Question 1
Topic – 1.1 Physical quantities and measurement techniques
A student uses a metre ruler to measure the length of a sheet of paper.
Which measurement is shown to the nearest millimetre?
A) 0.2932 m
B) 0.293 m
C) 0.29 m
D) 0.3 m
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: B
Question 2
Topic – 1.2 Motion
A rocket travels with an average speed of 6 km/s for 2 minutes.
What is the distance travelled by the rocket?
A) 12 km
B) 50 km
C) 720 km
D) 12000 km
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: C
Question 3
Topic – 1.5.1 Effects of forces
The diagram shows the vertical forces acting on a ball as it falls vertically through the air. The ball does not reach terminal velocity.
Which row describes what happens to the resultant force on the ball and what happens to the acceleration of the ball as it falls through the air?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: A
Question 4
Topic – 1.2 Motion
A coconut falls from a palm tree. At X, it has just started falling. Y is the point just before it hits the ground.
What is the acceleration of the coconut at X? (Air resistance can be ignored.)
A) zero
B) less than that at Y
C) the same as that at Y
D) more than that at Y
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: C
Question 5
Topic – 1.5.1 Effects of forces
A car is driven round a bend in the road at a constant speed.
What is the direction of the resultant force on the car when it is going round the bend?
A) parallel to the motion and in the same direction as the motion
B) parallel to the motion and in the opposite direction to the motion
C) perpendicular to the motion and towards the inside of the bend
D) perpendicular to the motion and towards the outside of the bend
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: C
Question 6
Topic – 1.5.2 Turning effect of forces
The diagram shows a drawbridge that is attached to a wall by a hinge at one end and a cable at the other.
The weight of the drawbridge and the tension in the cable are represented by the labelled arrows in the diagram. There is a third force at the hinge, which is not shown. The drawbridge is in equilibrium.
Which arrow shows a possible direction for the force at the hinge?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: D
Question 7
Topic – 1.6 Momentum
Which equation gives the momentum change of an object?
A) momentum change = \(\frac{force}{area}\)
B) momentum change = force × distance
C) momentum change = force × \(\frac{distance}{time}\)
D) momentum change = force × time
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: D
Question 8
Topic – 1.7.3 Energy resources
Which statement about the use of nuclear fuel as an energy resource is correct?
A) It obtains its energy from the Sun.
B) It has no environmental impact.
C) Nuclear power stations do not need turbines.
D) The energy is released by nuclear fission.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: D
Question 9
Topic – 1.7.2 Work
The diagram shows an object of mass m being projected with speed v from a point P to a point Q on top of a cliff height h.
The object does work W against air resistance as it travels from P to Q.
What is the kinetic energy of the object when it reaches point Q?
A) \(\frac{1}{2}mv^{2}\) + mgh + W
B) \(\frac{1}{2}mv^{2}\) + mgh – W
C) \(\frac{1}{2}mv^{2}\) – mgh + W
D) \(\frac{1}{2}mv^{2}\) – mgh – W
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: D
Question 10
Topic – 1.7.4 Power
The diagram shows a Sankey diagram for an electric drill.
What is the total wasted energy shown by the diagram?
A) 120 J
B) 200 J
C) 360 J
D) 560 J
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: B
Question 11
Topic – 1.8 Pressure
An elephant of weight 45000 N stands with all four feet on the floor.
The average pressure on the floor due to the elephant foot in contact with it is 34000 Pa.
What is the area of each foot of the elephant?
A) 0.19 \(m^{2}\)
B) 0.33 \(m^{2}\)
C) 0.76 \(m^{2}\)
D) 1.3 \(m^{2}\)
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: B
Question 12
Topic – 2.2.2 Specific heat capacity
Some air is trapped inside a metal container with a tightly fitting lid.
The container is heated strongly behind a safety screen. The lid is blown off by the increased pressure of the air inside the container.
What causes the increase in pressure of the air inside the container?
A) Each air particle expands and takes up more room.
B) The air particles move more quickly.
C) The number of particles inside the container increases.
D) The volume occupied by the air decreases.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: B
Question 13
Topic – 2.2.3 Melting, boiling and evaporation
A very hot mug of coffee is near a large unheated swimming pool holding 2.0 × 106 kg of water.
Which statement is correct?
A) If the mug of coffee is tipped in the pool, the coffee will lose much more internal energy than the water in the pool gains.
B)The internal energy of a substance depends only on its temperature.
C) The internal energy of the water in the pool is lower than the internal energy of the mug of coffee.
D) When the temperature of the mug of coffee falls, its internal energy will decrease.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: D
Question 14
Topic – 2.2.3 Melting, boiling and evaporation
A student measures the mass of water in an open container over two hours. The container is kept in a warm room. The results are in the table.
Why does the mass of the water change?
A) The water evaporates.
B) The water freezes.
C) The water condenses.
D) The water boils.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: A
Question 15
Topic – 2.2.2 Specific heat capacity
A 1 kg block of aluminium requires more thermal energy to raise its temperature by 1° C than a 1 kg block of copper requires.
Why is this?
A) Aluminium is a better conductor of thermal energy than copper.
B) Aluminium is a poorer conductor of thermal energy than copper.
C) Aluminium has a higher specific heat capacity than copper.
D) Aluminium has a lower specific heat capacity than copper.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: C
Question 16
Topic – 2.2.3 Melting, boiling and evaporation
A block of ice is at a temperature of –100° C. Energy is supplied at a constant rate. The graph shows how its temperature changes.
At which points have the ice completely changed state to water and all the water completely changed state to steam?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: D
Question 17
Topic – 3.1 General properties of waves
Water waves are reflected at a plane surface.
Which property of the waves is changed by the reflection?
A) direction of propagation
B) frequency
C) speed
D) wavelength
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: A
Question 18
Topic – 3.2.2 Refraction of light
A light ray is passed through air, glass and water.
At which points does the light speed decrease?
A) W and X
B) W and Y
C) X and Z
D) Y and Z
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: B
Question 19
Topic – 3.1 General properties of waves
Plane water waves approach a narrow gap in a barrier.
Which diagram shows the diffraction pattern that would occur?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: C
Question 20
Topic – 3.2.2 Refraction of light
A ray of light enters a transparent plastic wedge from air and is incident on the lower surface at the critical angle, as shown.
The angle of incidence is i, the angle of refraction is r, and the critical angle is c.
In which ray diagram are the angles labelled correctly?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: B
Question 21
Topic – 3.2.3 Thin lenses
An object is placed 20 cm in front of a thin converging lens. The scale diagram shows how the lens forms a real, inverted image.
Which row gives the focal length of the lens and the distance of the image from the lens?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: A
Question 22
Topic – 3.3 Electromagnetic spectrum
Radio waves are electromagnetic waves.
What is the wavelength of a radio wave of frequency 2.0 × \(10^{5}\) Hz?
A 0.00067 m
B 0.0015 m
C 670 m
D 1500 m
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: D
Question 23
Topic – 3.4 Sound
A candle flame is placed in front of a loudspeaker.
The loudspeaker produces a sound wave that causes air particles to vibrate. The vibrating air particles make the candle flame vibrate in the same direction as the air particles.
Which row shows the direction of vibration of the candle flame and the nature of sound waves?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: C
Question 24
Topic – 4.1 Simple phenomena of magnetism
The diagram shows part of the magnetic field around a strong magnet.
In which position does a magnetic pole experience the strongest force?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: A
Question 25
Topic – 4.2.2 Electric current
There is a current of 0.60 A in a closed circuit.
How much charge passes a point in the circuit in 2.5 min?
A) 0.24 C
B) 1.5 C
C) 90 C
D) 5400 C
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: C
Question 26
Topic – 4.2.3 Electromotive force and potential difference
Which two physical quantities have the unit J/C?
A) charge and energy
B) charge and potential difference (p.d.)
C) electromotive force (e.m.f.) and p.d.
D) e.m.f. and charge
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: C
Question 27
Topic – 4.2.4 Resistance
A copper wire is placed in an electrical circuit and its resistance is measured. The wire is then replaced with a second copper wire with twice the length and a quarter of the diameter.
What is the ratio of the resistance for the two wires?
A) 1 : 2
B) 1 : 4
C) 1 : 8
D) 1 : 32
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: D
Question 28
Topic – 4.3.1 Circuit diagrams and circuit components
Which circuit contains a diode connected in series with a fixed resistor?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: C
Question 29
Topic – 4.3.2 Series and parallel circuits
In the circuit shown, resistor X has twice the resistance of resistor Y.
Which statement about the circuit is correct?
A) The current in the cell is greater than the current in X.
B) The current in X is greater than the current in Y.
C) The potential difference (p.d.) across the cell is greater than the p.d. across X.
D) The p.d. across X is greater than the p.d. across Y.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: A
Question 30
Topic – 4.3.2 Series and parallel circuits
A 4 Ω resistor and an 8 Ω resistor are connected in series with a power supply.
A voltmeter connected across the 8 Ω resistor reads 36 V.
What is the voltmeter reading when it is connected across the 4 Ω resistor?
A) 12 V
B) 18 V
C) 72 V
D) 108 V
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: B
Question 31
Topic – 4.5.3 Magnetic effect of a current
A metal rod, XY, is placed in a magnetic field so that it is perpendicular to the field, as shown.
In which direction is the rod moved so that there is an induced current from Y to X?
A) left to right
B) right to left
C) into the paper, away from the observer
D) out of the paper, towards the observer
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: D
Question 32
Topic – 4.5.5 The d.c. motor
The diagram shows a basic electric motor.
What are the names of the features?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: B
Question 33
Topic – 4.5.6 The transformer
Two transformers, P and Q, each have 2000 turns on their primary coils and 1000 turns on their secondary coils. Both transformers are 100% efficient.
The secondary of transformer P is connected to the primary of transformer Q.
Q provides a motor with a current of 0.2 A.
What is the current being supplied to the primary of transformer P?
A) 0.8 A
B) 0.4 A
C) 0.1 A
D) 0.05 A
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: D
Question 34
Topic – 5.1.1 The atom
α-particles are directed at a metal foil.
Most of the particles pass through the foil with little change in direction.
A small proportion of the particles are scattered back through large angles.
What does this evidence suggest about the structure of an atom?
A) It consists of a charged centre much smaller than the size of the atom and with little of the mass of the atom.
B) It consists of a negative charge the size of the atom containing small positive charges scattered through it.
C) It consists of a charged centre much smaller than the size of the atom but with most of the mass of the atom.
D) It consists of a positive charge the size of the atom containing small negative charges scattered through it.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: C
Question 35
Topic – 5.2.3 Radioactive decay
Which statement correctly compares the properties of alpha-particles and beta-particles?
A) Alpha-particles are less penetrating than beta-particles because alpha-particles are less ionising.
B) Alpha-particles are less penetrating than beta-particles because alpha-particles are more ionising.
C) Alpha-particles are more penetrating than beta-particles because alpha-particles are less ionising.
D) Alpha-particles are more penetrating than beta-particles because alpha-particles are more ionising.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: B
Question 36
Topic – 5.2.3 Radioactive decay
Which statement about alpha decay is correct?
A) The nucleus loses electrons.
B) The nucleus changes to that of a different element.
C) The nucleus does not decay until after one half-life.
D) After two half-lives, alpha decay always stops.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: B
Question 37
Topic – 5.2.4 Half-life.
An explosion in a nuclear reactor spreads the isotope caesium -137, \(_{55}^{137}\textrm{Cs}\) across a large area.
After 90.0 years have passed, the quantity of caesium-137 present is 12.5% of its original level.
What is the half-life of caesium-137?
A) 11.3 years
B) 22.5 years
C) 30.0 years
D) 45.0 years
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: C
Question 38
Topic – 6.1.2 The Solar System
Which type of object rotates around the Sun with an elliptical orbit?
A) planet
B) galaxy
C) red giant
D) moon
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: A
Question 39
Topic – 6.2.1 The Sun as a star
Which statement about the Sun is correct?
A) The nuclear reactions in the Sun create mainly radio waves and microwaves.
B) The Sun is powered by fission reactions in which hydrogen is converted into helium.
C) The Sun is powered by fission reactions in which lithium is converted into helium.
D) The Sun is powered by fusion reactions and electromagnetic radiation is produced.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: D
Question 40
Topic – 6.2.3 The Universe
To determine the value of the Hubble constant, an astronomer measures the distance of a galaxy from the Earth as 2.5 × \(10^{21}\) km.
She also measures the speed of recession of the galaxy from the Earth as 5.2 × \(10^{3}\) km/s.
From these data, what is the value of the Hubble constant?
A) 7.7 × \(10^{-26} s^{-1}\)
B) 2.1 × \(10^{-18} s^{-1}\)
C) 4.8 × \(10^{17} s^{-1}\)
D) 1.3 × \(10^{25} s^{-1}\)
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: B