A complete, student-facing exam strategy guide for the Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Physics (1PH0) Foundation Tier exams (Papers 1F and 2F). It features critical unit conversions, equation setups, circuit drawing tips, and step-by-step methods for standard scientific calculators to maximize marks.
A scientific or graphical calculator that meets JCQ regulations may be used (some GCSE Mathematics and Science papers are non-calculator). Graphical calculators must be set to exam mode; you must clear any stored programs, notes or data before the exam, and the calculator must not be able to retrieve stored text or formulae.
AO1: AO1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, techniques, and procedures. (40%)
AO2: AO2: Apply knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, inquiry, techniques, and procedures. (40%)
AO3: AO3: Analyze information and ideas to interpret, evaluate, make judgments, and improve procedures. (20%)
過去問と採点基準にもとづいて作成（2022–2024）。
電卓プログラム
Table mode for roots & turning points
Scientific calculator (e.g. Casio fx-991 series)
目的: Tabulate \(y\) across a range of \(x\) to locate sign changes (roots) and approximate maxima/minima.
使う場面: Solving or sketching a function when you want to find where its graph crosses or turns.
手順
Enter the function in TABLE mode, set the start, end and step, then read where the sign of \(y\) changes or where it peaks.
試験での注意: Allowed under JCQ rules, but you must still show your method — an unsupported calculator answer earns no method marks. Clear all stored programs, notes and data (graphical calculators in exam mode) before the exam.
Statistics mode (mean, SD & regression)
Scientific calculator (e.g. Casio fx-991 series)
目的: Read the mean \(\bar{x}\) and standard deviation directly, and the gradient/intercept (and \(r\)) of a linear regression for bivariate data.
使う場面: Any data-handling, statistics, or required-practical analysis question.
手順
Enter the data in STAT mode (1-VAR or A+BX), then recall \(\bar{x}\), \(\sigma\) or the regression coefficients.
試験での注意: Allowed under JCQ rules, but you must still show your method — an unsupported calculator answer earns no method marks. Clear all stored programs, notes and data (graphical calculators in exam mode) before the exam.
Carry exact values with Ans & memory
Scientific calculator (e.g. Casio fx-991 series)
目的: Keep full-precision intermediate values to avoid rounding errors.
使う場面: Multi-step calculations where premature rounding loses the final accuracy mark.
手順
Use Ans, STO/RCL or the M+ memory to reuse the unrounded result of each step; round only the final answer.
試験での注意: Allowed under JCQ rules, but you must still show your method — an unsupported calculator answer earns no method marks. Clear all stored programs, notes and data (graphical calculators in exam mode) before the exam.
Equation solver — to CHECK your working
Scientific calculator (e.g. Casio fx-991 series)
目的: Use the built-in EQN/SOLVE mode to verify roots of quadratics or simultaneous equations you have already solved by algebra.
使う場面: As a check only, after solving by hand.
手順
Enter the coefficients in EQN mode (or use SOLVE) and confirm they match your worked solution.
試験での注意: Allowed under JCQ rules, but you must still show your method — an unsupported calculator answer earns no method marks. Clear all stored programs, notes and data (graphical calculators in exam mode) before the exam.
よくあるミス
1high影響する配点: 2Electricity and circuits (Paper 2)
Failing to convert time from minutes into seconds before calculating charge or current, leading to a factor of 60 error.
回避方法: Always multiply the value in minutes by 60 before plugging it into any electrical equation (e.g., 2 minutes = 120 seconds).
2medium影響する配点: 1Radioactivity (Paper 1)
Stating that control rods slow down neutrons instead of correctly identifying that they absorb neutrons.
回避方法: Remember that control rods absorb neutrons to control the fission rate, while the moderator is the component that slows neutrons down.
3high影響する配点: 2Light and the electromagnetic spectrum (Paper 1)
Failing to convert lens focal length from centimeters to meters when calculating lens power.
回避方法: Divide focal length in cm by 100 to get meters first, then calculate power using P = 1/f (e.g., 20 cm = 0.2 m; P = 1 / 0.2 = 5 dioptres).
4high影響する配点: 2Static electricity (Paper 2)
Incorrectly stating that positive charge or protons move when a plastic object or balloon is rubbed.
回避方法: Protons are tightly bound inside the atomic nucleus and never move during static charging. Only negative electrons can be transferred.
5medium影響する配点: 1Particle model (Paper 2)
Using the final temperature directly instead of calculating the change in temperature when finding specific heat capacity.
回避方法: Always find the temperature difference by subtracting the initial temperature from the final temperature: change in temp = final temp - starting temp.
6medium影響する配点: 1Motion and forces (Paper 1)
Failing to take the square root of the velocity squared term when rearranging the kinetic energy equation to find speed.
回避方法: Once you compute v^2 = (2 * KE) / m, you must apply the square root key to get the final velocity: v = sqrt(v^2).
7medium影響する配点: 1Key concepts of physics (Paper 1)
Drawing a jagged, connect-the-dots line on trend graphs instead of a smooth curve or straight line of best fit.
回避方法: Use a sharp pencil to draw a single, continuous, smooth curve or a ruled straight line of best fit that passes balanced through the points.
8medium影響する配点: 1Electricity and circuits (Paper 2)
Drawing wiring lines straight through component symbols or leaving complete physical gaps in circuit-drawing questions.
回避方法: Use a ruler to draw wire connections that stop exactly at the outer boundary of component symbols, leaving no internal wire lines or open gaps.
9high影響する配点: 2Particle model (Paper 2)
Drawing resultant fluid pressure force arrows at incorrect angles or pointing away from a curved container surface.
回避方法: The force arrow representing pressure on any surface must always point directly perpendicular (normal) to the boundary surface, acting inward.