Edexcel IAL Physics Past Papers & Mark Schemes (YPH11) – Updated 2026
Updated: Sep 7
Access the latest Edexcel IAL Physics (YPH11) past papers and mark schemes for Units 1–6, with worked answers, examiner tips and expert revision guidance.
Past Papers
Download IAL Physics past papers and mark schemes to practice effectively
Edexcel IAL Physics June 2026 Past Papers & Mark Schemes
2026 Edexcel IAL Physics (June) | Downloads | |
Unit 1: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01) | ||
Unit 1A: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01A) | ||
Unit 2: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01) | ||
Unit 2A: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01A) | ||
Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I (WPH13/01) | ||
Unit 3A: Practical Skills in Physics I (WPH13/01A) | ||
Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles (WPH14/01) | ||
Unit 4A: Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles (WPH14/01A) | ||
Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations & Cosmology (WPH15/01) | ||
Unit 5A: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations & Cosmology (WPH15/01A) | ||
Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II (WPH16/01) | ||
Unit 6A: Practical Skills in Physics II (WPH16/01A) | ||
Edexcel IAL Physics January 2026 Past Papers & Mark Schemes
2026 Edexcel IAL Physics (January) | Downloads | |
Unit 1: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01) | ||
Unit 2: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01) | ||
Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I (WPH13/01) | ||
Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles (WPH14/01) | ||
Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations & Cosmology (WPH15/01) | ||
Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II (WPH16/01) | ||
Edexcel IAL Physics January 2026 Variant A Past Papers & Mark Schemes
2026 Edexcel IAL Physics (January Variant A) | Downloads | |
Unit 1: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01) | ||
Unit 2: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01) | ||
Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I (WPH13/01) | ||
Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles (WPH14/01) | ||
Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations & Cosmology (WPH15/01) | ||
Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II (WPH16/01) | ||
Edexcel IAL Physics October 2025 Past Papers & Mark Schemes
2025 Edexcel IAL Physics (October) | Downloads | |
Unit 1: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01) | ||
Unit 2: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01) | ||
Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I (WPH13/01) | ||
Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles (WPH14/01) | ||
Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations & Cosmology (WPH15/01) | ||
Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II (WPH16/01) | ||
Edexcel IAL Physics October 2025 Variant A Past Papers & Mark Schemes
2025 Edexcel IAL Physics (October Variant A) | Downloads | |
Unit 1: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01) | ||
Unit 2: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01) | ||
Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I (WPH13/01) | ||
Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles (WPH14/01) | ||
Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations & Cosmology (WPH15/01) | ||
Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II (WPH16/01) | ||
Edexcel IAL Physics June 2025 Past Papers & Mark Schemes
2025 Edexcel IAL Physics (June) | Downloads | |
Unit 1: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01) | ||
Unit 2: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01) | ||
Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I (WPH13/01) | ||
Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles (WPH14/01) | ||
Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations & Cosmology (WPH15/01) | ||
Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II (WPH16/01) | ||
Edexcel IAL Physics June 2025 Past Papers & Mark Schemes
2025 Edexcel IAL Physics (June Variant A) | Downloads | |
Unit 1: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01) | ||
Unit 2: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01) | ||
Edexcel IAL Physics January 2025 Past Papers & Mark Schemes
2025 Edexcel IAL Physics (January) | Downloads | |
Unit 1: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01) | ||
Unit 2: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01) | ||
Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I (WPH13/01) | ||
Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles (WPH14/01) | ||
Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations & Cosmology (WPH15/01) | ||
Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II (WPH16/01) | ||
Edexcel IAL Physics October 2024 Past Papers & Mark Schemes
2024 Edexcel IAL Physics (October) | Downloads | |
Unit 1: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01) | ||
Unit 2: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01) | ||
Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I (WPH13/01) | ||
Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles (WPH14/01) | ||
Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations & Cosmology (WPH15/01) | ||
Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II (WPH16/01) | ||
Edexcel IAL Physics June 2024 Past Papers & Mark Schemes
2024 Edexcel IAL Physics (June) | Downloads | |
Unit 1: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01) | ||
Unit 2: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01) | ||
Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I (WPH13/01) | ||
Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles (WPH14/01) | ||
Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations & Cosmology (WPH15/01) | ||
Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II (WPH16/01) | ||
Edexcel IAL Physics January 2024 Past Papers & Mark Schemes
2024 Edexcel IAL Physics (January) | Downloads | |
Unit 1: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01) | ||
Unit 2: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01) | ||
Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I (WPH13/01) | ||
Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles (WPH14/01) | ||
Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations & Cosmology (WPH15/01) | ||
Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II (WPH16/01) | ||
Edexcel IAL Physics October 2023 Past Papers & Mark Schemes
2023 Edexcel IAL Physics (October) | Downloads | |
Unit 1: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01) | ||
Unit 2: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01) | ||
Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I (WPH13/01) | ||
Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles (WPH14/01) | ||
Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations & Cosmology (WPH15/01) | ||
Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II (WPH16/01) | ||
Edexcel IAL Physics June 2023 Past Papers & Mark Schemes
2023 Edexcel IAL Physics (June) | Downloads | |
Unit 1: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01) | ||
Unit 2: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01) | ||
Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I (WPH13/01) | ||
Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles (WPH14/01) | ||
Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations & Cosmology (WPH15/01) | ||
Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II (WPH16/01) | ||
Edexcel IAL Physics June 2022 Past Papers & Mark Schemes
2022 Edexcel IAL Physics (June) | Downloads | |
Unit 1: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01) | ||
Unit 2: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01) | ||
Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I (WPH13/01) | ||
Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles (WPH14/01) | ||
Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations & Cosmology (WPH15/01) | ||
Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II (WPH16/01) | ||
Edexcel IAL Physics June 2021 Past Papers & Mark Schemes
2021 Edexcel IAL Physics (June) | Downloads | |
Unit 1: Mechanics & Materials (WPH11/01) | ||
Unit 2: Waves & Electricity (WPH12/01) | ||
Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I (WPH13/01) | ||
Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles (WPH14/01) | ||
Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations & Cosmology (WPH15/01) | ||
Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II (WPH16/01) | ||
Tip 1: Truncating and Rounding Too Early
This is a calculation technique issue, not a knowledge issue — and it's particularly frustrating because the method is completely right but the final number falls just outside the acceptable range.
The rule is simple: never round until the very last line. Use your calculator's memory functions to carry the full value through every intermediate step — don't copy a shortened number onto your paper and retype it into the next calculation, because that's where the error creeps in. When you do finally round, three significant figures is the standard unless the question specifies otherwise. The answer on your last line is the only one that gets rounded.
Tip 2: Forgetting the Final Comparison in "Deduce" Questions
This is a one-line mark that students drop repeatedly — the calculation is completely correct, the right number is sitting there on the page, and then the answer just... stops.
"Deduce" and "conclude" questions require you to explicitly compare your result to the critical value given in the question and state what that means. Don't assume the examiner will make the comparison for you — write it out: "Since 406 MPa < 480 MPa, the wire will not break." That sentence is the mark. Include units in the comparison too, because a comparison between two bare numbers with no units attached is considered incomplete. Calculate, compare, conclude — in that order, every time.
Tip 3: Vague and Incomplete Definitions
In physics, a definition is either complete or it isn't — and half a definition typically gets half the marks, if any.
Learn your definitions word-for-word from the specification. Examiners are marking against precise language, and small deviations matter. A classic example: the Centre of Gravity is the point where the weight of an object appears to act — not simply where it "acts." That word "appears" is doing important physics. Similarly, the Yield Point must reference both a large increase in strain and the fact that the resulting deformation is plastic — mention only one and the definition is incomplete. For every key term on your specification, know exactly which words the examiner is looking for.
Tip 4: Errors in Vector and Free-Body Diagrams
These are two different types of diagram with different rules — and mixing up the conventions for one with the other is a reliable way to drop marks.
For scaled vector diagrams, vectors must be drawn tip-to-tail — the tail of the next vector starts where the arrowhead of the previous one ends. Drawing them head-to-head is simply wrong. Use a sharp pencil and ruler, draw accurately to scale, and label each arrow with the force name or magnitude, not the length of the line you drew. Place arrowheads in the middle of lines where possible so they don't obscure the start point of the next vector.
Tip 5: Confusing Radius and Diameter
This is a one-step error that invalidates everything that follows — and it happens constantly in materials and fluids questions.
Before you start any calculation involving a circular cross-section or sphere, circle the word "radius" or "diameter"in the question and check what the formula actually requires. For cross-sectional area it's πr², for sphere volume it's ⁴⁄₃πr³ — both need the radius. If you're given a diameter, halve it before substituting. And remember: doubling the diameter doesn't double the area — because area scales with r², doubling the diameter quadruples the cross-sectional area. That's a relationship worth knowing cold.
Tip 6: Misapplying Newton's Third Law
The weight-and-normal-reaction misconception is extremely common — they are equal and opposite, so they look like an N3 pair. But they aren't, and knowing exactly why will stop you losing marks on this every time.
There are four criteria for a true Newton's Third Law pair. The forces must be the same type, equal in magnitude, opposite in direction, and — most critically — acting on different bodies. Weight and normal reaction fail immediately: both act on the same object. A true N3 pair for a book on a table is the book pulling the Earth upward gravitationally while the Earth pulls the book downward — same type (gravitational), equal, opposite, different bodies. Run every candidate pair through all four criteria before committing to an answer.
Tip 7: Forgetting the Conditions Attached to Physical Laws
Stating a law without its conditions is an incomplete answer — and examiners specifically look for those conditions because they demonstrate genuine understanding rather than memorisation.
For the Principle of Conservation of Momentum, the condition is non-negotiable: it only holds when no external forces act on the system. Make it a habit to open every momentum explanation with "Provided no external forces act on the system..." For Stokes' Law, the conditions are equally specific: it only applies to small, spherical objectsmoving at low speeds through laminar flow. Every law on your specification has attached conditions — learn them as part of the law, not as an optional extra.
Tip 8: Resolving Forces Incorrectly
Sin and cos errors — including the classic calculator-left-in-radians mistake — are entirely avoidable with one consistent habit.
Before writing any trigonometry, sketch a small right-angled triangle and label the angle, the hypotenuse, the adjacent side, and the opposite side. Then read off which function you need from the geometry rather than guessing from memory: adjacent uses cos, opposite uses sin. Annotate your diagram to show which component you're calculating and in which direction. And before every exam, check your calculator is in degree mode — it takes three seconds and eliminates an error that has derailed otherwise perfect calculations more times than I can count.
Has the Edexcel IAL Physics syllabus changed for the 2027 examinations?
No significant changes. The 2018 specification (WPH11–WPH16) remains the valid syllabus for 2027, and the modular six-unit structure is unchanged. A few things worth noting:
Equation sheets continue: Pearson has confirmed the full equation sheet introduced during the pandemic years will keep being provided for all 2025, 2026, and 2027 sittings. You don't need to memorise these formulas — a clean copy comes with your paper.
Unit prefix addendum: A minor but examinable clarification has been added to the specification: students are explicitly expected to convert between unit prefixes from Giga (10⁹) down to Nano (10⁻⁹), including Mega, Kilo, Centi, Milli, and Micro. Make sure this is second nature.
Future refresh underway — but not for 2027: Pearson began a consultation process in late 2025 to refresh the IAL Science qualifications, starting with Physics. This is still in the feedback and development stage, and any structural changes are unlikely to reach first assessment before 2028 at the earliest.
When are the Edexcel IAL Physics exams held, and what are the key dates for 2026–2027?
IAL Physics runs across three series per year. Here's what's confirmed and provisional for the upcoming cycle:
October/November 2026 — papers distributed across mid-October to early November:
Units 1 & 2: Mid-October 2026
Unit 3: Late October 2026
A2 Units (4, 5 & 6): Late October into early November 2026
Results: Mid-January 2027
Registration deadline: Late August 2026 via British Council or your school
January 2027 (confirmed dates):
Unit | Date | Session |
Unit 1 – Mechanics & Materials | Monday, 11 Jan 2027 | Afternoon |
Unit 2 – Waves & Electricity | Wednesday, 13 Jan 2027 | Afternoon |
Unit 3 – Practical Skills I | Friday, 15 Jan 2027 | Afternoon |
Unit 4 – Further Mechanics & Fields | Tuesday, 19 Jan 2027 | Afternoon |
Unit 5 – Thermodynamics & Nuclear | Thursday, 21 Jan 2027 | Afternoon |
Unit 6 – Practical Skills II | Monday, 25 Jan 2027 | Afternoon |
June 2027 (provisional):
Unit 1: Friday, 7 May 2027 (Morning)
Units 2 & 3: Mid to late May 2027
October 2027: Specific dates released in early 2027; series traditionally begins in the first or second week of October.
What marks do I need for an A?
For individual units, here are the A thresholds from June 2025:
Unit | Marks Available | A Threshold | Approx % |
Unit 1: Mechanics and Materials (WPH11) | 80 | 59 | 74% |
Unit 2: Waves and Electricity (WPH12) | 80 | 58 | 73% |
Unit 3: Practical Skills I (WPH13) | 50 | 36 | 72% |
Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields and Particles (WPH14) | 90 | 71 | 79% |
Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations and Cosmology (WPH15) | 90 | 71 | 79% |
Unit 6: Practical Skills II (WPH16) | 50 | 43 | 86% |
What do I need overall?
Qualification | Total UMS | A Boundary | B Boundary |
International AS (XPH11) | 300 UMS | 240 (80%) | 210 (70%) |
Full International A Level (YPH11) | 600 UMS | 480 (80%) | 420 (70%) |
To comfortably secure an A, aim for around 75%+ raw marks per unit. A2 units have higher raw thresholds than most other IAL subjects — Unit 6 in particular sits at 86% — so practical skills are worth investing real revision time in. Consistent performance across all six units is what gets you to the 480 UMS needed for an A overall.
