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Q: What does the H2 Physics Syllabus 2026-2027 (9478) cover? A: Paper weightings, all 20 topics from Measurements to Nuclear Physics, specimen paper links, and a revision-planning overview for A-Level H2 Physics (SEAB 9478).
Looking for free H2 Physics notes by chapter/topic (plus the printable PDF bundle)? Start here: free H2 Physics notes.
Preparing for H2 Physics under the 9478 syllabus (first exam 2026) requires systematic coverage of 20 topics across Newtonian Mechanics, Thermal Physics, Waves, Electricity & Magnetism, and Modern Physics, alongside consistent practical-skills rehearsal for Paper 4. Use this guide to align your study schedule with SEAB's expectations.
Note on syllabus codes: If you're searching for "9749 syllabus", note that SEAB lists 9749 as an outgoing syllabus, while the current H2 Physics syllabus PDF for 2026 is labelled 9478.
Map your weak topics - use the 20-topic list above to identify gaps across all five strands.
Check paper weightings - Paper 2 (30 %) and Paper 3 (35 %) together carry 65 % of your grade. Prioritise structured-response and essay practice.
Plan practical prep early - Paper 4 (20 %) tests skills that improve slowly. Start lab rehearsals in JC1, not two weeks before the exam.
What's New in 9478 - A Parent's Guide
The 9478 syllabus introduces several changes that are generating questions from parents supporting their JC1 children. This section explains the three most significant ones in plain language.
Capacitance (new topic)
Capacitance covers how electrical charge is stored and released, including the behaviour of RC circuits - resistor-capacitor circuits that charge and discharge over time following an exponential curve. To handle the mathematical side, students need integration skills from H2 Mathematics, specifically integrating exponential functions to derive time-constant relationships.
Because Capacitance is new to the A-Level syllabus, there are no past A-Level papers with Capacitance questions. Students cannot rely on the usual bank of ten-year series questions for this topic. The available practice material consists of SEAB specimen papers and school-set preliminary examination papers. This is a real constraint, not a sign that the topic is unusually difficult - it simply means students need to seek out specimen and prelim sources rather than expecting past papers to cover it.
Wavefunctions (new topic)
Wavefunctions introduce probability-density thinking: instead of describing exactly where a particle is, physics now describes the probability of finding it in a given region. There is no O-Level equivalent to this concept. Students who are used to deterministic answers ("the particle is here") will need to adjust to probabilistic reasoning ("there is a 90 % chance the particle is in this region").
Exam questions on Wavefunctions are expected to be conceptual rather than calculation-heavy. Students should focus on understanding what a probability-density graph shows, what the area under such a graph represents, and how wavefunctions relate to quantum tunnelling and energy levels in the broader Quantum Physics topic.
Spreadsheet practical skills (new in Paper 4)
The 9478 Paper 4 practical examination now requires students to use spreadsheet functions - specifically LINEST and LOGEST - to determine gradients, intercepts, and uncertainties from experimental data. This replaces the manual graph-plotting and ruler-drawn best-fit line that was standard under the previous syllabus.
Students who have never used LINEST or LOGEST in an exam context should practise these functions specifically. The skill is not tested implicitly through general spreadsheet literacy - students need to know the exact syntax, understand what the output rows mean, and be able to extract the relevant values under time pressure.
No Past Papers for New Topics - What to Do
Because the 9478 syllabus introduces Capacitance and Wavefunctions as new examinable topics, there are no past A-Level papers covering them. Students who rely solely on the ten-year series will find a gap here.
The right approach is to use SEAB specimen papers and school-set preliminary papers for practice on these topics. Specimen papers are available from the links in the "Specimen Papers" section above. For prelim papers, students can ask their school for past sets or source them from peer networks across JC schools.
This is a temporary gap - it will close as exam years accumulate after 2026. It does not mean the topics are harder than legacy topics, only that the practice material pool is smaller right now.
9478 vs 9749 - Key Differences
The 9478 syllabus replaces the outgoing 9749 syllabus. If your child sat O-Level Physics under materials referencing 9749, or if you are looking at older JC notes and past papers, the following differences matter:
Capacitance added: Not present in 9749. Covered in the Electricity and Magnetism strand of 9478.
Wavefunctions added: Not present in 9749 in this form. Covered under Quantum Physics in 9478.
Paper 4 practical format updated: The 9478 practical paper requires spreadsheet-based data analysis (LINEST/LOGEST). The 9749 Paper 4 used manual graph-plotting.
Mark allocations revised: Internal weighting across Papers 1–4 has been adjusted. Paper 3 carries 35 % under 9478; confirm current weightings against the table above rather than older reference materials.
Past papers labelled 9749 remain useful for practising mechanics, waves, thermal physics, and electromagnetism topics that carry over to 9478. They are not useful for Capacitance, Wavefunctions, or the new Paper 4 practical format.
Next Steps
Chapter-by-chapter notes:free H2 Physics notes - all 20 topics with downloadable PDFs.
