University assesments and how grades are determined (for Physics)

I've just been looking at the way the university I'm going to next year gives grades for modules and for most of them the grade depends 100% on a three-hour exam you take at the end (I'm planning to study Physics, for some context). Meanwhile, I was looking at how another university (also for physics) determines grades and it was more like 50% coursework 50% written exam. Wouldn't be a lot easier to get a 1st or 2.1 if half the grade depends on coursework? (which I imagine is doing weekly worksheets, exercises, and such, and as long as you are consistent and collaborate with others you can probably get close to full marks)
Also, the university I'm planning to go to is Durham and the other university I mention is Lancaster, if there are any current Physics students in either of these two institutions input would be very welcome.

I've just been looking at the way the university I'm going to next year gives grades for modules and for most of them the grade depends 100% on a three-hour exam you take at the end (I'm planning to study Physics, for some context). Meanwhile, I was looking at how another university (also for physics) determines grades and it was more like 50% coursework 50% written exam. Wouldn't be a lot easier to get a 1st or 2.1 if half the grade depends on coursework? (which I imagine is doing weekly worksheets, exercises, and such, and as long as you are consistent and collaborate with others you can probably get close to full marks)
Also, the university I'm planning to go to is Durham and the other university I mention is Lancaster, if there are any current Physics students in either of these two institutions input would be very welcome.

Hi I have the details for you @aDfDs [br] My eldest studies physics particle physics and cosmology at Lancaster uni for a four years masters.
unfortunately the pdf file of the handbook is too big aaargh.
So I'm going to copy and paste the modules below of first year. If you need the further years let me know, but they do split off according to what modules you take. Year 1 is fixed, where as year 2 you get a bit of fixed but more choice to branch into something you like.
They got rid of the online internet version of the 2020/2021 physics handbook as the modules are on the students portal, but I managed to download it before she started uni, so thats how ive got the below information. but closest to it online if you want to read all of it is the 2016/2017 https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/staff/mcdonalj/JM/handbook16-17.pdf which is available.

I will say this that its a mixed bag when it comes to the coursework/exam ratio. Labs are more coursework based, so your optics and that are like 30%/70%

Bear in mind year 2 maths are 20% coursework 80%exam, but that's like that with most unis. When we looked at modules and asked students, we got its a mixed range of coursework/exam percentage depending on the module.

PHYS101 The Physical Universe
Lecturer: Prof I A Bertram (Shadow: Prof R P Haley)
Lect/Fback/Wshop: 16L,4F,4W (this means 16 hours of lectures, 4 hours of workshops, 4 Not sure on the F)
Timing: Year 1 Weeks: M1-5 (this means michaelmas term weeks 1-5)
Pre-requisites: A-Level Maths or equiv
Assessment: Examination 60% Coursework 40%.
Assessment Type: % style
Linked Modules: PHYS102-105, PHYS131-135
Credits: 8
Workload: Contact time 20 hrs Private study 55 hrs

PHYS102 Classical Mechanics
Lecturer: Dr E Laird (Shadow: Dr J Nowak)
Lect/Fback/Wshop: 16L,4F,4W
Timing: Year 1 Weeks: M6-10 (this means michaelmas term weeks 6-10)
Pre-requisites: PHYS101 PHYS111 PHYS131, Maths A-Level or equiv
Assessment: Examination 60% Coursework 40%.
Assessment Type: % style
Linked Modules: PHYS103-105, PHYS112, PHYS131-135
Credits: 8
Workload: Contact time 20 hrs Private study 60 hrs

PHYS103 Electric & Magnetic Fields
Lecturer: Dr H Fox (Shadow: Prof V Kartvelishvili)
Lect/Fback/Wshop: 16L,4F,4W
Timing: Year 1 Weeks: L11-15 (lent term weeks 11-15)
Pre-requisites: PHYS101 and PHYS102, A-Level Maths or equiv
Assessment: Examination 60% Courswork 40%.
Assessment Type: % style
Linked Modules: PHYS101, 102, 104, 105, PHYS131-135
Credits: 8
Workload: Contact time 20 hrs Private study 60 hrs

PHYS104 Thermal Properties of Matter
Lecturer: Dr S Kafanov (Shadow: Prof R P Haley)
Lect/Fback/Wshop: 16L,4F,4W
Timing: Year 1 Weeks: L16-20
Pre-requisites: PHYS101, PHYS102, A-Level Maths or equiv
Assessment: Examination 60% Coursework 40%.
Assessment Type: % style
Linked Modules: PHYS101, 102, 103, 105, PHYS131-135
Credits: 8
Workload: Contact time 20 hrs Private study 60 hrs

PHYS105 Quantum Physics
Lecturer: To be announced (Shadow: Dr E McCann)
Lect/Fback/Wshop: 16L,4F,4W
Timing: Year 1 Weeks: S21-25 (summer term weeks 21-25) weeks 26-30 you revise for exams.
Pre-requisites: PHYS101, PHYS102, PHYS103, PHYS104, A-Level Maths or equiv
Assessment: Examination 60% Coursework 40%.
Assessment Type: % style
Linked Modules: PHYS101-104, PHYS131-135
Credits: 8
Workload: Contact time 20 hrs Private study 60 hrs

PHYS111 Functions & Differentiation
Lecturer: Dr D Sobral (Shadow: Prof J Wild)
Lect/Fback/Wshop: 11L,5F
Timing: Year 1 Weeks: M1-5
Pre-requisites: A-Level Maths
Assessment: Examination 60% Coursework 40%.
Assessment Type: % style
Linked Modules: PHYS112-5
Credits: 8
Workload: Contact time 20 hrs Private study 60 hrs

PHYS112 Integration
Lecturer: Dr V Tsepelin (Shadow: Dr J Prance)
Lect/Fback/Wshop: 11L,5F
Timing: Year 1 Weeks: M6-10
Pre-requisites: PHYS111
Assessment: Examination 60% Coursework 40%.
Assessment Type: % style
Linked Modules: PHYS111, 113-5
Credits: 8
Workload: Contact time 20 hrs Private study 60 hrs

PHYS113 Series & Differential Equations
Lecturer: Dr I R Bailey (Shadow: Dr J Gratus)
Lect/Fback/Wshop: 11L,5F
Timing: Year 1 Weeks: L11-15
Pre-requisites: PHYS111, PHYS112
Assessment: Examination 60% Coursework 40%.
Assessment Type: % style
Linked Modules: PHYS111, 112, 114, 115
Credits: 8
Workload: Contact time 20 hrs Private study 60 hrs

PHYS114 Complex Methods
Lecturer: Dr J Wardlow (Shadow: Dr L Ray)
Lect/Fback/Wshop: 11L,5F
Timing: Year 1 Weeks: L16-20
Pre-requisites: PHYS113
Assessment: Examination 60% Coursework 40%.
Assessment Type: % style
Linked Modules: PHYS111-113, 115
Credits: 8
Workload: Contact time 20 hrs Private study 60 hrs

PHYS115 Vector Calculus
Lecturer: Dr L Kormos (Shadow: Prof A Stefanovska)
Lect/Fback/Wshop: 11L,5F
Timing: Year 1 Weeks: S21-25
Pre-requisites: PHYS114
Assessment: Examination 60% Coursework 40%.
Assessment Type: % style
Linked Modules: PHYS111-114
Credits: 8
Workload: Contact time 20 hrs Private study 60 hrs

PHYS131 Vectors & Vector Algebra - IT Skills
Lecturer:
Lect: To be announced
Lab: To be announced
/Dr H Fox/
Prof A Stefanovska
(Shadow:
Lect: Dr J McDonald
Lab: Prof I A Bertram
)
Lect/Fback/Wshop/Prac: 11L,4F,4W,15P (p = practical)
Timing: Year 1 Weeks: M1-5
Pre-requisites: A-Level Maths
Assessment: Examination 30% Coursework 70%.
Assessment Type: % style
Linked Modules: PHYS132, 133, 134, 135.
Credits: 8
Workload: Contact time 30 hrs Private study 50 hrs

PHYS132 Basic Physics Skills - Communication Skills
Lecturer:
Lect: Dr V Tsepelin
Lab: Dr A Marshall/Dr S Javis/
Prof R W L Jones
(Shadow:
Lect: Prof Y Pashkin
Lab: Prof Y Pashkin
)
Lect/Fback/Wshop/Prac: 11L,4F,4W,15P
Timing: Year 1 Weeks: M6-10
Pre-requisites: A-Level Maths
Assessment: Examination 30% Coursework 70%.
Assessment Type: % style
Linked Modules: PHYS131, 133, 134, 135.
Credits: 8
Workload: Contact time 30 hrs Private study 50 hrs

PHYS133 Oscillations & Waves - Practical Laboratory I
Lecturer:
Lect: Dr O Kolosov
Lab: Dr L Ray/Dr B Robinson/
Dr M Thompson/Dr A Marshall
(Shadow:
Lect: Dr A Marshall
Lab : Dr H Fox
)
Lect/Fback/Wshop/Prac: 11L,4F,4W,15P
Timing: Year 1 Weeks: L11-15
Pre-requisites: PHYS102, PHYS112
Assessment: Examination 30% Coursework 70%.
Assessment Type: % style
Linked Modules: PHYS131, 132, 134, 135.
Credits: 8
Workload: Contact time 30 hrs Private study 50 hrs

PHYS134 Electrical Circuits & Instruments - Practical Laboratory II
Lecturer:
Lect: To be announced
Lab: Dr L Ray/Dr B Robinson/
Dr M Thompson/Dr A Marshall
(Shadow:
Lect: Dr L Kormos
Lab : Dr H Fox
)
Lect/Fback/Wshop/Prac: 11L,4F,4W,15P
Timing: Year 1 Weeks: L16-20
Pre-requisites: PHYS103
Assessment: Examination 30% Coursework 70%.
Assessment Type: % style
Linked Modules: PHYS131, 132, 133, 135.
Credits: 8
Workload: Contact time 30 hrs Private study 50 hrs

PHYS135 Optics & Optical Instruments - Practical Laboratory III
Lecturer:
Lect: To be announced
Lab: Dr L Ray/Dr B Robinson/
Dr M Thompson/Dr A Marshall
(Shadow:
Lect: Dr E McCann
Lab : Dr H Fox
)
Lect/Fback/Wshop/Prac: 11L,4F,4W,15P
Timing: Year 1 Weeks: S21-25
Pre-requisites: PHYS131
Assessment: Examination 30% Coursework 70%.
Assessment Type: % style
Linked Modules: PHYS131, 132, 133, 134.
Credits: 8
Workload: Contact time 30 hrs Private study 50 hrs

Coursework isn't necessarily easier than exams; it really depends on the individual. The thing with coursework is because you are doing it in an "open" format, you are usually expected to demonstrate higher levels of understanding and wider reading (as applicable) than you would in the exam. If you struggle with doing research and writing extended, structured prose, and/or solving longer, open problems then you may well do worse in coursework based things. Equally some people may do better in exams because they have very good revision and exam taking strategies and can prepare efficiently for exams beforehand and then quickly identify the easiest questions and knock them out at the start of the exam then spend longer on the harder ones (and avoid the ones that are more effort than they are worth to answer!).

Note that in my experience weekly problem sheets are usually much harder than exams, and often it can be very hard to answer some of the questions. At uni you aren't going to have simple "plug and chug" equations like in A-level, you will need to actually use and apply your physical intuition and mathematical maturity to make reasonable assumptions and demonstrate understand of e.g. classes of answers to a particular equation, as well as finding a particular solution. They definitely aren't something that you can be "guaranteed to get 100% on". Also while you can work with others to an extent, there are usually severe penalties for collusion and plagiarism.