National 5 Physics
National 5 Physics is a 2-hour, 110-mark question paper plus a 20-mark assignment scaled to 28. The 2027 exam is on Tuesday 4 May, 13:00 to 15:00.
- Question paper13:00 to 15:00
What grade is my mark?
The 2027 course is out of 138. Earlier years had a different total, so your mark is scaled to each year's total. Treat the result as an estimate.
Type a total mark to see the grade it would have got.
How the A and C boundaries have moved
Boundaries as a share of the total marks. A lower line means the papers were judged harder that year. Boundaries shown from 2022, the first year Qualifications Scotland published them in this format.
| Year | Out of | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 125 | 83 | 68 | 54 | 39 |
| 2025 | 125 | 84 | 70 | 56 | 42 |
| 2024 | 125 | 86 | 73 | 60 | 47 |
| 2023 | 100 | 65 | 52 | 40 | 27 |
| 2022 | 100 | 63 | 51 | 40 | 28 |
Changes from session 2026/27
The paper is shorter and the assignment counts for more. The question paper fell from 135 marks to 110 and from 2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours. Scaling was removed from the question paper. The assignment still has 20 marks, but it is now scaled to 28 instead of 25.
That makes the course total 138 marks. The exam is about 80% and the assignment about 20%.
The 2027 total is 138, not 125, so the calculator scales your mark to older totals as an estimate.
Inside the question paper
Section 1, the objective test, is worth 20 marks. Section 2 has 90 marks of structured and extended questions. A data sheet and a relationships sheet are provided, so you do not need to memorise equations. You do need to choose the right one quickly.
In 2027 the exam is on Tuesday 4 May, the first full week of the diet. Plan revision so all six areas are secure by late April.
The assignment
You research a physics topic, run your own experiment and compare your results with a published source. The report is written under supervision in up to 1 hour 30 minutes. Choose a topic at National 5 level, neither too simple nor beyond the course.
Findings from the 2025 course report
Candidates did well when a question asked them to select a relationship and calculate. Vectors and scalars, speed, weight on other planets and wavelength questions went well. Graph scales and labels were mostly good.
Harder areas included:
- velocity-time graphs and finding displacement
- bearings in vector questions
- explaining forces on a parachutist
- the gradient of a graph that does not pass through the origin
- explaining transistor circuits
- the direction of refraction and the choice of radioactive tracers
The report said explanations often lacked precise physics terms. In assignments, few candidates explained the underlying physics in depth. Points were often plotted wrongly, and evaluations were thin.
The advice was practical. A final answer usually needs a value and a unit. Use significant figures, not decimal places. Practise open-ended questions throughout the course and learn the command words.
Past paper practice
Older papers had 135 marks. Use them as full timed practice, then compare your pace with the new 2-hour target. Always write the relationship, substitute, then give the answer with its unit.
Revision checklist
Tick topics as you revise. Ticks are saved on this device only.
- Learn to find each relationship on the relationships sheet within a few seconds.
- Practise displacement from the area under velocity-time graphs.
- Draw vector diagrams with scale, and state the bearing of the resultant.
- Explain balanced and unbalanced forces for a falling object and a parachutist.
- Find the gradient of a straight line that does not pass through the origin.
- Explain how a transistor switching circuit works, component by component.
- Draw ray diagrams showing refraction towards and away from the normal.
- Learn what makes a radioactive source suitable as a tracer.
- Round final answers to sensible significant figures and always include units.
- Plot assignment data on graph paper with major and minor gridlines.
Quick answers
- How long is the National 5 Physics exam in 2027?
2 hours. The paper has 110 marks: 20 in Section 1 and 90 in Section 2.
- How much is the National 5 Physics assignment worth?
It is marked out of 20 and scaled to 28, about a fifth of the overall grade.
- When is the National 5 Physics exam in 2027?
Tuesday 4 May 2027, 13:00 to 15:00.
- Do I need to memorise physics equations?
No. A relationships sheet and a data sheet are provided in the exam.