Download clean, printable lists of the most common mistakes students make — so you can fix them before they cost marks.
Each sheet is aligned to its exam board and built from recurring student errors highlighted in examiner reports and mark schemes.
What you get
A topic-by-topic mistakes list with a “do this instead” fix and a quick self-check.
How to use it
Review before past papers, then use the quick checks to catch errors under timed conditions.
Why it works
Many marks are lost on predictable slips: rounding, sign errors, units, and misreading commands.
Coverage by topic
Preview (up to 5 per topic)
42 total rows in download
| Topic | Common mistake / misconception | Do this instead | Quick check |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | Not showing working (formula + substitution) so method marks are lost. | Write the equation, substitute values with units, then calculate clearly. | Did you show equation + substitution + working? |
| General | Ignoring the command word and mark count (answers end up too vague or the wrong type). | Use the mark count as a guide: describe = what/how; explain = why with physics; evaluate = weigh evidence and conclude. | Does your answer match the command word and marks? |
| General | Unit conversions done after substitution (leads to errors). | Convert to SI units first (m, s, kg, N, J, W, V, A). | Did you convert to SI units before substituting? |
| General | Confusing scalar vs vector quantities. | Vectors have direction (velocity, acceleration, force); scalars do not (speed, energy). | Does direction matter here? |
| General | Rounding too early / wrong significant figures. | Keep extra digits; round only at the end unless told otherwise. | Did you round only at the end? |
| Forces & motion | Using (v/t) for acceleration instead of (\Delta v/\Delta t). | Use (a=(v-u)/t) when velocity changes from (u) to (v). | Did you use change in velocity? |
| Forces & motion | Graphs: mixing up gradient and area on velocity–time graphs. | Gradient = acceleration; area under v–t = displacement. | Did you use gradient vs area correctly? |
| Forces & motion | Forces at constant velocity: thinking no forces act. | Net force is zero but forces can balance (driving = resistive). | Are forces balanced rather than absent? |
| Forces & motion | Newton’s 3rd law: giving two forces on the same object as a pair. | Action–reaction forces act on different objects and are equal/opposite. | Do the forces act on different objects? |
| Forces & motion | Momentum: confusing momentum with force or energy. | Momentum (p=mv) (kg m s⁻¹). Use impulse (F\Delta t = \Delta p). | Are you using p=mv and Δp correctly? |
| Energy | Mixing energy and power. | Energy is J; power is rate: (P=E/t) in W. | Is it asking for energy or rate? |
| Energy | Efficiency: using input/output the wrong way. | Efficiency = useful output / total input (×100% if percent). | Is your efficiency ≤ 1 (or 100%)? |
| Energy | Kinetic energy: forgetting the square on speed. | Use (E_k=\tfrac12 mv^2). | Did you square the speed? |
| Energy | GPE: using weight instead of mass in (mgh). | Use mass (m) in kg: (E_p=mgh). | Did you use mass in kg? |
| Energy | Work done: using (W=Fs) when force is not in the direction of motion. | Use the component of force along the displacement (or ensure force is along motion). | Is the force along the displacement? |
| Electricity | Series/parallel rules mixed up for current and potential difference. | Series: current same, voltages add. Parallel: voltage same, currents add. | Did you apply series/parallel rules correctly? |
| Electricity | Resistance: rearranging (V=IR) incorrectly. | Use (R=V/I), (I=V/R), (V=IR). | Did you rearrange correctly? |
| Electricity | Power: using wrong formula or mixing units. | Use (P=VI), (P=I^2R) or (P=V^2/R) with SI units. | Are units V, A, Ω consistent? |
| Electricity | Prefixes ignored (e.g. using kV as V). | Convert prefixes before calculating: k = ×1000, m = ÷1000, μ = ÷1,000,000. | Did you convert all prefixes to base units? |
| Electricity | Charge/current confusion. | Current is rate: (I=Q/t). | Did you use charge per second? |
| Waves | Wave speed: using (v=f/\lambda) instead of (v=f\lambda). | Use (v=f\lambda). | Did you multiply f and λ? |
| Waves | Frequency vs period confusion. | Use (f=1/T). | Did you invert correctly? |
| Waves | Amplitude vs wavelength confusion (vertical vs horizontal measure). | Amplitude is maximum displacement; wavelength is distance between identical points. | Are you measuring in the correct direction? |
| Light | Refraction angles measured from the surface instead of the normal. | Measure angles from the normal; use Snell’s law with those angles. | Are angles measured from the normal? |
| Light | Total internal reflection conditions wrong. | TIR requires denser → less dense and incidence angle > critical angle. | Is it denser-to-less-dense and i>c? |
| Sound | Sound waves described as transverse. | Sound in air is longitudinal (compressions/rarefactions). | Did you describe longitudinal motion? |
| Thermal physics | Heat vs temperature confusion. | Heat is energy transfer; temperature measures how hot (average kinetic energy). | Is it energy transfer or temperature? |
| Thermal physics | Specific heat capacity: using final temperature instead of temperature change. | Use (E=mc\Delta T) with (\Delta T) as the change. | Did you use ΔT (change)? |
| Thermal physics | Latent heat: using (mc\Delta T) during a change of state. | Use (E=mL) for melting/boiling; temperature stays constant during the change. | Is it a temperature change or a change of state? |
| Thermal physics | Conduction/convection/radiation mixed up. | Conduction mainly in solids; convection in fluids via bulk movement; radiation via IR. | Which transfer mechanism fits the situation? |
| Experimental skills | Practical method answers that are too vague (no repeats/mean, unclear timing, unclear measurement). | Be specific: apparatus, what you measure, how you measure it, repeats, mean, and how to reduce uncertainty (e.g. set distances, avoid reaction-time bias). | Did you include repeats + mean + a concrete improvement? |
| Experimental skills | Anomalous results: identifying an anomaly but not repeating it (or blindly discarding it). | Repeat the anomalous reading; only exclude it with a reason and after repeating. | Did you repeat the anomalous reading? |
| Experimental skills | Finding a rate/gradient from a curve but not using a tangent (or missing a negative sign). | Draw a tangent at the point; use two points on the tangent; keep the sign of the gradient. | Did you use a tangent and keep the gradient sign? |
It is a downloadable list of frequent misconceptions and calculation slips in Edexcel IGCSE Physics (4PH1), paired with a short fix and a “quick check” prompt.
It covers common mistakes across the main 4PH1 areas: forces and motion, energy, electricity, waves (including light) and thermal physics.
No. It is a practical revision resource summarising recurring error patterns and mark-scheme expectations. Always verify equations, units and command words against your official Edexcel specification and mark schemes.
Before a paper, skim the topic you’re revising. After marking, identify which mistakes you made and practise 5–10 similar questions using the “quick check” prompts to avoid repeating them.