# WPH11/01 January 2020 > WPH11/01 January 2020: 19 questions, 80 marks. Difficulty 0.38, deviation 0.14, algebraic 0.27, text density 0.31. Edexcel IAL Physics U1. - Canonical HTML: https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/2020-january-wph11-01/ - Markdown mirror: https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/2020-january-wph11-01/index.md --- Edexcel IAL · Physics · 2020 January This Physics Unit 1 (WPH11) paper contains 19 questions worth 80 marks. The profile below reports five mark-weighted difficulty and complexity measures, and every question row repeats them. Full question text and mark scheme open in the Interactive Practice Hub. - Edexcel IAL - U1 - 19 questions - 80 marks - Free paper - [Practise this paper](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706) - [All U1 papers](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/) Core finding **WPH11/01 January 2020 is a past paper for Edexcel IAL Physics Unit 1 (WPH11), with 19 questions worth 80 marks.** Its mark-weighted Difficulty Measure is 0.38 on a 0.20–0.75 scale, with a Difficulty Deviation of 0.14 and a mark split of 31.3% Easy, 63.7% Medium and 5.0% Hard. Algebraic complexity averages 0.27; text density and modelling average 0.31. All five measures use 34 part-level tags, not candidate results. Every question row below repeats them and opens the Interactive Practice Hub for that question. ## Difficulty & complexity profile All five measures are mark-weighted and calculated from 34 parts carrying 80 part marks. Difficulty tags cover 34 parts, algebraic tags 34 and text-density tags 34. Tags are internal metadata, not official exam-board ratings. - **Difficulty Measure**: 0.38 — 0.20–0.75 · nearer Medium - **Difficulty Deviation**: 0.14 — 0 = uniform; higher = more mixed - **Difficulty Ratio**: 31.3 / 63.7 / 5.0 — % Easy / Medium / Hard - **Algebraic Complexity Measure**: 0.27 — 0.20–0.75 · nearer Low - **Text Density and Modelling Measure**: 0.31 — 0.20–0.75 · nearer Low Scale: Easy 0.20 · Medium 0.45 · Hard 0.75, and Low 0.20 · Medium 0.45 · High 0.75 for the two complexity measures. [How each band is defined and how the values are calculated →](https://www.examsci.com/guides/difficulty-and-complexity-measures/) ### Definitions and calculation | Measure | Paper value | Formula | | --- | --- | --- | | **Difficulty Measure** | 0.38 | Σ(d_i × w_i) / Σw_i, with d = 0.20 / 0.45 / 0.75 | | **Difficulty Deviation** | 0.14 | √(Σw_i(d_i − μ)^2 / Σw_i) | | **Difficulty Ratio** | 31.3% Easy / 63.7% Medium / 5.0% Hard | marks in band / all tagged marks | | **Algebraic Complexity Measure** | 0.27 | Σ(c_i × marks_i) / Σmarks_i, with c = 0.20 / 0.45 / 0.75 | | **Text Density and Modelling Measure** | 0.31 | Σ(t_i × marks_i) / Σmarks_i, with t = 0.20 / 0.45 / 0.75 | w_i equals the part marks, except for a Hard part worth 4 or more marks, where w_i = marks^0.75 to offset the accessible starter steps inside long structured questions. ## Question list Each measure is recalculated from the parts of that question and uses the same weights as the paper profile. | Question | Topic | Marks | Difficulty Measure | Algebraic Complexity Measure | Text Density and Modelling Measure | Practice | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **Q1** MCQ | [U1 Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/mechanics/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=3fcd5ac2-82d6-4788-95ed-9fa3084748f9&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q2** MCQ | [U1 Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/mechanics/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=559a45e7-8b65-498e-a359-8a2c629353b6&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q3** MCQ | [U1 Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/mechanics/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=2ad343d7-3b75-49c2-b6fe-b2d7f0f21fb5&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q4** MCQ | [U1 Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/mechanics/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=32b9b53e-de08-400d-930c-5010a77328ab&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q5** MCQ | [U1 Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/mechanics/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=13bb063f-865e-424a-aa1d-3942e37df372&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q6** MCQ | [U1 Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/mechanics/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=b688fedc-3129-4aaf-9b78-ddf4b6d1d438&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q7** MCQ | [U1 Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/mechanics/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=0563d66b-6652-43b3-bce1-c57f335dcddd&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q8** MCQ | [U1 Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/mechanics/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=f08c49f8-3fae-4e8b-843a-a0d06bc2a9e5&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q9** MCQ | [U1 Materials](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/materials/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=9c49e0ab-d39f-42be-a8c6-d61c97685a59&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q10** MCQ | [U1 Materials](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/materials/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=590d5b12-f76d-4fdf-bc06-57b5e84f9045&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q11** FRQ | [U1 Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/mechanics/) | 5 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=f950d181-25c8-42e3-a1d1-5256c8914903&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q12** FRQ | [U1 Materials](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/materials/) | 6 | 0.41 Medium | 0.41 Medium | 0.41 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=2d8bdbc6-3a3b-45da-93b9-e24167a1b6f5&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q13** FRQ | [U1 Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/mechanics/) | 6 | 0.33 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.33 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=f7d06001-a24b-462a-b59a-1931cd39eb1e&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q14** FRQ | [U1 Materials](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/materials/) | 6 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=af1f1260-3945-45f8-8644-24999f58cbe8&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q15** FRQ | [U1 Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/mechanics/) | 8 | 0.43 Medium | 0.33 Medium | 0.33 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=70bacb79-9820-4ce4-9ab6-e655d4e645f4&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q16** FRQ | [U1 Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/mechanics/) | 9 | 0.31 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.31 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=7cbf628d-3719-4a5d-a3f1-760a473f34d1&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q17** FRQ | [U1 Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/mechanics/) | 9 | 0.39 Medium | 0.39 Medium | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=1a0b74d9-f9b5-43f9-b225-13eec4c87c0f&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q18** FRQ | [U1 Materials](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/materials/) | 9 | 0.34 Medium | 0.28 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=dcd80096-892c-44bc-b11d-64afc715caaf&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q19** FRQ | [U1 Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/mechanics/) | 12 | 0.39 Medium | 0.28 Low | 0.39 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=1a116037-6139-44bc-8f9d-116738b54706&question_id=e4031fff-01b6-4a77-a73c-a98fcdc662ef&source_detail=WPH11%2F01+January+2020) | ## Topics in this paper - [U1 Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/mechanics/) - [U1 Materials](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/materials/) ## Related papers - [WPH11/01](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/2020-october-wph11-01/) — October 2020 — 19 questions · 80 marks — Free - [WPH11/01](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/2021-october-wph11-01/) — October 2021 — 19 questions · 80 marks — Pro - [WPH11/01](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/2021-june-wph11-01/) — June 2021 — 18 questions · 80 marks — Pro - [WPH11/01](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/2021-january-wph11-01/) — January 2021 — 18 questions · 80 marks — Pro - [WPH11/01](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/2019-october-wph11-01/) — October 2019 — 17 questions · 80 marks — Free - [WPH11/01](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/2019-june-wph11-01/) — June 2019 — 18 questions · 80 marks — Free ## Paper FAQ **How are the difficulty and complexity measures calculated?** Each part is weighted by its official marks. Difficulty uses Easy 0.20, Medium 0.45 and Hard 0.75; algebraic complexity and text density and modelling use Low 0.20, Medium 0.45 and High 0.75. A Hard part worth 4 or more marks is down-weighted to marks^0.75, so the accessible starter steps inside a long structured question do not inflate the difficulty result. This paper's Difficulty Measure is 0.38 from 34 parts. **What does the Difficulty Deviation show?** It is the mark-weighted standard deviation of the part difficulty values around the paper mean. A value of 0 would mean every tagged part has the same difficulty; this paper's deviation is 0.14, so its parts are more mixed than a single-level paper. **Is the Difficulty Ratio based on question counts or marks?** It is based on official marks, not question counts. This paper's shares are 31.3% Easy, 63.7% Medium and 5.0% Hard; the three shares sum to 100% before rounding. **Are these official difficulty ratings?** No. They are derived from the platform's part-level difficulty and static-question-profile tags. They are not exam-board grade boundaries and are not calculated from candidate outcomes. Use them to compare the demand profile of papers, not to predict a grade. **Why does each question row show its own measures?** Each row recalculates the same mark-weighted formula from that question's parts. A single-part MCQ therefore shows the tag value directly, while a multi-part structured question blends the tags of its parts using the same Hard-part decay as the paper profile. --- Full page with native tables, bar charts and Practice Hub links: https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-1-wph11/2020-january-wph11-01/