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%)
วัตถุประสงค์: Tabulate \(y\) across a range of \(x\) to locate sign changes (roots) and approximate maxima/minima.
ใช้เมื่อใด: Solving or sketching a function when you want to find where its graph crosses or turns.
ขั้นตอน
Enter the function in TABLE mode, set the start, end and step, then read where the sign of \(y\) changes or where it peaks.
ข้อควรระวังในการสอบ: 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)
วัตถุประสงค์: Read the mean \(\bar{x}\) and standard deviation directly, and the gradient/intercept (and \(r\)) of a linear regression for bivariate data.
ใช้เมื่อใด: Any data-handling, statistics, or required-practical analysis question.
ขั้นตอน
Enter the data in STAT mode (1-VAR or A+BX), then recall \(\bar{x}\), \(\sigma\) or the regression coefficients.
ข้อควรระวังในการสอบ: 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)
วัตถุประสงค์: Keep full-precision intermediate values to avoid rounding errors.
ใช้เมื่อใด: Multi-step calculations where premature rounding loses the final accuracy mark.
ขั้นตอน
Use Ans, STO/RCL or the M+ memory to reuse the unrounded result of each step; round only the final answer.
ข้อควรระวังในการสอบ: 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)
วัตถุประสงค์: Use the built-in EQN/SOLVE mode to verify roots of quadratics or simultaneous equations you have already solved by algebra.
ใช้เมื่อใด: As a check only, after solving by hand.
ขั้นตอน
Enter the coefficients in EQN mode (or use SOLVE) and confirm they match your worked solution.
ข้อควรระวังในการสอบ: 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.
ข้อผิดพลาดที่พบบ่อย
1highคะแนนที่เกี่ยวข้อง: 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.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: Always multiply the value in minutes by 60 before plugging it into any electrical equation (e.g., 2 minutes = 120 seconds).
Stating that control rods slow down neutrons instead of correctly identifying that they absorb neutrons.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: Remember that control rods absorb neutrons to control the fission rate, while the moderator is the component that slows neutrons down.
3highคะแนนที่เกี่ยวข้อง: 2Light and the electromagnetic spectrum (Paper 1)
Failing to convert lens focal length from centimeters to meters when calculating lens power.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: 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).
Incorrectly stating that positive charge or protons move when a plastic object or balloon is rubbed.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: Protons are tightly bound inside the atomic nucleus and never move during static charging. Only negative electrons can be transferred.
5mediumคะแนนที่เกี่ยวข้อง: 1Particle model (Paper 2)
Using the final temperature directly instead of calculating the change in temperature when finding specific heat capacity.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: Always find the temperature difference by subtracting the initial temperature from the final temperature: change in temp = final temp - starting temp.
6mediumคะแนนที่เกี่ยวข้อง: 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.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: Once you compute v^2 = (2 * KE) / m, you must apply the square root key to get the final velocity: v = sqrt(v^2).
7mediumคะแนนที่เกี่ยวข้อง: 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.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: 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.
8mediumคะแนนที่เกี่ยวข้อง: 1Electricity and circuits (Paper 2)
Drawing wiring lines straight through component symbols or leaving complete physical gaps in circuit-drawing questions.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: 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.
9highคะแนนที่เกี่ยวข้อง: 2Particle model (Paper 2)
Drawing resultant fluid pressure force arrows at incorrect angles or pointing away from a curved container surface.
วิธีหลีกเลี่ยง: The force arrow representing pressure on any surface must always point directly perpendicular (normal) to the boundary surface, acting inward.