AQA Foundation Combined Science physics learning books by topic
Seven free PDF learning books for the physics topics of AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy, topics 18 to 24, that teach the Foundation course from scratch: 73 lessons with original diagrams, worked examples, guided practice and complete answers, including all eight physics 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 Combined Science: Trilogy 8464, not produced, approved or endorsed by AQA.
Which Foundation topics can I learn?
All seven physics topics of Combined Science Trilogy at Foundation tier, double grades 1-1 to 5-5. Topics 18 to 21 are examined on Physics Paper 1 and topics 22 to 24 on Physics Paper 2. Once a topic is learned, practise it with our Foundation Combined Science exam questions. Taking separate Physics instead? Use our AQA Foundation Physics learning books.
Energy
11 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 Practical 14.
Download the Energy bookElectricity
14 lessons covering circuit symbols, charge and current, V = IR, I-V characteristics, thermistors and LDRs, series and parallel circuits, mains electricity, power and the National Grid. Includes Required Practicals 15 and 16.
Download the Electricity bookParticle Model of Matter
10 lessons covering the particle model, density, changes of state, internal energy, specific heat capacity, specific latent heat, heating and cooling curves, and gas pressure at constant volume. Includes Required Practical 17.
Download the Particle Model of Matter bookAtomic Structure
8 lessons covering atomic structure and isotopes, how the atomic model changed, radioactive decay, nuclear equations, half-life, and contamination and irradiation.
Download the Atomic Structure bookForces
16 lessons covering forces and vectors, weight, resultant forces, work done, Hooke’s law, motion graphs, acceleration, Newton’s laws and stopping distance. Includes Required Practicals 18 and 19.
Download the Forces bookWaves
9 lessons covering wave properties and wave speed, refraction, and the electromagnetic spectrum, its uses and hazards. Includes Required Practicals 20 and 21.
Download the Waves bookMagnetism and Electromagnetism
5 lessons covering magnets and magnetic fields, Earth’s field and compasses, fields around wires, solenoids and electromagnets.
Download the Magnetism and Electromagnetism 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 Foundation course includes and leaves out
- 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 six of the seven 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?
73 lessons across 7 books, 438 practice questions in all. Lesson titles follow each book’s own learning map.
Topic 18: 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 14: specific heat capacity
Topic 19: 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 15: resistance of circuits
- Required Practical 16: I-V characteristics
- Direct and alternating potential difference
- Mains electricity and electrical safety
- Electrical power
- Electrical energy and appliances
- The National Grid
Topic 20: Particle Model of Matter
- The particle model: solids, liquids and gases
- Density: meaning, equation and units
- Required Practical 17: density of regular solids
- Required Practical 17 continued: 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
Topic 21: 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
- Contamination, irradiation and safe practice
Topic 22: 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 18: force and extension
- Elastic potential energy
- Distance, displacement, speed and velocity
- Distance-time graphs and gradients
- Acceleration and velocity-time graphs
- Uniform acceleration and terminal velocity
- Newton’s First and Third Laws
- Newton’s Second Law and Required Practical 19
- Stopping distance, reaction time and braking
- Foundation forces consolidation
- Forces synthesis and exam strategy
Topic 23: Waves
- Transverse and longitudinal waves
- Amplitude, wavelength, frequency and period
- Wave speed and changing medium
- Required Practical 20: ripple tank and solid waves
- Refraction at boundaries
- The electromagnetic spectrum
- EM interactions, production and detection
- Required Practical 21: infrared surfaces
- EM uses, hazards and risk evaluation
Topic 24: 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
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
Around 20% of the marks in Combined Science 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: GCSE Science resits
How Combined and separate Science resits work, and how to plan the months before the exam.
Read the resits guideLearning book questions
The short version: the books are free for personal use, every lesson has answers, and they are written for the AQA Foundation tier.
How are these different from your GCSE Physics learning books?
They share the same lessons, but leave out the content that only separate Physics students sit, such as Space Physics, static electricity, moments, lenses and the thermal insulation practical. Almost all of the practice questions match the GCSE Physics book for the same tier and topic. If your child takes Combined Science, these books cover exactly the physics they need.
Why do the books start at Topic 18?
AQA numbers the Combined Science Trilogy topics from 1 to 24: biology first, then chemistry, then physics from Topic 18 Energy to Topic 24 Magnetism and electromagnetism. Our books use the same numbers, so they match the specification and the exam papers. Physics Paper 1 covers topics 18 to 21 and Physics Paper 2 covers topics 22 to 24.
Do they cover the required practicals?
Yes. All eight physics required practicals in Combined Science Trilogy are taught as their own lessons, with the method, safety, results and evaluation: 14 specific heat capacity, 15 resistance, 16 I-V characteristics, 17 density, 18 force and extension, 19 acceleration, 20 waves and 21 infrared radiation and surfaces.
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.
Is Higher-only content included?
No. Each Foundation book opens with a tier route that states what it covers and what it leaves out, such as momentum and inertial mass in Forces, and the motor effect and electric motors in Magnetism and Electromagnetism. Those lessons are replaced with extra Foundation consolidation.
Is there a Combined Science exam practice book?
Yes. Seven Combined Science exam practice workbooks per tier cover the same topics 18 to 24, with 712 distinct Foundation questions and a mark scheme for every question. Use the learning book to learn a topic, then its workbook to practise it.
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. Fourteen of our tutors teach Science and the first 30 minutes are free.
Practice finds the gaps. A tutor closes them
Fourteen of our tutors teach Science, and Combined Science is covered by tutors who teach across biology, chemistry and physics. Lessons are one to one on Zoom, £30 each, 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.