WAEC Physics Syllabus 2025/2026
WAEC Physics Syllabus 2025/2026: This authorized WAEC Physics syllabus will put you ahead of your peers, Writing Physics in in Waec 2025/2026, Anyone writing Physics for the upcoming WAEC exams should read the WAEC Physics syllabus.
A thorough physics syllabus is essential for exam preparation because it will act as a guide for you, letting you know which subjects to concentrate on.
This syllabus should be viewed as an expo since WAEC is informing you of the subjects you must be familiar with prior to your test.
The exam will consist of three papers in total; the Objective and Theory sections of Papers 1 and 2 will be taken together.
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Contents
PREAMBLE:
The syllabus, which aims to show the breadth of the course for the Physics exam, was developed from the Senior Secondary School teaching syllabus. The conceptual approach is used to structure it. The general ideas of matter, position, motion, and time; energy; waves; fields; atomic and nuclear physics; and electronics are taken into consideration. Each of these ideas serves as a foundation for additional sub-concepts.
AIMS
The syllabus’s objectives are to help candidates: (1) gain a thorough understanding of the fundamental ideas and applications of physics; (2) cultivate scientific abilities and attitudes as prerequisites for additional scientific endeavours; (3) acknowledge the value and constraints of the scientific method to appreciate its applicability in other fields and in all facets of life; (4) cultivate abilities, attitudes, and skills that promote effective and safe practice; (5) cultivate scientific
WAEC Physics Syllabus 2025/2026
The exam will consist of three papers in total; the objective and theory portions of Papers 1 and 2 will be completed in a single day, while the practical portion of Paper 3 will be completed separately on a different day.
WAEC Physics SYLLABUS | ||
SN | TOPICS | OBJECTIVES |
PART I: INTERACTION OF MATTER, SPACE AND TIME | ||
1 | CONCEPT OF MATTER | |
2 | FUNDAMENTAL AND DERIVED QUANTITIES | i. Fundamental quantities and unitsii. Derived quantities and units |
3 | POSITION, DISTANCE AND DISPLACEMENT | i. Concept of position as a location of point-rectangular coordinates.ii. Measurement of distanceiii. Concept of direction as a way of locating a point–bearingiv. The distinction between distance and displacement |
4 | MASS AND WEIGHT | i. The distinction between mass and weight |
5 | TIME | i. Concept of time as an interval between physical eventsii. Measurement of time |
6 | FLUID AT REST | i. Volume, density and relative densityii. Pressure in fluidsiii. Equilibrium of bodiesiv. Archimedes’ principlev. Law of flotation |
7 | MOTION | i. Types of motion: Random, rectilinear, translational, Rotational, circular, orbital, spin, Oscillatory.ii. Relative motioniii. Cause of motioniv. Types of force:a) Contact forceb) Non-contact force(field force)v. Solid frictionvi. Viscosity (friction in fluids)vii. Simple ideas of circular motion |
8 | SPEED AND VELOCITY | i. Concept of speed as a change of distance with timeii. Concept of velocity as a change of displacement with timeiii. Uniform/non-uniform speed/velocityiv. Distance/displacement-time graph |
9 | PERCENTAGES | Simple interest, commission, discount, depreciation, profit and loss, compound interest, hire purchase, and percentage error. |
10 | FINANCIAL ARITHMETIC | (i) Depreciation/ Amortization(ii) Annuities(iii) Capital Market Instruments |
11 | VARIATION | Direct, inverse, partial, and joint variations. |
PART II: ALGEBRAIC PROCESSES | ||
16 | ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS | (i) Formulating algebraic expressions from given situations( ii ) Evaluation of algebraic expressions |
17 | SIMPLE OPERATIONS ON ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS | ( i ) Expansion(ii ) Factorization(iii) Binary Operations |
18 | SOLUTIONS OF LINEAR EQUATION | (i) Linear equations in one variable(ii) Simultaneous linear equations in two variables. |
19 | CHANGE OF A SUBJECT OF FORMULA/RELATION | (i) Change of subject of a formula/relation(ii) Substitution |
20 | QUADRATIC EQUATIONS | (i) Solution of quadratic equations(ii) Forming quadratic equation with given roots.(iii) Application of solution of quadratic equation in practical problems. |
21 | GRAPHS OF LINEAR & QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS | (i) Interpretation of graphs, coordinate of points, table of values, drawing quadratic graphs and obtaining roots from graphs.( ii ) Graphical solution of a pair of equations of the form: y = ax\(^{2}\) + bx + c and y = mx + k *(iii) Drawing tangents to curves to determine the gradient at a given point. |
22 | LINEAR INEQUALITIES | (i) Solution of linear inequalities in one variable and representation on the number line.∗(ii) Graphical solution of linear inequalities in two variables.∗(iii) Graphical solution of simultaneous linear inequalities in two variables. |
23 | ALGEBRAIC FUNCTIONS | Operations on algebraic fractions with:(i) Monomial denominators( ii ) Binomial denominators |
24 | FUNCTIONS AND RELATIONS | Types of Functions |
PART III: MENSURATION | ||
25 | LENGTHS & PERIMETERS | (i) Use of Pythagoras theorem, sine and cosine rules to determine lengths and distances.(ii) Lengths of arcs of circles, perimeters of sectors and segments.(iii) Longitudes and Latitudes. |
26 | AREAS | (i) Triangles and special quadrilaterals – rectangles, parallelograms and trapeziums(ii) Circles, sectors and segments of circles.(iii) Surface areas of cubes, cuboids, cylinder, pyramids, righttriangular prisms, cones andspheres. |
27 | VOLUMES | (i) Volumes of cubes, cuboids, cylinders, cones, right pyramids and spheres.(ii) Volumes of similar solids |
PART IV: PLANE GEOMETRY | ||
28 | ANGLES | (i) Angles at a point add up to 360°.(ii) Adjacent angles on a straight line are supplementary.(iii) Vertically opposite angles are equal. |
28 | ANGLES & INTERCEPTS AT PARALLEL LINES | (i) Alternate angles are equal.(ii)Corresponding angles are equal.(iii)Interior opposite angles are supplementary(iv) Intercept theorem. |
29 | TRIANGLES AND POLYGONS | (i) The sum of the angles of a triangle is 2 right angles.(ii) The exterior angle of a triangle equals the sum of the two interior opposite angles.(iii) Congruent triangles.( iv ) Properties of special triangles – Isosceles, equilateral, right-angled, etc(v) Properties of specialquadrilaterals – parallelogram, rhombus, square, rectangle, trapezium.( vi )Properties of similar triangles.( vii ) The sum of the angles of a polygon(viii) Property of exterior angles of a polygon.(ix) Parallelograms on the same base and between the same parallels are equal in area. |
30 | CIRCLES | (i) Chords.(ii) The angle which an arc of a circle subtends at the centre of the circle is twice that which it subtends at any point on the remaining part of the circumference.(iii) Any angle subtended at the circumference by a diameter is a right angle. (iv) Angles in the same segment are equal.(v) Angles in opposite segments are supplementary.(vi)Perpendicularity of tangent and radius.(vii)If a tangent is drawn to a circle and from the point of contact a chord is drawn, each angle which this chord makes with the tangent is equal to the angle in the alternate segment. |
31 | CONSTRUCTION | (i) Bisectors of angles and line segments(ii) Line parallel or perpendicular to a given line.(iii )Angles e.g. 90°, 60°, 45°, 30°, and an angle equal to a given angle.(iv) Triangles and quadrilaterals from sufficient data. |
32 | LOCI | Knowledge of the loci listed below and their intersections in 2 dimensions.(i) Points at a given distance from a given point.(ii) Points equidistant from two given points.(iii)Points equidistant from two given straight lines.(iv)Points at a given distance from a given straight line |
PART V: COORDINATE GEOMETRY OF STRAIGHT LINES | ||
33 | CO-ORDINATE GEOMETRY OF STRAIGHT LINES | (i) Concept of the x-y plane.(ii) Coordinates of points on the x-y plane. |
PART VI: TRIGONOMETRY | ||
34 | SINE, COSINE AND TANGENT OF AN ANGLE | (i) Sine, Cosine and Tangent of acute angles.(ii) Use of tables of trigonometric ratios.(iii) Trigonometric ratios of 30°, 45° and 60°.(iv) Sine, cosine and tangent of angles from 0° to 360°.(v)Graphs of sine and cosine.(vi) Graphs of trigonometric ratios |
35 | ANGLES IF ELEVATION & DEPRESSION | (i) Calculating angles of elevation and depression.(ii) Application to heights and distances. |
36 | BEARINGS | (i) Bearing of one point from another.(ii) Calculation of distances and angles |
PART VI: INTRODUCTORY CALCULUS | ||
40 | INTRODUCTORY CALCULUS | (i) Differentiation of algebraic functions.(i) Differentiation of algebraic functions.(ii) Integration of simple Algebraic functions. |
PART VII: STATISTICS AND PROBABILITY | ||
41 | STATISTICS | (i) Frequency distribution( ii ) Pie charts, bar charts, histograms and frequency polygons(iii) Mean, median and mode for both discrete and grouped data.(iv) Cumulative frequency curve (Ogive).(v) Measures of Dispersion: range, semi inter-quartile/interquartile range, variance, mean deviation and standard deviation. |
42 | PROBABILITY | (i) Experimental and theoretical probability.(ii) Addition of probabilities for mutually exclusive and independent events.(iii) Multiplication of probabilities for independent events. |
PART VIII: VECTORS & TRANSFORMATION | ||
43 | VECTORS IN A PLANE | (i) Vectors as a directed line segment.(ii) Cartesian components of a vector(iii) Magnitude of a vector, equal vectors, addition and subtraction of vectors, zero vector, parallel vectors, multiplication of a vector by scalar. |
44 | TRANSFORMATION IN THE CARTESIAN PLANE | (i) Reflection of points and shapes in the Cartesian Plane.(ii) Rotation of points and shapes in the Cartesian Plane.(iii) Translation of points and shapes in the Cartesian Plane. |
WAEC Physics Recommended Textbooks 2025/2026
- Ike, E. E (2014) Essential Principles of Physics, Jos ENIC Publishers.
- 2. Ike, E. E (2014) Numerical Problems and Solutions in Physics, Jos, ENIC Publishers.
- 3. Nelson, M (1977) Fundamentals of Physics, Great Britain: Hart Davis Education.
- 4. Nelson, M and Parker … (1989) Advanced Level Physics (Sixth Edition), Heinemann.
- 5. Okeke, P. N and Anyakoha, M. W (2000) Senior Secondary School Physics, Lagos, Pacific Printers.
- 6. Olumuyionwa A. and Ogunkoya O. O (1992) Comprehensive Certificate Physics, Ibadan: University Press Plc.
Conclusion
To prepare for the upcoming West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), do you need the most recent syllabus? If so, you’ve found what you were looking for.
You’ve learned almost everything you need to know about the subject you registered for from these syllabi, WAEC Physics Syllabus 2025/2026. which also serves as your guide to answering WAEC questions. They are meticulous, precise, and well-structured. They serve as a channel of communication between test-takers and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
Every year, we also learned the causes of subpar performance on the WAEC exams. Our findings helped us to realize that students’ poor performance on the WASSCE is caused by their ignorance of common pitfalls, insufficient syllabus coverage, and unfamiliarity.