Physics

What Will I Study?
Additional Information
Which Exam Board?

What Will I Study?

A-level Physics lasts two years, with exams at the end of the second year. The table below shows the topics covered in each year of the A-level.

First Year of A-level

Second Year of A-level

  • Particles and radiation
  • Waves
  • Mechanics and energy
  • Electricity
  • Measurements and their errors
  • Further mechanics and thermal physics
  • Fields
  • Nuclear physics
  • Astrophysics

 

You will use higher tier GCSE mathematics skills, as well as some skills from A-level mathematics throughout the course.

Physics, like all sciences, is a practical subject. Throughout the course you will carry out practical activities including:

  • investigating interference and diffraction of laser light
  • measuring acceleration due to gravity
  • investigating systems that oscillate
  • investigation of the links between temperature, volume and pressure
  • safe use of ionising radiation
  • investigating magnetic fields.

These practicals will give you the skills and confidence needed to investigate the way things behave and work. It will also ensure that if you choose to study a Physics-based subject at university, you will have the practical skills needed to carry out successful experiments in your degree.

Additional Information

  • There is no coursework on this course. However, your performance during practicals will be assessed.
  • There are three exams at the end of the two years for A-level, all of which are two hours long. At least 15% of the marks for A-level Physics are based on what you learnt in your practicals.

Who takes the course?

Physicists explore the fundamental nature of almost everything we know of. They probe the furthest reaches of the earth to study the smallest pieces of matter. Join them to enter a world deep beneath the surface of normal human experience.

Where will success take me?

Studying A-level Physics offers an infinite number of amazing career opportunities including:

Data scientist ~ Software Designer ~ Mechanical Engineer ~ Civil Engineer ~ Electrical Engineer ~ Geophysicist/field seismologist ~ Healthcare scientist, medical physics ~ Higher education lecturer ~ Radiation protection practitioner ~ Research scientist (physical sciences) ~ Scientific laboratory technician ~ Secondary school teacher ~ Meteorologist ~ Structural engineer ~ Acoustic engineer ~ Product/process development scientist ~ Systems developer 

Why at WHGS?

WHGS has an enthusiastic and experienced physics teaching team with five specialist physics teachers. They will share their love of their subject and be there to support you during the two years of the course. We offer extra support after school and always get to know our students.

Which Exam Board?

United Learning Hub

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