Physics 9702 · AS & A Level
Physical quantities
86 practice questions on Physical quantities, with worked solutions and instant marking.
The table lists some measurable quantities. Which row states the correct order of magnitude for the measurable quantity in the unit given?
Feb/March 2020
Which of the following could not represent a measurement of a physical quantity?
Feb/March 2022
An object of mass $m$ hangs from a fixed point by means of a spring. The spring constant is $k$. The object is made to undergo vertical oscillations with period $T$. Which equation for $T$ is homogeneous with respect to base units?
Feb/March 2024
Which definition is correct and uses quantities only, rather than units?
May/June 2011
A body experiences a weight of $58.9\,\text{N}$ on the Earth. On the Moon, the acceleration of free fall is $1.64\,\text{m s}^{-2}$. What are the body’s weight and its mass when it is on the Moon?
May/June 2011
Which definition is correct and is expressed using quantities instead of units?
May/June 2011
An object has a weight of $58.9\,\text{N}$ on Earth. On the Moon, the acceleration of free fall is $1.64\,\text{m s}^{-2}$. What are the object's weight and mass on the Moon?
May/June 2011
At a single temperature, approximately $0.01^{\circ}\text{C}$, water, water vapour and ice are able to exist together in equilibrium. Which statement about the molecules’ properties at this temperature is correct?
May/June 2014
A liquid exits a tube with speed $v$, which is determined by the pressure difference $\Delta P$ and the liquid density $\rho$. The relationship is $v = k\left(\frac{\Delta P}{\rho}\right)^n$, where $k$ is a constant with no units. What is the value of $n$?
May/June 2014
Which of the following statements is correct?
May/June 2015
Which definition is correct and uses quantities only, rather than units?
May/June 2015
Which statement is incorrect?
May/June 2015
A student produces a table giving sensible estimates for several physical quantities. Which row is not a sensible estimate?
May/June 2017
What is the approximate mean speed of a female Olympic winner in a $100\,\text{m}$ race?
May/June 2017
A micrometer screw gauge is used to measure the diameter of a cylindrical metal rod. The diagram below gives an enlarged view of the micrometer screw gauge scale while the measurement is being taken. What is the cross-sectional area of the rod?
May/June 2017
The drag coefficient $C_d$ is a dimensionless quantity. It is used to compare the drag acting on different cars at different speeds. $C_d$ is defined by the equation $$C_d = \frac{2F}{v^n \rho A}$$ where $F$ represents the drag force on the car, $\rho$ is the density of the air, $A$ is the car’s cross-sectional area and $v$ is the speed of the car. What is the value of $n$?
May/June 2018
Which is the most suitable description of a physical quantity?
May/June 2018
What term is used to describe the mass of an object?
May/June 2019
A small charge $q$ is located in the electric field produced by a large charge $Q$. Each of the two charges is acted on by a force $F$. What is the electric field strength due to charge $Q$ at the location of charge $q$?
May/June 2020
Which of the following is not a reasonable estimate for the physical property shown?
May/June 2021
Which term refers to a physical quantity?
May/June 2022
Which of the following statements is correct?
May/June 2022
Which estimate would be sensible?
May/June 2022
Which pair of quantities count as physical quantities?
May/June 2022
Which statement gives the definition of the mass of an object?
May/June 2023
What information must a record of a physical quantity contain?
May/June 2023
What do the terms mass and weight of an object on the Earth mean?
May/June 2024
Which statement is false?
May/June 2024
What must every physical quantity possess?
May/June 2025
The period $T$ of a pendulum is defined by $T = 2\pi \left(\frac{L}{g}\right)^n$ where $L$ denotes the length of the pendulum and $g$ denotes the acceleration due to free fall. This equation is homogeneous. What value does $n$ take?
May/June 2025
A football is released from the roof of a three-storey building and drops through the air until it lands on the ground. Which quantity stays unchanged during the entire descent?
Oct/Nov 2010
Estimate each of the quantities listed below.
Oct/Nov 2010
A student is given a reel of wire with diameter smaller than $0.2\ \text{mm}$ and has to determine the metal’s density. Which pair of instruments would be most appropriate for measuring the volume of the wire?
Oct/Nov 2012
The drag coefficient $C_d$ is a quantity with no units. It is used to compare the drag on different cars at different speeds. It is defined by the equation $C_d = \frac{2F}{\rho v^{n} A}$ where $F$ denotes the drag force on the car, $\rho$ represents the density of the air, $A$ is the cross-sectional area of the car and $v$ is the speed of the car. Determine the value of $n$.
Oct/Nov 2013
What is meant by the mass of an object and by its weight on the Earth?
Oct/Nov 2013
The drag coefficient $C_d$ is a quantity with no units. It is used to compare the drag on different cars at different speeds. It is defined by the equation $C_d = \\frac{2F}{\\rho v^n A}$, where $F$ is the drag force on the car, $\\rho$ is the density of the air, $A$ is the cross-sectional area of the car and $v$ is the speed of the car. Determine the value of $n$?
Oct/Nov 2013
What do the terms mass and weight of an object on the Earth mean?
Oct/Nov 2013
Which estimate seems realistic?
Oct/Nov 2013
Which list is arranged in order of increasing length from start to finish?
Oct/Nov 2015
Which row gives sensible estimates for the mass and the speed of an adult running?
Oct/Nov 2015
The Earth has a radius of about $6.4 \times 10^6\,\text{m}$, while the Moon has a radius of about $1.7 \times 10^6\,\text{m}$. A student wants to make a scale model of the Solar System in a classroom, with a football of radius $0.12\,\text{m}$ standing for the Earth. Which object would be the most suitable choice to stand for the Moon?
Oct/Nov 2018
Which of the following statements is correct?
Oct/Nov 2019
Which quantity counts as a physical quantity?
Oct/Nov 2020
Which time interval has the smallest duration?
Oct/Nov 2020
What would be a sensible estimate for the volume of a standard football when it is fully inflated?
Oct/Nov 2020
Which row indicates the requirement that every physical quantity must have?
Oct/Nov 2021
Which statement is incorrect?
Oct/Nov 2021
What does the term mass of an object mean?
Oct/Nov 2021
A paperback book has 210 sheets of paper (pages). The ruler reading for its thickness is shown. What is the average thickness of a single sheet of paper in the book?
Oct/Nov 2021
What must be used to represent all physical quantities accurately?
Oct/Nov 2022
Which of the following quantities is a physical quantity?
Oct/Nov 2022
What would be a sensible estimate for the cross-sectional area of the wire in a paper clip?
Oct/Nov 2023
Which statement concerning mass is correct?
Oct/Nov 2023
What would be a reasonable estimate for the volume of a single page in this examination paper?
Oct/Nov 2024
Which statement is the correct one?
Oct/Nov 2024
Which statement concerning physical quantities is correct?
Oct/Nov 2024
An unstretched wire has a length of $2.00\,\text{m}$. A stress of $1.6 \times 10^{5}\,\text{Pa}$ is applied to the wire, causing its length to become $2.10\,\text{m}$. The wire follows Hooke’s law. What is the Young modulus of the wire?
Oct/Nov 2025
Which row gives the correct answer for sound waves?
Oct/Nov 2025
State one possible value for the charge on a particle.
Oct/Nov 2025
The graphs indicate possible current-voltage ($I$-$V$) characteristics for a filament lamp and for a semiconductor diode. Which row shows the $I$-$V$ graphs for the lamp and for the diode?
Oct/Nov 2025
The diagram illustrates the currents in one section of an electric circuit. The resistors are identical. Which equation is not correct?
Oct/Nov 2025
Identify the particle that is a lepton.
Oct/Nov 2025
What phase difference is there between points P and Q on the progressive wave shown in the diagram?
Oct/Nov 2025
The graph illustrates how displacement changes with distance for two progressive waves X and Y of the same type travelling in the same medium. The intensity of wave X is $I$. What is the intensity of wave Y?
Oct/Nov 2025
The equation $n\lambda = d\sin\theta$ may be applied with a diffraction grating to determine the wavelength of visible light. Which quantity is unsuitable for use in this equation?
Oct/Nov 2025
A resistor has constant resistance and carries a current of $8.0\text{ mA}$. The power dissipated in the resistor is $P$. The current through the resistor is then raised to $12.0\text{ mA}$. What is the resistor’s new power dissipation?
Oct/Nov 2025
Wire X is a piece of wire with resistivity $\rho$, length $L$ and cross-sectional area $A$. Its resistance is $R$. A different metal is used to make a second wire, Y. Wire Y has the same resistance as X, but its length is twice that of X. Which row shows suitable values for the resistivity and cross-sectional area of Y?
Oct/Nov 2025
A cell with electromotive force (e.m.f.) $E$ transfers a charge $Q$ to an external circuit. Which statement is correct?
Oct/Nov 2025
An up quark inside a hadron is converted into a down quark. The elementary charge is $e$. What is the magnitude of the change in the charge of the hadron?
Oct/Nov 2025
A nucleus of $^{238}_{92}\text{U}$ undergoes a sequence of decays by releasing $\alpha$-particles and $\beta^{-}$ particles, and it finally changes into a nucleus of $^{206}_{82}\text{Pb}$. How many $\alpha$-particles and how many $\beta^{-}$ particles are emitted in the decay chain?
Oct/Nov 2025
A wire begins with an unstretched length of $2.00\,\text{m}$. It is subjected to a stress of $1.6 \times 10^5\,\text{Pa}$, after which its length becomes $2.10\,\text{m}$. Assume the wire follows Hooke’s law. Determine the Young modulus of the wire.
Oct/Nov 2025
Which row gives the correct information for sound waves?
Oct/Nov 2025
A resistor has resistance $R$ and a potential difference $V$ is applied across it. The current flowing through the resistor is $I$. Which equation shows the power $P$ dissipated by the resistor?
Oct/Nov 2025
Which charge could a particle have?
Oct/Nov 2025
The graphs display possible current-voltage ($I$-$V$) characteristics for a filament lamp and for a semiconductor diode. Which row shows the $I$-$V$ graphs for the lamp and for the diode?
Oct/Nov 2025
The diagram illustrates the currents in part of an electric circuit. The resistors are identical. Which equation is incorrect?
Oct/Nov 2025
The diagram illustrates a decay chain with three $\alpha$-particles and one $\beta^{-}$ particle: $^{237}_{93}\text{Np} \xrightarrow{\alpha} Q \xrightarrow{\beta^-} R \xrightarrow{\alpha} S \xrightarrow{\alpha} T$. What is nuclide T?
Oct/Nov 2025
Which particle belongs to the lepton group?
Oct/Nov 2025
What is required in order to represent all physical quantities accurately?
Oct/Nov 2025
Which statement concerning electromagnetic waves is correct?
Oct/Nov 2025
In a progressive transverse wave, what does the term diffraction mean?
Oct/Nov 2025
Two light sources are used to create an interference pattern. Interference fringes are seen when the waves emitted by the two sources are coherent. What does the term coherent waves mean?
Oct/Nov 2025
Which component is represented by the $I$-$V$ graph shown?
Oct/Nov 2025
The diagram illustrates an electrical circuit that includes a light-dependent resistor (LDR). What does the circuit diagram for this circuit look like?
Oct/Nov 2025
Which equation is correct for $\beta^{+}$ decay?
Oct/Nov 2025
A polonium nucleus, $^{{214}}_{{84}}\mathrm{Po}$, undergoes decay by releasing an $\alpha$-particle, so that it changes into a lead nucleus. This lead nucleus is also unstable. It then decays by releasing a $\beta^{-}$ particle to create a bismuth nucleus, which afterwards decays by releasing a $\beta^{-}$ particle and forms a nucleus X. How many neutrons are present in nucleus X?
Oct/Nov 2025