# WPH14/01 January 2020 > WPH14/01 January 2020: 19 questions, 90 marks. Difficulty 0.43, deviation 0.16, algebraic 0.30, text density 0.41. Edexcel IAL Physics U4. - Canonical HTML: https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/2020-january-wph14-01/ - Markdown mirror: https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/2020-january-wph14-01/index.md --- Edexcel IAL · Physics · 2020 January This Physics Unit 4 (WPH14) paper contains 19 questions worth 90 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 - U4 - 19 questions - 90 marks - Free paper - [Practise this paper](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14) - [All U4 papers](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/) Core finding **WPH14/01 January 2020 is a past paper for Edexcel IAL Physics Unit 4 (WPH14), with 19 questions worth 90 marks.** Its mark-weighted Difficulty Measure is 0.43 on a 0.20–0.75 scale, with a Difficulty Deviation of 0.16 and a mark split of 23.3% Easy, 60.0% Medium and 16.7% Hard. Algebraic complexity averages 0.30; text density and modelling average 0.41. All five measures use 35 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 35 parts carrying 90 part marks. Difficulty tags cover 35 parts, algebraic tags 35 and text-density tags 35. Tags are internal metadata, not official exam-board ratings. - **Difficulty Measure**: 0.43 — 0.20–0.75 · nearer Medium - **Difficulty Deviation**: 0.16 — 0 = uniform; higher = more mixed - **Difficulty Ratio**: 23.3 / 60.0 / 16.7 — % Easy / Medium / Hard - **Algebraic Complexity Measure**: 0.30 — 0.20–0.75 · nearer Low - **Text Density and Modelling Measure**: 0.41 — 0.20–0.75 · nearer Medium 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** | 0.43 | Σ(d_i × w_i) / Σw_i, with d = 0.20 / 0.45 / 0.75 | | **Difficulty Deviation** | 0.16 | √(Σw_i(d_i − μ)^2 / Σw_i) | | **Difficulty Ratio** | 23.3% Easy / 60.0% Medium / 16.7% Hard | marks in band / all tagged marks | | **Algebraic Complexity Measure** | 0.30 | Σ(c_i × marks_i) / Σmarks_i, with c = 0.20 / 0.45 / 0.75 | | **Text Density and Modelling Measure** | 0.41 | 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 | [U4 Nuclear and Particle Physics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/nuclear-and-particle-physics/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=f845425c-ac60-4c94-8c0e-83e4ce00ffa3&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q2** MCQ | [U4 Electric and Magnetic Fields](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/electric-and-magnetic-fields/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=a85f1a21-1194-4304-b475-7e8a6492db05&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q3** MCQ | [U4 Further Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/further-mechanics/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=e5f9d384-710a-46d4-bc53-7a0fcb5b7885&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q4** MCQ | [U4 Electric and Magnetic Fields](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/electric-and-magnetic-fields/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=cfdc44e0-fcb6-489d-be4c-8cb9e280fdaa&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q5** MCQ | [U4 Electric and Magnetic Fields](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/electric-and-magnetic-fields/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=5b12ea7a-9672-41dc-be69-c06499345193&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q6** MCQ | [U4 Nuclear and Particle Physics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/nuclear-and-particle-physics/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=cdb7af32-a053-4fc8-88b7-055fa21133e7&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q7** MCQ | [U4 Electric and Magnetic Fields](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/electric-and-magnetic-fields/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=8bae8b83-8043-4294-8040-310bb7b08467&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q8** MCQ | [U4 Electric and Magnetic Fields](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/electric-and-magnetic-fields/) | 1 | 0.75 Hard | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=d31e11ca-014e-4ad8-9326-6f4cf4215228&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q9** MCQ | [U4 Further Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/further-mechanics/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=75200946-d389-44f2-88a9-28b2a8d86a15&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q10** MCQ | [U4 Nuclear and Particle Physics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/nuclear-and-particle-physics/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=3850530e-9a9b-4e97-890a-f8cd9cea023e&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q11** FRQ | [U4 Nuclear and Particle Physics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/nuclear-and-particle-physics/) | 3 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=74fccec1-6afa-4bc9-9e26-eba924ce0938&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q12** FRQ | [U4 Nuclear and Particle Physics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/nuclear-and-particle-physics/) | 6 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=9a9bcb7e-0818-4b32-a3e5-3a8b005710a5&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q13** FRQ | [U4 Further Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/further-mechanics/) | 9 | 0.52 Medium | 0.34 Medium | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=3875e3f3-0953-4386-b5cd-d931c743965c&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q14** FRQ | [U4 Further Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/further-mechanics/) | 9 | 0.34 Medium | 0.28 Low | 0.39 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=d0ee7183-e75f-491b-93a3-9cc44965ff84&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q15** FRQ | [U4 Nuclear and Particle Physics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/nuclear-and-particle-physics/) | 7 | 0.41 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.67 High | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=958341a5-b4e2-415d-acd9-913f42510cb9&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q16** FRQ | [U4 Electric and Magnetic Fields](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/electric-and-magnetic-fields/) | 9 | 0.42 Medium | 0.42 Medium | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=6fc0bb71-6d94-4305-bf1e-23f6b2315262&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q17** FRQ | [U4 Electric and Magnetic Fields](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/electric-and-magnetic-fields/) | 10 | 0.46 Medium | 0.42 Medium | 0.49 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=d9967806-fec6-4a82-a88c-0d630fa54df8&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q18** FRQ | [U4 Electric and Magnetic Fields](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/electric-and-magnetic-fields/) | 12 | 0.45 Medium | 0.28 Low | 0.37 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=d7031d8e-b8b5-46dc-b612-9a39805ce140&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | | **Q19** FRQ | [U4 Nuclear and Particle Physics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/nuclear-and-particle-physics/) | 15 | 0.47 Medium | 0.28 Low | 0.40 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=5ef0bb69-523b-4ef4-b94b-964485f16e14&question_id=cf4efda9-b94d-4c22-b7b2-cd0e99a28bcd&source_detail=WPH14%2F01+January+2020) | ## Topics in this paper - [U4 Nuclear and Particle Physics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/nuclear-and-particle-physics/) - [U4 Electric and Magnetic Fields](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/electric-and-magnetic-fields/) - [U4 Further Mechanics](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/further-mechanics/) ## Related papers - [WPH14/01](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/2020-october-wph14-01/) — October 2020 — 18 questions · 90 marks — Free - [WPH14/01](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/2021-october-wph14-01/) — October 2021 — 18 questions · 90 marks — Pro - [WPH14/01](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/2021-june-wph14-01/) — June 2021 — 18 questions · 90 marks — Pro - [WPH14/01](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/2021-january-wph14-01/) — January 2021 — 19 questions · 90 marks — Pro - [WPH14/01](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/2022-october-wph14-01/) — October 2022 — 18 questions · 90 marks — Pro - [WPH14/01](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-4-wph14/2022-june-wph14-01/) — June 2022 — 18 questions · 90 marks — Pro ## 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 0.43 from 35 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 0.16, 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 23.3% Easy, 60.0% Medium and 16.7% 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-4-wph14/2020-january-wph14-01/