
Updated for 2025 AQA GCSE Physics and Combined Science (8463 / 8464).
A complete, fully editable lesson covering P7.3 – Changes in the Nucleus from the AQA specification.
Students learn how unstable nuclei decay by emitting alpha, beta, or gamma radiation, how nuclear equations are written and balanced, and how changes in the nucleus affect atomic and mass numbers.
This lesson builds deep conceptual understanding for Paper 1 – Atomic Structure while providing strong exam-practice support through worked examples and structured reasoning tasks.
Includes free AI long-answer feedback – students can submit extended-response questions online and receive instant, AQA-aligned WWW/EBI feedback to improve reasoning, structure, and scientific language.
What’s Included
Editable PowerPoint with diagrams, animations, and model explanations
Printable and editable worksheets with model answers (Foundation → Higher)
Exam-style questions with mark scheme and model solutions
Retrieval starter and plenary quiz
AfL checkpoints and differentiated challenge tasks
Homework / revision activity
Comprehensive teacher answer key
Topics Covered
Radioactive decay and nuclear instability
Alpha (α), beta (β), and gamma (γ) emission
Writing and balancing nuclear equations
Changes in atomic number and mass number
The role of neutrons in nuclear decay
Random nature of radioactive emission
Why Teachers Choose This Lesson
Curriculum-true to AQA Physics (8463 / 8464)
Fully editable and ready to teach
Exam-focused with structured calculation and reasoning practice
Differentiated for Foundation and Higher tiers
Supports AI-enhanced feedback for long-answer development
Suitable For
GCSE Physics and Combined Science Paper 1
Classroom teaching, revision, or cover lessons
Department resource banks and standardisation
Format
PPTX slides | DOCX / PDF worksheets | Fully editable | Print-friendly
TES Tags
AQA Physics, P7 Atomic Structure, Changes in the Nucleus, Alpha Decay, Beta Decay, Gamma Radiation, Nuclear Equations, Radioactive Decay, GCSE Physics, KS4 Science, AQA 9-1, Physics Lesson PowerPoint, PlanetReynolds, AI Marking
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