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0
Z
Zach Sandford
10/12/2025
Physics
2023 physics paper 1
414
•
10 Dec 2025
•
2023 Physics Paper 1: Practice Exam
Z
Zach Sandford
@zachsandford
1 / 10
Exam Information and Setup
This is your standard GCSE Physics Higher Tier paper worth 100 marks total. You've got 1 hour 45 minutes to complete it, so that's roughly just over a minute per mark - perfect for pacing yourself.
Make sure you've got your scientific calculator and Physics Equations Sheet ready. These are absolute essentials, especially since many questions specifically tell you to use the equations sheet.
Top Tip: Always show your working clearly in calculations - you can pick up method marks even if your final answer isn't quite right!
Remember to write in black ink and only use pencil for diagrams. The paper expects you to demonstrate good English and clear presentation, so take your time to write legibly.
National Grid and Power Transmission
The National Grid connects power stations to your home through a clever system of transformers. Transformer X increases the potential difference and decreases the current for efficient long-distance transmission.
You'll need to identify the correct power equation that links current, power, and resistance. The key relationship here is P = I²R, which is crucial for understanding power losses in transmission cables.
Remember: High voltage transmission reduces current, which dramatically cuts power losses in the cables!
This setup is all about energy efficiency - by stepping up the voltage, we can transmit electricity across the country without wasting loads of energy as heat in the cables.
Power Loss Calculations and Grid Efficiency
Here's where the maths gets practical! You'll calculate the resistance of transmission cables using the power loss formula. With a power loss of 1.60 × 10⁹ W and current of 2000 A, you can find resistance using P = I²R.
The efficiency equation connects total energy input with useful energy output. It's straightforward: efficiency = useful energy output ÷ total energy input.
Quick Check: An efficiency of 0.992 means 99.2% of energy reaches consumers - that's pretty impressive for such a massive system!
With 34.2 GJ input and 0.992 efficiency, you can calculate exactly how much energy reaches homes and businesses. This shows why the National Grid is so well-designed.
Specific Heat Capacity Experiment Setup
This classic specific heat capacity experiment uses a metal block with holes for a heater and thermometer. The setup includes a joulemeter to measure energy input and a stopwatch for timing.
The key technique here is letting the thermometer equilibrate with the iron block before recording the initial temperature. This ensures you get an accurate starting point for your measurements.
Lab Wisdom: Always wait for thermal equilibrium - rushing this step ruins your entire experiment!
The equipment layout is dead simple but effective. You're measuring how much energy it takes to heat up a known mass of iron by a specific temperature change.
Calculating Specific Heat Capacity
The graph shows temperature change over time once the heater starts working. Between 5 and 10 minutes, you can see a steady temperature rise that's perfect for calculations.
Using the specific heat capacity formula , you'll work with 26,000 J of energy, 2.0 kg mass, and the temperature change from the graph. Read the temperatures carefully at 5 and 10 minutes.
Graph Skills: Always read values precisely from the grid lines - small errors here multiply through your calculation!
This practical demonstrates how different materials need different amounts of energy to heat up. Iron's specific heat capacity tells you exactly how much energy per kilogram per degree Celsius.
Improving Experimental Accuracy
Adding insulation around the iron block makes a massive difference to your results. It reduces heat loss to the surroundings, giving you more accurate measurements of the iron's actual specific heat capacity.
With insulation, the iron block transfers thermal energy to the surroundings much more slowly. This means more of the heater's energy actually goes into heating the iron rather than warming the air around it.
Error Analysis: Insulation is your best friend for getting reliable results in heating experiments!
You'll need to identify two correct effects from the list. Think about what happens when you reduce unwanted heat transfer - your measurements become much more reliable and the calculated values more accurate.
Direct Current and Electrical Circuits
Direct potential difference means the voltage doesn't change direction or vary with time - it's constant, unlike the alternating current in your home's mains supply. Car batteries provide this steady 12V supply.
You need to identify the correct equation linking charge flow, energy, and potential difference. The relationship E = QV is fundamental to understanding electrical circuits.
Memory Hook: Think "Energy = Charge × Voltage" - it's as straightforward as it sounds!
This circuit represents the heating elements in a car windscreen. Each resistor is a heating wire that melts ice when current flows through it.
Charge Flow and Latent Heat Calculations
Calculate charge flow using Q = E ÷ V when the battery transfers 5010 J of energy at 12V. This shows how much electrical charge moved through the circuit to provide that energy.
The same 5010 J of energy melts 0.015 kg of ice, letting you calculate the specific latent heat of fusion of water. This is the energy needed per kilogram to change ice into liquid water at 0°C.
Key Concept: Latent heat is about changing state, not changing temperature - the ice stays at 0°C while melting!
Use L = E ÷ m to find how much energy per kilogram is needed for this phase change. It's a huge amount of energy compared to just heating water up.
Particle Theory and State Changes
This question tests your understanding of what happens to particles during melting and heating. As ice melts, the rigid structure breaks down and particles gain freedom to move around each other.
During melting, particles vibrate more vigorously until they overcome the forces holding them in fixed positions. The arrangement changes from ordered (solid) to disordered (liquid).
Visualise This: Think of particles as people in a crowd - solids are like a military parade, liquids like people milling about at a festival!
When temperature increases from 0°C to 5°C after melting, the liquid water particles move faster and faster. More kinetic energy means more movement and higher temperature.
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Anna
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Basil
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This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
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very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
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I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
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Elisha
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This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
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2023 Physics Paper 1: Practice Exam
Z
Zach Sandford
@zachsandford
This GCSE Physics Higher Tier paper covers essential topics including the National Grid, specific heat capacity experiments, electrical circuits, and renewable energy. You'll tackle real-world applications like power transmission, car windscreen heating systems, and hydroelectric generators.
Exam Information and Setup
This is your standard GCSE Physics Higher Tier paper worth 100 marks total. You've got 1 hour 45 minutes to complete it, so that's roughly just over a minute per mark - perfect for pacing yourself.
Make sure you've got your scientific calculator and Physics Equations Sheet ready. These are absolute essentials, especially since many questions specifically tell you to use the equations sheet.
Top Tip: Always show your working clearly in calculations - you can pick up method marks even if your final answer isn't quite right!
Remember to write in black ink and only use pencil for diagrams. The paper expects you to demonstrate good English and clear presentation, so take your time to write legibly.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
National Grid and Power Transmission
The National Grid connects power stations to your home through a clever system of transformers. Transformer X increases the potential difference and decreases the current for efficient long-distance transmission.
You'll need to identify the correct power equation that links current, power, and resistance. The key relationship here is P = I²R, which is crucial for understanding power losses in transmission cables.
Remember: High voltage transmission reduces current, which dramatically cuts power losses in the cables!
This setup is all about energy efficiency - by stepping up the voltage, we can transmit electricity across the country without wasting loads of energy as heat in the cables.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
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Improve your grades
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By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Power Loss Calculations and Grid Efficiency
Here's where the maths gets practical! You'll calculate the resistance of transmission cables using the power loss formula. With a power loss of 1.60 × 10⁹ W and current of 2000 A, you can find resistance using P = I²R.
The efficiency equation connects total energy input with useful energy output. It's straightforward: efficiency = useful energy output ÷ total energy input.
Quick Check: An efficiency of 0.992 means 99.2% of energy reaches consumers - that's pretty impressive for such a massive system!
With 34.2 GJ input and 0.992 efficiency, you can calculate exactly how much energy reaches homes and businesses. This shows why the National Grid is so well-designed.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Specific Heat Capacity Experiment Setup
This classic specific heat capacity experiment uses a metal block with holes for a heater and thermometer. The setup includes a joulemeter to measure energy input and a stopwatch for timing.
The key technique here is letting the thermometer equilibrate with the iron block before recording the initial temperature. This ensures you get an accurate starting point for your measurements.
Lab Wisdom: Always wait for thermal equilibrium - rushing this step ruins your entire experiment!
The equipment layout is dead simple but effective. You're measuring how much energy it takes to heat up a known mass of iron by a specific temperature change.
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Improve your grades
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Calculating Specific Heat Capacity
The graph shows temperature change over time once the heater starts working. Between 5 and 10 minutes, you can see a steady temperature rise that's perfect for calculations.
Using the specific heat capacity formula , you'll work with 26,000 J of energy, 2.0 kg mass, and the temperature change from the graph. Read the temperatures carefully at 5 and 10 minutes.
Graph Skills: Always read values precisely from the grid lines - small errors here multiply through your calculation!
This practical demonstrates how different materials need different amounts of energy to heat up. Iron's specific heat capacity tells you exactly how much energy per kilogram per degree Celsius.
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Improve your grades
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Improving Experimental Accuracy
Adding insulation around the iron block makes a massive difference to your results. It reduces heat loss to the surroundings, giving you more accurate measurements of the iron's actual specific heat capacity.
With insulation, the iron block transfers thermal energy to the surroundings much more slowly. This means more of the heater's energy actually goes into heating the iron rather than warming the air around it.
Error Analysis: Insulation is your best friend for getting reliable results in heating experiments!
You'll need to identify two correct effects from the list. Think about what happens when you reduce unwanted heat transfer - your measurements become much more reliable and the calculated values more accurate.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Direct Current and Electrical Circuits
Direct potential difference means the voltage doesn't change direction or vary with time - it's constant, unlike the alternating current in your home's mains supply. Car batteries provide this steady 12V supply.
You need to identify the correct equation linking charge flow, energy, and potential difference. The relationship E = QV is fundamental to understanding electrical circuits.
Memory Hook: Think "Energy = Charge × Voltage" - it's as straightforward as it sounds!
This circuit represents the heating elements in a car windscreen. Each resistor is a heating wire that melts ice when current flows through it.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
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Improve your grades
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By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Charge Flow and Latent Heat Calculations
Calculate charge flow using Q = E ÷ V when the battery transfers 5010 J of energy at 12V. This shows how much electrical charge moved through the circuit to provide that energy.
The same 5010 J of energy melts 0.015 kg of ice, letting you calculate the specific latent heat of fusion of water. This is the energy needed per kilogram to change ice into liquid water at 0°C.
Key Concept: Latent heat is about changing state, not changing temperature - the ice stays at 0°C while melting!
Use L = E ÷ m to find how much energy per kilogram is needed for this phase change. It's a huge amount of energy compared to just heating water up.
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Improve your grades
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Particle Theory and State Changes
This question tests your understanding of what happens to particles during melting and heating. As ice melts, the rigid structure breaks down and particles gain freedom to move around each other.
During melting, particles vibrate more vigorously until they overcome the forces holding them in fixed positions. The arrangement changes from ordered (solid) to disordered (liquid).
Visualise This: Think of particles as people in a crowd - solids are like a military parade, liquids like people milling about at a festival!
When temperature increases from 0°C to 5°C after melting, the liquid water particles move faster and faster. More kinetic energy means more movement and higher temperature.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
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Improve your grades
Join milions of students
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We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
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Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user