UK examsA-level

WJEC A-level Physics: units, Unit 4 options, grades and 2027 dates

Published 12 Nov 20266 min read

A-level Physics: Year 1

A-level Physics: Year 2

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WJEC A-level Physics: the specification

WJEC GCE AS and A level Physics is regulated by Qualifications Wales, first taught in 2015 (specification version 3, October 2023), and is not available to centres in England. In England WJEC's brand Eduqas runs its own A level; see our Eduqas A-level Physics guide. Practical work is part of the course, and you must keep a lab book of the specified practicals.

WJEC A-level Physics units

Unit	Title	Length	Weight of A level	2027 date
AS 1	Motion, Energy and Matter	1h 30m	20%	Thu 13 May, afternoon
AS 2	Electricity and Light	1h 30m	20%	Tue 18 May, afternoon
A2 3	Oscillations and Nuclei	2h 15m	25%	Thu 27 May, afternoon
A2 4	Fields and Options	2h	25%	Tue 8 June, morning
A2 5	Practical Examination	Experimental task 25 marks, practical analysis task 25 marks	10%	Spring term, in your school

AS Unit 1 and 2 mix short and extended structured questions. A2 Unit 3 has Section A (80 marks) and a 20-mark comprehension question. A2 Unit 4 has Section A (80 marks) and a 20-mark section on one option from four: Alternating Currents, Medical Physics, The Physics of Sports, or Energy and the Environment. Dates are from WJEC's final summer 2027 timetable; see the WJEC A-level timetable 2027. Our WJEC A-level Physics data booklet guide lists the constants you are given.

What each unit covers

AS 1: basic physics, kinematics, dynamics, energy concepts, solids under stress, using radiation to investigate stars, and particles and nuclear structure.
AS 2: conduction of electricity, resistance, d.c. circuits, the nature and properties of waves, refraction of light, photons and lasers.
A2 3: circular motion, vibrations, kinetic theory, thermal physics, nuclear decay and nuclear energy.
A2 4: capacitance, electrostatic and gravitational fields, orbits and the wider universe, magnetic fields, electromagnetic induction, and your option.

Worked examples in WJEC style

Young modulus of a wire

A steel wire 2.00 m long and 0.50 mm in diameter stretches by 1.0 mm under a 20 N load. Cross-sectional area first, then stress, strain and the Young modulus:

A=\pi\left(\frac{0.50\times10^{-3}}{2}\right)^2=1.96e-7\ \text{m}^2,\qquad \sigma=\frac{F}{A}=1.02e+8\ \text{Pa}

\varepsilon=\frac{\Delta L}{L}=\frac{1.0\times10^{-3}}{2.00}=5.0e-4,\qquad E=\frac{\sigma}{\varepsilon}=2.04e+11\ \text{Pa}

Capacitor discharge

A 470 µF capacitor discharges through a 22 kΩ resistor. The time constant is:

\tau=RC=22\times10^{3}\times470\times10^{-6}=10.34\ \text{s}

After one time constant the charge has fallen to about 37% of its starting value. In the discharge investigation, plot ln(V) against t and the gradient is −1/RC.

WJEC A-level Physics grades

Unit results are changed to uniform marks, added up and graded. The AS has 200 uniform marks and the A level 500.

Unit	Max UMS	A	B	C	D	E
Units 1 and 2 (20% each)	100	80	70	60	50	40
Units 3 and 4 (25% each)	125	100	88	75	63	50
Unit 5 (10%)	50	40	35	30	25	20
AS qualification	200	160	140	120	100	80
A level qualification	500	400	350	300	250	200

An A* needs an A overall (400 uniform marks) and at least 90% of the uniform marks for the A2 units, which is 270 out of 300. At AS the grades are A to E. A unit result is reported as a lower case letter a to e on the results slip, not on the certificate. See A-level grades explained.

Use the daily papers as short timed mocks for WJEC A-level Physics

Uni-Sine publishes a new free daily paper on each track: A-level Physics Year 1 and A-level Physics Year 2. It is a short timed mock: 8 questions worth 25 to 35 marks, marked instantly, with worked answers. It is not a full exam paper and it is not written by the exam board, so use it as a quick timed practice test alongside the board's own specimen and past papers.

What it covers well: circuits, waves, refraction, particles, kinematics, materials and Young modulus, circular motion, simple harmonic motion, thermal physics, capacitors, fields, induction and nuclear physics, which match most of Units 1 to 4.
What it does not cover: lasers, the four options in Unit 4, the Unit 3 comprehension question and the Unit 5 practical. For the options and comprehension, use WJEC past papers.

Time one daily paper, mark it hard, and finish each week with a full WJEC unit paper once you reach the A2 content.

Exam answers

Uni-Sine does not publish official answers, past paper answers or mark schemes from the exam board. The answers and a worked mark scheme for each daily paper come with that day's paper once it is marked, so you can see where every mark was won or lost.

Common mistakes in WJEC A-level Physics

Skipping the option. Twenty marks of Unit 4 depend on the option you study.
Mixing up stress and strain. Stress is force per unit area; strain has no unit.
Giving answers to too many significant figures. Match the data.
Treating the lab book as optional. It is a compulsory requirement and Unit 5 depends on it.

Common questions

How many papers is WJEC A-level Physics?

Four written papers (two AS, two A2) and a Unit 5 practical examination carried out in school.

Is there a data booklet for WJEC A-level Physics?

Yes. WJEC provides a data booklet with constants and formulae. See our guide to it above.

When are the WJEC A-level Physics exams in 2027?

AS Unit 1 on Thursday 13 May, AS Unit 2 on Tuesday 18 May, A2 Unit 3 on Thursday 27 May and A2 Unit 4 on Tuesday 8 June.

What are the WJEC Unit 4 options?

Alternating Currents, Medical Physics, The Physics of Sports and Energy and the Environment. You study one.

How is WJEC A-level Physics graded?

A* to E from 500 uniform marks, with an A* needing an A overall and 90% of the A2 uniform marks.

Revision cards

Say the answer first, then flip the card to check it.

Where to go next

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A-level Physics: Year 1
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A-level Physics: Year 2
A new exam-style paper every day, with instant marking and a mark scheme
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