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HKDSE Physics Paper 2 Drill Guide: Elective Order
TUTORZONE EXAM DRILL GUIDE · HKDSE PHYSICS PAPER 2: THE FOUR ELECTIVES
Paper 2 examines the elective topics only: each of the four parts carries its own share, and the remainder sits in items that check you against the compulsory course. Most candidates memorise four separate subjects, mix up the formulae and convert units carelessly, then freeze when asked which equation is the main line. This page covers the drilling method only: the order of the four parts, the main-line formula for each, how to slice the time, and how to keep the error log.
How is HKDSE Physics Paper 2 assessed, and what does each part carry?
Part A: Astronomy and Space Science: Gravity and orbits, stars and galaxies, redshift and the expanding uni (10%); Part B: Atomic World: Atomic models and energy levels, the photoelectric effect, wave-partic (10%); Part C: Energy and Use of Energy: Energy sources and conversion efficiency, heat pumps, building energy (10%); Part D: Medical Physics: Ultrasound imaging, endoscopes and optical fibres, X-rays and radiatio (10%); The rest of the subject (for reference): Paper 1 covers the Compulsory Part at 60% in 2 hours 30 minutes (Secti (60% + 20%)
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part A: Astronomy and Space Science | Gravity and orbits, stars and galaxies, redshift and the expanding universe; 5 MC + 1 structured question, 20 marks in this paper | 10% | 1 hour (whole paper) |
| Part B: Atomic World | Atomic models and energy levels, the photoelectric effect, wave-particle duality, nanotechnology; 5 MC + 1 structured question, 20 marks in this paper | 10% | 1 hour (whole paper) |
| Part C: Energy and Use of Energy | Energy sources and conversion efficiency, heat pumps, building energy efficiency, transmission and global warming; 5 MC + 1 structured question, 20 marks in this paper | 10% | 1 hour (whole paper) |
| Part D: Medical Physics | Ultrasound imaging, endoscopes and optical fibres, X-rays and radiation protection, hearing and vision correction; 5 MC + 1 structured question, 20 marks in this paper | 10% | 1 hour (whole paper) |
| The rest of the subject (for reference) | Paper 1 covers the Compulsory Part at 60% in 2 hours 30 minutes (Section A multiple-choice 21% of the subject mark, Section B 39%, all compulsory); SBA is 20% | 60% + 20% | 2 h 30 min |
Paper 2 gives you 60 minutes for two parts, 40 marks: aim at about 25 minutes per part and keep 10 minutes to check. Each part turns on one main relation – F = GMm/r² in Part A, hf = ΔE in Part B, efficiency = useful output / total input in Part C and ultrasound depth = v × t / 2 in Part D. Write the arithmetic beside MC items so you can trace a slip, and show the formula in structured questions: it earns marks even when the number is wrong.
What each paper is actually testing
| Paper | Drill focus | How marks are lost |
|---|---|---|
| Part A: Astronomy and Space Science | Start orbit questions with F = GMm/r² and v = √(GM/r), then substitute | The formula is quoted but the relation between orbital radius and period is never written, so the substitution mixes units and orders of magnitude. |
| Part B: Atomic World | Convert energies into eV or J first, and write hf = ΔE | Energy switches between joules and electronvolts, and the level difference is never set out as one line against photon energy. |
| Part C: Energy and Use of Energy | Efficiency means useful output over total input; watch the kWh-J conversion | Efficiency is left as a bare percentage with no statement of which quantity is the useful output and which is the total input. |
| Part D: Medical Physics | Halve the ultrasound time for depth; use 1/f = 1/u + 1/v on lenses | The echo distance is not halved, and the sign convention in the lens item is reversed, so the image lands on the wrong side. |
| The rest of the subject (for reference) | Paper 2 is the electives only; do not mix it with Paper 1 compulsory topics | Compulsory-course content is written into an elective question, so the whole item scores nothing once the direction is wrong. |
What is each HKDSE Physics Paper 2 paper really testing, and what should you drill?
Part A: Astronomy and Space Science: Start orbit questions with F = GMm/r² and v = √(GM/r), then substitute; Part B: Atomic World: Convert energies into eV or J first, and write hf = ΔE; Part C: Energy and Use of Energy: Efficiency means useful output over total input; watch the kWh-J conversion; Part D: Medical Physics: Halve the ultrasound time for depth; use 1/f = 1/u + 1/v on lenses; The rest of the subject (for reference): Paper 2 is the electives only; do not mix it with Paper 1 compulsory topics
Drill order: by topic, then by year, then the mark scheme
| Step | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. By topic | Work through each topic, starting with the paper that allows least help (no calculator / closed book) | Exposes what is genuinely not understood |
| 2. By year | Whole papers to time, one or two a week | Trains pace, stamina and question selection |
| 3. Mark scheme | Go through the marking scheme question by question and log the scoring steps you missed | Most lost marks are written wrong, not thought wrong |
Should drilling go by topic first or by year?
By topic first, then whole papers by year, then the mark scheme. The first third of the time goes topic by topic (8-10 years of the same topic back to back), the middle switches to timed whole papers, and the last fortnight only redoes the recurring errors from your log.
A 12-week drilling timetable
| Week | Phase | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-3 | By topic: foundation | Topic by topic, starting with the easiest marks, building habits and recall |
| Weeks 4-6 | By topic: core | 8-10 years of the same topic back to back, errors classified by topic |
| Weeks 7-8 | By topic: advanced and electives | Elective and higher-order topics, now under time pressure |
| Weeks 9-10 | By year: timed papers | One full paper a week, timed, no reference materials |
| Week 11 | Mark scheme work | Question by question against the marking scheme; list the scoring steps you omitted |
| Week 12 | Plug holes and simulate | Only the recurring errors from your log, then one full exam simulation |
Subject-specific weighting for this timetable: Weeks one to four go part by part, one part per session, reciting that part main-line formula immediately afterwards. Weeks five to eight mix two parts so each question has to be classified before it is answered. The last four weeks are timed whole papers, with the part that keeps failing redone on its own.
Use it properly: this is not a checklist to finish. Every week must keep time for redoing errors, or from week 9 you will be repeating the same batch.
Pacing
| Paper | Time | Suggested split |
|---|---|---|
| Part A: Astronomy and Space Science | 1 hour (whole paper) | about 30 min |
| Part B: Atomic World | 1 hour (whole paper) | about 30 min |
| Part C: Energy and Use of Energy | 1 hour (whole paper) | about 30 min |
| Part D: Medical Physics | 1 hour (whole paper) | about 30 min |
| The rest of the subject (for reference) | 2 h 30 min | outside Paper 2 |
How should the time be split inside each HKDSE Physics Paper 2 paper?
Part A: Astronomy and Space Science: about 30 min; Part B: Atomic World: about 30 min; Part C: Energy and Use of Energy: about 30 min; Part D: Medical Physics: about 30 min; The rest of the subject (for reference): outside Paper 2
The drilling mistakes that cost the most marks
| Mistake | What it looks like | What actually happens | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orbit answers with no formula | Writing the speed straight away | Structured marks follow formula, substitution, answer and unit | Write v = √(GM / r) before substituting |
| Mixing eV and J in level calculations | Dividing 1.89 by h as if it were joules | The wavelength comes out wrong by a factor of 10¹⁹ | Convert eV to J with 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹, then use λ = hc / ΔE |
| Forgetting to halve the ultrasound time | Using v × t for depth | The echo travels out and back, so the depth doubles | Write depth = v × t / 2 and sanity-check the size |
| Confusing power, energy and efficiency | Treating 2 000 W as 2 000 kWh | Power must be multiplied by time, and kWh is not a power unit | Write energy = power × time, then convert to kWh |
The error log and the mark scheme
Three columns: which part; whether the failure was substitution, units or concept; and what the first line of working should be next time. Three strikes in one column becomes a card you revise on its own before the exam.
How many years should you drill?
The elective question types cycle steadily, so older papers stay useful: time the last five as whole papers and split earlier ones by part. After each paper, read the scheme to see which line earns each mark, especially the formula line and the unit line.
How many years of past papers is enough?
The elective question types cycle steadily, so older papers stay useful: time the last five as whole papers and split earlier ones by part. After each paper, read the scheme to see which line earns each mark, especially the formula line and the unit line.
Frequently asked questions
Is this page a mock paper or a drilling guide?
This is the HKDSE Physics Paper 2 drilling guide: assessment structure, drill order, a 12-week timetable, pacing, common mark losses and the error-log method. For questions with answers, use the HKDSE Physics Paper 2 mock papers linked under Related.
By topic or by year first?
By topic. Eight to ten years of the same topic back to back is what exposes repeating errors; going straight to whole papers just repeats the same batch under time pressure.
How should the error log be written?
Do not copy out questions. Per error record four things: question reference, which step failed (concept, wording, calculation), what the mark scheme requires, and the correct action next time.
Should the four parts be answered in order, or weakest last?
In the exam, take the part you know best first to bank the marks, then spend what is left on the weak one. In practice, reverse it: drill the weakest part first, because that is where time pressure exposes the gap.
Is it enough to study only one or two electives?
Each part is marked separately, so skipping one gives away its share outright. If your school teaches only two, still learn the basic formula and units of the other two so the opening formula marks are available.
Official references
| Resource | What to use it for |
|---|---|
| HKEAA 2027 HKDSE Physics Assessment Framework | Confirm Paper 2’s 20% and 1 hour, each elective at 10%, two of four answered, and Paper 1’s 21/39 split |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-dse-physics-paper-2-electives-drill-guide/ | Paper 2 electives drilling guide: choosing questions and the one-hour rhythm |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-dse-physics-paper-1-mock-2027/ | Paper 1 original mock: Section A MC and Section B structured questions |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-dse-physics-past-paper-drill-guide/ | The full physics drilling guide: compulsory against elective revision |
Original mock: HKDSE Physics Paper 2 mock paper with answers; more practice in the practice area.
Next step: find a tutor / register as a tutor
After drilling, the hard part is telling a conceptual error from a writing error. Tell us the year group, the school and your available times, and TutorZone will match you with a tutor who knows the HKEAA assessment requirements.
Demand for tutors in this subject is steady, and those who can explain the marking scheme and where marks are won are especially sought after. Register free; you pay only when a match succeeds.
