South Africa · Grade 12 · CAPS

Physical Sciences papers and study resources

A broad starting point for Grade 12 Physics Paper 1 and Chemistry Paper 2: official National Senior Certificate (NSC) papers and marking guidelines, the DBE curriculum, examination guidance, study guides and an open learner textbook.

How to read these links: The DBE archive contains official NSC examination papers; the archive does not independently label each paper “CAPS-aligned.” Use the official CAPS policy and exam guidelines below to check curriculum scope. Paper availability and content vary by year and examination session.

Official past papers and marking guidelines

DBE NSC past examination papers

The Department of Basic Education archive links to examination-session papers and memoranda across the listed years. When checked on 31 October 2026, the archive included listings from 2008 through 2026.

Open the official DBE archive ↗

Choose Physical Sciences Paper 1 (Physics) or Paper 2 (Chemistry), then select the year, session, language and memo available for that session.

2025 May/June papers

The verified DBE May/June listing includes Physical Sciences Papers 1 and 2 in English and Afrikaans, along with Memo 1 and Memo 2 in both languages.

Open 2025 May/June papers ↗

Use the main archive for other sessions and years; not every session offers the same files.

CAPS curriculum and examination scope

Official CAPS: Physical Sciences, Grades 10–12

The DBE policy document sets out subject content, practical work, assessment requirements and Grade 12 examination weighting. It also notes that selected Grade 10–11 content may appear in the Grade 12 final exam.

Read the DBE CAPS PDF ↗View the WCED listing ↗

Official curriculum policy · 2011 edition · Grades 10–12

DBE Grade 12 examination guidelines

The guidelines clarify the depth and scope of examinable content and describe the two-paper NSC exam. The verified DBE index lists the 2021 English and Afrikaans guidelines; check DBE for any later update.

Open the DBE guidelines page ↗

Verified DBE edition: 2021 · Read alongside, not instead of, CAPS.

CAPS-aligned study guides and textbook

DBE Mind the Gap: Physics and Chemistry

Two Grade 12 supplementary guides with explanations, examples, activities and exam-style questions. Physics covers mechanics, waves, electricity and more; Chemistry covers organic chemistry, equilibrium, acids/bases and electrochemistry.

Open the DBE guide collection ↗Physics guide ↗Chemistry guide ↗

The DBE describes the series as CAPS-aligned. Guides state CC BY-NC-SA 3.0; follow attribution, non-commercial and ShareAlike terms.

Siyavula Grade 12 Physical Sciences

A free online CAPS learner textbook with chapters, summaries, exercises and worked answers. Topics include momentum, projectile motion, organic chemistry, waves, electricity, electrochemistry and the chemical industry.

Read the textbook online ↗English learner PDF ↗

Siyavula identifies the learner book as CAPS Grade 12 Physical Sciences. Check the license for each edition before copying or adapting.

Topic map

Physics · Paper 1Mechanics; waves, sound and light; electricity and magnetism; matter and materials. Check the session-specific DBE guideline for the exact examinable scope.
Chemistry · Paper 2Organic chemistry and macromolecules; chemical change, reaction rates, equilibrium, acids and bases, electrochemistry; chemical systems and industry.
Practical workUse the CAPS document and current school guidance for practical investigations, assessment expectations and selected prior-grade knowledge.

TeachDeck links to DBE and Siyavula source pages. Copyright and reuse terms differ by resource; do not copy or rehost official papers, memoranda or documents unless the rights holder or license permits it.