]
Total for this question: 2
- Q6ORIGINALA sealed rigid flask of gas is heated. Explain why the gas pressure increases.
[4 marks]
Total for this question: 4
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Printable question pack — 4.3 Particle model of matterAll 80 questions across 8 specification points — 74 more than the 6 above — with the full mark scheme. Guest accessible · browser print.Real past-paper questions
39 questions shown as printed, 3 reference-only · newest series first
Question and mark-scheme extracts © AQA. Reproduced for educational use; the original paper is linked on every question. Contact hello@oscarsongtutoring.co.uk for removal.
AQA 8463 · June 2025 · Paper 1F · Q2 · 8 marks
8 marks
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[02.3] Almost 90 % of the students scored 2 marks on this SHC calculation. Students who scored only the substitution mark usually did not put the denominator in brackets when entering the calculation in their calculator.
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A student investigated the thermal conductivity of equal-sized rods made from copper, iron, nickel and steel. A drawing pin was attached to each rod with wax and the joined rods were heated centrally. Times for each pin to fall were: copper 10 s; iron 22 s; nickel 18 s; steel 24 s.
AQA 8463 · June 2025 · Paper 1F · Q4 · 8 marks
8 marks
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[04.5] When completing a matching type questions students should be encouraged to draw straight lines only.
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A teacher heated a fixed volume of gas in a sealed conical flask to demonstrate how gas pressure varies with temperature.
AQA 8463 · June 2025 · Paper 1F · Q8 · 6 marks
6 marks
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[08.2] Almost all of the students scored this mark for writing down the equation which links density, mass and volume. © 2025 AQA
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Tides and wind are two renewable energy resources. A new design of tidal turbine generates electricity using the tides.
AQA 8463 · June 2025 · Paper 1F · Q9 · 10 marks
10 marks
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[09.1] Electrical devices near water were insufficient, as was wires in the water. A low p.d. power supply also is not a hazard, unless water was spilled on it, in which case it would score for the ‘spilled water’ which is a hazard by itself in a typical Science lab. Risks by themselves like electrocution, electric shock or burns did not score but were ignored if given with an appropriate hazard. Nearly 50 % of the students scored this mark.
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A student determined the specific heat capacity of water using a beaker, water, heater, thermometer, joulemeter and balance.
AQA 8463 · June 2025 · Paper 1H · Q1 · 6 marks
6 marks
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[01.5] A good range of environmental impacts were described by many students. To score within level 2, students needed to make at least one comparative statement about a factor for both turbines. The simplest way of doing this was to compare relative size. An answer; ‘The wind turbine is larger, but harms birds. The tidal turbine harms fish but does not cause visual pollution’ would score 4 marks. Nearly all of the students scored some marks with nearly 50% scoring 3 or 4 marks.
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Tides and wind are two renewable energy resources. A new design of tidal turbine generates electricity using the tides.
AQA 8463 · June 2025 · Paper 1H · Q2 · 10 marks
10 marks
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[02.3] Almost all of the students scored this mark for identifying that the beaker of water needed insulation and/or a lid. Any named insulation was allowed for this question. Aluminium / tin foil was also allowed as it would reduce energy transfer by infrared radiation. Place the beaker on a ‘heatproof’ mat was also creditworthy as it would decrease energy transfer through the base of the beaker by conduction.
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A student determined the specific heat capacity of water. The apparatus included water in a beaker, a heater, a thermometer, a joulemeter and a balance. The joulemeter measures energy transfer.
AQA 8463 · June 2025 · Paper 1H · Q5 · 8 marks
8 marks
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[05.4] Just over 30 % of the students scored the mark for the consequence of an uncontrolled chain reaction. ‘Explosion’ unqualified was insufficient to score the mark.
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Scientists used lasers to start a nuclear fusion reaction by heating a small amount of an isotope of hydrogen.
AQA 8463 · June 2025 · Paper 1H · Q6 · 7 marks
7 marks
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[06.3] Students found this question difficult with very few scoring marks because of incorrect assumptions about how potential difference, current and resistance are affected by series and parallel circuits. Marking point 2 was dependent on marking point 1 so that students who stated that the current was increased without a valid reason would not score. The third mark was demanding in requiring an understanding of how P = IV related to the circuit being considered. Just over 80% of the students scored no marks.
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A battery-powered hand warmer contains a heating pad. The battery transfers energy to increase the temperature of the heating pad.
AQA 8463 · June 2025 · Paper 1H · Q8 · 11 marks
11 marks
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[08.3] Students made good attempts at answering this challenging question about gas pressure. Technical accuracy was important for the second and third marking points, so it needed to be clear that particle collisions with the container walls were more frequent, more often or at a greater rate of collision. More frequent collisions between particles was insufficient for the second mark. The third marking point needed to reference the forces involved in collisions with the container walls, an implied greater force per collision was acceptable, but not a macroscopic force linked to force and area as that was not being tested. Almost half of the students scored 3 or 4 marks, while almost 40 % of the students scored 1 or 2 marks.
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A scientist poured liquid nitrogen into a container and sealed the container.
AQA 8463 · June 2024 · Paper 1F · Q4 · 8 marks
8 marks
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[04.3] 78% of students completed the calculation successfully, showing how the difference between two values of volume could be used to determine the volume of a ring. The most common incorrect answer was to calculate the mean of the 2 values, which scored zero. A common incorrect answer by students was to multiply all the numbers together, which scored zero.
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A student determined the volume and mass of a metal ring using water displacement and a balance.
AQA 8463 · June 2024 · Paper 1F · Q5 · 8 marks
8 marks
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[05.1] 48% of students understood that the volume of air in the syringe decreased.
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A student compressed a fixed mass of air in a sealed syringe. The air was then compressed quickly enough to ignite cotton wool.
AQA 8463 · June 2024 · Paper 1F · Q7 · 8 marks
8 marks
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[07.1] 42% of students answered this question correctly, identifying the colour of the insulation around the live wire.
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A mains appliance uses a three-core cable and a plug containing a fuse wire that melts if the current is too large.
AQA 8463 · June 2024 · Paper 1F · Q9 · 10 marks
10 marks
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[09.3] Many students failed to realise that the calculations needed were to show the amount of stored energy wasted or the amount of stored energy usefully transferred. Simple subtractions were insufficient to score the calculation marks. To score 4 marks, two comparisons were needed in addition to a comparative calculation. Although the comparative calculation performed by a minority of students involved dividing 33 600 kJ by 490 kJ and getting an answer of 68.6, which is the number of times more energy stored by method A compared to B. This single calculation was enough to score 4 marks with the two simple comparisons. The installation comparison only scored if value was added to the information eg Method A is easier to install or is likely to cost less money. 21% of students scored 3 or 4 marks, while 65% of students scored 1 or 2 marks.
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Surplus wind-turbine energy may be stored by A: heating 100 kg of water by 80 °C (33 600 kJ stored, 40% wasted, install anywhere), or B: pumping 100 kg of water uphill by 500 m (490 kJ stored, 25% wasted, requires high mountains).
AQA 8463 · June 2024 · Paper 1H · Q1 · 10 marks
10 marks
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[01.1] 98% of students scored this mark, identifying the energy store which increases when water is heated.
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Surplus wind-turbine energy may be stored by A: heating 100 kg of water by 80 °C (33 600 kJ stored, 40% wasted, install anywhere), or B: pumping 100 kg of water uphill by 500 m (490 kJ stored, 25% wasted, requires high mountains).
AQA 8463 · June 2024 · Paper 1H · Q7 · 8 marks
8 marks
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[07.1] 52% of students scored this mark. The question states that the student’s eye is not in line with the level of the water. The position of the eye is likely to remain in the same (incorrect) position as the water level changes when the ring is inserted. This will cause a random error as both volume measurements will be incorrect, but not by the same amount.
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A student measured a metal ring's volume by water displacement and its mass with a balance. The cylinder readings were 5.0 cm³ and 5.4 cm³; the true ring volume was 0.44 cm³. The empty balance later read 0.02 g.
AQA 8463 · June 2024 · Paper 1H · Q8 · 8 marks
8 marks
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[08.3] A grade 6-7 calculation question which discriminated well between students. Many students failed to convert the specific heat capacity so scored 3 marks instead of 4. Some students tried to convert the energy into kJ but very few did this successfully, usually ending with a ‘power of 10’ error. 22% of students scored 3 marks while 62% of students scored 4 marks.
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A student compressed a fixed mass of air in a sealed syringe; a fire piston compresses air quickly enough to ignite cotton wool.
AQA 8463 · June 2024 · Paper 1H · Q10 · 11 marks
11 marks
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[10.4] A grade 6-7 calculation of mass. 61% of students scored 4 marks. 31% of students scored 3 marks for either incorrectly converting, or not converting, the unit.
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A live wire in a three-core cable is connected to a fuse. The fuse wire melts when the current becomes too large.
AQA 8463 · June 2023 · Paper 1H · Q3 · 14 marks
14 marks
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[03.4] 95% of students scored 3 marks. A small minority of students scored 2 marks, usually due to a spurious conversion of mass from kg to g.
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An electrical circuit is used to heat the windscreen of a car. Each resistor in the circuit represents a heating element. The circuit is powered by a 12 V battery.
AQA 8463 · June 2023 · Paper 1H · Q9 · 7 marks
7 marks
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[09.3] This question was well attempted, but most students’ explanations lacked the detail needed to score marks. 45% of students scored 1 mark. 26 % of students scored 2 marks. Only 10 % of students scored 3 or 4 marks. The first 3 marking points were microscopic explanations, whereas the 4th marking point is a macroscopic explanation. Students who stated ‘the particles vibrate more/faster’ could not score the 1st marking point. For the 2nd marking point students needed to refer to more collisions with the tyre ‘per second’ or ‘more frequently’ or ‘greater rate’, the dependence on time is important. For the 3rd marking point te force referred to is the individual force experienced in a collision by a particle with the tyre wal, Students needed to state this so that it was clear whether they were talking about the total force or the individual force exerted by a particle. For the 4th marking point students needed to say both that the pressure is greater and why – that the force per square metre is greater. If a student said ‘greater force and as pressure = force / area, greater pressure’ that was just enough to score.
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Air is pumped into a car tyre.
AQA 8463 · June 2022 · Paper 1F · Q5 · 8 marks
8 marks
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[05.1] 65% of students chose the correct measuring instrument.
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A student determines the specific latent heat of vaporisation of water using an immersion heater and a beaker.
AQA 8463 · June 2022 · Paper 1F · Q10 · 10 marks
10 marks
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[10.4] About 10% of students scored 2 marks on this question and approximately 35% scored 1 mark. Many students stated that ‘the student could have measured it wrong the first time’ which was insufficient. ‘Eliminates anomalies’ was not creditworthy.
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A student finds a rock on a beach and wants to determine its density. The measured density is 2.55 ± 0.10 g/cm³. Reference densities are: basalt 2.90 ± 0.10; chalk 2.35 ± 0.15; flint 2.60 ± 0.10; sandstone 2.20 ± 0.20; slate 2.90 ± 0.20 g/cm³.
AQA 8463 · June 2022 · Paper 1H · Q2 · 10 marks
10 marks
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[02.4] Approximately 45% of students scored 2 marks and 40% scored 1 mark. ‘In case an error / mistake was made the first time’ was insufficient. ‘To check the repeatability of the data’ was ignored, as this wouldn’t improve the accuracy of the data. ‘Get rid of anomalies’ was assumed to mean ‘remove anomalies’, but ‘stops anomalies from occurring’ did not score. Likewise ‘stops random errors’ did not score.
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A student finds a rock on a beach and wants to determine its density. The measured density is 2.55 ± 0.10 g/cm³. Reference densities are: basalt 2.90 ± 0.10; chalk 2.35 ± 0.15; flint 2.60 ± 0.10; sandstone 2.20 ± 0.20; slate 2.90 ± 0.20 g/cm³.
AQA 8463 · June 2022 · Paper 1H · Q8 · 11 marks
11 marks
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[08.1] About 90% of students gave the correct measuring instrument. While it wasn’t seen often, an answer of a ‘volumetric pipette’ was also creditworthy. ‘Pipette’ was insufficient.
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A student puts 50 cm³ of water in a beaker, records the initial mass of beaker plus water as 0.080 kg, boils the water for 600 s with an immersion heater, and records a final mass of 0.071 kg. The heater transfers 25 200 J while the water boils.
AQA 8463 · November 2021 · Paper 1F · Q1 · 6 marks
6 marks
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A large lump of ice is heated until it changes state.
AQA 8463 · November 2021 · Paper 1F · Q3 · 10 marks
10 marks
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A student investigates fruit density. Three grape-volume readings are 2.1 cm³, 2.1 cm³ and 2.4 cm³. An apple has mass 84.0 g and volume 120 cm³.
AQA 8463 · November 2021 · Paper 1F · Q8 · 7 marks
7 marks
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A fixed mass of gas initially occupies 12 cm³ at 101 000 Pa. It expands slowly to 24 cm³.
AQA 8463 · November 2021 · Paper 1F · Q10 · 9 marks
9 marks
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Fusion power from deuterium needs a 4.0 g sample heated by 50 000 000 °C. Deuterium has specific heat capacity 5200 J/kg °C.
AQA 8463 · November 2021 · Paper 1H · Q2 · 9 marks
9 marks
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Question 02.1 was not very well answered, around half the students scored the first marking point, but very few scored the second. The calculation was well answered, the most common mistake was not converting the mass from g to kg. Questions 02.3 and 02.4 were generally well answered due to the numerous options allowed in the mark scheme.
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Fusion power from deuterium needs a 4.0 g sample heated by 50 000 000 °C. Deuterium has specific heat capacity 5200 J/kg °C.
AQA 8463 · November 2021 · Paper 1H · Q4 · 6 marks
6 marks
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Question 04.1 was poorly answered with many incorrect answers seen. A common incorrect answer was ‘scale’, as opposed to ‘scales’. Since all measuring instruments have a scale, this answer did not score. Students should be encouraged to not give multiple answers, as was common here, as examiners apply the ‘list principle’ when this happens. Questions 04.2 and 04.3 were well answered, but students found 04.4 difficult with most students not understanding that ‘precision’ refers to the spread of repeat readings, rather than the resolution of an instrument or its accuracy.
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A student measures fruit density. An apple has mass 85 g and density 0.68 g/cm³.
AQA 8463 · November 2021 · Paper 1H · Q9 · 9 marks
9 marks
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Questions 09.1 and 09.3 were well answered with 45% of students scoring 4 marks on 09.3. Less than 10% of students scored a mark on 09.2, with many students stating that either the volume or the equipment was kept the same, neither of which were creditworthy. Question 09.4 was poorly answered with few students demonstrating sufficient technical accuracy in their explanation. Common errors were to refer simply to ‘more collisions’ rather than the ‘frequency of collisions’ and not referring to the force exerted on the container walls.
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A teacher records gas volume and pressure before attaching any weights, then attaches weights in 2.0 N steps until 12.0 N is attached. At one point volume is 45 cm³ and pressure 60 kPa; later volume is 40 cm³.
AQA 8463 · November 2021 · Paper 1H · Q11 · 5 marks
5 marks
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Question 11.1 was answered poorly, with many students mixing up specific heat capacity and specific latent heat in their answers, and referring to incorrect parts of the graph. Around a third of students scored a mark on 11.2 and 11.3. Question 11.4 discriminated well with a good spread of marks. The unit conversion was often performed incorrectly, which led to a ‘power of ten’ error and prevented students gaining a mark. Few students gave the correct unit, even though the equation needed is on the equations sheet. Concluding Remarks This paper was broadly similar to papers from previous series. The errors that students made in calculations were common errors, usually involving incorrect unit conversions or failing to convert units. An area of the specification that stood out as being particularly poorly answered was section 4.2 which was tested in the Required Practical Activity in question 3 and again in question 10. Most of the students understand the importance of showing clear working out when completing a calculation. This is crucial in the more complex calculations. Similar to previous series, a significant number of the students were unable to read values from graphs accurately and failed to realise when numerical values were not given in standard SI units.
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During boiling, 0.030 kg of water becomes steam when 69 kJ is transferred.
AQA 8463 · November 2020 · Paper 1F · Q6 · 8 marks
8 marks
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A student uses a sealed air-filled syringe connected to a pressure gauge to investigate how gas pressure varies with volume at constant temperature. Results: 24 cm³ → 100 kPa, 20 cm³ → 120 kPa, 12 cm³ → 200 kPa, 10 cm³ → 240 kPa.
AQA 8463 · November 2020 · Paper 1F · Q7 · 18 marks
18 marks
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A student heats 0.50 kg of water in an electric kettle. A thermistor switches the kettle off at 100 °C; the heating-element resistance is 15 Ω and current is 12 A.
AQA 8463 · November 2020 · Paper 1F · Q10 · 11 marks
11 marks
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A hydroelectric power station stores 6 500 000 m³ of water of density 998 kg/m³. Its generators supply 1.5 × 10⁹ W for at most five hours. Figure 15's demand curve (power in 10⁹ W) is approximately: (04:00,30), (06:00,40), (08:00,43), (12:00,44), (14:00,44.5), (16:00,49).
AQA 8463 · November 2020 · Paper 1H · Q3 · 11 marks
11 marks
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[03.1] 91% of students answered this question correctly. The equation was acceptable using symbols or words. Students should be encouraged not to give multiple answers due to the list principle being applied: right + wrong = 0 marks. eg ρ = m/V and m = ρ /V would score zero.
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A hydroelectric power station stores 6 500 000 m³ of water of density 998 kg/m³. Its generators supply 1.5 × 10⁹ W for at most five hours. Figure 5's demand curve (power in 10⁹ W) is approximately: (04:00,30), (06:00,40), (08:00,43), (12:00,44), (14:00,44.5), (16:00,49).
AQA 8463 · November 2020 · Paper 1H · Q7 · 9 marks
9 marks
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[07.3] Very few students scored 2 or 3 marks on this question, 10% of students scored 1 mark. Weaker students misunderstood which straight section the question referred to thinking it was the horizontal section. Only the highest-scoring students understood that the rate of temperature increase (from the gradient of the diagonal line) could be used in conjunction with the equations for specific heat capacity and E = Pt to calculate useful power output. A lot of students thought that the efficiency equation could be used, but usually failed to score any marks.
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An electric kettle heats water. Its temperature-time curve is approximately (time s, temperature °C): (0,22), (10,22), (20,26), (30,35), (40,45), (50,55), (60,65), (70,75), (80,85), (90,95), (100,100), with a straight central section and smooth ends. In 100 s, 155 000 J is transferred; c = 4200 J/kg °C.
AQA 8463 · November 2020 · Paper 1H · Q10 · 10 marks
10 marks
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[10.2] 65% of students scored 4 marks. Students who understood that ‘pressure × volume = a constant’ were usually able to perform the calculation correctly. A few students made mistakes in copying down the quantities, eg missing off a 0 from, or adding an extra 0 to, the pressure. Many students who did not score marks thought that the relationship between the quantities was pressure/volume = a constant.
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A helium balloon at constant temperature initially has pressure 100 000 Pa and volume 0.030 m³, then is compressed to 0.025 m³ without losing gas.
AQA 8463 · June 2019 · Paper 1F · Q1 · 9 marks
9 marks
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[01.3] Around 91% of students scored 2 marks. In calculations where students are provided with the equation (grades 1-3) students are not expected to rearrange the equation. Some students incorrectly tried to convert the kg into g and scored 0 marks.
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Figure 1 shows water being heated. Eventually the water changed into steam. In Figure 2 the temperature-time line rises to A; A and B are the endpoints of a horizontal segment.
AQA 8463 · sample1 · Paper 1F · Q9 · 7 marks
7 marks
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Figure 12 shows a balloon filled with helium gas. The helium has a mass of 0.00254 kg and the balloon has a volume of 0.0141 m<sup>3</sup>.
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sample13 questions
- Paper 1F · Q4Foundation · 9 marks · Calculator · multi · standardView question in paper (p.8)Mark scheme (p.9)
- Paper 1H · Q1Higher · 7 marks · Calculator · multi · standardView question in paper (p.2)Mark scheme (p.6)
- Paper 1H · Q12Higher · 6 marks · six marker · hardView question in paper (p.28)Mark scheme (p.18)
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