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External Exam

Weighting: 50%

Format

The external examination is developed and marked by the QCAA. It consists of two papers:

Paper Time Perusal Content
Paper 1 90 minutes 5 minutes Multiple choice and short response
Paper 2 90 minutes 5 minutes Short response and extended response

Conditions

  • QCAA-approved graphics or scientific calculator permitted
  • QCAA Physics formula and data book provided (you do not bring your own)
  • No notes or other materials

Content covered

The exam covers all subject matter from Units 3 & 4:

  • Unit 3 Topic 1: Gravity and motion (projectiles, inclined planes, circular motion, orbital mechanics)
  • Unit 3 Topic 2: Electromagnetism (electrostatics, magnetic fields, electromagnetic induction)
  • Unit 4 Topic 1: Special relativity (time dilation, length contraction, relativistic momentum, mass–energy equivalence)
  • Unit 4 Topic 2: Quantum theory (black-body radiation, photoelectric effect, Bohr model, wave–particle duality)
  • Unit 4 Topic 3: The Standard Model (quarks, leptons, gauge bosons, Feynman diagrams, conservation laws)

Objectives assessed

  1. Describe ideas and findings
  2. Apply understanding
  3. Analyse data
  4. Interpret evidence

Note

Objectives 5 (evaluate) and 6 (investigate) are not assessed in the external exam — these are covered by the internal assessments.

Preparation strategy

How to prepare

  • Work through past QCAA external exam papers — these are available on the QCAA portal
  • Read the examiner reports to understand common mistakes and what high-scoring responses look like
  • Create topic summaries for each of the five topics
  • Practise applying formulas to unfamiliar contexts — the exam tests application, not just recall
  • Know the formula book well — you don't need to memorise formulas, but you need to know where they are and how to use them
  • Practise under timed conditions
  • For Unit 4, focus on understanding the concepts — special relativity and quantum theory rely more on conceptual understanding than rearranging equations

Resources for exam prep