AQA A LEVEL PHYSICS PAPER 3
COMPREHENSIVE TEST PAPER 2026
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
EXPERT VERIFIED GRADED A+
◉ Huygen's construction. Answer:
◉ Pulses. Answer: -Pulses have a short duration so that you can
differentiate between the pulse and the echo.
◉ Photon model of a wave. Answer: Waves are made of discrete
packets of energy called photons. The energy of the photons
depends on their frequency through the equation E=hf where h is
plack's constant
◉ What is a photon?. Answer: A quantum packet of electromagnetic
radiation
◉ Photoelectric effect. Answer: Certain kind of lights can charge the
gold leaf as they give the metal on the top enough energy for it's
outer electrons to escape.
Later a photoelectric cell (with a vacuum) was created to show the
same effect.
,This depends on the frequency of the light though, not the amplitude
(intensity) which cannot be explained with the wave theory of light.
◉ Photoelectric effect: wave theory. Answer: Wave theory would
state that the intensity of the light would have more energy and so
be able to free electrons, but this is not the case.
Wave theory also says that energy can build up, but the release of
electrons is immediate as soon as the right frequency is met
◉ Photoelectric effect: particle theory. Answer: One photon collides
with one electron on the SURFACE and gives the electron its energy.
If the photon has enough energy (this depends on the frequency)
then a photoelectron is emitted, therefore this is instantaneous.
Einstein proposed the particle theory of light in 1905.
◉ Kinetic energy of a photoelectron. Answer: Depending on the
metal, each electron needs a specific amount of energy to escape,
this is called it's work function. The rest of the photons energy is
converted to kinetic energy.
hf =φ+ mv(max)²
◉ Threshold frequency. Answer: *The minimum frequency required
for a photon to have enough energy to free an electron on the
surface of a metal*
,◉ electron volt. Answer: one electron volt is1.6 x 10-¹⁹
Joules.
◉ de Broglie equation. Answer: Based on the fact that if a wave has a
particle nature, particles have a wave nature. This is linked to their
momentum by λ=h/p
This is why when a beam of electrons are passed through graphene
(very thin gaps in it) you can see diffraction patterns.
◉ Atomic emission spectra. Answer: When electrons in an atom gain
energy (through heating or a current being passed through them)
they are momentarily exited and move to a higher energy level.
When they almost instantaneously return to their ground state, they
emit this excess energy as a photon. Depending on the amount of
energy the electron has this photon will have a different frequency
which can correspond to a point in the visible light spectrum.
As energy levels are discrete, individual elements will only produce
certain frequencies of protons.
◉ Atomic absorption spectra. Answer: Electrons of an atom can
absorb photons from a light source and momentarily be exited.
However, they can only absorb certain frequencies due to the
discrete energy levels. This means that light coming from the stars
for example have black lines in the spectra where elements have
, absorbed the photons of those frequencies. this is how scientists
know what stars are made of.
◉ What is an elastic collisions?. Answer: A collision where both
kinetic energy and momentum is conserved.
◉ What is an inelastic collision?. Answer: A collision where only
momentum is conserved, kinetic energy isn't.
◉ How can we combine the equations for kinetic energy and
momentum?. Answer: Ek=½mv² and v=p/m
so when we combine both of these we get:
Ek=p²/2m
◉ What do we use this equation for?. Answer: This equation is often
used in particle physics, where an elastic collision between a known
particle and an unknown particle can help us to identify what the
unknown particle is.
◉ What is impulse?. Answer: Impulse is the change in momentum
Impulse (Ns) = Force (N) x time (s)
∆p=Fx∆t
COMPREHENSIVE TEST PAPER 2026
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
EXPERT VERIFIED GRADED A+
◉ Huygen's construction. Answer:
◉ Pulses. Answer: -Pulses have a short duration so that you can
differentiate between the pulse and the echo.
◉ Photon model of a wave. Answer: Waves are made of discrete
packets of energy called photons. The energy of the photons
depends on their frequency through the equation E=hf where h is
plack's constant
◉ What is a photon?. Answer: A quantum packet of electromagnetic
radiation
◉ Photoelectric effect. Answer: Certain kind of lights can charge the
gold leaf as they give the metal on the top enough energy for it's
outer electrons to escape.
Later a photoelectric cell (with a vacuum) was created to show the
same effect.
,This depends on the frequency of the light though, not the amplitude
(intensity) which cannot be explained with the wave theory of light.
◉ Photoelectric effect: wave theory. Answer: Wave theory would
state that the intensity of the light would have more energy and so
be able to free electrons, but this is not the case.
Wave theory also says that energy can build up, but the release of
electrons is immediate as soon as the right frequency is met
◉ Photoelectric effect: particle theory. Answer: One photon collides
with one electron on the SURFACE and gives the electron its energy.
If the photon has enough energy (this depends on the frequency)
then a photoelectron is emitted, therefore this is instantaneous.
Einstein proposed the particle theory of light in 1905.
◉ Kinetic energy of a photoelectron. Answer: Depending on the
metal, each electron needs a specific amount of energy to escape,
this is called it's work function. The rest of the photons energy is
converted to kinetic energy.
hf =φ+ mv(max)²
◉ Threshold frequency. Answer: *The minimum frequency required
for a photon to have enough energy to free an electron on the
surface of a metal*
,◉ electron volt. Answer: one electron volt is1.6 x 10-¹⁹
Joules.
◉ de Broglie equation. Answer: Based on the fact that if a wave has a
particle nature, particles have a wave nature. This is linked to their
momentum by λ=h/p
This is why when a beam of electrons are passed through graphene
(very thin gaps in it) you can see diffraction patterns.
◉ Atomic emission spectra. Answer: When electrons in an atom gain
energy (through heating or a current being passed through them)
they are momentarily exited and move to a higher energy level.
When they almost instantaneously return to their ground state, they
emit this excess energy as a photon. Depending on the amount of
energy the electron has this photon will have a different frequency
which can correspond to a point in the visible light spectrum.
As energy levels are discrete, individual elements will only produce
certain frequencies of protons.
◉ Atomic absorption spectra. Answer: Electrons of an atom can
absorb photons from a light source and momentarily be exited.
However, they can only absorb certain frequencies due to the
discrete energy levels. This means that light coming from the stars
for example have black lines in the spectra where elements have
, absorbed the photons of those frequencies. this is how scientists
know what stars are made of.
◉ What is an elastic collisions?. Answer: A collision where both
kinetic energy and momentum is conserved.
◉ What is an inelastic collision?. Answer: A collision where only
momentum is conserved, kinetic energy isn't.
◉ How can we combine the equations for kinetic energy and
momentum?. Answer: Ek=½mv² and v=p/m
so when we combine both of these we get:
Ek=p²/2m
◉ What do we use this equation for?. Answer: This equation is often
used in particle physics, where an elastic collision between a known
particle and an unknown particle can help us to identify what the
unknown particle is.
◉ What is impulse?. Answer: Impulse is the change in momentum
Impulse (Ns) = Force (N) x time (s)
∆p=Fx∆t
