# Topic Questions: 168 understand how to relate the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram to the life cycle of stars — WPH15 Astrophysics and Cosmology

> 26 WPH15 Astrophysics and Cosmology topic questions (65 marks) on 168 understand how to relate the… — 15 papers, 2021–2026. Open the exact question in the…

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Edexcel IAL · Physics · WPH15 · Astrophysics and Cosmology

26 WPH15 Astrophysics and Cosmology topic questions are tagged to this syllabus point across 15 papers (2021–2026). Only the parts whose knowledge graph matches this syllabus statement are counted, and the table shows which parts of each question are involved.

- 26 topic questions
- 15 papers
- 65 tagged marks
- 8.6% of topic questions
- 9.0% of topic marks
- 2021–2026
- Syllabus 2018–current
- [All WPH15 Astrophysics and Cosmology topic questions](https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/astrophysics-and-cosmology/)
- [All paper codes](https://www.examsci.com/topics/)

Core finding

**This Astrophysics and Cosmology syllabus point appears in 15 WPH15 papers across 2021–2026, contributing 26 topic questions and 65 marks.** The most recent appearance is WPH15/02 January 2026. That equals 8.6% of the 303 topic questions and 9.0% of the 725 marks tagged to Astrophysics and Cosmology. Only parts tagged to this subtopic are counted, so a four-part question can contribute one item and one part's marks. The table lists every matching question, its tagged parts and marks, with a link back to the paper page. Sessions are newest first, so the statement can be traced back through the full paper history.

## Topic questions by session

Newest sessions first. Parts and marks count only the parts tagged to this subtopic; “x of y parts” shows how much of the question is tagged elsewhere. Select the paper cell to open the matching question on the paper page, or use **Go to Practice Hub** to answer that exact question in the Interactive Practice Hub.

| Paper | Question | Type | Parts | Marks | Difficulty | Practice |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [**WPH15/02** January 2026 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2026-january-wph15-02/#q-7) | **Q7** Stellar Evolution Stages on H-R Diagram - Edexcel IAL Physics Jan 2026 Q7 | MCQ | MCQ · 1 part | 1 | Hard | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=f63db731-6514-40da-90c9-5232288471cb&question_id=2a743a88-da8b-495d-b7ed-7fab80ec5092&source_detail=WPH15%2F02+January+2026) |
| [**WPH15/01** October 2025 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2025-october-wph15-01/#q-18) | **Q18** Astrophysics - H-R Diagram and Star Clusters - Edexcel IAL Physics Oct 2025 Q18 | FRQ | 2 of 4 parts ((a)(ii), (b)(ii)) | 4 of 11 on the paper | Easy | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=a7fbae2d-76be-4ac0-9bd4-df3ed119c92f&question_id=efcad81a-398f-4b0c-bc2b-ddbb6adcdda1&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+October+2025) |
| [**WPH15/01** October 2025 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2025-october-wph15-01/#q-21) | **Q21** Astrophysics - Distance Measurements - Edexcel IAL Physics Oct 2025 Q21 | FRQ | 1 of 5 parts ((b)(i)) | 2 of 13 on the paper | Easy | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=a7fbae2d-76be-4ac0-9bd4-df3ed119c92f&question_id=51fc83df-efa9-4328-ac5d-078b85d5f03e&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+October+2025) |
| [**WPH15/02** October 2025 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2025-october-wph15-02/#q-18) | **Q18** Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) Diagram and Arcturus - Edexcel IAL Physics Oct 2025 Q18 | FRQ | 1 of 4 parts ((a)(ii)) | 2 of 11 on the paper | Easy | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=e7442241-a09d-4872-a697-6e37dca804e8&question_id=850b616f-b75e-4fe3-9bd9-6e8c678fa4d4&source_detail=WPH15%2F02+October+2025) |
| [**WPH15/02** October 2025 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2025-october-wph15-02/#q-21) | **Q21** Stellar Distance and Orbital Calculations - Edexcel IAL Physics Oct 2025 Q21 | FRQ | 1 of 5 parts ((b)(i)) | 2 of 13 on the paper | Easy | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=e7442241-a09d-4872-a697-6e37dca804e8&question_id=01bbaf42-92ef-4c98-895e-a20e232e1e4a&source_detail=WPH15%2F02+October+2025) |
| [**WPH15/01** June 2025 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2025-june-wph15-01/#q-18) | **Q18** Stellar Evolution & HR Diagram - Edexcel IAL Physics June 2025 Q18 | FRQ | 3 of 4 parts ((a)(ii), (b), (c)) | 10 of 11 on the paper | Easy | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=2e30fb2a-dfff-4c32-b30f-fefebd92c451&question_id=cacb7a18-9a33-48bf-9ccb-a53fd0fff478&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+June+2025) |
| [**WPH15/01** January 2025 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2025-january-wph15-01/#q-1) | **Q1** Red Giant Evolution - Edexcel IAL Physics Jan 2025 Q1 | MCQ | MCQ · 1 part | 1 | Easy | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=40c335c3-e98a-43c8-b5d1-d1abedfaca1a&question_id=86cac0fe-eea8-40b3-8da7-137186bc791d&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+January+2025) |
| [**WPH15/01** October 2024 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2024-october-wph15-01/#q-20) | **Q20** Edexcel IAL Physics Unit 5 Oct 2024 Q20 | FRQ | 1 of 3 parts ((a)(ii)) | 4 of 13 on the paper | Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=3e10632c-bdcc-44a6-afc4-5f4f7a30978e&question_id=06074343-0802-4b02-81cf-b8e987721889&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+October+2024) |
| [**WPH15/01** June 2024 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2024-june-wph15-01/#q-1) | **Q1** Red Giant Evolution - Edexcel IAL Physics Unit 5 Jun 2024 Q1 | MCQ | MCQ · 1 part | 1 | Easy | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=fd4de767-0a74-4fd7-9f81-6fb7daf58d01&question_id=2702ce57-5dd6-427d-8bcd-f3bf6421a087&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+June+2024) |
| [**WPH15/01** June 2024 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2024-june-wph15-01/#q-19) | **Q19** Nuclear Fusion in Stars & Life Cycle - Edexcel IAL Physics Unit 5 Jun 2024 Q19 | FRQ | 1 of 3 parts ((b)) | 6 of 15 on the paper | Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=fd4de767-0a74-4fd7-9f81-6fb7daf58d01&question_id=8abec1a1-fb49-4713-a72c-80feff76f1f8&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+June+2024) |
| [**WPH15/01** January 2024 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2024-january-wph15-01/#q-11) | **Q11** Astrophysics and Cosmology - Edexcel IAL Physics Jan 2024 Q11 | FRQ | 1 part | 3 | Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=81ae8d95-9845-43d2-85aa-56edeba0f606&question_id=dec7ae95-a0af-4501-a629-1d2fe91ba0fb&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+January+2024) |
| [**WPH15/01** October 2023 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2023-october-wph15-01/#q-9) | **Q9** H-R Diagram Stellar Evolution Path - Edexcel IAL Physics Oct 2023 Q9 | MCQ | MCQ · 1 part | 1 | Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=c6d9493b-ab37-4b2a-967c-30f17fd52e71&question_id=99961218-a274-46a2-9ec0-e3dc3b053930&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+October+2023) |
| [**WPH15/01** October 2023 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2023-october-wph15-01/#q-21) | **Q21** Stellar Evolution and Mechanics of Betelgeuse - Edexcel IAL Physics Oct 2023 Q21 | FRQ | 2 of 4 parts ((a)(ii), (a)(iii)) | 3 of 13 on the paper | Hard | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=c6d9493b-ab37-4b2a-967c-30f17fd52e71&question_id=20110155-de90-4b23-8957-730987f13d6f&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+October+2023) |
| [**WPH15/01** June 2023 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2023-june-wph15-01/#q-20) | **Q20** Edexcel IAL Physics Unit 5 June 2023 Q20 | FRQ | 1 of 3 parts ((b)) | 3 of 9 on the paper | Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=25ca8d3d-f529-419a-8ab4-22f4c43251b4&question_id=d89a6dd3-43a2-4897-9bc8-902fc5960d61&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+June+2023) |
| [**WPH15/01** January 2023 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2023-january-wph15-01/#q-8) | **Q8** Stellar Evolution on H-R Diagram - Edexcel IAL Physics Jan 2023 Q8 | MCQ | MCQ · 1 part | 1 | Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=79fd249d-5274-48b7-a2fe-e660c6fd21a0&question_id=edc4fea2-f8dd-4189-b1a8-263fe0214b45&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+January+2023) |
| [**WPH15/01** January 2022 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2022-january-wph15-01/#q-19) | **Q19** Stellar Parallax and H-R Diagrams - Edexcel IAL Physics Jan 2022 Q19 | FRQ | 1 of 5 parts ((c)(iii)) | 6 of 18 on the paper | Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=ba0935d7-8bd2-4880-a14a-07ef68b24285&question_id=f00210c4-13dd-4cfb-9853-016df19d48f5&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+January+2022) |
| [**WPH15/02** January 2022 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2022-january-wph15-02/#q-9) | **Q9** Evolution of Star Clusters - Edexcel IAL Physics Jan 2022 Q9 | MCQ | MCQ · 1 part | 1 | Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=23304130-a638-4c40-b130-1921931842df&question_id=9c476a1e-2bc2-4627-8886-55a01c432fa0&source_detail=WPH15%2F02+January+2022) |
| [**WPH15/02** January 2022 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2022-january-wph15-02/#q-18) | **Q18** Stellar Evolution of Delta Pavonis - Edexcel IAL Physics Jan 2022 Q18 | FRQ | 2 of 3 parts ((a)(ii), (b)) | 6 of 9 on the paper | Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=23304130-a638-4c40-b130-1921931842df&question_id=cdf8a264-c1ef-4d31-acc0-732e3d86b90b&source_detail=WPH15%2F02+January+2022) |
| [**WPH15/01** October 2021 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2021-october-wph15-01/#q-8) | **Q8** H-R Diagram Evolutionary Path - Edexcel IAL Physics Oct 2021 Unit 5 Q8 | MCQ | MCQ · 1 part | 1 | Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=85f00adf-61bf-4290-b7e1-556838a91d6f&question_id=88c204c5-f9b4-4a3d-9207-fbb6c10acd63&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+October+2021) |
| [**WPH15/01** October 2021 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2021-october-wph15-01/#q-20) | **Q20** Evolution of the Sun - Edexcel IAL Physics Oct 2021 Unit 5 Q20 | FRQ | 1 of 5 parts ((a)) | 1 of 12 on the paper | Easy | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=85f00adf-61bf-4290-b7e1-556838a91d6f&question_id=f1867e3f-b3a0-422e-8984-81e95541254e&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+October+2021) |
| [**WPH15/01** January 2021 · Edexcel IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/2021-january-wph15-01/#q-20) | **Q20** Astrophysics - H-R Diagram and Doppler shift | FRQ | 1 of 4 parts ((a)(ii)) | 6 of 14 on the paper | Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=2e0b1233-9e48-4222-bc71-6c120258396f&question_id=c4f591b9-065f-45b8-9c94-365df89ad383&source_detail=WPH15%2F01+January+2021) |

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## Topic question rules and edge cases

**How many topic questions cover this syllabus point?**

21 question stems cover this subtopic across 15 papers, but only 26 tagged parts and 65 marks belong to it. Other parts of the same questions are assessed under different statements and are excluded from this page.

**Which papers include this subtopic?**

The table lists every matching session from 2021–2026. Each row links to the question anchor on the paper page, where the full paper context and practice entry point are available.

**Why can one question appear under several subtopics?**

The parts of one question can assess different syllabus statements. Each part is counted under its own subtopics, so the same question stem can appear on several subtopic pages while each page lists only the parts and marks tagged to that statement.

**Can I practise these questions with AI marking?**

Yes. Open a paper from the table and use the Interactive Practice Hub entry point. The page itself is static HTML so search engines and retrieval agents can read the full question list without executing JavaScript.

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Full page with native tables, bar charts and Practice Hub links: https://www.examsci.com/topics/edexcel-ial/physics/physics-unit-5-wph15/astrophysics-and-cosmology/168-understand-how-to-relate-the-hertzsprung-russell-diagram-to-the-life-cycle-of/