What this topic covers

Oscillations is topic 17 of the Cambridge 9702 syllabus (2025–2027), covering simple harmonic oscillations, energy in simple harmonic motion, and damped and forced oscillations with resonance. It is A Level content, examined in Paper 4 (A Level Structured Questions), which carries 38.5% of the A Level. Students most often lose marks on the defining condition for simple harmonic motion, which requires acceleration proportional to displacement and in the opposite direction, and on using a = −ω²x with ω in radians per second. Interpreting displacement, velocity and acceleration graphs, and the exchange between kinetic and potential energy, demand careful reading. Damping and resonance questions test qualitative understanding as much as calculation. Practising these questions chronologically reveals how consistently Cambridge examines each of these ideas.

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Questions in this topic

• 9702/41/O/N/24 Q4 — simple harmonic motion · 11 marks
• 9702/42/O/N/24 Q5 — simple harmonic motion · 9 marks
• 9702/43/O/N/24 Q4 — simple harmonic motion · 11 marks
• 9702/42/M/J/24 Q4 — simple harmonic motion · 9 marks
• 9702/43/M/J/24 Q4 — resonance and oscillations · 8 marks
• 9702/41/O/N/23 Q4 — simple harmonic motion · 9 marks
• 9702/42/O/N/23 Q4 — SHM and current in a rod · 11 marks
• 9702/43/O/N/23 Q4 — simple harmonic motion · 9 marks
• 9702/42/M/J/23 Q4 — simple harmonic motion · 11 marks
• 9702/42/F/M/23 Q3 — simple harmonic motion · 10 marks
• 9702/41/O/N/22 Q3 — simple harmonic motion · 11 marks
• 9702/42/O/N/22 Q4 — simple harmonic motion · 10 marks
• 9702/43/O/N/22 Q3 — simple harmonic motion · 11 marks
• 9702/41/M/J/22 Q4 — simple harmonic motion · 8 marks
• 9702/42/M/J/22 Q4 — resonance and oscillations · 8 marks
• 9702/43/M/J/22 Q4 — simple harmonic motion · 8 marks
• 9702/42/F/M/22 Q3 — Oscillations of a floating block · 10 marks
• 9702/41/O/N/21 Q4 — Simple Harmonic Motion · 11 marks
• 9702/42/O/N/21 Q4 — simple harmonic motion · 7 marks
• 9702/43/O/N/21 Q4 — Simple Harmonic Motion · 11 marks
• 9702/41/M/J/21 Q3 — simple harmonic motion · 8 marks
• 9702/41/M/J/21 Q10 — Lenz's law and oscillations · 9 marks
• 9702/42/M/J/21 Q3 — simple harmonic motion · 9 marks
• 9702/43/M/J/21 Q3 — simple harmonic motion · 8 marks
• 9702/43/M/J/21 Q10 — Lenz's law and oscillations · 9 marks
• 9702/42/F/M/21 Q4 — simple harmonic motion · 9 marks
• 9702/41/O/N/20 Q3 — simple harmonic motion · 9 marks
• 9702/42/O/N/20 Q3 — simple harmonic motion · 10 marks
• 9702/43/O/N/20 Q3 — simple harmonic motion · 9 marks
• 9702/41/M/J/20 Q3 — simple harmonic motion · 9 marks

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