Skip to content
Wyatt's Notes — Qualifications

GCSE Physics -- Diagnostic Guide

GCSE Physics — Diagnostic Guide

Coverage Map

Diagnostic FileTopics CoveredSource File
diag-energy.mdEnergy stores, transfers, conservation, efficiency, specific heat capacity, work and powerenergy.md
diag-electricity.mdCurrent, voltage, resistance, Ohm’s law, series/parallel circuits, power, domestic electricityelectricity.md
diag-forces.mdNewton’s laws, weight/mass, Hooke’s law, momentum, pressure, circular motion, terminal velocityforces.md
diag-waves.mdWave properties, EM spectrum, reflection, refraction, sound waves, interferencewaves.md
diag-magnetism.mdMagnetic fields, electromagnets, motor effect, electromagnetic induction, transformersmagnetism-and-electromagnetism.md

Grading Rubric

PASS Criteria

  • Correctly solve at least 2 out of 3 Unit Tests with full working
  • Correctly solve at least 2 out of 3 Integration Tests
  • Correct use of SI units in all calculations
  • Clear diagrams where required (circuits, forces, wave diagrams)

PARTIAL Criteria

  • Correctly solve 1—2 Unit Tests and 1 Integration Test
  • Shows understanding of physics principles but makes calculation errors
  • Correct formulas used but with arithmetic mistakes
  • Partially correct explanations of physics concepts

FAIL Indicators

  • Cannot distinguish between scalar and vector quantities
  • Confuses weight and mass
  • Cannot apply Ohm’s law or Kirchhoff’s laws correctly
  • Cannot recall the electromagnetic spectrum in order
  • Does not include units in final answers

Prerequisite Chains

Energy (stores, transfers, conservation)
  ├── Forces (work, power, kinetic/potential energy)
  └── Electricity (energy transfer, power calculations)


Forces (Newton's laws, mass, weight)
  ├── Energy (work, gravitational potential energy)
  └── Waves (wave speed formula)


Electricity (current, voltage, resistance)
  ├── Energy (power, energy calculations)
  └── Magnetism (electromagnetic induction, transformers)


Waves (wave properties, speed, frequency)
  └── Magnetism (electromagnetic waves)

Recommended order of diagnostic completion:

  1. diag-energy — foundational concept of energy conservation
  2. diag-forces — Newton’s laws, a core physics toolkit
  3. diag-electricity — circuit analysis and Ohm’s law
  4. diag-waves — wave properties and the EM spectrum
  5. diag-magnetism — builds on electricity concepts

Timing Recommendations

DiagnosticRecommended TimeNotes
diag-energy35 minutesIncludes specific heat capacity calculations
diag-forces40 minutesMulti-step Newton’s law problems
diag-electricity40 minutesCircuit analysis requires careful working
diag-waves30 minutesMix of recall and calculation
diag-magnetism35 minutesInduction problems can be complex

Total recommended time: approximately 3 hours (spread across 2 sessions).

How to Use These Diagnostics

  1. Complete each diagnostic without notes, showing all working.
  2. Always include units in intermediate and final answers.
  3. Draw diagrams for circuit problems, force diagrams, and wave diagrams.
  4. Check solutions immediately, comparing method and answer.
  5. If you score FAIL, review the source file before retrying.
  6. Integration Tests frequently combine topics (e.g., energy and forces, electricity and magnetism) — these mirror the style of GCSE combined questions.
  7. Practise writing explanations in full sentences, as GCSE Physics awards marks for descriptive answers.

Summary

The key principles covered in this topic are linked in the sub-pages above. Focus on understanding the definitions, applying the formulas or frameworks, and evaluating strengths and limitations of each approach.

Worked Examples

Worked examples demonstrating the application of key concepts are covered in the detailed sub-pages linked above.

Common Pitfalls

  • Confusing terminology or concepts that appear similar but have distinct meanings.
  • Overlooking key assumptions or boundary conditions that limit applicability.