H3 Physics (9814) in A-Level
Download printable cheat-sheet (CC-BY 4.0)13 Jul 2025, 00:00 Z
Q: What does H3 Physics in A-Level cover?
A: Should IP students add H3 Physics to an already heavy JC load?
TL;DR
H3 Physics (SEAB syllabus 9814, first exam 2026) is an optional extension that builds on H2 Physics — you should take it together with H2 Physics (9478).
Assessment is one 3-hour, 100-mark paper: Section A 60 marks (includes a 15–20 mark stimulus-based question) + Section B 40 marks (choose 2 of 3 questions); calculus may be required.
H3 subjects are graded Distinction / Merit / Pass (or Ungraded).
Take H3 only if your H2 Physics foundation is already stable; it’s an extension, not a rescue plan.
Status: SEAB H3 Physics syllabus 9814 (first exam 2026) and SEAB A-Level explanatory notes checked 2025-12-15 — refresh if SEAB publishes updated paper format or grading notes.
IP students: keep your H2 foundation and practical skills aligned with our IP Physics tuition hub before taking on H3 extensions.
1 | What exactly is H3?
SEAB describes H3 Level subjects as taking students beyond the H2 Level so they can pursue a subject (or an area of study) in greater depth. SEAB also notes that H3 subjects may take different forms (for example, a university-taught course or an extended research essay).
Practically, “H3 Physics” usually refers to the national SEAB syllabus 9814. It does not replace H2 Physics — you take H3 in addition to H2.
2 | H3 Physics (9814) at a glance
Prerequisite: candidates should simultaneously offer H2 Physics (9478).
Scope: the syllabus builds on H2 Physics and includes the whole H2 syllabus. The H3 syllabus specifies the additional content on top of H2. The five added topics are:
- Frames of Reference
- Rotational Motion
- Electric and Magnetic Fields
- RLC Circuits
- Special Relativity
Paper format: there is one paper of 3 hours (100 marks).
- Section A (60 marks): compulsory structured questions; the last is a stimulus-based question worth 15–20 marks.
- Section B (40 marks): choose 2 out of 3 longer structured questions (20 marks each); questions may require differential and/or integral calculus.
