GCSE Physics Atomic Structure and Radioactivity: AQA-style workbook, practice papers and lessons

A complete, illustrated pack for the GCSE Physics atomic structure and radioactivity topic: a 93-page workbook with full worked answers, 10 editable PowerPoint lessons and two practice papers. It covers atom and nucleus sizes in standard form, isotopes and nuclide notation, the development of the atomic model, alpha, beta, gamma and neutron radiation, nuclear equations, half-life and random decay, and contamination and irradiation.

WHAT’S INSIDE (updated October 2026)

• Workbook 93 pages, answer edition 87 pages (editable Word)
• Practice papers 10 pages, mark schemes 8 pages (editable Word)
• Knowledge organiser and flashcards 13 pages
• 10 lesson decks (editable PowerPoint), 333 slides in total. Every lesson ends with exam questions and worked answers that build on click
• Teacher guide (Word)
• Learner and teacher toolkit 21 pages
• Lesson teacher notes (PDF) 10 pages
• Thank-you and next steps page
• Total: 243 PDF pages and 333 slides

WHAT YOU GET

• 252 questions graded Foundation, Developing and Exam standard (116, 82, 54), with mark tags and allowed alternatives. Higher items (such as net decline) and Physics-only items (background radiation and dose, medical uses, fission and fusion) are labelled
• 38 step-by-step worked examples. Each calculation example ends with a check by a second method: sizes in standard form, counting particles, absorber data, count rate, half-life from graphs, mass left, net decline, dose and chain reactions
• Every nuclear equation is checked in code: mass and atomic numbers balance, and each new element is named from its atomic number
• 22 diagrams and graphs drawn for this pack, including the nuclear atom with energy levels, four atomic models side by side, alpha scattering with calculated paths, penetration of alpha, beta and gamma, decay curves, a decay chain, a fission chain reaction and fusion
• Six six-mark questions with three-level mark schemes, a model answer built step by step, and four longer multi-step questions
• Mistake clinic with twelve common misconceptions (including “an irradiated object becomes radioactive”) and ten spot-the-error tasks, three retrieval quizzes, a 19-point checklist and a glossary of 28 key terms
• Two 40-mark practice papers with mark schemes (PDF and editable Word; Paper 2 is mostly Physics-only content), a knowledge organiser with 40 flashcards and a teacher guide

WHO IT IS FOR
Physics and Combined Science teachers planning the atomic structure unit, students revising independently and tutors.

ABOUT THE SPECIFICATION
Written with the AQA GCSE atomic structure content in mind. Questions use an AQA-style format, but mark guidance is Study Hack’s own wording, not an exam board mark scheme. Data sets are invented for practice; background radiation shares are illustrative, and half-lives of real isotopes are rounded, well-known values.

All questions, diagrams and model answers are original Study Hack material. Independent resource, not endorsed by any exam board.