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Key Facts: Sachsen-Anhalt Abitur Physics Exam

4 Themenbereiche

Einführungsphase (Optik, Radioaktivität, Gravitation, Klimaphysik) plus Qualifikationsphase Themenbereiche Schwingungen und Wellen, Elektrodynamik und Quantenphysik

Fachlehrplan Physik Gymnasium Sachsen-Anhalt, Stand 01.08.2022

4 Aufgaben, 3 bearbeiten

Since the 2025 Abitur, candidates choose 3 of 4 offered written Aufgaben

Hinweise für die schriftliche Abiturprüfung ab 2025 Physik, Ministerium für Bildung Sachsen-Anhalt

300 / 255 min

Written Bearbeitungszeit including Auswahlzeit at erhöhtem (120 BE) und grundlegendem (90 BE) Anforderungsniveau

Hinweise für die schriftliche Abiturprüfung ab 2025 Physik, Ministerium für Bildung Sachsen-Anhalt

23.04.2026

Written Physik date in the 2026 main session; Nachtermin 20.05.2026

Ministerium für Bildung des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt, Abiturtermine 2026

0–15 Punkte

Grading scale for each Prüfungsfach, from Note 1 (15–13 Punkte) to Note 6 (0 Punkte)

Verordnung über die gymnasiale Oberstufe, Sachsen-Anhalt

200 / 100 Punkte

Minimum Gesamtqualifikation: 200+ from Block I (§38) and 100+ from the five Prüfungselemente in Block II (§39), out of 900 maximum

Verordnung über die gymnasiale Oberstufe, Sachsen-Anhalt

Free 100-question English-language MCQ study bank for Sachsen-Anhalt Abitur Physik, mapped to the Fachlehrplan's Einführungsphase (Optik, Radioaktivität, Gravitation, Klimaphysik) and Qualifikationsphase Themenbereiche (Schwingungen und Wellen, Elektrodynamik, Quantenphysik). Over 60 worked-calculation items. Official exam: German written Klausur, 4 Aufgaben choose 3, roughly 300 min (eA) / 255 min (gA) including Auswahlzeit; written date 23.04.2026. Not an official-format simulation; no fee for regular school candidates.

Sample Sachsen-Anhalt Abitur Physics Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Sachsen-Anhalt Abitur Physics exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A ray of light travels from air (n = 1.00) into glass (n = 1.50) and strikes the boundary at an angle of incidence of 40°. Using Snell's law, what is the angle of refraction inside the glass?
A.25.4°
B.74.6°
C.26.7°
D.60.0°
Explanation: Snell's law states n1·sinθ1 = n2·sinθ2. Solving for θ2: sinθ2 = (n1/n2)·sinθ1 = (1.00/1.50)×sin40° ≈ 0.4285, so θ2 = sin⁻¹(0.4285) ≈ 25.4°. Because light enters the optically denser medium, it bends toward the normal, so θ2 is smaller than θ1.
2An object is placed 30 cm in front of a thin converging lens with a focal length of 10 cm. Using the thin-lens equation 1/f = 1/a + 1/b, at what distance b behind the lens does the real image form?
A.15 cm
B.7.5 cm
C.20 cm
D.30 cm
Explanation: Rearranging 1/f = 1/a + 1/b gives 1/b = 1/f − 1/a = 1/10 − 1/30 = 3/30 − 1/30 = 2/30 = 1/15, so b = 15 cm. Because the object distance a exceeds f, this is a real, inverted image formed on the far side of the lens.
3Light traveling inside glass (n = 1.50) strikes the glass–air boundary. What is the critical angle beyond which total internal reflection occurs?
A.41.8°
B.48.2°
C.26.4°
D.20.9°
Explanation: Total internal reflection begins at the critical angle where the refracted ray grazes the boundary at 90°. From Snell's law, n·sinθc = 1·sin90°, so sinθc = 1/n = 1/1.50 ≈ 0.667, giving θc = sin⁻¹(0.667) ≈ 41.8°.
4Why does the simple ray (Strahlenmodell) model of light fail to fully explain the dispersion of white light into a spectrum by a glass prism?
A.Because the refractive index of glass depends on the wavelength of light, a fact the basic ray model does not include
B.Because light travels faster in glass than in air
C.Because red light is absorbed more strongly by glass than blue light
D.Because the ray model assumes light is a particle, and particles cannot be refracted
Explanation: Dispersion arises because the refractive index n of a medium depends on wavelength — a property of the material itself. The purely geometric ray model treats n as a single constant per material, so on its own it cannot predict that different colours bend by different amounts; that requires incorporating the wavelength-dependence of n.
5A radioactive sample has an initial activity of 800 Bq and a half-life of 8 days. What is its activity after 24 days?
A.100 Bq
B.266.7 Bq
C.200 Bq
D.400 Bq
Explanation: 24 days corresponds to 24/8 = 3 half-lives. Each half-life halves the activity in succession: 800 → 400 → 200 → 100 Bq. In general A(t) = A0·(1/2)^(t/T½) = 800·(1/2)³ = 100 Bq.
6Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5730 years. Using λ = ln(2)/T½, what is its decay constant λ?
A.1.21 × 10⁻⁴ yr⁻¹
B.1.75 × 10⁻⁴ yr⁻¹
C.5.25 × 10⁻⁵ yr⁻¹
D.8270 yr⁻¹
Explanation: λ = ln(2)/T½ = 0.6931/5730 yr ≈ 1.21×10⁻⁴ yr⁻¹. This constant gives the probability per unit time that any one nucleus decays, and underlies the exponential decay law N(t) = N0·e^(−λt) used in C-14 dating.
7Uranium-238 (₉₂²³⁸U) undergoes alpha decay. Which nuclide is produced?
A.Thorium-234 (Th-234)
B.Protactinium-234 (Pa-234)
C.Thorium-238 (Th-238)
D.Uranium-234 (U-234)
Explanation: An alpha particle is a helium-4 nucleus (₂⁴He), so alpha decay reduces the mass number by 4 and the atomic number by 2: A = 238−4 = 234, Z = 92−2 = 90, which is thorium. So ₉₂²³⁸U → ₉₀²³⁴Th + ₂⁴He.
8What happens at the nuclear level during beta-minus (β⁻) decay?
A.A neutron in the nucleus converts into a proton, emitting an electron and an antineutrino
B.A proton converts into a neutron, emitting a positron
C.The nucleus emits a helium nucleus consisting of two protons and two neutrons
D.The nucleus emits a high-energy photon without changing its proton or neutron number
Explanation: In β⁻ decay, a neutron transforms into a proton via the weak interaction, releasing an electron (the 'beta particle') and an antineutrino. Because a neutron becomes a proton, the atomic number Z increases by 1 while the mass number A stays the same, moving the element one place to the right in the periodic table.
9Which property of ionizing radiation is exploited by a Geiger–Müller counter to detect individual decay events?
A.Radiation ionizes gas atoms inside the tube, and the resulting ions and electrons are accelerated by a high voltage to trigger a measurable current pulse
B.Radiation heats the counting gas, and the resulting pressure change is measured directly
C.Radiation is absorbed by a fluorescent screen and directly converted into a digital readout without any electrical signal
D.Radiation changes the colour of a chemical strip inside the tube, which is read optically
Explanation: A Geiger–Müller tube contains a low-pressure gas between two electrodes at high voltage. An ionizing particle creates ion pairs along its path; the strong field accelerates these charges, causing an avalanche that produces a detectable current pulse — one pulse per ionizing event.
10Using Newton's law of gravitation F = γ·m1·m2/r² with γ = 6.674×10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg², what is the gravitational force between two 1000 kg masses whose centres are 2 m apart?
A.1.67 × 10⁻⁵ N
B.3.34 × 10⁻⁵ N
C.3.34 × 10⁻⁸ N
D.2.50 × 10⁵ N
Explanation: F = γ·m1·m2/r² = 6.674×10⁻¹¹ × (1000×1000) / 2² = 6.674×10⁻¹¹ × 10⁶ / 4 ≈ 1.67×10⁻⁵ N. Gravitational force between everyday masses is extremely small, which is why it is never noticeable compared with Earth's pull on those same objects.

About the Sachsen-Anhalt Abitur Physics Exam

Sachsen-Anhalt Abitur Physik is the state Physics examination for the Allgemeine Hochschulreife, taken as a Leistungsfach (erhöhtes Anforderungsniveau) or as the dreistündige Wahlpflichtfach at grundlegendem Anforderungsniveau under the Oberstufenverordnung. Its content follows the Fachlehrplan Physik Gymnasium (Stand 01.08.2022): the Einführungsphase (Schuljahrgang 10) covers Geometrische Optik, Radioaktivität und Kernenergie, Gravitation and Klimaphysik, while the Qualifikationsphase is organised into the Themenbereiche Schwingungen und Wellen (Mechanik, mechanische Schwingungen und Wellen, Welleneigenschaften des Lichtes), Elektrodynamik (elektrisches und magnetisches Feld, elektromagnetische Induktion, at erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau also Wechselstromwiderstände) and Quantenphysik (Eigenschaften von Quantenobjekten, quantenphysikalisches Atommodell, at erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau also Spezielle Relativitätstheorie). This free bank of 100 original multiple-choice questions is an English-language study adaptation, with more than 60 genuine worked-calculation items using real formulas and verified numeric answers, designed to build and check quantitative and conceptual command of that content. It is not a simulation of the official exam, which is written in German, built from a small number of extended, multi-part problems, and may include experimental tasks.

Exam sponsor: Ministerium für Bildung des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt (MB), supported by the Landesinstitut für Schulqualität und Lehrerbildung (LISA) and the Landesschulamt. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Official written Sachsen-Anhalt Abitur examination in Physik, sat either as Leistungsfach (erhöhtes Anforderungsniveau) or Grundfach (grundlegendes Anforderungsniveau, the dreistündige Wahlpflichtfach). Tasks are built around the Kompetenzschwerpunkte of Schuljahrgang 10 (Geometrische Optik, Radioaktivität und Kernenergie, Gravitation, Klimaphysik) and the Qualifikationsphase Themenbereiche Schwingungen und Wellen, Elektrodynamik and Quantenphysik (plus Spezielle Relativitätstheorie at erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau), and may include a Schülerexperiment. This 100-question bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation only — it does not reproduce the German-language multi-part written format or any practical component.

Time Limit

Written: 300 minutes (including Auswahlzeit) at erhöhtes Anforderungsniveau, 255 minutes (including Auswahlzeit) at grundlegendes Anforderungsniveau; total working time may be extended when a chosen Aufgabe includes an experiment. Permitted aids include the current Formel- und Tabellensammlung. In 2026 the written Physik date was Thursday 23 April 2026 (Nachtermin: Wednesday 20 May 2026); mündliche Prüfungen began 11 May 2026 and Zeugnisse were issued by 3 July 2026.

Passing Score

Subject performance is reported on the 0–15 Punkte scale (Note 1 = 15–13 Punkte, Note 6 = 0 Punkte). The Gesamtqualifikation requires at least 200 of a possible 600 Punkte in Block I from the Kurshalbjahresergebnisse (§38 Oberstufenverordnung) and at least 100 of a possible 300 Punkte in Block II from the five Prüfungsfächer/-elemente in vierfacher Wertung (§39), with no element scored 0, at least 4 Punkte in each element and at least 20 Punkte in vierfacher Wertung in three or more elements including one auf erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau. The 900-point maximum is converted to the Abitur-Durchschnittsnote via the national KMK table.

Exam / Certification Fees

No exam fee for regular enrolled school candidates; the Abitur is a state school examination in Sachsen-Anhalt. External and Nichtschüler routes are handled by the Landesschulamt and do not carry a published Physik-specific fee.

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

Study emphasis ~15%

Mechanik (Grundlagenkurs/Aufbaukurs, Erhaltungssätze, Stöße)

Punktmasse, Newton'sche Axiome, Wurfbewegungen, Kreisbewegung, Energie- und Impulserhaltung, elastische und unelastische Stöße.

Study emphasis ~10%

Elektrisches Feld

Coulomb'sches Gesetz, Feldlinienmodell, Plattenkondensator, kinetische Energie geladener Teilchen, Millikan-Versuch.

Study emphasis ~9%

Quantenphysik: Eigenschaften von Quantenobjekten

Photoeffekt, Einstein'sche Photonenhypothese, de-Broglie-Beziehung, Compton-Effekt, Unbestimmtheitsrelation, Doppelspaltexperiment.

Study emphasis ~7%

Mechanische Schwingungen

Federschwinger, Fadenpendel, Periodendauer, Resonanz und Dämpfung, Energie des Oszillators.

Study emphasis ~7%

Mechanische Wellen

Wellengleichung, Longitudinal- und Transversalwellen, Schallgeschwindigkeit, stehende Wellen, Interferenz.

Study emphasis ~7%

Magnetisches Feld

Lorentzkraft, Magnetfeld stromdurchflossener Leiter, Kreisbewegung im Magnetfeld, Hall-Effekt, Erdmagnetfeld.

Study emphasis ~6%

Welleneigenschaften des Lichtes

Interferenz am Gitter und Doppelspalt, elektromagnetisches Spektrum, Brechzahl, Polarisation, Photonenenergie.

Study emphasis ~6%

Elektromagnetische Induktion

Induktionsgesetz, Lenz'sche Regel, Transformator, Selbstinduktion, Energie des Magnetfeldes.

Study emphasis ~6%

Quantenphysikalisches Atommodell

Energiestufenmodell, Spektrallinien, Franck-Hertz-Experiment, Potenzialtopf-Modell, Pauli-Prinzip.

Study emphasis ~5%

Radioaktivität und Kernenergie

Alpha-, Beta- und Gammazerfall, Halbwertszeit, Zerfallsgesetz, Nachweismethoden, Strahlenschutz.

Study emphasis ~5%

Spezielle Relativitätstheorie

Relativitätsprinzip, Konstanz der Lichtgeschwindigkeit, Zeitdilatation, Längenkontraktion, Masse-Energie-Äquivalenz.

Study emphasis ~4%

Geometrische Optik

Brechungsgesetz, Abbildungsgleichung an Sammellinsen, Totalreflexion, Dispersion.

Study emphasis ~4%

Gravitation

Gravitationsgesetz, Gravitationsfeldstärke, 1. kosmische Geschwindigkeit, Satellitenbahnen.

Study emphasis ~4%

Wechselstromwiderstände und elektromagnetische Schwingungen

Induktiver und kapazitiver Widerstand, Thomson'sche Schwingungsgleichung, Effektivwert.

Study emphasis ~3%

Experimentalpraktikum

Zufällige und systematische Messabweichungen, hypothesengeleitetes Experimentieren, Messunsicherheit.

Study emphasis ~2%

Klimaphysik

Stefan-Boltzmann-Gesetz, Strahlungshaushalt der Erde, natürlicher und anthropogener Treibhauseffekt.

Preparing for the Sachsen-Anhalt Abitur Physics Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Subject performance is reported on the 0–15 Punkte scale (Note 1 = 15–13 Punkte, Note 6 = 0 Punkte). The Gesamtqualifikation requires at least 200 of a possible 600 Punkte in Block I from the Kurshalbjahresergebnisse (§38 Oberstufenverordnung) and at least 100 of a possible 300 Punkte in Block II from the five Prüfungsfächer/-elemente in vierfacher Wertung (§39), with no element scored 0, at least 4 Punkte in each element and at least 20 Punkte in vierfacher Wertung in three or more elements including one auf erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau. The 900-point maximum is converted to the Abitur-Durchschnittsnote via the national KMK table.
  • Assessment: Official written Sachsen-Anhalt Abitur examination in Physik, sat either as Leistungsfach (erhöhtes Anforderungsniveau) or Grundfach (grundlegendes Anforderungsniveau, the dreistündige Wahlpflichtfach). Tasks are built around the Kompetenzschwerpunkte of Schuljahrgang 10 (Geometrische Optik, Radioaktivität und Kernenergie, Gravitation, Klimaphysik) and the Qualifikationsphase Themenbereiche Schwingungen und Wellen, Elektrodynamik and Quantenphysik (plus Spezielle Relativitätstheorie at erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau), and may include a Schülerexperiment. This 100-question bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation only — it does not reproduce the German-language multi-part written format or any practical component.
  • Time limit: Written: 300 minutes (including Auswahlzeit) at erhöhtes Anforderungsniveau, 255 minutes (including Auswahlzeit) at grundlegendes Anforderungsniveau; total working time may be extended when a chosen Aufgabe includes an experiment. Permitted aids include the current Formel- und Tabellensammlung. In 2026 the written Physik date was Thursday 23 April 2026 (Nachtermin: Wednesday 20 May 2026); mündliche Prüfungen began 11 May 2026 and Zeugnisse were issued by 3 July 2026.
  • Exam / certification fees: No exam fee for regular enrolled school candidates; the Abitur is a state school examination in Sachsen-Anhalt. External and Nichtschüler routes are handled by the Landesschulamt and do not carry a published Physik-specific fee. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Sachsen-Anhalt Abitur Physics: Suggested Study Strategy

1Rework every formula by hand: the written exam rewards showing full derivations and unit-consistent calculations, not just quoting the final number — practise setting up Ansatz, substitution and result explicitly.
2Keep a single reference sheet of the core equations by Themenbereich (Kinematik/Dynamik, Coulomb'sches und Gravitationsgesetz, Induktionsgesetz, E = h·f, E = mc²) since a Formelsammlung is a permitted Hilfsmittel but only helps if you already know which formula to reach for.
3Practise reading and sketching diagrams — s(t)/v(t)/a(t) for kinematics, y(t) for oscillations, U(f) for the photoelectric effect — since Sachsen-Anhalt tasks frequently require extracting or drawing graphical information.
4Master unit and order-of-magnitude checks (nm for optical wavelengths, eV for atomic/particle energies, μT for everyday magnetic fields) to catch calculation slips before they become wrong answers.
5Build a clear mental map of grundlegendes versus erhöhtes Anforderungsniveau content — Spezielle Relativitätstheorie, Wechselstromwiderstände, the Millikan- and Franck-Hertz-Versuche and Compton-Effekt sit specifically at erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau — so you study the depth your own Kurs actually requires.
6Revisit the Einführungsphase material (Optik, Radioaktivität, Gravitation, Klimaphysik) even though it was covered in Schuljahrgang 10, since Sachsen-Anhalt tasks can draw on it directly within Qualifikationsphase Aufgaben.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the official Sachsen-Anhalt Physik Abitur exam multiple-choice?

No. The official written paper is a German-language Klausur built from four extended Aufgaben, of which candidates choose and work three; each Aufgabe combines derivations, numeric calculations with real formulas and constants, interpretation of graphs or measured data, and short explanatory answers, and may include a Schülerexperiment. This bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation for learning and checking the underlying content and calculation skills, not a simulation of the official format.

Why are the questions in English when the exam is in German?

This bank is a study aid for building factual and quantitative command of the Fachlehrplan content in English. Physical quantities, formulas and constants are universal, and German technical terms — Kompetenzschwerpunkt, Fachlehrplan, Wirkungsquantum and so on — are preserved where useful, so you can carry the concepts and vocabulary straight into German-language revision.

Which content does the exam cover?

The Fachlehrplan Physik Gymnasium (Stand 01.08.2022) covers Geometrische Optik, Radioaktivität und Kernenergie, Gravitation and Klimaphysik in the Einführungsphase (Schuljahrgang 10), then organises the Qualifikationsphase into three Themenbereiche: Schwingungen und Wellen (mechanics, mechanical oscillations and waves, wave properties of light), Elektrodynamik (electric and magnetic fields, electromagnetic induction, and at erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau also AC circuit theory), and Quantenphysik (properties of quantum objects, the quantum-mechanical atomic model, and at erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau also special relativity).

How much of the exam involves calculation?

A substantial share. Sachsen-Anhalt Physik Abitur tasks routinely require deriving and applying formulas — kinematics equations, Newton's second law, energy and momentum conservation, Coulomb's law, the Lorentz force, the photoelectric equation and more — with real numeric setups, not just definitions. Over 60 of this bank's 100 questions are genuine worked-calculation items with verified numeric answers, reflecting that emphasis; the rest test conceptual understanding, phenomena, and the ability to explain and evaluate physical processes.

How long is the written exam?

Since the 2025 Abitur, Physik candidates receive four Aufgaben and select three to work. Arbeitszeit (including Auswahlzeit) is 300 minutes at erhöhtes Anforderungsniveau (120 erreichbare Bewertungseinheiten) and 255 minutes at grundlegendes Anforderungsniveau (90 Bewertungseinheiten); total time may be extended if an experiment is part of a chosen task. Exact times are re-issued each year, so check the current RdErl. through your school or the Bildungsserver.

Is Physik compulsory in the Sachsen-Anhalt Abitur?

Physik is not automatically belegungspflichtig for every student the way Deutsch or Mathematik are, but the Oberstufenverordnung requires at least one Naturwissenschaft (Biologie, Chemie or Physik) among the five Abiturprüfungsfächer, and Physik itself satisfies that requirement if chosen. Physik can be taken as Grundfach at the dreistündigen Wahlpflichtfach-Niveau or as Leistungsfach at erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau.

When was the exam held in 2026?

In the 2026 main session the written Physik exam was set for Thursday 23 April 2026, with a Nachtermin (make-up date) on Wednesday 20 May 2026. Mündliche Prüfungen began on 11 May 2026 and Zeugnisse were issued by 3 July 2026.

Is there an exam fee?

No. The Abitur is a state school examination in Sachsen-Anhalt and regular enrolled school candidates pay no fee. Nichtschüler and second-chance routes are administered by the Landesschulamt and have no published Physik-specific fee.