Panic Mode: 2-Week Rescue Plan

14-day emergency revision plan for Edexcel IGCSE Physics (4PH1): from motion all the way to astrophysics. Designed for students who “kind of” know the topics but need to pull everything together quickly.

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How it works

Plan Structure

Each day is split into three blocks:

Total: about 2–3 hours a day. If that’s too heavy, split a “day” over two real days, but keep the order.

Week 1

Week 1 – Mechanics, Electricity, Waves

Focus on forces & motion, electricity and waves – these are heavily tested and link into everything else.

Day 1

Forces & Motion I – Speed, Acceleration & Graphs

Week 1 Core Mechanics Use: Forces & Motion, Formula Sheet, Exam Skills

A. Learn / Refresh

  • Open Forces & Motion page and focus on:
    • Speed, distance, time (v = d / t).
    • Acceleration (a = (v − u) / t).
    • Distance–time and velocity–time graphs.
    • Balanced vs unbalanced forces (qualitative).
  • Make sure you can read a distance–time graph and say: “stationary / constant speed / accelerating”.

B. Drill & Questions

  • Do 4–5 numerical questions on speed and acceleration.
  • Do 3 graph questions:
    • 1 distance–time → describe motion.
    • 2 velocity–time → find acceleration and distance (area under graph).
  • From a past Paper 1: answer all short questions that involve speed/acceleration/graphs.

C. Formula & Exam Skills

  • On Formula Sheet, drill:
    • v = d / t
    • a = (v − u) / t
  • On Exam Skills, read the section about calculate / determine / show that.
  • Practise writing out:
    • Formula
    • Substitution
    • Answer + units
    for 2–3 questions.
Day 2

Forces & Motion II – F = ma, Weight, Stopping, Momentum, Moments

Week 1 Core Mechanics Use: Forces & Motion, Formula Sheet

A. Learn / Refresh

  • On Forces page, revise:
    • F = ma, W = mg.
    • Stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance.
    • Momentum: p = mv, and “total initial = total final” (no external force).
    • Moments: moment = F × perpendicular distance.

B. Drill & Questions

  • 4 questions on F = ma and weight.
  • 2 stopping distance questions (include factors: speed, mass, road, reaction time).
  • 3 momentum questions (collisions / conservation).
  • 3 moment questions (seesaw / beam with load).
  • Pick one longer car or momentum question from a past paper.

C. Formula & Exam Skills

  • Formula drill: F = ma, W = mg, p = mv, moment = Fd.
  • From Exam Skills: read the section on 3–5 mark explanations.
  • Practise answering: “Explain why braking distance increases when speed increases.”
Day 3

Electricity I – Charge, Current, Voltage, Simple Circuits

Week 1 Use: Electricity, Formula Sheet

A. Learn / Refresh

  • Electricity page:
    • Current as rate of flow of charge.
    • Electron flow vs conventional current.
    • Series vs parallel circuits.
    • Formulas: Q = It, V = IR.
  • Review where ammeters (series) and voltmeters (parallel) go.

B. Drill & Questions

  • Draw:
    • 1 simple series circuit with ammeter and lamp.
    • 1 parallel circuit with 2 lamps and voltmeter across one lamp.
  • 4 questions using Q = It.
  • 4 questions using V = IR (including rearranging for I and R).
  • Find all current/voltage Qs in one past Paper 1 and do them.

C. Formula & Exam Skills

  • Formula drill: Q = It, V = IR.
  • On Exam Skills: skim Graphs & Data – focus on gradient & straight-line vs curved relationships.
Day 4

Electricity II – Power, Energy, Safety & I–V Practical

Week 1 Use: Electricity, Formula Sheet, Practicals

A. Learn / Refresh

  • Electricity page:
    • Power & energy: P = IV, E = IVt.
    • Domestic electricity: AC vs DC, fuses, earth, double insulation.
  • Practicals page: skim the I–V characteristics experiment.

B. Drill & Questions

  • 4 questions using P = IV (plugs, devices).
  • 3 questions using E = IVt (kettle, phone charging, etc.).
  • 3 short questions on fuses/earth/double insulation (safety reasons).
  • Past paper: do one whole electricity question (multi-part) from a recent paper.

C. Formula & Exam Skills

  • Try to write all 5 main electricity formulas from memory: Q = It, V = IR, P = IV, E = IVt, any power variations if you use them.
  • Exam Skills: read the Practical/Method section and imagine writing the I–V experiment as a 5-mark answer.
Day 5

Waves I – Basics, EM Spectrum, Reflection & Refraction

Week 1 Use: Waves, Formula Sheet

A. Learn / Refresh

  • Waves page:
    • Amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period.
    • Transverse vs longitudinal (with diagrams).
    • Wave formulas: v = fλ, f = 1/T.
    • EM spectrum: order, one use & one danger for each band.
    • Reflection & refraction basics; Snell’s law, critical angle.

B. Drill & Questions

  • 4 questions using v = fλ (waves on a string, light, sound).
  • 2 questions converting between period and frequency.
  • 2 refraction questions (angles, bending direction, maybe refractive index).
  • 2 EM spectrum questions (e.g. “Which wave is used for X?”, “Which wave is most dangerous?”).

C. Formula & Exam Skills

  • Formula drill: v = fλ, f = 1/T, n = \sin i / \sin r, \sin c = 1/n.
  • Exam Skills: practise a 3–4 mark explanation: “Explain why light bends towards the normal when entering glass from air.”
Day 6

Waves II – Sound, Echo, Oscilloscope + Mixed Review

Week 1 Use: Waves, Practicals

A. Learn / Refresh

  • Waves page:
    • Sound as longitudinal wave; compressions & rarefactions.
    • Speed of sound in air ~340 m/s.
    • Echo and distance formula.
  • Practicals page:
    • Speed of sound practical.
    • Using an oscilloscope to find frequency.

B. Drill & Questions

  • 3 echo questions (including divide by 2 correctly).
  • 3 oscilloscope questions (read period from trace, calculate frequency).
  • 3 questions using wave diagrams (identify amplitude, wavelength, one complete wave).
  • Then: 8–10 short questions mixed from Days 1–5 (you choose weak areas).

C. Formula & Exam Skills

  • Quick formula revision for all waves formulas again.
  • Exam Skills: revisit “Graphs & Data” – apply to a wave graph: find period, frequency from the graph.
Day 7

Week 1 Consolidation – Mixed Mini Paper

Week 1 Mixed Practice Use: past Paper 1, Exam Skills, Formula Sheet

A. Timed Mixed Practice

  • Take one recent Paper 1.
    • Try 20–25 marks worth of questions covering: Motion, Forces, Electricity, Waves.
  • Time yourself to feel real exam pressure.

B. Mark & Analyse

  • Mark using the official mark scheme.
  • For each question where you lost marks, note:
    • Was it formula, units, graph reading, or explanation?
  • Create a short list of your Top 5 weak spots.

C. Light Formula Review

  • Spend 15–20 minutes rewriting from memory:
    • All mechanics formulas.
    • All electricity formulas.
    • All wave formulas.
  • Check with the Formula Sheet and fix any missing ones.
Week 2

Week 2 – Energy, Particles, Magnetism, Radioactivity, Astrophysics

Now you cover the remaining topics and move into full exam mode with whole papers and long questions.

Day 8

Energy Resources & Energy Transfer

Week 2 Use: Energy Resources & Transfer, Formula Sheet

A. Learn / Refresh

  • Energy page:
    • Work: W = Fd.
    • GPE: E = mgh.
    • KE: E = ½mv².
    • Power: P = E/t.
    • Efficiency and Sankey diagrams.
    • Energy resources: fossil, nuclear, renewables (pros/cons).

B. Drill & Questions

  • 3 GPE / KE questions (lifting, falling, moving objects).
  • 2 questions involving power & energy used over time (kettle, heater, etc.).
  • 3 questions evaluating energy resources (short compare/evaluate answers).

C. Exam Skills

  • Practise a 4–5 mark evaluate answer: “Evaluate the use of nuclear power instead of fossil fuels.”
  • Use both advantages and disadvantages, then a clear conclusion.
Day 9

Solids, Liquids & Gases – Density, Pressure, Gas Laws

Week 2 Use: Solids, Liquids & Gases, Practicals, Formula Sheet

A. Learn / Refresh

  • SLG page:
    • Particle model of solid, liquid, gas.
    • Density: ρ = m / V.
    • Pressure in solids: p = F / A.
    • Pressure in liquids: p = hρg.
    • Gas laws: p₁V₁ = p₂V₂, p₁/T₁ = p₂/T₂ (T in K).
  • Practicals: density of irregular object.

B. Drill & Questions

  • 3 density questions (regular/irregular solids, liquids).
  • 2 pressure questions (solids or liquids).
  • 3 gas law questions (volume change, temperature change, or both).

C. Exam Skills

  • Write a full method answer: “Describe an experiment to determine the density of an irregular object.”
  • Check it against your Required Practicals page.
Day 10

Magnetism & Electromagnetism

Week 2 Use: Magnetism & EM, Formula Sheet

A. Learn / Refresh

  • Magnetism page:
    • Permanent vs induced magnets.
    • Field lines: N → S, field between two poles.
    • Fields around current-carrying wires and solenoids.
    • Electromagnets and uses (relays, cranes, door locks).
    • Motor effect, Fleming’s left-hand rule, (optional) F = BIL.
    • Transformers: Vₚ/Vₛ = Nₚ/Nₛ, VₚIₚ = VₛIₛ (ideal).

B. Drill & Questions

  • 3 questions sketching / interpreting magnetic fields (bar magnet, between poles, solenoid).
  • 2 electromagnet questions (how to make it stronger, uses).
  • 3 transformer questions (step-up, step-down, find voltages/currents).

C. Exam Skills

  • Practice explaining how a simple DC motor works in 4–5 bullet points.
  • Check your explanation uses the words: current, magnetic field, force, rotation, commutator.
Day 11

Radioactivity & Particles

Week 2 Use: Radioactivity & Particles, Formula Sheet

A. Learn / Refresh

  • Radioactivity page:
    • Atomic structure; protons, neutrons, electrons.
    • Isotopes and radioactivity as a random process.
    • α, β, γ: nature, charge, mass, penetration, ionising ability.
    • Half-life concept and reading graphs.
    • Background radiation; uses & dangers; irradiation vs contamination.
    • Basic fission vs fusion.

B. Drill & Questions

  • 3 comparison questions on α, β, γ.
  • 2 simple nuclear equations (one alpha, one beta).
  • 2 half-life questions (using halving steps or reading a graph).
  • 2 short questions on uses/dangers (smoke detector, tracers, radiotherapy).

C. Exam Skills

  • Write a 3–4 mark explanation: “Explain the difference between contamination and irradiation and why contamination can be more dangerous.”
Day 12

Astrophysics (Light but Important)

Week 2 Use: (later) Astrophysics or textbook/notes

A. Learn / Refresh

  • Astrophysics content:
    • Solar system: planets, moons, artificial satellites.
    • Orbital speed: v = 2πr / T.
    • Types of orbits: geostationary vs low polar orbit.
    • Life cycle of stars (small vs massive stars).
    • Red-shift and expanding universe idea.

B. Drill & Questions

  • 2 orbital speed questions.
  • 2 questions on satellite orbits and uses.
  • 2 star life-cycle questions.
  • 2 red-shift/expansion questions.

C. Exam Skills

  • Practise describing: “How does red-shift provide evidence that the universe is expanding?”
  • Use: galaxy spectrum shifted to longer wavelengths → moving away → most galaxies show red-shift → space itself expanding.
Day 13

Mock Paper 1 + Targeted Repair

Week 2 Mixed Practice Use: past Paper 1, Exam Skills, Formula Sheet

A. Timed Paper

  • Choose one recent Paper 1 (4PH1/1P).
  • Do the entire paper under timed conditions if possible.
  • If short on time: do at least 60–70 marks worth.

B. Mark & Analyse

  • Mark with the official mark scheme.
  • For every Q where marks were lost, write:
    • Topic (e.g. “waves – refraction”).
    • What went wrong (formula, units, explanation, graph, command word).
  • Pick your Top 5 weak spots and write them on paper.

C. Repair Weak Spots

  • For each weak topic, go back to that topic page and:
    • Read that section again.
    • Do 2–3 new questions on it.
  • Finish with a quick pass over the Formula Sheet for those topics.
Day 14

Mock Paper 2 + Final Power Review

Week 2 Mixed Practice Use: past Paper 2, Exam Skills, Formula Sheet, Practicals

A. Timed Paper

  • Choose a Paper 2 (4PH1/2P) or any set of harder questions from past papers.
  • Focus on:
    • Long 4–6 mark explanations.
    • Required practicals.
    • Multi-step calculations.

B. Mark & Rewrite

  • Mark with the mark scheme.
  • For each long question you didn’t score highly on, rewrite one perfect answer in your own words.
  • Check your rewritten answers use: correct key words, logic, and the right formulas.

C. Final Calm Review

  • Skim:
    • Formula Sheet – can you say what each symbol + unit means?
    • Exam Skills – command words and how to answer them.
    • Required Practicals – 1 clear method in your head per topic.
  • Sleep. No 3am panicking. Your brain needs rest to recall all of this.

Using This Plan Smartly

If you fall behind: don’t panic, don’t restart. Just keep going from where you are, and use any extra time to hit your worst topics again.

Passing physics isn’t about being a genius – it’s about:

Two focused weeks with this plan is enough to turn “I’m lost” into “I can do this”.