Amplitude (AM) and frequency modulation (FM) techniques: AQA A‑Level Physics questions

AQA A-Level Physics past-paper questions on 3.13.6.4 Amplitude (AM) and frequency modulation (FM) techniques, 2008–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.

All 15 questions on Amplitude (AM) and frequency modulation (FM) techniques, as a list

June 2025, Paper 3 Electronics, Q04.1 (2 marks): State what is meant by a carrier wave within a radio transmission system. Go on to explain how the carrier wave is used in this system. [2 marks]
June 2024, Paper 3 Electronics, Q03.3 (2 marks): Sketch, on Figure 10, the graph that represents the frequency-modulated (FM) signal. [2 marks]
June 2024, Paper 3 Electronics, Q03.4 (1 mark): An audio signal is transmitted on an FM music station. The transmission has a bandwidth of 186 kHz. The carrier wave has a maximum frequency deviation of 75 kHz
June 2022, Paper 3 Electronics, Q03.1 (1 mark): Determine the frequency, in kHz, of the carrier wave. [1 mark] frequency of carrier wave = kHz
June 2022, Paper 3 Electronics, Q03.2 (2 marks): Determine the frequency, in kHz, of the test tone. [2 marks] frequency of test tone = kHz
June 2022, Paper 3 Electronics, Q03.3 (1 mark): State one advantage of using frequency modulation (FM) rather than amplitude modulation (AM). [1 mark]
June 2022, Paper 3 Electronics, Q03.4 (1 mark): The frequency range of the FM radio band in the UK is 88 to 108 MHz. The FM stations are allocated centre frequencies that start at 88.100 MHz and are separated
June 2022, Paper 3 Electronics, Q03.5 (2 marks): A radio station broadcasting on FM transmits a maximum audio frequency of 15 kHz and has a frequency deviation of ± 75 kHz. Deduce whether the radio station fit
June 2018, Paper 3 Electronics, Q03.2 (1 mark): State the letter representing the subsystem where the audio and radio waves are combined. [1 mark]
June 2018, Paper 3 Electronics, Q03.4 (1 mark): Figure 5 shows graphs of a radio carrier signal and a modulating sine wave. Figure 5 Complete the graph in Figure 5 to represent the combined amplitude modulate
June 2018, Paper 3 Electronics, Q03.5 (3 marks): Approximately 20 radio stations use amplitude modulation (AM) to broadcast to people living in the London area. Another 35 AM stations broadcast to people outsi
Specimen, Paper 3 Electronics, Q02.1 (1 mark): Describe what is meant by amplitude modulation (am). [1 mark] 0 2 . 1
Specimen, Paper 3 Electronics, Q02.2 (1 mark): A radio wave has an unmodulated frequency of 120 kHz. It is amplitude modulated by a signal from an audio transducer of frequency 2.2 kHz. Calculate the bandwid
Specimen, Paper 3 Electronics, Q02.3 (1 mark): Explain why frequency modulation (fm) is not used for commercial radio transmissions in the medium and long wave bands. [1 mark] 0 2 . 3
Specimen, Paper 3 Electronics, Q02.4 (2 marks): State and explain one advantage of transmitting digital signals using frequency modulation (fm) rather than amplitude modulation (am). [2 marks] 0 2 . 4

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