AQA Higher Physics learning books by topic
Eight free PDF learning books, one for each AQA GCSE Physics topic, that teach the Higher course from scratch: 111 lessons with original diagrams, worked examples, guided practice and complete answers, including all ten required practicals.
Use them as revision notes that do something: every lesson ends with six practice questions, and every book closes with a final topic assessment and answers that explain the method, not only the final number.
Free to download. No sign up, no email required. Independent resources aligned to AQA GCSE Physics 8463, not produced, approved or endorsed by AQA.
Which Higher topics can I learn?
All eight AQA GCSE Physics topics at Higher tier, grades 4 to 9. Topics 1 to 4 are examined on Paper 1 and topics 5 to 8 on Paper 2. Once a topic is learned, practise it with our AQA Higher Physics exam questions. Taking Combined Science? Use the Higher Combined Science learning books.
Energy
12 lessons covering energy stores and pathways, kinetic, gravitational and elastic energy, specific heat capacity, power, insulation, efficiency and Sankey diagrams, and energy resources. Includes Required Practicals 1 and 2.
Download the Energy bookElectricity
15 lessons covering circuit symbols, charge and current, V = IR, I-V characteristics, thermistors and LDRs, series and parallel circuits, mains electricity, power, the National Grid and static electricity. Includes Required Practicals 3 and 4.
Download the Electricity bookParticle Model of Matter
12 lessons covering the particle model, density, changes of state, internal energy, specific heat capacity, specific latent heat, heating and cooling curves, and gas pressure and volume. Includes Required Practical 5.
Download the Particle Model of Matter bookAtomic Structure
12 lessons covering atomic structure and isotopes, how the atomic model changed, radioactive decay, nuclear equations, half-life, background radiation, contamination and irradiation, uses of radiation, fission and fusion.
Download the Atomic Structure bookForces
18 lessons covering forces and vectors, weight, resultant forces, work done, Hooke’s law, moments, levers and gears, pressure, motion graphs, acceleration, Newton’s laws, stopping distance and momentum. Includes Required Practicals 6 and 7.
Download the Forces bookWaves
18 lessons covering wave properties and wave speed, reflection and refraction, sound, ultrasound and seismic waves, the electromagnetic spectrum, its uses and hazards, lenses, colour and black body radiation. Includes Required Practicals 8, 9 and 10.
Download the Waves bookMagnetism and Electromagnetism
14 lessons covering magnets and magnetic fields, solenoids and electromagnets, then the motor effect, electric motors, loudspeakers, the generator effect, alternators, dynamos, microphones and transformers.
Download the Magnetism and Electromagnetism bookSpace Physics
10 lessons covering the Solar System, the life cycles of stars, how stars make elements, gravity and satellites, circular orbital motion, red-shift and the Big Bang.
Download the Space Physics bookHow does each lesson work?
Every lesson is a three-page learning cycle: learn the idea, see it worked through, then do it yourself. Answers for every lesson sit at the back, so a student can check the method as well as the result.
The learning cycle in every lesson
- Learn: learning goals, the big idea, an original diagram and the exact language that earns marks in the exam
- See: a model or diagram and a fully worked example, solved step by step, with a quick reasoning question
- Do: six practice questions that move from recall to application, reasoning and an exam-style challenge
- Check and return: complete answers at the back, then a confidence tracker to revisit weak lessons after a day and after a week
What else is inside
- a learning map listing every lesson with learn and master tick boxes
- a tier route on the first page stating exactly what the Higher course includes
- every AQA required practical for the topic taught as its own lesson, with method, safety and evaluation
- a reference page of equations, units or key facts at the back of seven of the eight books
- a final topic assessment with answers and examiner guidance
- worked answers to every practice question that explain the reasoning, not only the final number
What does each book teach?
111 lessons across 8 books, 666 practice questions in all. Lesson titles follow each book’s own learning map.
Topic 4.1: Energy
- Energy stores, systems and pathways
- Conservation, dissipation and useful energy
- Kinetic energy
- Gravitational potential energy
- Elastic potential energy
- Heating and specific heat capacity
- Power: how quickly energy is transferred
- Reducing unwanted transfers and insulation
- Efficiency and Sankey diagrams
- Energy resources: renewable and non-renewable
- Required Practical 1: specific heat capacity
- Required Practical 2: thermal insulation (Physics only)
Topic 4.2: Electricity
- Circuit symbols and complete circuits
- Charge flow and current
- Potential difference, resistance and V = IR
- I-V characteristics: resistor, lamp and diode
- Thermistors and light-dependent resistors
- Series circuits
- Parallel and mixed circuits
- Required Practical 3: resistance of circuits
- Required Practical 4: I-V characteristics
- Direct and alternating potential difference
- Mains electricity and electrical safety
- Electrical power
- Electrical energy and appliances
- The National Grid
- Static electricity and electric fields (Physics only)
Topic 4.3: Particle Model of Matter
- The particle model: solids, liquids and gases
- Density: meaning, equation and units
- Required Practical 5A: density of regular solids
- Required Practical 5B: irregular solids and liquids
- Changes of state and conservation of mass
- Internal energy, heating and temperature
- Specific heat capacity revisited
- Specific latent heat and E = mL
- Heating and cooling curves
- Gas pressure and temperature at constant volume
- Pressure and volume of a gas
- Tier synthesis: gases, energy and modelling
Topic 4.4: Atomic Structure
- Inside the atom: structure, scale and energy levels
- Atomic number, mass number, isotopes and ions
- How the atomic model changed
- Radioactive decay, activity and count rate
- Alpha, beta, gamma and neutron radiation
- Nuclear equations
- Half-life: graphs, calculations and randomness
- Background radiation and reliable measurements
- Contamination, irradiation and safe practice
- Uses of radiation and choosing an isotope
- Nuclear fission and chain reactions
- Nuclear fusion and topic synthesis
Topic 4.5: Forces
- Scalars, vectors and force interactions
- Weight, mass, gravity and centre of mass
- Resultant forces and equilibrium
- Work done and energy transfer
- Elasticity, Hooke’s law and deformation
- Required Practical 6: force and extension
- Elastic potential energy
- Moments, levers and gears
- Pressure in solids, liquids and the atmosphere
- Distance, displacement, speed and velocity
- Distance-time graphs and tangent gradients
- Acceleration and velocity-time graphs
- Uniform acceleration and terminal velocity
- Newton’s First and Third Laws
- Newton’s Second Law and Required Practical 7
- Stopping distance, reaction time and braking
- Momentum and impact safety (Higher)
- Forces synthesis and exam strategy
Topic 4.6: Waves
- Transverse and longitudinal waves
- Amplitude, wavelength, frequency and period
- Wave speed and changing medium
- Required Practical 8: ripple tank and solid waves
- Reflection, absorption and transmission
- Required Practical 9: reflection and refraction
- Refraction and wavefronts
- Sound, hearing and vibrations (Higher)
- Ultrasound, echo sounding and seismic waves (Higher)
- The electromagnetic spectrum
- EM interactions, production and detection
- Required Practical 10: infrared surfaces
- EM uses, hazards and risk evaluation
- Convex and concave lenses
- Magnification and image formation
- Visible light, colour and filters
- Black-body radiation and temperature
- Radiation balance, Earth and topic synthesis
Topic 4.7: Magnetism and Electromagnetism
- Permanent magnets, induced magnets and poles
- Magnetic fields and field-line diagrams
- Earth’s magnetic field and compasses
- Magnetic field around a current-carrying wire
- Solenoids and electromagnets
- Electromagnetic devices and control
- The motor effect and Fleming’s left-hand rule (Higher)
- Electric motors (Higher)
- Loudspeakers and headphones (Higher)
- Generator effect and Lenz’s law (Higher)
- Alternators, dynamos and output graphs (Higher)
- Moving-coil microphones (Higher)
- Transformers: turns, voltage and current (Higher)
- National Grid and electromagnetism synthesis (Higher)
Topic 4.8: Space Physics
- The solar system and our place in space
- From nebula to protostar
- Main-sequence equilibrium and fusion
- Life cycle of a Sun-like star
- Life cycle of a massive star
- How stars make and distribute elements
- Gravity, orbits and satellites
- Circular orbital motion and stability (Higher)
- Red-shift and an expanding universe
- Big Bang evidence, scientific models and open questions
How should a student use these?
One lesson at a time, in order. Read the teaching, cover the worked example and redo it, answer the six practice questions without looking back, then mark them against the answers.
Starting a topic
Work through the lessons in order, one or two a sitting. Tick learn when the teaching makes sense, and master only when the practice questions are right without notes.
Revising before mocks
Use the learning map to skip lessons already mastered, then sit the final topic assessment. Every question dropped points back to the lesson to redo.
Stuck on equations
At least 30% of the marks in GCSE Physics test maths skills. Use the reference page at the back of each book and practise rearranging and substituting until it is automatic.
Guide: AQA Physics past papers
Where to find the real AQA GCSE Physics past papers, mark schemes and the equation sheet to sit alongside these books.
Find AQA Physics past papersGuide: maths skills for Physics
The equations, rearranging, graphs and standard form that physics questions expect, in one checklist.
Read the maths skills guideGuide: last-minute revision
What to do with the final weeks when there is no time left to cover everything.
Read the last-minute guideLearning book questions
The short version: the books are free for personal use, every lesson has answers, and they are written for the AQA Higher tier, grades 4 to 9.
What is the difference between the learning books and the exam practice books?
The learning books teach each topic from scratch, three pages per lesson: the idea, a worked example, then six practice questions with answers. The exam practice books assume the topic has been taught and drill recall and exam-style answers across eight modules per topic. Use the learning book first, then the exam practice book for the same topic.
Do the books cover the required practicals?
Yes. All ten AQA GCSE Physics required practicals are taught as their own lessons, with the method, safety, results and evaluation: 1 specific heat capacity, 2 thermal insulation, 3 resistance, 4 I-V characteristics, 5 density, 6 force and extension, 7 acceleration, 8 waves, 9 light: reflection and refraction and 10 infrared radiation and surfaces.
Do the books include answers?
Yes. Every lesson’s practice questions have answers at the back of the book that explain the reasoning, not only the final number, and each book ends with a final topic assessment with answers and examiner guidance.
Are they free? What is the licence?
The books are free to download for personal and household educational use. Tutors and schools need permission before copying them for learners, and resale, paid redistribution and third-party uploading are not permitted.
What does the Higher course add?
The Higher books teach the full route, including content that AQA marks as Higher tier only: momentum and impact safety in Forces, sound, ultrasound and seismic waves in Waves, the motor effect, electric motors, loudspeakers, the generator effect, alternators, microphones and transformers in Magnetism and Electromagnetism, and circular orbital motion in Space Physics. The practice questions are written separately for each tier, so none repeat the Foundation books.
Can Combined Science students use these?
They can, but the GCSE Physics course goes further than Combined Science, so some lessons will be content they never sit. Our Combined Science learning books follow the Trilogy topics 18 to 24 and leave the physics-only content out.
My child reads the lesson but still gets the questions wrong. What next?
That usually means the idea needs explaining a different way, not more reading. Try the worked example again with the solution covered, then the first two practice questions. If the same lesson still goes wrong, get the method retaught by a teacher at school or a tutor. Five of our tutors teach Physics and the first 30 minutes are free.
Practice finds the gaps. A tutor closes them
Five of our tutors teach Physics, led by a doctorate in Physics and two engineering degrees. Lessons are one to one on Zoom, £30 each with no premium for Higher tier, and the first 30 minutes are free with no card details. If a lesson still does not make sense after the worked example, that is usually the sign to have the idea explained a different way.