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WJEC A-Level Physics: complete guide to the four units and the exams

A complete guide to WJEC A-Level Physics (Wales). Covers the four examined units (Motion, Energy and Matter; Electricity and Light; Oscillations and Nuclei; Fields and their Applications), the practical examination, how the AS and A2 papers are structured and marked, the heavy maths demand, and how to study each unit for top grades.

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WJEC A-Level Physics (Wales) is a two-year course with an AS year and an A2 year, assessed by written unit papers and a practical examination. This page is the index: below is a map of the four content units, the synoptic paper, the exam structure, and how to study each one.

The four WJEC Physics units

The specification organises the content into four units. Units 1 and 2 are the AS content and first year; Units 3 and 4 are the A2 content, drawn together by the synoptic Unit 5.

Unit 1 Motion, Energy and Matter
Basic physics and units, kinematics, dynamics and Newton's laws, energy and power, solids under stress including the Young modulus, using radiation to investigate stars, and particles and nuclear structure.
Unit 2 Electricity and Light
Conduction of electricity, resistance and resistivity, DC circuits and Kirchhoff's laws, the nature of waves, wave properties including interference and diffraction, refraction and total internal reflection, photons and the photoelectric effect, and lasers.
Unit 3 Oscillations and Nuclei
Circular motion, vibrations and simple harmonic motion, thermal physics and specific heat, ideal gases and kinetic theory, radioactive decay, and nuclear energy including fission and fusion.
Unit 4 Fields and their Applications
Capacitance and capacitor discharge, electrostatic and gravitational fields treated together, orbits and the wider universe, magnetic fields and the motor effect, and electromagnetic induction.

The synoptic paper

The A2 year is drawn together by a synoptic written paper that includes a comprehension passage, a data-analysis task and questions that combine content from across the four units, so cross-unit fluency matters.

Exam structure

WJEC A-Level Physics is assessed by written unit papers and a practical examination. A calculator and the WJEC data booklet are provided in every paper.

  • Unit 1 Motion, Energy and Matter - AS written paper, about 1 hour 30 minutes, 80 marks.
  • Unit 2 Electricity and Light - AS written paper, about 1 hour 30 minutes, 80 marks.
  • Unit 3 Oscillations and Nuclei - A2 written paper, about 1 hour 45 minutes, 80 marks.
  • Unit 4 Fields and their Applications - A2 written paper, about 1 hour 45 minutes, 80 marks.
  • Unit 5 - synoptic A2 paper with a comprehension, data analysis and content from across the course.
  • Practical examination - assesses experimental and analytical skills separately from the written papers.

A large share of marks assess maths skills, and the specified practicals recur across the written papers and the practical examination.

How to study WJEC Physics

Physics rewards confident calculation, precise definitions, and clear diagrams.

  1. Work from the specification statements. Each statement is a checklist; questions are written from them.
  2. Drill the maths. Rearranging equations, logs and exponentials, and uncertainty work must be automatic.
  3. Learn definitions and derivations. Mark schemes reward precise wording and standard derivations such as the kinetic theory equation.
  4. Master the specified practicals. The specified experiments and uncertainty analysis recur across the papers and the practical examination.
  5. Practise the synoptic style. Rehearse the comprehension and data-analysis tasks and apply concepts to unfamiliar contexts from early in the A2 year.

The four units, topic by topic

Each unit has a topic-level overview with worked exam questions and cross-links, plus dot-point answer pages for each specification statement.

For the official specification

WJEC publishes the full specification, past papers and mark schemes at wjec.co.uk. Always revise from the current specification and WJEC's own past papers, because question style is board-specific.

Physics guides

In-depth written guides with paired practice quizzes.

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Physics practice quizzes

Multiple-choice drills with worked answer explanations. Your scores stay on this device.

The WJEC-A-LEVEL system, explained

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Common questions about Physics

How is WJEC A-Level Physics structured?
WJEC A-Level Physics is a two-year course with an AS year and an A2 year. The AS comprises Unit 1 (Motion, Energy and Matter) and Unit 2 (Electricity and Light), each examined by a written paper. The A2 adds Unit 3 (Oscillations and Nuclei) and Unit 4 (Fields and their Applications), plus a synoptic Unit 5 written paper. Practical work is assessed separately through a practical examination. AS results count towards the full A-level, and the qualification follows the 2015 WJEC specification used in Wales.
What are the WJEC A-Level Physics exam papers?
At AS, Unit 1 (Motion, Energy and Matter) and Unit 2 (Electricity and Light) are each a written paper of about 1 hour 30 minutes carrying 80 marks. At A2, Unit 3 (Oscillations and Nuclei) and Unit 4 (Fields and their Applications) are each a written paper of about 1 hour 45 minutes carrying 80 marks, and Unit 5 is a synoptic paper that mixes a comprehension, data analysis and content from across the course. A practical examination assesses experimental skills.
How much maths is in WJEC A-Level Physics?
A large share of the marks assess mathematical skills. Expect algebra and rearranging equations, trigonometry and vector resolution, logarithms and exponentials for capacitor discharge and radioactive decay, standard form and SI prefixes, gradients and areas under graphs, and uncertainty calculations. A calculator is allowed in every paper and WJEC provides a data booklet of constants and equations.
How is practical work assessed in WJEC A-Level Physics?
Practical skills are assessed through a practical examination rather than continuous coursework. You carry out experiments and analyse data under exam conditions, and these skills, plus the specified experiments listed in the specification, also appear in the written papers. WJEC lists a set of specified practicals such as measuring the Young modulus, finding the resistivity of a wire, investigating simple harmonic motion and charging and discharging a capacitor.
How should I structure my WJEC A-Level Physics revision?
Work unit by unit against the specification statements, because questions are written directly from them. Physics rewards fluent calculation, so drill problems until the method is automatic, and learn every definition and standard derivation precisely. Practise the specified-practical methods and uncertainty analysis for the practical examination and Unit 5, and rehearse the comprehension and data-analysis style of the synoptic paper.
How does WJEC A-Level Physics compare to other exam boards?
All A-Level Physics specifications cover the same core regulated content, so mechanics, fields and nuclear physics are broadly the same everywhere. WJEC's distinctive features are its four-unit content structure, the synoptic Unit 5 with its comprehension and data-analysis sections, and its own list of specified practicals. WJEC and Eduqas share much of the same content, but always revise from the current WJEC specification and WJEC past papers, because question style is board-specific.
How do I approach projectile motion problems?
Split the motion into horizontal (constant velocity) and vertical (constant acceleration due to gravity). Use t as the shared variable across both axes.
What's the difference between work and power?
Work (J) is energy transferred by a force over a distance. Power (W) is the rate of doing work β€” work divided by time.
When is momentum conserved?
In any collision (elastic or inelastic) where no external net force acts on the system. Kinetic energy is only conserved in elastic collisions.
What's the photoelectric effect?
Light shone on a metal can eject electrons, but only if the photon energy (hf) exceeds the work function. The kinetic energy of the ejected electron is hf - W. Evidence that light behaves as discrete quanta (photons).
How do magnetic forces on current-carrying wires work?
F = BIL sin ΞΈ for a wire in a uniform field B with current I and length L. Direction comes from the right-hand rule. Underpins motors, generators, and ammeters.