plumiDetection of exoplanets: AQA A‑Level Physics questions
AQA A-Level Physics past-paper questions on 3.9.3.4 Detection of exoplanets, 2008–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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Q01.3
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All 8 questions on Detection of exoplanets, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 3 Astrophysics, Q01.3 (1 mark): Astronomers study HIP 56948 in their search for Earth-like exoplanets because HIP 56948 is similar to the Sun. Suggest one difficulty in detecting an Earth-like
- November 2021, Paper 3 Astrophysics, Q01.3 (2 marks): Explain one difficulty with using the transit method to detect this planet. [2 marks]
- June 2019, Paper 3 Astrophysics, Q02.4 (2 marks): Astronomers recently used the radial velocity method to discover an exoplanet orbiting HD 66141. Describe the main features of the radial velocity method in the
- June 2017, Paper 3 Astrophysics, Q05 (6 marks): According to NASA nearly 2000 exoplanets had been discovered by 2016, and the search continues. One aim of this search is to find an Earth-like planet orbiting
- Specimen, Paper 3 Astrophysics, Q04.1 (1 mark): In 1999 a planet was discovered orbiting a star in the constellation of Pegasus. 0 4 State one reason why it is difficult to make a direct observation of this p
- Specimen, Paper 3 Astrophysics, Q04.2 (2 marks): In 1999 a planet was discovered orbiting a star in the constellation of Pegasus. 0 4 The initial discovery of the planet was made using the radial velocity meth
- Specimen, Paper 3 Astrophysics, Q04.3 (3 marks): In 1999 a planet was discovered orbiting a star in the constellation of Pegasus. 0 4 The discovery was confirmed by measuring the variation in the apparent magn
- June 2012, PHYA5 Astrophysics (old spec), Q2(b)(iii) (1 mark): TRAPPIST detects the presence of exoplanets by measuring the reduction in light intensity that occurs as the planet passes in front of the star. Explain why it
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