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WJEC AS Physics PH2 June 4th 2015

Hey, guys. I've decided to make threads for the PH2 and CH2 exams since the PH1 and CH1 exams are (thankfully) over now. :biggrin:
So how's preparation for the exam going? Personally I find PH2 quite difficult, since it's not as mathematical as PH1, but we've got a week of solid revision now, so I'll be doing lots of papers.
If anyone's got any questions about the content/exam I'd be happy to help. :smile:

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Reply 1
Do you have a list of equations we need to know??
and also a list of stuff we need to know for particles e.g. charge of up particle etc???
Reply 2
Original post by tsiggers
Do you have a list of equations we need to know??
and also a list of stuff we need to know for particles e.g. charge of up particle etc???


It's all here:

http://www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/publications/5518.pdf?language_id=1

You don't need to 'know' them (off-by-heart) but you really should know them already from your understanding and having used them many times.

Anything you're struggling with in PH2?
Original post by PrimeLime
Hey, guys. I've decided to make threads for the PH2 and CH2 exams since the PH1 and CH1 exams are (thankfully) over now. :biggrin:
So how's preparation for the exam going? Personally I find PH2 quite difficult, since it's not as mathematical as PH1, but we've got a week of solid revision now, so I'll be doing lots of papers.
If anyone's got any questions about the content/exam I'd be happy to help. :smile:


Most difficulties I find in explaining the answer because I really don't know what to tell and when. I most of the time understand the question but not able to gain full marks in explanations :frown:. CH2 is easy because I know that what to exactly answer and some of the paper is also from CH3 practical part so gaining marks in CH2 is much easier in my opinion.
Reply 4
Original post by khiljidanial
Most difficulties I find in explaining the answer because I really don't know what to tell and when. I most of the time understand the question but not able to gain full marks in explanations :frown:. CH2 is easy because I know that what to exactly answer and some of the paper is also from CH3 practical part so gaining marks in CH2 is much easier in my opinion.


That's the hardest thing about PH2. The best way to be able to explain your answers and achieve full marks is to do lots of past papers and use the mark schemes as your answers for future past papers. That way, you'll be getting all the points down that the examiner wants, and it'll be concise too. :smile:
I have done past papers from 2009 to 2014 three times and tries to read examiner report too if I get enough time. I'm trying my best to gain A grade in PH2.
I'm retaking PH2 and I started revising it last week and wow. Wait for PH4 and the biggest screw that is PH5. It's so easy compared to A2 lol, just make sure you know waves and lasers, particles and stars are very easy so you shouldn't drop any marks there. Just learn the lasers and the spectra and make sure you know about fibre optics and the disadvantages of multimode... That's it really.
Hi guys,

What experiments do i need to be able to explain? I know there are ones to do with microwaves and polarisation?:s-smilie:
I have most difficulty with lasers and the photoelectric effect:frown: how do i describe how light amplification occurs and what actually is the photoelectric effect? not really sure of what is happening!
what do we have to know about particle physics? not like the ideas but stuff like quark compositions e.g. p=uud etc.
Original post by avengedabbie

what actually is the photoelectric effect?


The photoelectric effect is when electrons are emitted from the surface of a metal due to high frequency light or ultraviolet radiation falling on the surface.
Original post by avengedabbie
Hi guys,

What experiments do i need to be able to explain? I know there are ones to do with microwaves and polarisation?:s-smilie:
I have most difficulty with lasers and the photoelectric effect:frown: how do i describe how light amplification occurs and what actually is the photoelectric effect? not really sure of what is happening!

Looking at past papers is a good idea. I know this isn't the best thing to do, but I memorise the answers from the mark scheme for typical questions like "Explain how light amplification works".

Original post by Alevelstudent678
what do we have to know about particle physics? not like the ideas but stuff like quark compositions e.g. p=uud etc.

Knowing lepton make-ups is not a bad idea. I don't think particle physics is too bad? Knowing how to identify interactions is something you should know too.
Hi, can Anyone explain a bit on lasers? Confuses me so much:-(
I don't get waves at all 😖
Original post by bradley_246
Hi, can Anyone explain a bit on lasers? Confuses me so much:-(

LASER is an acronym for Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.
In order to work, there has to be a population inversion so there needs to be more electrons in an excited state than in the ground state. Stimulated emission happens when a photon with an exact energy causes an excited electron to drop to a lower energy level which releases energy in the form of a photon (radiation). This photon then goes along and stimulates more excited electrons causing them to drop to the ground state and release more photons. The photons are what make up the light you can see from the laser (I think :P ). The light is monochromatic and in phase. There's more but I think that should be enough...
thanks!:biggrin: I think I get that, it's when there's 3 or even 4 different layers, why does there need to be more than 2 layers??
Original post by PrimeLime
It's all here:

http://www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/publications/5518.pdf?language_id=1

You don't need to 'know' them (off-by-heart) but you really should know them already from your understanding and having used them many times.

Anything you're struggling with in PH2?



What are the equations that we should know, that aren't in the formula booklet ?
Original post by Roxanne18
What are the equations that we should know, that aren't in the formula booklet ?

I guess there's hc/λ and f(threshold)=φ/h for photons and etc.

There's also P = Intensity x 4πR^2 for stars and etc.
Reply 17
Original post by Roxanne18
What are the equations that we should know, that aren't in the formula booklet ?


Nothing apart from knowing what the refractive index is defined as.
Any other equations just come from an understanding of the concepts. In fact, most of them don't even need to be fully memorised if you understand them.
Original post by PrimeLime
Nothing apart from knowing what the refractive index is defined as.
Any other equations just come from an understanding of the concepts. In fact, most of them don't even need to be fully memorised if you understand them.


Does that mean: n = c/v ?
That's the thing though, I don't really understand PH2 :/
Original post by Alevelstudent678
what do we have to know about particle physics? not like the ideas but stuff like quark compositions e.g. p=uud etc.


Particle physics -
Know the 4 forces and when they are used in certain equations - weak force for neutrino's and change of quark (quark number not conserved), strong force - only quarks and EM force - gamma ray photons.

In the formula book, you're given enough information to work out what a proton and neutron is, also given the lepton numbers of certain things. Biggest mistake people make is that the positron has a lepton number of 1 but it's -1!

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