WJEC A-Level Physics Active Recall Guide
WJEC · A-Level
WJEC A-Level Physics Active Recall Guide
A question-and-answer revision guide for WJEC A-Level Physics, built to be worked in three passes rather than read.
- WJEC
- A-Level
- 32 topics
The 3-step active recall method
Re-reading notes is a futile process when your aim is to remember the information and successfully apply it in exam settings. Active recall is the method you use to ensure the information sticks for a long period of time.
But even active recall can be futile unless you have a structured way of implementing it. This is where the 3-step active recall method comes in, a structured method that is signature to the Levo Learning guides.
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Step 1
Answer up to 10 questions cold, closed book, even if you are unsure on the topic.
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Step 2
Answer the same questions again, but open book. Write the correct answer down even if it seems pointless.
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Step 3
Repeat as step 1 and answer the questions closed book again.
Worked across the WJEC A-Level Physics specification, one subtopic at a time.
The subject, and what is assessed
WJEC A-Level Physics is assessed by five units, two taken at AS and three at A2. The two AS units each last 1 hour 30 minutes and are worth 20% of the A-Level.
A2 Unit 3 lasts 2 hours 15 minutes and A2 Unit 4 lasts 2 hours, each worth 25%. A2 Unit 5 is a practical examination worth 10%.
AS content remains examinable at A2, so first year material stays in use through the second year.
| Paper | Covers | Length | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| AS Unit 1 | 1 hour 30 minutes | 20% | |
| AS Unit 2 | 1 hour 30 minutes | 20% | |
| A2 Unit 3 | 2 hours 15 minutes | 25% | |
| A2 Unit 4 | 2 hours | 25% | |
| A2 Unit 5 | Practical examination | 10% |
Memorisation, then application
Marks are given for applying content to the question that has been set, which cannot happen while the content is still being looked up. Step 1 shows what is actually held.
Step 2 puts the correct wording in front of you while the gap is still fresh. Step 3 repeats the cold test, and the difference between the first and third attempt is the part that has moved.
Every question in the guide is paired with its answer in the same document, so step 2 is done from the guide itself rather than from a separate set of notes.
What is inside the guide
Questions are grouped by topic and then by subtopic, following the WJEC specification. Open a topic to see its subtopics.
Basic Physics7 subtopics
- Units and quantities12
- Scalars, vectors and density15
- Moments, centre of gravity and equilibrium15
- Prefixes, derived units and unit conversion14
- Adding coplanar vectors and the triangle of forces14
- Resolving forces on an inclined plane14
- Taking moments: beams, ladders and stability14
Kinematics6 subtopics
- Describing motion13
- Equations of motion and free fall12
- Projectile motion10
- Non-uniform acceleration and curved motion graphs14
- Projectiles launched at an angle14
- Measuring speed, acceleration and g in the laboratory14
Dynamics6 subtopics
- Newton's second law and momentum16
- Force and Newton's laws12
- Impulse and the force-time graph14
- Collisions and explosions in one dimension14
- Free body diagrams and connected bodies14
- Newton's third law pairs and everyday forces14
Energy Concepts6 subtopics
- Work and power14
- Conservation of energy and efficiency15
- The work-energy relationship14
- Gravitational potential energy and energy interchange14
- Elastic potential energy and the force-extension graph14
- Power, velocity and the efficiency of machines14
Solids Under Stress6 subtopics
- Stress, strain and the Young modulus13
- Stress-strain graphs and the behaviour of materials17
- Measuring the Young modulus, and material properties8
- Hooke's law and elastic strain energy14
- Crystalline, amorphous and polymeric solids16
- Dislocations, ductile and brittle fracture14
Using Radiation to Investigate Stars5 subtopics
- Stellar spectra and black bodies10
- Wien's law, Stefan's law and stellar properties16
- The inverse square law and stellar distance14
- Finding the radius and temperature of a star14
- Multiwavelength astronomy13
Particles and Nuclear Structure8 subtopics
- Quarks, leptons and hadrons15
- The four interactions and conservation laws13
- The first generation of quarks and leptons13
- Antiparticles and annihilation13
- Baryons, antibaryons and mesons13
- Deducing quark compositions from charge13
- Beta decay and quark flavour change13
- Testing a reaction against the conservation rules14
Conduction of Electricity5 subtopics
- Current, charge and the ampere8
- Drift velocity and the equation I = nAvq14
- The coulomb and the charge on an electron14
- Conductors, insulators and other charge carriers14
- The free-electron model and the speed of conduction14
Resistance9 subtopics
- Calculating resistance from resistivity13
- Potential difference, Ohm's law and power12
- Resistivity, temperature and superconductivity18
- The volt: energy transferred per unit charge14
- Current-voltage characteristics of non-ohmic components14
- Measuring resistance and resistivity in the laboratory14
- The heating effect of a current and choosing a power equation14
- Thermistors and how a semiconductor's resistance falls with temperature14
- Conductance, conductivity and comparing materials14
D.C. Circuits7 subtopics
- Kirchhoff's laws, and resistors in series and parallel18
- Potential dividers, emf and internal resistance19
- Cells, resistivity, power and energy14
- Working out currents and potential differences in resistor networks14
- Sensor circuits with thermistors and LDRs14
- Internal resistance, power transfer and short-circuit current14
- Ammeters, voltmeters and their effect on the circuit14
The Nature of Waves6 subtopics
- What a wave is, and the wave equation11
- Describing a wave: peaks, compressions and phase10
- Polarisation and plane-polarised waves14
- Displacement-time and displacement-position graphs14
- Wavefronts and rays13
- Phase difference between two points on a wave14
Wave Properties10 subtopics
- Energy transfer and the wave equation9
- Transverse and longitudinal waves, path difference and intensity12
- Diffraction and superposition10
- Two-source interference and the diffraction grating12
- Stationary waves8
- How much a wave spreads at a gap or an obstacle14
- Coherence and the conditions for observable interference13
- Young's double slit and λ = ay/D14
- Measuring wavelength with a diffraction grating14
- Measuring the speed of sound with stationary waves14
Refraction of Light6 subtopics
- What refraction is and why it happens13
- Refractive index and Snell's law14
- Total internal reflection and optical fibres11
- The wave model of refraction and n₁v₁ = n₂v₂14
- Snell's law at a boundary between two media14
- Optical fibres: core, cladding and pulse broadening13
Photons9 subtopics
- Photon energy and the electronvolt14
- The photoelectric effect14
- Stopping potential and the Planck constant11
- The photoelectric effect and photon energies9
- Line spectra and energy levels12
- Demonstrating the photoelectric effect14
- The electromagnetic spectrum and typical photon energies14
- Electron diffraction and the de Broglie relationship14
- Radiation pressure13
Lasers5 subtopics
- Stimulated emission and the properties of laser light9
- Population inversion, pumping and the laser cavity11
- Why a two-level system cannot give a population inversion14
- Three-level and four-level laser systems14
- The semiconductor laser and its uses13
Circular Motion5 subtopics
- Angular velocity, period and frequency14
- Centripetal acceleration and centripetal force14
- Angular measure, period and frequency10
- Vertical circular motion14
- Horizontal circular motion in practice14
Vibrations10 subtopics
- Simple harmonic motion and its equations16
- Oscillating systems and energy10
- Damping and resonance14
- The simple pendulum14
- The mass-spring oscillator14
- The displacement and velocity equations14
- Graphs of displacement, velocity and acceleration14
- The energy interchange in simple harmonic motion14
- Free and forced oscillations13
- Light, heavy and critical damping17
Kinetic Theory5 subtopics
- The assumptions of kinetic theory11
- Molecular speeds, temperature and real gases11
- The Avogadro constant and the mole8
- The ideal gas equation of state and molar mass14
- The pressure of a gas and mean molecular kinetic energy14
Thermal Physics8 subtopics
- Internal energy and heat9
- Work, the first law and specific heat capacity16
- Thermal equilibrium, temperature and absolute zero13
- The internal energy of an ideal monatomic gas14
- Work done by a gas at constant pressure14
- The p-V diagram and work as an area14
- Sign conventions and special cases of the first law14
- Measuring specific heat capacity14
Nuclear Decay6 subtopics
- Radioactive decay, activity and half-life20
- Distinguishing the radiations, and background radiation16
- Randomness and spontaneity in radioactive decay14
- Writing and balancing nuclear decay equations14
- The decay constant and activity12
- The exponential decay law in calculations14
Nuclear Energy5 subtopics
- Binding energy, mass defect and E = Δmc²9
- Nuclear reactors and the chain reaction12
- The binding energy per nucleon curve14
- Mass-energy calculations for fission and fusion14
- Nuclear power: the arguments for and against14
Capacitance8 subtopics
- Capacitance and the parallel plate capacitor12
- Energy, combinations and RC circuits15
- Charging at constant current and measuring capacitance14
- Dielectrics and relative permittivity14
- The uniform field between capacitor plates14
- Energy stored in a capacitor and the Q-V graph17
- Exponential discharge, the time constant and log graphs14
- Capacitors in series and parallel: charge and potential difference sharing14
Electrostatic and Gravitational Fields of Force7 subtopics
- Electric and gravitational fields compared13
- Field lines, equipotentials and combining fields17
- Electric potential and the work done on a charge14
- Gravitational potential and potential energy13
- Adding potentials and fields from several sources14
- Equipotential surfaces12
- Comparing the two fields point by point14
Orbits and the Wider Universe9 subtopics
- Kepler's laws and orbital motion12
- The Doppler effect, dark matter and the expanding universe16
- Newton's law of gravitation applied to orbits14
- Deriving Kepler's third law14
- Finding the mass of a central object14
- Galactic rotation curves and dark matter14
- The centre of mass of a two-body system14
- Radial velocity and the Doppler shift of spectral lines14
- Hubble's law and the age of the universe12
Magnetic Fields7 subtopics
- Magnetic fields and field patterns9
- Magnetic flux density and the force on a conductor18
- The force on a moving charge and its circular path14
- The Hall effect and the Hall voltage14
- Magnetic fields due to a current in a wire and in a solenoid14
- Forces between current-carrying conductors14
- Charged particle beams, velocity selectors and accelerators14
Electromagnetic Induction5 subtopics
- Magnetic flux and flux linkage14
- Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction13
- Lenz's law and the direction of the induced current14
- Emf induced in a moving conductor14
- The rotating coil and the a.c. generator14
Option A: Alternating Currents8 subtopics
- Alternating current and rms values13
- Rms values, mean power and UK mains13
- Induced emf and the oscilloscope10
- Reactance, impedance and resonance16
- Flux linkage in a rotating coil14
- Mean power and energy in a.c. circuits14
- Phasor addition in series a.c. circuits14
- Resonance curves and the Q factor14
Option B: Medical Physics10 subtopics
- Medical physics16
- Ultrasound imaging15
- Radiation and living tissue8
- X-ray production and beam control14
- Attenuation and half-value thickness14
- Radiography, fluoroscopy and CT scanning14
- Acoustic impedance and ultrasound reflection14
- Magnetic resonance imaging14
- Absorbed dose, equivalent dose and effective dose14
- Radionuclide tracers, the gamma camera and PET14
Option C: The Physics of Sports8 subtopics
- Centre of gravity, stability and moments14
- Restitution, moment of inertia and angular momentum16
- Rotational energy, projectiles and the flight of a ball16
- Moments in the muscles and joints14
- Applying the impulse equation in sport14
- Moment of inertia and angular kinematics14
- Torque, angular momentum and its conservation14
- Rotational energy and energy conservation in sport14
Option D: Energy and the Environment10 subtopics
- Factors affecting the rate at which the temperature of the Earth rises19
- The Earth's thermal equilibrium, Wien's law and Stefan's law13
- Renewable and non-renewable sources17
- Solar energy and photovoltaic cells11
- Wind, tidal and hydroelectric power20
- Nuclear fission and fusion as energy sources15
- U-values and rates of heat loss12
- Fuel cells and how they work13
- Fuel cells: benefits, limitations and the hydrogen economy17
- Thermal conduction, conductivity and insulation18
Mathematical Requirements (Appendix C)26 subtopics
- Significant figures and arithmetic means14
- Uncertainty and how uncertainties combine21
- Algebraic symbols and proportionality18
- Rearranging and solving equations18
- Small angle approximations18
- Tangents and instantaneous rates of change17
- Areas under curves and numerical methods15
- Reading a tangent on a motion graph14
- Straight-line graphs and y = mx + c25
- What a gradient and an intercept represent18
- Linearising a relationship to find a constant18
- Log plots of exponential decay8
- Choosing what to plot to find a constant13
- Logarithmic scales and orders of magnitude20
- Working with base-ten logarithms17
- The shapes of common graphs12
- Inverse and root relationships on a graph12
- Areas, volumes and Pythagoras26
- Geometry applied to physical situations18
- Substituting into physical equations16
- Trigonometry and right-angled triangles17
- Resolving a force into components17
- Radians, arc length and force diagrams17
- Random processes and translating between representations17
- Mean values and periodic functions16
- Symbols for approximation and comparison14
How Science Works (Appendix D)5 subtopics
- Apparatus and taking measurements10
- Working safely with radioactive sources9
- Planning an investigation13
- Analysing and evaluating evidence20
- Uncertainty, repeatability and drawing a conclusion14
Sample questions
Taken from the WJEC A-Level Physics guide. Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Mathematical Requirements (Appendix C)
Why must calculated results be reported to the number of significant figures of the least accurate measurement used?
Show the answer
Because the final result cannot be more precise than the least precise measurement that contributed to it; reporting more figures would imply false precision. -
Kinematics
Describe the motion of a body falling in a gravitational field with no air resistance.
Show the answer
It accelerates uniformly at g, so its velocity increases at a constant rate indefinitely. -
Dynamics
A book rests on a table. Name the Newton's third law partner of the upward contact force the table exerts on the book.
Show the answer
It is the downward contact force that the book exerts on the table. -
Mathematical Requirements (Appendix C)
How is stress defined in the context of materials under load?
Show the answer
Stress is the force applied per unit cross-sectional area of a material. -
Using Radiation to Investigate Stars
How does a line absorption spectrum arise in starlight?
Show the answer
Atoms in the star's cooler outer atmosphere absorb photons of the specific energies that raise their electrons between levels, removing those wavelengths from the continuous spectrum. -
Mathematical Requirements (Appendix C)
What ICT tools are appropriate for processing experimental data and identifying patterns in nuclear investigations?
Show the answer
Spreadsheets and graphing software. -
Conduction of Electricity
In the equation I = Q/t, what does I represent and what is its unit?
Show the answer
I represents current, measured in amperes (A). -
Resistance
In the formula R = ρL/A, what does R represent and what is its unit?
Show the answer
R represents resistance, measured in ohms (Ω).
Questions about this guide
How do you use active recall for WJEC A-Level Physics?
Answer up to 10 questions cold and closed book. Answer the same questions again open book, writing the correct answer down.
Then answer them closed book one more time. The difference between the first and third attempt is what has moved into recall.
How is WJEC A-Level Physics assessed?
WJEC A-Level Physics is assessed by 5 components: AS Unit 1 (1 hour 30 minutes, 20%); AS Unit 2 (1 hour 30 minutes, 20%); A2 Unit 3 (2 hours 15 minutes, 25%); A2 Unit 4 (2 hours, 25%); A2 Unit 5, practical examination (10%).
What topics does the WJEC A-Level Physics active recall guide cover?
It covers Basic Physics, Kinematics, Dynamics, Energy Concepts, Solids Under Stress, Using Radiation to Investigate Stars, Particles and Nuclear Structure, Conduction of Electricity, Resistance, D.C. Circuits, The Nature of Waves, Wave Properties, Refraction of Light and Photons.
The full list is set out on this page.
Is the WJEC A-Level Physics guide a PDF?
Yes. It is a digital PDF sent to the email address on your order after purchase.
Check the address is correct at checkout, and check junk or spam if it has not arrived.
Does the guide include the answers?
Yes. Every question has its answer in the same document, grouped by topic, so step 2 of the method is done from the guide.
WJEC A-Level Physics Active Recall Guide
Every question paired with its answer, grouped by topic, ready to work in three passes.