plumiQuasars: AQA A‑Level Physics questions
AQA A-Level Physics past-paper questions on 3.9.3.3 Quasars, 2008–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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Q03.2
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All 11 questions on Quasars, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 3 Astrophysics, Q03.2 (1 mark): Astronomers believe that M87 has an active supermassive black hole at its centre. Suggest one observation that leads to this conclusion. [1 mark]
- June 2024, Paper 3 Astrophysics, Q04.3 (6 marks): Scientists predict that a quasar will be produced as the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy merge. Explain what is meant by a quasar. Go on to suggest why a qua
- June 2022, Paper 3 Astrophysics, Q03.1 (1 mark): State the property of the quasar that led to its discovery. [1 mark]
- November 2021, Paper 3 Astrophysics, Q04.1 (2 marks): Suggest why the quasar stopped emitting radiation. [2 marks]
- June 2019, Paper 3 Astrophysics, Q04.2 (2 marks): Quasars are the most distant measurable objects. Discuss one problem associated with the determination of the distance from the Earth to a quasar. [2 marks]
- June 2018, Paper 3 Astrophysics, Q03.1 (2 marks): Describe the links between galaxies, black holes and quasars. [2 marks]
- June 2018, Paper 3 Astrophysics, Q03.3 (3 marks): A typical quasar is believed to be approximately the size of the solar system, with a power output similar to that of a thousand galaxies. Estimate, with refere
- June 2016, PHYA5 Astrophysics (old spec), Q4(a) (1 mark): State which property of the first identified quasar led to its discovery. [1 mark] _____________________________________________________________________________
- June 2016, PHYA5 Astrophysics (old spec), Q4(b)(i) (3 marks): Calculate, using the inverse square law, the distance from Earth to this quasar in AU. [3 marks] distance = __________________________ AU
- June 2012, PHYA5 Astrophysics (old spec), Q4(b) (1 mark): The first quasars were discovered in the 1950s. What property of quasars led to their discovery? (1 mark)
- June 2008, PHA5W (2008 spec), Q5(a) (3 marks): 5 (a) Explain what is meant by 5 (a) (i) a quasar, 5 (a) (ii) a black hole. (3 marks)
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