# 9702 P4 Simple harmonic oscillations Topic Questions

> CIE IAL 9702 P4: every Simple harmonic oscillations topic question from 10 papers (2025–2026), grouped by syllabus point. 38 questions, 63 marks, with…

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CIE IAL · Physics · 9702 P4 · A Level

Every 9702 P4 Simple harmonic oscillations topic question from the 2025–2027 syllabus, drawn from 10 papers (2025–2026) and grouped by syllabus point. Each row opens a page listing the exact question numbers, marks and a direct link into the paper. These are questions by topic, not full papers, so you can revise one topic at a time.

- 9702 P4
- 5 subtopics
- 38 topic questions
- 10 papers
- 63 tagged marks
- [Back to Simple harmonic oscillations](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/)
- [All paper codes](https://www.examsci.com/topics/)

Core finding

**1 understand and use the terms displacement, amplitude, period… is the most frequently assessed subtopic in Simple harmonic oscillations, with 15 topic questions and 22 marks across 10 papers.** 5 analyse and interpret graphical representations of the… follows with 13 topic questions and 25 marks. The topic contains 5 subtopics, 38 topic questions and 63 marks in total. Rows count only the parts tagged to that subtopic, keep the same colour in both charts and repeat paper count, tagged marks and year range in the native table.

## Topic question count and mark distribution

Subtopics are on the vertical axis and sorted from highest to lowest. Only the parts whose knowledge graph matches a subtopic are counted for it, and percentages are each row's share of the tagged total in that chart. A part tagged to several subtopics is counted in each bar, so the bars are not a partition of the topic total.

### Questions by subtopic

question items

- [1 understand and use the terms displacement, amplitude, period, frequency, angular frequency and phase difference in the context of oscillations, and express the period in terms of both frequency and angular frequency](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/1-understand-and-use-the-terms-displacement-amplitude-period-frequency-angular/) (10 papers) — 15 · 28.8%
- [5 analyse and interpret graphical representations of the variations of displacement, velocity and acceleration for simple harmonic motion](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/5-analyse-and-interpret-graphical-representations-of-the-variations-of-displacement/) (8 papers) — 13 · 25.0%
- [3 use $a = –\omega^2 x$ and recall and use, as a solution to this equation, $x = x_0 \sin\omega t$](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/3-use-a-omega-2-x-and-recall-and-use-as-a-solution-to-this-equation-x-x-0-sin-omega-t/) (6 papers) — 11 · 21.2%
- [2 understand that simple harmonic motion occurs when acceleration is proportional to displacement from a fixed point and in the opposite direction](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/2-understand-that-simple-harmonic-motion-occurs-when-acceleration-is-proportional-to/) (7 papers) — 7 · 13.5%
- [4 use the equations $v = v_0 \cos\omega t$ and $v = \pm\omega\sqrt{x_0^2 - x^2}$](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/4-use-the-equations-v-v-0-cos-omega-t-and-v-pm-omega-sqrt-x-0-2-x-2/) (3 papers) — 6 · 11.5%

### Marks by subtopic

marks

- [5 analyse and interpret graphical representations of the variations of displacement, velocity and acceleration for simple harmonic motion](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/5-analyse-and-interpret-graphical-representations-of-the-variations-of-displacement/) (8 papers) — 25 · 27.8%
- [1 understand and use the terms displacement, amplitude, period, frequency, angular frequency and phase difference in the context of oscillations, and express the period in terms of both frequency and angular frequency](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/1-understand-and-use-the-terms-displacement-amplitude-period-frequency-angular/) (10 papers) — 22 · 24.4%
- [3 use $a = –\omega^2 x$ and recall and use, as a solution to this equation, $x = x_0 \sin\omega t$](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/3-use-a-omega-2-x-and-recall-and-use-as-a-solution-to-this-equation-x-x-0-sin-omega-t/) (6 papers) — 21 · 23.3%
- [4 use the equations $v = v_0 \cos\omega t$ and $v = \pm\omega\sqrt{x_0^2 - x^2}$](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/4-use-the-equations-v-v-0-cos-omega-t-and-v-pm-omega-sqrt-x-0-2-x-2/) (3 papers) — 12 · 13.3%
- [2 understand that simple harmonic motion occurs when acceleration is proportional to displacement from a fixed point and in the opposite direction](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/2-understand-that-simple-harmonic-motion-occurs-when-acceleration-is-proportional-to/) (7 papers) — 10 · 11.1%

## Subtopic comparison matrix

Curriculum order is by syllabus number, then alphabetically. Every row links to the matching past-paper question list.

| Subtopic | Topic questions | Papers | Marks | Years | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **[1 understand and use the terms displacement, amplitude, period, frequency, angular frequency and phase difference in the context of oscillations, and express the period in terms of both frequency and angular frequency](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/1-understand-and-use-the-terms-displacement-amplitude-period-frequency-angular/)** | 15 | 10 | 22 | 2025–2026 | [Open topic questions](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/1-understand-and-use-the-terms-displacement-amplitude-period-frequency-angular/) |
| **[2 understand that simple harmonic motion occurs when acceleration is proportional to displacement from a fixed point and in the opposite direction](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/2-understand-that-simple-harmonic-motion-occurs-when-acceleration-is-proportional-to/)** | 7 | 7 | 10 | 2025 | [Open topic questions](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/2-understand-that-simple-harmonic-motion-occurs-when-acceleration-is-proportional-to/) |
| **[3 use $a = –\omega^2 x$ and recall and use, as a solution to this equation, $x = x_0 \sin\omega t$](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/3-use-a-omega-2-x-and-recall-and-use-as-a-solution-to-this-equation-x-x-0-sin-omega-t/)** | 11 | 6 | 21 | 2025 | [Open topic questions](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/3-use-a-omega-2-x-and-recall-and-use-as-a-solution-to-this-equation-x-x-0-sin-omega-t/) |
| **[4 use the equations $v = v_0 \cos\omega t$ and $v = \pm\omega\sqrt{x_0^2 - x^2}$](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/4-use-the-equations-v-v-0-cos-omega-t-and-v-pm-omega-sqrt-x-0-2-x-2/)** | 6 | 3 | 12 | 2025–2026 | [Open topic questions](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/4-use-the-equations-v-v-0-cos-omega-t-and-v-pm-omega-sqrt-x-0-2-x-2/) |
| **[5 analyse and interpret graphical representations of the variations of displacement, velocity and acceleration for simple harmonic motion](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/5-analyse-and-interpret-graphical-representations-of-the-variations-of-displacement/)** | 13 | 8 | 25 | 2025–2026 | [Open topic questions](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/5-analyse-and-interpret-graphical-representations-of-the-variations-of-displacement/) |

## Browse every topic question

- [1 understand and use the terms displacement, amplitude, period, frequency, angular frequency and phase difference in the context of oscillations, and express the period in terms of both frequency and angular frequency](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/1-understand-and-use-the-terms-displacement-amplitude-period-frequency-angular/) — 15 question items · 10 papers — 22 marks · 2025–2026
- [2 understand that simple harmonic motion occurs when acceleration is proportional to displacement from a fixed point and in the opposite direction](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/2-understand-that-simple-harmonic-motion-occurs-when-acceleration-is-proportional-to/) — 7 question items · 7 papers — 10 marks · 2025
- [3 use $a = –\omega^2 x$ and recall and use, as a solution to this equation, $x = x_0 \sin\omega t$](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/3-use-a-omega-2-x-and-recall-and-use-as-a-solution-to-this-equation-x-x-0-sin-omega-t/) — 11 question items · 6 papers — 21 marks · 2025
- [4 use the equations $v = v_0 \cos\omega t$ and $v = \pm\omega\sqrt{x_0^2 - x^2}$](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/4-use-the-equations-v-v-0-cos-omega-t-and-v-pm-omega-sqrt-x-0-2-x-2/) — 6 question items · 3 papers — 12 marks · 2025–2026
- [5 analyse and interpret graphical representations of the variations of displacement, velocity and acceleration for simple harmonic motion](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/simple-harmonic-oscillations/5-analyse-and-interpret-graphical-representations-of-the-variations-of-displacement/) — 13 question items · 8 papers — 25 marks · 2025–2026

## Other topics in 9702 P4

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- [Characteristics of alternating currents 21 question items](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/characteristics-of-alternating-currents/)
- [Concept of a magnetic field 3 question items](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/concept-of-a-magnetic-field/)
- [Damped and forced oscillations, resonance 7 question items](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/damped-and-forced-oscillations-resonance/)
- [Discharging a capacitor 16 question items](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/discharging-a-capacitor/)
- [Electric field of a point charge 8 question items](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/electric-field-of-a-point-charge/)
- [Electric fields and field lines 7 question items](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/electric-fields-and-field-lines/)
- [Electric force between point charges 12 question items](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/electric-force-between-point-charges/)
- [Electric potential 26 question items](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/electric-potential/)

## Topic question rules and edge cases

**How many subtopics does Simple harmonic oscillations contain?**

This page lists 5 subtopics tagged to the current syllabus. They are ordered by syllabus number, then alphabetically, and each row opens a page of matching past-paper questions.

**How are the subtopic question and mark totals calculated?**

A multiple-choice question contributes one item and its marks to every subtopic it is tagged with. A structured question contributes one item per tagged part, and that part’s marks; untagged parts of the same question are not counted here. A part tagged to several subtopics therefore appears under each of them.

**Why do some subtopics have no numbered prefix?**

Practical-skills statements and some syllabus bullets are unnumbered. Numbered statements come first; unnumbered statements and ties are sorted alphabetically.

**Is the LaTeX rendered without JavaScript?**

Yes. Subtopics that contain formulas are converted to static KaTeX HTML during the build, and the KaTeX stylesheet is served from the same site.

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