PHYSICS-YPH11 · Pearson Edexcel International A Level
PHYSICS-YPH11/22
Paper 2
Physics · Winter 2026 · Variant 2
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: Pearson Edexcel
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.5 / 5
440
550 min
Mechanics and Waves
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
440
Duration
550 min
Session difficulty
3.5 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
As expected, core foundational topics like Mechanics and Waves and Light carry the highest weightings across the entire IAS and IAL levels.
In particular, multi-step calculation questions—such as projectile motion on a ramp (Unit 1, Q18) and diffraction grating wavelength determinations (Unit 2, Q19)—offer rich opportunities for top-tier marks.
However, these are also the areas where candidates frequently stumble on arithmetic details.
In the practical units (Unit 3 and Unit 6), graphical evaluation (such as plotting log graphs and executing linear regression analysis) dominates.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Shows the skill mix this paper tested most heavily.
Mathematical
Weight: 8100%Conceptual Explanation
Weight: 788%Experimental /
Weight: 563%Graphical Interpretation
Weight: 450%Synoptic
Weight: 225%Linkage
Weight: 113%
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
No data available in official reports
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Report type
Examiner report — national grade boundaries and question-level commentary
Level A*
Approx. 90% of maximum mark
Level A
Approx. 80% of maximum mark
Level B
Approx. 70% of maximum mark
Level C
Approx. 60% of maximum mark
Level D
Approx. 50% of maximum mark
Level E
Approx. 40% of maximum mark
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
No data available in official reports
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
Show formula, substitution, and unit; method marks need visible working.
Give reasons and link mechanism to outcome; each point needs a because/so chain.
Match the expected response style for “that” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Determine” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Deduce” questions.
State features in sequence or list observable properties — do not explain causes unless asked.
Match the expected response style for “State” questions.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
No data available in official reports
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Mechanics
70 marks this session
Waves and Particle Nature of Light
60 marks this session
Electric and Magnetic Fields
50 marks this session
Electric Circuits
45 marks this session
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
Waves and Particle Nature of Light
Electric and Magnetic Fields
Mechanics
Electric Circuits
Materials
Thermodynamics
Astrophysics and Cosmology
Oscillations
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Unit 1: Mechanics and Materials: Unit 2: Waves and Electricity: Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I: Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields and Particles: Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations and Cosmology: Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II:
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
No data available in official reports
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
Mechanics
70 marks this session
Practise in RevuiWaves and Particle Nature of Light
60 marks this session
Practise in RevuiElectric and Magnetic Fields
50 marks this session
Practise in RevuiElectric Circuits
45 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
As expected, core foundational topics like Mechanics and Waves and Light carry the highest weightings across the entire IAS and IAL levels.
- 2Message
In particular, multi-step calculation questions—such as projectile motion on a ramp (Unit 1, Q18) and diffraction grating wavelength determinations (Unit 2, Q19)—offer rich opportunities for top-tier marks.
- 3Message
However, these are also the areas where candidates frequently stumble on arithmetic details.
- 4Message
In the practical units (Unit 3 and Unit 6), graphical evaluation (such as plotting log graphs and executing linear regression analysis) dominates.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
Winter 2026 2026
Physics
As expected, core foundational topics like Mechanics and Waves and Light carry the highest weightings across the entire IAS and IAL levels. In particular, multi-step calculation questions—such as projectile motion on a ramp (Unit 1, Q18) and diffraction grating wavelength determi
As expected, core foundational topics like Mechanics and Waves and Light carry the highest weightings across the entire IAS and IAL levels.
In particular, multi-step calculation questions—such as projectile motion on a ramp (Unit 1, Q18) and diffraction grating wavelength determinations (Unit 2, Q19)—offer rich opportunities for top-tier marks.
However, these are also the areas where candidates frequently stumble on arithmetic details.
- Total marks
- 440
- Duration
- 550 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.5 / 5
Session analysis
As expected, core foundational topics like Mechanics and Waves and Light carry the highest weightings across the entire IAS and IAL levels. In particular, multi-step calculation questions—such as projectile motion on a ramp (Unit 1, Q18) and diffraction grating wavelength determinations (Unit 2, Q19)—offer rich opportunities for top-tier marks. However, these are also the areas where candidates frequently stumble on arithmetic details. In the practical units (Unit 3 and Unit 6), graphical evaluation (such as plotting log graphs and executing linear regression analysis) dominates. Understanding how to derive parameters like the coefficient of restitution e e e or the power-law exponent n n n from a gradient is essential for securing high marks.
Updated Jun 12, 2026
Paper breakdown
Unit 1: Mechanics and Materials: Unit 2: Waves and Electricity: Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I: Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields and Particles: Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations and Cosmology: Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II:
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by chapter
See where the marks were concentrated so revision time goes to the highest-value topics.
Mark accessibility
Estimate which marks were basic, mid-level, or high-difficulty.
77% within easy or medium reach
Command word frequency
Spot common command words so answers match the expected response style.
Question type mix
Compare the mark share of each paper section and question type.
Short Answer
190·65·43%
Structured / Data Analysis
105·9·24%
Long Answer / Explanation
95·16·22%
Multiple Choice
50·50·11%
Study ROI
Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
Photoelectric Effect and Wave-Particle Duality
90%90%
Materials - Viscosity & Hooke's Law
85%85%
Astrophysics and Cosmological Expansion
80%80%
Examiner notes & key calculations
- Significant Figure Discipline: Examiners frequently penalize students who fail to provide final answers with the correct number of significant figures, or those who round midway through calculation steps.
- Pulley/Tension Mechanics: In systems involving parallel structures (such as the double-stranded nylon rope in Unit 1, Q19), candidates regularly overlook the fact that the tension in each strand is only half the total weight, leading to incorrect stiffness calculations.
- Stokes' Law Misconceptions: Viscosity questions continue to trap students who use the diameter d d d instead of the radius r r r in F=6πηrv F = 6\pi\eta r v F=6πηrv, or who assume upthrust changes as a sphere accelerates.
- Standard Model Qualifiers: When describing particle interactions (Unit 4, Q20), candidates often provide vague descriptions without specifying which particles are fundamental (leptons, quarks) and which are composite (baryons, mesons).
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.