Edexcel IAL · Physics · WPH12 · A Level

WPH12 Waves and Particle Nature of Light Topic Questions

Every WPH12 Waves and Particle Nature of Light topic question from the 2018–current syllabus, drawn from 22 papers (2019–2026) and grouped by syllabus point. Each row opens a page listing the exact question numbers, marks and a direct link into the paper. These are questions by topic, not full papers, so you can revise one topic at a time.

WPH12 31 subtopics 468 topic questions 22 papers 1,138 tagged marks

Back to Waves and Particle Nature of Light All paper codes

Core finding

45 know and understand that at the interface between medium 1 and… is the most frequently assessed subtopic in Waves and Particle Nature of Light, with 56 topic questions and 147 marks across 22 papers. 41 know what is meant by a standing/stationary wave and… follows with 43 topic questions and 114 marks. The topic contains 31 subtopics, 468 topic questions and 1,138 marks in total. Rows count only the parts tagged to that subtopic, keep the same colour in both charts and repeat paper count, tagged marks and year range in the native table.

Topic question count and mark distribution

Subtopics are on the vertical axis and sorted from highest to lowest. Only the parts whose knowledge graph matches a subtopic are counted for it, and percentages are each row's share of the tagged total in that chart. A part tagged to several subtopics is counted in each bar, so the bars are not a partition of the topic total.

Questions by subtopic

question items

45 know and understand that at the interface between medium 1 and medium 2

n_{1} sin θ_{1} = n_{2} sin θ_{2}

where refractive index is

n = \frac{c}{v}

22 papers

568.3%

41 know what is meant by a standing/stationary wave and understand how such a wave is formed, know how to identify nodes and antinodes 20 papers

436.4%

60 understand the terms 'threshold frequency' and 'work function' and be able to use the equation

h f = ϕ + \frac{1}{2} m v_{ma x}^{2}

20 papers

385.7%

34 be able to use the wave equation

v = f λ

19 papers

365.4%

56 understand how a pulse-echo technique can provide information about the position of an object and how the amount of information obtained may be limited by the wavelength of the radiation or by the duration of pulses 20 papers

355.2%

58 be able to use the equation

E = h f

that relates the photon energy to the wave frequency 21 papers

345.1%

39 know and understand what is meant by wavefront, coherence, path difference, superposition, interference and phase 19 papers

314.6%

63 understand atomic line spectra in terms of transitions between discrete energy levels and understand how to calculate the frequency of radiation that could be emitted or absorbed in a transition between energy levels. 22 papers

294.3%

44 be able to use the equation for the intensity of radiation

I = \frac{P}{A}

22 papers

284.2%

49 understand what is meant by plane polarisation 19 papers

284.2%

51 be able to use

nλ = d sin θ

for a diffraction grating 18 papers

284.2%

42 be able to use the equation for the speed of a transverse wave on a string

v = \frac{T}{μ}

21 papers

274.0%

62 understand how the photoelectric effect provides evidence for the particle nature of electromagnetic radiation 20 papers

263.9%

47 be able to predict whether total internal reflection will occur at an interface 18 papers

253.7%

37 be able to draw and interpret graphs representing transverse and longitudinal waves including standing/stationary waves 14 papers

223.3%

33 understand the terms amplitude, frequency, period, speed and wavelength 14 papers

213.1%

61 be able to use the electronvolt (eV) to express small energies 19 papers

213.1%

46 be able to calculate critical angle using

sin C = \frac{1}{n}

15 papers

192.8%

54 be able to use the de Broglie equation

λ = \frac{h}{p}

18 papers

192.8%

40 be able to use the relationship between phase difference and path difference 16 papers

182.7%

36 be able to describe transverse waves 10 papers

111.6%

50 understand what is meant by diffraction and use Huygens' construction to explain what happens to a wave when it meets a slit or an obstacle 8 papers

111.6%

55 understand that waves can be transmitted and reflected at an interface between media 8 papers

111.6%

35 be able to describe longitudinal waves in terms of pressure variation and the displacement of molecules 9 papers

101.5%

38 CORE PRACTICAL 4: Determine the speed of sound in air using a 2-beam oscilloscope, signal generator, speaker and microphone 5 papers

81.2%

57 understand how the behaviour of electromagnetic radiation can be described in terms of a wave model and a photon model, and how these models developed over time 6 papers

81.2%

59 understand that the absorption of a photon can result in the emission of a photoelectron 7 papers

81.2%

52 CORE PRACTICAL 6: Determine the wavelength of light from a laser or other light source using a diffraction grating 5 papers

71.0%

43 CORE PRACTICAL 5: Investigate the effects of length, tension and mass per unit length on the frequency of a vibrating string or wire 4 papers

60.9%

53 understand how diffraction experiments provide evidence for the wave nature of electrons 6 papers

60.9%

48 understand how to measure the refractive index of a solid material 1 papers

10.1%

Marks by subtopic

marks

45 know and understand that at the interface between medium 1 and medium 2

n_{1} sin θ_{1} = n_{2} sin θ_{2}

where refractive index is

n = \frac{c}{v}

22 papers

1478.0%

60 understand the terms 'threshold frequency' and 'work function' and be able to use the equation

h f = ϕ + \frac{1}{2} m v_{ma x}^{2}

20 papers

1287.0%

58 be able to use the equation

E = h f

that relates the photon energy to the wave frequency 21 papers

1246.8%

34 be able to use the wave equation

v = f λ

19 papers

1176.4%

41 know what is meant by a standing/stationary wave and understand how such a wave is formed, know how to identify nodes and antinodes 20 papers

1146.2%

62 understand how the photoelectric effect provides evidence for the particle nature of electromagnetic radiation 20 papers

925.0%

39 know and understand what is meant by wavefront, coherence, path difference, superposition, interference and phase 19 papers

915.0%

824.5%

42 be able to use the equation for the speed of a transverse wave on a string

v = \frac{T}{μ}

21 papers

784.2%

61 be able to use the electronvolt (eV) to express small energies 19 papers

774.2%

44 be able to use the equation for the intensity of radiation

I = \frac{P}{A}

22 papers

693.8%

47 be able to predict whether total internal reflection will occur at an interface 18 papers

693.8%

683.7%

51 be able to use

nλ = d sin θ

for a diffraction grating 18 papers

673.6%

46 be able to calculate critical angle using

sin C = \frac{1}{n}

15 papers

613.3%

49 understand what is meant by plane polarisation 19 papers

583.2%

37 be able to draw and interpret graphs representing transverse and longitudinal waves including standing/stationary waves 14 papers

472.6%

40 be able to use the relationship between phase difference and path difference 16 papers

452.5%

54 be able to use the de Broglie equation

λ = \frac{h}{p}

18 papers

422.3%

33 understand the terms amplitude, frequency, period, speed and wavelength 14 papers

372.0%

59 understand that the absorption of a photon can result in the emission of a photoelectron 7 papers

331.8%

57 understand how the behaviour of electromagnetic radiation can be described in terms of a wave model and a photon model, and how these models developed over time 6 papers

301.6%

50 understand what is meant by diffraction and use Huygens' construction to explain what happens to a wave when it meets a slit or an obstacle 8 papers

291.6%

38 CORE PRACTICAL 4: Determine the speed of sound in air using a 2-beam oscilloscope, signal generator, speaker and microphone 5 papers

251.4%

55 understand that waves can be transmitted and reflected at an interface between media 8 papers

221.2%

36 be able to describe transverse waves 10 papers

201.1%

43 CORE PRACTICAL 5: Investigate the effects of length, tension and mass per unit length on the frequency of a vibrating string or wire 4 papers

170.9%

52 CORE PRACTICAL 6: Determine the wavelength of light from a laser or other light source using a diffraction grating 5 papers

170.9%

35 be able to describe longitudinal waves in terms of pressure variation and the displacement of molecules 9 papers

150.8%

53 understand how diffraction experiments provide evidence for the wave nature of electrons 6 papers

120.7%

48 understand how to measure the refractive index of a solid material 1 papers

30.2%

Subtopic comparison matrix

Curriculum order is by syllabus number, then alphabetically. Every row links to the matching past-paper question list.

Subtopic	Topic questions	Papers	Marks	Years
33 understand the terms amplitude, frequency, period, speed and wavelength	21	14	37	2019–2026	Open topic questions
34 be able to use the wave equation $v = f λ$	36	19	117	2019–2026	Open topic questions
35 be able to describe longitudinal waves in terms of pressure variation and the displacement of molecules	10	9	15	2019–2026	Open topic questions
36 be able to describe transverse waves	11	10	20	2019–2026	Open topic questions
37 be able to draw and interpret graphs representing transverse and longitudinal waves including standing/stationary waves	22	14	47	2019–2026	Open topic questions
38 CORE PRACTICAL 4: Determine the speed of sound in air using a 2-beam oscilloscope, signal generator, speaker and microphone	8	5	25	2019–2024	Open topic questions
39 know and understand what is meant by wavefront, coherence, path difference, superposition, interference and phase	31	19	91	2019–2026	Open topic questions
40 be able to use the relationship between phase difference and path difference	18	16	45	2019–2026	Open topic questions
41 know what is meant by a standing/stationary wave and understand how such a wave is formed, know how to identify nodes and antinodes	43	20	114	2019–2026	Open topic questions
42 be able to use the equation for the speed of a transverse wave on a string $v = \frac{T}{μ}$	27	21	78	2019–2026	Open topic questions
43 CORE PRACTICAL 5: Investigate the effects of length, tension and mass per unit length on the frequency of a vibrating string or wire	6	4	17	2019–2025	Open topic questions
44 be able to use the equation for the intensity of radiation $I = \frac{P}{A}$	28	22	69	2019–2026	Open topic questions
45 know and understand that at the interface between medium 1 and medium 2 $n_{1} sin θ_{1} = n_{2} sin θ_{2}$ where refractive index is $n = \frac{c}{v}$	56	22	147	2019–2026	Open topic questions
46 be able to calculate critical angle using $sin C = \frac{1}{n}$	19	15	61	2019–2026	Open topic questions
47 be able to predict whether total internal reflection will occur at an interface	25	18	69	2019–2026	Open topic questions
48 understand how to measure the refractive index of a solid material	1	1	3	2026	Open topic questions
49 understand what is meant by plane polarisation	28	19	58	2019–2026	Open topic questions
50 understand what is meant by diffraction and use Huygens' construction to explain what happens to a wave when it meets a slit or an obstacle	11	8	29	2020–2026	Open topic questions
51 be able to use $nλ = d sin θ$ for a diffraction grating	28	18	67	2019–2026	Open topic questions
52 CORE PRACTICAL 6: Determine the wavelength of light from a laser or other light source using a diffraction grating	7	5	17	2020–2026	Open topic questions
53 understand how diffraction experiments provide evidence for the wave nature of electrons	6	6	12	2020–2024	Open topic questions
54 be able to use the de Broglie equation $λ = \frac{h}{p}$	19	18	42	2019–2026	Open topic questions
55 understand that waves can be transmitted and reflected at an interface between media	11	8	22	2019–2026	Open topic questions
56 understand how a pulse-echo technique can provide information about the position of an object and how the amount of information obtained may be limited by the wavelength of the radiation or by the duration of pulses	35	20	82	2019–2026	Open topic questions
57 understand how the behaviour of electromagnetic radiation can be described in terms of a wave model and a photon model, and how these models developed over time	8	6	30	2019–2025	Open topic questions
58 be able to use the equation $E = h f$ that relates the photon energy to the wave frequency	34	21	124	2019–2026	Open topic questions
59 understand that the absorption of a photon can result in the emission of a photoelectron	8	7	33	2020–2026	Open topic questions
60 understand the terms 'threshold frequency' and 'work function' and be able to use the equation $h f = ϕ + \frac{1}{2} m v_{ma x}^{2}$	38	20	128	2020–2026	Open topic questions
61 be able to use the electronvolt (eV) to express small energies	21	19	77	2019–2025	Open topic questions
62 understand how the photoelectric effect provides evidence for the particle nature of electromagnetic radiation	26	20	92	2019–2026	Open topic questions
63 understand atomic line spectra in terms of transitions between discrete energy levels and understand how to calculate the frequency of radiation that could be emitted or absorbed in a transition between energy levels.	29	22	68	2019–2026	Open topic questions

Browse every topic question

Topic question rules and edge cases

How many subtopics does Waves and Particle Nature of Light contain?: This page lists 31 subtopics tagged to the current syllabus. They are ordered by syllabus number, then alphabetically, and each row opens a page of matching past-paper questions.
How are the subtopic question and mark totals calculated?: A multiple-choice question contributes one item and its marks to every subtopic it is tagged with. A structured question contributes one item per tagged part, and that part’s marks; untagged parts of the same question are not counted here. A part tagged to several subtopics therefore appears under each of them.
Why do some subtopics have no numbered prefix?: Practical-skills statements and some syllabus bullets are unnumbered. Numbered statements come first; unnumbered statements and ties are sorted alphabetically.
Is the LaTeX rendered without JavaScript?: Yes. Subtopics that contain formulas are converted to static KaTeX HTML during the build, and the KaTeX stylesheet is served from the same site.

WPH12 Waves and Particle Nature of Light Topic Questions

Topic question count and mark distribution

Questions by subtopic

Marks by subtopic

Subtopic comparison matrix

Browse every topic question

Other topics in WPH12

Topic question rules and edge cases