PHYSICS · Pearson Edexcel IGCSE
PHYSICS/21
P: Extended Physics
Physics · 2023 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: Pearson Edexcel
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.5 / 5
180
195 min
Movement and Position
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
180
Duration
195 min
Session difficulty
3.5 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
A significant portion of the marks resided in Movement and Position and Forces.
In Paper 1P, the kinematics question (Q5) required students to extract data from a combined thinking/braking distance graph and apply the equation v2=u2+2asv^2 = u^2 + 2asv2=u2+2as.
Marks were frequently lost by candidates who used stopping distance instead of braking distance for the calculation.
In Paper 2P, the Moments question (Q5) tested the principle of moments in a practical context.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Shows the skill mix this paper tested most heavily.
Mathematical
Weight: 8100%Experimental
Weight: 788%Conceptual Explanation
Weight: 675%Graphical Representation
Weight: 450%Theoretical
Weight: 225%Recall
Weight: 113%
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
No data available in official reports
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Report type
Examiner report — national grade boundaries and question-level commentary
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
No data available in official reports
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
Give reasons and link mechanism to outcome; each point needs a because/so chain.
Show formula, substitution, and unit; method marks need visible working.
State features in sequence or list observable properties — do not explain causes unless asked.
Match the expected response style for “Determine” questions.
Match the expected response style for “State” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Sketch” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Design” questions.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
Min per mark: 1.1
Min per mark: 1.1
Min per mark: 1.1
Min per mark: 1.1
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Movement and position
23 marks this session
Forces, movement, shape and momentum
18 marks this session
Radioactivity
15 marks this session
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
Forces, movement, shape and momentum
Radioactivity
Movement and position
Electromagnetic induction
Electric charge
The electromagnetic spectrum
Light and sound
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Paper 1P:
Paper 2P:
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
No data available in official reports
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
Movement and position
23 marks this session
Practise in RevuiForces, movement, shape and momentum
18 marks this session
Practise in RevuiRadioactivity
15 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
A significant portion of the marks resided in Movement and Position and Forces.
- 2Message
In Paper 1P, the kinematics question (Q5) required students to extract data from a combined thinking/braking distance graph and apply the equation v2=u2+2asv^2 = u^2 + 2asv2=u2+2as.
- 3Message
Marks were frequently lost by candidates who used stopping distance instead of braking distance for the calculation.
- 4Message
In Paper 2P, the Moments question (Q5) tested the principle of moments in a practical context.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
2023 2023
Physics
A significant portion of the marks resided in Movement and Position and Forces. In Paper 1P, the kinematics question (Q5) required students to extract data from a combined thinking/braking distance graph and apply the equation v2=u2+2asv^2 = u^2 + 2asv2=u2+2as. Marks were frequen
A significant portion of the marks resided in Movement and Position and Forces.
In Paper 1P, the kinematics question (Q5) required students to extract data from a combined thinking/braking distance graph and apply the equation v2=u2+2asv^2 = u^2 + 2asv2=u2+2as.
Marks were frequently lost by candidates who used stopping distance instead of braking distance for the calculation.
- Total marks
- 180
- Duration
- 195 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.5 / 5
Session analysis
A significant portion of the marks resided in Movement and Position and Forces. In Paper 1P, the kinematics question (Q5) required students to extract data from a combined thinking/braking distance graph and apply the equation v2=u2+2asv^2 = u^2 + 2asv2=u2+2as. Marks were frequently lost by candidates who used stopping distance instead of braking distance for the calculation. In Paper 2P, the Moments question (Q5) tested the principle of moments in a practical context. Many students failed to clearly identify the correct pivots or lost tracking of clockwise vs. anti-clockwise moments.
Updated Jun 13, 2026
Paper breakdown
Paper 1P:
Paper 2P:
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by chapter
See where the marks were concentrated so revision time goes to the highest-value topics.
Mark accessibility
Estimate which marks were basic, mid-level, or high-difficulty.
81% within easy or medium reach
Command word frequency
Spot common command words so answers match the expected response style.
Question type mix
Compare the mark share of each paper section and question type.
Calculations
(Structured)
48·16·27%
Extended Explanations
(3-6 marks)
48·12·27%
Short Answer & Recall
28·18·16%
Graphical & Diagrams
27·10·15%
Experimental Design & Practical Methods
25·6·14%
Multiple Choice
4·4·2%
Study ROI
Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.
Time vs marks
Compare marks with suggested time allocation to plan exam pacing.
Paper 1P Section A …
0.91 m/minPaper 1P Section B …
0.90 m/minPaper 1P Section C …
0.94 m/minPaper 2P Section A …
0.93 m/minTotal marks
138
Total time
150 min
Avg pace
0.92
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
Electromagnetic induction
85%85%
Mains electricity
80%80%
Fission and fusion
75%75%
Examiner notes & key calculations
- Vague Definitions: Defining elastic behaviour without mentioning the key condition of "returning to its original shape when the load is removed."
- Newton's Third Law Misconceptions: Confusing Newton's third law pairs with balanced forces acting on a single object (e.g., weight and tension acting on a stationary block).
- Sankey Diagram Scale Errors: Drawing the wasted energy arrow disproportionately wider or narrower than the actual 75% calculation relative to the input.
- Astrophysics Unit Conversions: Forgetting to convert orbital periods from years to seconds when calculating orbital radius, leading to power-of-ten errors.
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 1h 15min
- Total marks
- 70
- Weighting
- 38.9%
- Question types
- Multiple Choice, Short Answer / Calculation, Long Answer / Explanation
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.