International As & a Level Physics: Revision Guide

Book Preface

This book is intended to help you to prepare for your University of Cambridge International A and AS level physics examinations. It is a revision guide, which you can use alongside your textbook as you work through your course and towards the end when you are revising for your examination.

The guide is split into two main parts. Pages 13 to 130 cover the AS examination. Pages 131 to 287 cover the A2 examination.

• This Introduction contains an overview of the AS and A2 physics courses and how they are assessed, some advice on revision and advice on taking the examinations.
• The Content Guidance sections provide a summary of the facts and concepts that you need to know for the AS or A2 physics examination.
• The Experimental Skills sections explain the data-handling skills you will need to answer some of the questions in the written examinations. It also explains the practical skills that you will need in order to do well in the practical examination.
• The Questions and Answers sections contain a specimen examination paper for you to try. There are also two sets of students’ answers for each question, with typical examiner comments.

It is entirely up to you how you use this book. We suggest you start by reading through this Introduction, which will give you some suggestions about how you can improve your knowledge and skills in physics and about some good ways of revising. It also gives you some pointers into how to do well in the examination. The Content Guidance will be especially useful when you are revising, as will the Questions and Answers.