Oct/Nov 2025

Object X is positioned alongside a ruler. That ruler is then placed beside another ruler in order to determine the end correction. What is the length of object X?

Physical quantities and measurement techniques

A sample of gas is measured for pressure and volume while the temperature is kept constant, and the results are shown on a graph. The pressure is reduced to $12.5\text{ kPa}$. What is the new volume of this gas sample?

Pressure

The diagram shows a solid metal block. Which equation is used to calculate the density of the metal that the block is made from?

Density

A student balances a non-uniform object on a pivot. To achieve this, a weight is hung close to the left-hand end of the object, as shown. Where is the centre of gravity of the object?

Centre of gravity

Seven energy sources are given: fossil fuel, hydroelectric, solar, nuclear, geothermal, wind, tides. How many of these energy sources are renewable energy sources?

Energy resources

A student warms a substance whose particles are arranged in fixed positions and only vibrate. After heating for a brief time, the particles begin to move past one another, although the forces between them are still strong. What change has occurred in the substance?

States of matter

A student studies how altering the temperature of a gas changes the gas volume. The gas remains at a fixed pressure. Which graph represents the link between temperature and the volume of a sample of gas at constant pressure?

Thermal expansion of solids, liquids and gases

A sample of a solid is heated until it changes into a liquid. During melting, which statement about the sample is correct?

Thermal properties and temperature

There are four metal cans that are the same apart from the colour and the texture of their outer surfaces. $100\,\text{cm}^3$ of water at $70^\circ\text{C}$ is poured into each can. Which can cools down most quickly?

Transfer of thermal energy

The statements are about sound waves. Three words are missing. Sound waves are longitudinal waves made up of areas of greater pressure called gap 1 and areas of lower pressure called gap 2. An echo happens when a sound is gap 3. Which words should fill gaps 1, 2 and 3?

Sound

A ray of light is incident on a plane mirror with an angle of incidence of $20^\circ$. The angle of incidence is then raised by $5^\circ$. What is the new angle between the incident ray and the reflected ray?

Reflection of light

Quantities may be classified as scalar or vector. Which row gives the scalar quantities and the vector quantities?

Physical quantities and measurement techniques

The lists below show the colours in the spectrum. Which list arranges these colours in order of increasing frequency?

Dispersion of light

An object O is positioned close to a thin converging lens. The diagram shows three light rays from the object travelling through the lens. Which row states the image that is produced and indicates the location of a principal focus (focal point) of the lens?

Thin lenses

Which diagram shows the light ray following an incorrect path?

Reflection of light

A light ray moves from X to Y through an optical fibre. At Y, the angle of incidence is larger than the critical angle. In what direction does the light ray travel after it reaches point Y?

Refraction of light

A firework is fired straight up from the ground. At a height of $360\,\text{m}$, it bursts and gives off coloured light. A student standing on the ground beneath the firework wrongly times the interval between seeing the coloured light and hearing the explosion. The student records a value of $1.8\,\text{s}$. What speed of sound does the student's result imply?

Sound

A loudspeaker emits a sound wave with frequency $50\,\text{Hz}$. The amplitude of the sound wave is made larger. What will be heard?

Sound

A bar magnet is set on a sheet of paper. The diagram displays the magnetic field lines produced by the magnet. A soft-iron bar is then placed on the paper along the rectangle labelled WZ. The soft-iron bar is magnetised by induction. What magnetic poles appear at the two ends of the soft-iron bar?

Simple magnetism and magnetic fields

Which material is an electrical conductor at room temperature?

Electrical quantities

A student carries out an investigation into electrostatic charge using a balloon and a cloth. At the start, neither the balloon nor the cloth has any charge. The student then rubs the balloon with the cloth. As a result, the balloon acquires a negative charge of magnitude Q. The cloth also becomes charged, and a force acts between the balloon and the cloth. Which row gives the correct magnitude and sign of the charge on the cloth, together with the type of force between the balloon and the cloth?

Electrical charge

A student sets up four circuits with two identical cells, two identical resistors and a motor. Which circuit makes the coil of the motor rotate most quickly?

Action and use of circuit components

The diagram presents the speed-time graphs of two objects that are accelerating uniformly. A student uses these graphs to reach two statements. 1. The distance covered by object P is 26 m smaller than the distance covered by object Q. 2. The acceleration of object P is $0.50\ \text{m s}^{-2}$ smaller than the acceleration of object Q. Which statements are correct?

Motion

The diagram illustrates a lightning strike. Charge moves between the cloud and objects on the ground. While the lightning strike occurs, a current of $2.8 \times 10^{4}\,\text{A}$ passes between the cloud and the house for $52\,\text{ms}$. What quantity of charge flows during the lightning strike?

Electrical current

Two current-carrying conductors are positioned close together. The current in both conductors flows in the same direction. Which statement about the forces acting on the conductors is correct?

Forces on a current-carrying conductor

Which part is not required for a simple d.c. motor to operate?

The d.c. motor

Which component in an electric circuit is used to detect temperature changes?

Action and use of circuit components

A kettle with a power of $2.0\,\text{kW}$ is supplied by the $230\,\text{V}$ mains. What fuse rating would be suitable for the circuit?

Practical electricity

A student is using a simple transformer with an iron core. The primary coil contains 250 turns, while the secondary coil contains 200 turns. The voltage supplied to the primary coil is $12\,\text{V}$. What is the output voltage?

The transformer

Four statements concerning an atom are given below. Which of these statements is correct?

The atom

A smoke alarm includes a radioactive source, S. The radiation from S that is useful is stopped by only a few centimetres of air. What type of useful radioactive radiation is emitted by S?

Radioactivity

The planets in the Solar System travel around the Sun. Which of the following statements is correct?

Earth and the Solar System

A star lies 4.2 light-years away from the Earth. How many metres are equal to 4.2 light-years?

Physical quantities and measurement techniques

Which speed-time graph shows the motion of a railway train that pauses briefly at a station?

Motion

What does the term protostar mean?

Stars and the Universe

The diagram represents an athlete performing press-ups on a floor. Both hands are in contact with the floor. The contact area of each hand with the floor is S. During each press-up, the athlete’s toes serve as the pivot. The athlete’s weight $W$ acts through point X. The distance from his toes to point X is three quarters of the distance from his toes to his shoulders. What pressure is produced on the palm of each of the athlete’s hands?

Pressure

A parachutist descends towards the ground at constant speed with a fully open parachute. Which statement is correct?

Balanced and unbalanced forces

A student determines the density of an irregularly shaped stone. Which pieces of equipment are required?

Density

The table gives the relationship between a spring’s extension and the load applied. Between which two loads is the limit of proportionality?

Elastic deformation

A man is stationary on the Earth's surface. The man's weight is the gravitational force acting on him. By Newton's third law, the man's weight is one force in an action-reaction pair. Which force forms the other member of the pair?

Forces

A micrometer is being used to find the diameter of a length of wire. What reading does the micrometer display?

Physical quantities and measurement techniques

An object is stationary on a table. In the free-body diagrams, the arrow lengths show the magnitude and direction of the forces acting on the object. Which diagram represents the free-body diagram for the object?

Balanced and unbalanced forces

The load-extension graph for a spring is shown. What does point X indicate?

Elastic deformation

A car travels round a circle at constant speed. In which direction does the resultant force acting on the car act?

Circular motion

A long plank is balanced on a pivot at its centre of gravity. Two objects, X and Y, are then positioned on the plank. X has a weight of $140\text{ N}$ and is $1.2\text{ m}$ to the left of the pivot. Y has a weight of $220\text{ N}$ and is $0.55\text{ m}$ to the right of the pivot. A third object with weight $110\text{ N}$ is placed on the plank so that the plank remains in equilibrium. On which section of the plank is the object placed?

Turning effect of forces

Which statement is correct about the centre of gravity?

Centre of gravity

Energy is stored in batteries, fuel and food. What is the name of this store of energy?

Energy

A rocket has mass $M$ when it is empty. It also carries an extra mass $M$ of fuel. The rocket and the fuel are moving at speed $v$. When the rocket engine is ignited, all of the fuel is ejected and the rocket’s speed rises to $2v$. What happens to the kinetic energy of the rocket?

Momentum

What does the term efficiency mean?

Efficiency

An object with mass $m$ is raised by a vertical distance $d$ in a time of $t$. Which equation is used to determine the power $P$ needed to lift the object?

Power

A block of wood rests on a bench. The pressure on the bench caused by the block is $1.0\text{ Pa}$. The area of the block touching the base is $A$. Which statement could be correct?

Pressure

An object is acted on by two forces. One force of $1.5\text{ N}$ acts vertically upward and another force of $2.0\text{ N}$ acts horizontally. What is the magnitude of the resultant force?

Forces

Four different liquids are each poured into four separate containers. In which container is the force exerted by the liquid on the base of the container greatest?

Pressure

A student is comparing the properties of the three states of matter. One state has a partially completed table in the student’s notebook, as shown. Which words should complete the table?

States of matter

A liquid seals air inside a glass tube. When the tube is placed horizontally, the trapped air has a length of $50\text{ mm}$ and a pressure of $1.0 \times 10^5\text{ Pa}$. When the tube is set upright with the closed end at the bottom, the trapped air length becomes $45\text{ mm}$. The temperature of the air stays constant. What is the pressure of the trapped air in the upright position?

Kinetic particle model of matter

The diagram represents two changes of state, X and Y. Which row identifies the names of these two changes of state?

Thermal properties and temperature

Energy may be transferred by thermal radiation. Four surfaces differ in colour and texture. They are all at the same temperature and each has the same surface area. Which surface transfers energy by thermal radiation at the greatest rate?

Radiation

Four copper spheres have the same surface colour and the same surface texture. They differ in surface temperature and surface area. Which sphere emits infrared radiation at the highest rate?

Radiation

The table gives the speed and wavelength of different sound waves in four materials. Which of these waves are ultrasound waves?

Sound

Light enters a transparent substance with refractive index $n$. The angle of incidence at the surface of the transparent substance is $i$. Which equation is used to determine the angle of refraction $r$?

Refraction of light

Which diagram shows a ray of light reflected from a plane mirror?

Reflection of light

An object is positioned in front of a plane mirror. Which statement describes the image formed?

Reflection of light

Which equation is used to define acceleration?

Motion

Three light rays strike the surface separating a glass block and air, each with a different angle of incidence. What could be a possible critical angle for light in the glass?

Refraction of light

A student carries out an investigation with four thin lenses. These lenses are used to form focused images of four different objects. The student measures the image length and the object length. The results are given in the table. In which case is the magnification produced the greatest?

Thin lenses

Magnets $M_1$, $M_2$ and $M_3$ are connected by iron balls W, X and Y as shown. The iron balls W and X have magnetic poles induced in them as shown. Which diagram shows the poles induced in ball Y?

Simple magnetism and magnetic fields

A cardboard tube has two wires, P and Q, attached to its ends. Within the tube, wire P and wire Q are connected to two resistors. The potential difference (p.d.) between wire P and wire Q is $9.0\text{ V}$ and the current in the wires is $0.75\text{ A}$. Which combination of resistors is inside the tube?

Electrical quantities

A resistor with resistance $R$ is connected in a circuit with a variable resistor, a voltmeter and a power supply with electromotive force (e.m.f.) $E$. The resistance of the variable resistor rises from $0$ to $2R$. What change occurs in the voltmeter reading?

Electromotive force and potential difference

Which device operates because of electromagnetic induction?

Electromagnetic induction

A beta-particle ($\beta$-particle) moves to the right with constant speed. Which field causes the particle to be deflected upwards on the page?

Electromagnetic effects

Which nuclide results when thorium-223, $^{{223}}_{{90}}\mathrm{Th}$, emits an alpha-particle?

Radioactivity

A radioactive source is positioned $2.0\text{ cm}$ from a Geiger-Müller (G.M.) tube linked to a counter. A sheet of paper is inserted between the source and the G.M. tube. The counter reading falls, but it remains above the background radiation count rate. The paper is then replaced with a sheet of aluminium, and the count rate falls to the background radiation count rate. What radiation is emitted by the source?

Radioactivity

Which of the following statements about the Earth is correct?

Earth and the Solar System

At the Moon’s surface, the acceleration of free fall is $\frac{1}{6}$ of the value at the Earth’s surface. What is the approximate weight of a $1\text{ kg}$ mass on the Moon?

Mass and weight

A teacher asks two students to explain redshift. Student 1 says: It is a reduction in the observed wavelength of electromagnetic radiation from stars. Student 2 says: It occurs because stars and galaxies move away from the Earth. Which students are correct?

Stars and the Universe

A vessel employs ultrasound to determine the depth of the sea. The elapsed time between sending a pulse of ultrasound and receiving its echo is $0.52\text{ s}$. The speed of ultrasound in sea water is $1500\text{ m s}^{-1}$. Determine the depth of the sea.

Motion

Which row gives a definition of an object’s mass and names an instrument used to measure mass?

Mass and weight

Water is first poured into a measuring cylinder. A small piece of rock is then placed in carefully. The diagrams show the water levels and the measuring cylinder scales. What are the correct values of the volumes of the water and the rock?

Physical quantities and measurement techniques

Which list includes only quantities that a force can alter?

Balanced and unbalanced forces

A resultant force acts on an object, making it travel in a straight line. The graph illustrates how the resultant force changes with time. Which graph shows the object’s speed-time graph?

Balanced and unbalanced forces

A car is stationary on a straight horizontal road. At time t = 0, the car starts to accelerate. Figure 1.1 illustrates how the car’s momentum changes with time.

Momentum

In a factory, an electric motor is used to raise the boxes shown in Fig. 2.1. Diagram labels: motor, power supply, cable, boxes, cage. The boxes sit inside a cage, and the motor coils a cable round a cylinder to lift the cage and boxes. The combined mass of the boxes is 37 kg and they are lifted straight up through 13 m to a storage area.

Energy, work and power

Fig. 3.1 shows a small block of ice at 0^{\circ}C together with a plastic cup containing 0.24 kg of water. Diagram labels: block of ice, plastic cup, water. At the start, the water in the cup is 22.0^{\circ}C. The block of ice is placed into the water.

Transfer of thermal energy

Fig. 4.1 illustrates a ray of light hitting the left-hand face of a thin converging glass lens. Diagram labels: ray of light, lens. An object O, with height 1.8 cm, is positioned 2.2 cm to the left of the lens centre. Fig. 4.2 is a full-size diagram showing the converging lens, its principal axis and its two principal focuses, F1 and F2.

Thin lenses

A laboratory bench holds an iron beaker that contains liquid X. Liquid X starts to evaporate gradually. The iron beaker containing liquid X is then placed on an induction heater, as shown in Fig. 5.1. Diagram labels: iron beaker, liquid X, induction heater, coil of wire. Fig. 5.2 shows the location of point P.

Thermal properties and temperature

The circuit contains a battery with e.m.f. 9.0 V, a switch, resistor P, an ammeter, a 4.0 Ω resistor and a voltmeter. Fig. 6.1 gives the circuit diagram. Resistor P is a cylinder of length l, formed from conducting modelling clay. Fig. 6.2 displays resistor P. P has a resistance of 8.0 Ω. The conducting modelling clay from resistor P is then remoulded to produce a second cylindrical resistor with the same volume as resistor P but with a length $\frac{l}{2}$. Fig. 6.3 displays the remoulded resistor.

Electrical quantities

An insulating rod is plastic and is uncharged at the start. It is rubbed with a cloth, after which it acquires a negative charge. A light ball has a thin conducting surface and hangs from the ceiling on an insulating thread. The ball has no charge. When the negatively charged rod is moved close to the ball, Fig. 7.1 shows the ball being pulled towards the rod by a force. Diagram labels: ceiling, insulating thread, light ball, negatively charged rod, direction of force.

Electrical quantities

The nuclide symbol for the radioactive isotope radon-222 is $^{222}_{86}\mathrm{Rn}$. A radon-222 atom decays by releasing an alpha particle (α-particle). Radon-222 is used in an alpha-particle scattering experiment. Fig. 8.1 shows a beam of alpha particles from radon-222 striking a very thin gold sheet in a vacuum. Diagram labels: radon-222, beam of alpha particles, thin gold sheet, vacuum, position J, position K.

Radioactivity

An object is travelling through space. It is a very large distance from every other object. Planet X and Venus are two of the planets in the Solar System. Fig. 9.1 shows the orbit of Venus and the orbit of planet X. Both orbits are approximately circular.

Motion

A car moves along a straight horizontal road and starts off at a steady speed. The speed-time graph in Fig. 1.1 shows the car’s motion from time t = 0. Fig. 1.1 is a speed-time graph of speed (m/s) plotted against time (s). At time t = 5.7 s, the driver notices a road obstruction. A short time later the driver uses the brakes, and the car starts to slow down.

Motion

A spherical container carries measuring instruments down to the bottom of a lake. Figure 2.1 shows the container at rest just beneath the water surface of a lake. Diagram labels: water surface, container. The container is let go and sinks through the water to the lake bottom. It moves a vertical distance of 32 m before striking the bottom of the lake. The combined mass of the container and instruments is 74 kg.

Energy, work and power

Fig. 3.1 depicts a firefighter aiming a jet of water at a wall. Diagram labels: firefighter, jet of water, wall, water. In 1.0 s, a horizontal volume of $7.5 \times 10^{-3}\,\text{m}^3$ of water reaches the wall at a speed of 24 m/s. The density of water is 1000 kg/m$^3$.

Momentum

A large test-tube holds a thermometer and some solid wax at 21^{\circ}C. At time t = 0, the test-tube is partly dipped into a beaker of boiling water, and the wax temperature is measured for the next 600 s. Fig. 4.1 shows how the temperature of the wax changes with time t.

Melting, boiling and evaporation

The microwave region forms one part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Fig. 5.1 shows the electromagnetic spectrum split into the seven main regions. At the left-hand end are gamma rays, and at the right-hand end are radio waves, with wavelength increasing from left to right.

Electromagnetic spectrum

An electric car is propelled by a direct current (d.c.) motor, and this motor is supplied by a direct current power supply. Fig. 6.1 shows the motor circuit. Point P is located in the circuit between the motor and the positive terminal of the power supply. In the circuit diagram, point P appears to the left of the motor. Over a time interval of 120 s, the current in the circuit at point P is 41 A.

Electrical quantities

An electric kettle has an outer casing made of metal. Fig. 7.1 displays the kettle. Diagram labels: mains power supply, cable, electric kettle, metal outer casing. The heater inside the electric kettle is linked to a 230 V mains power supply and has a power rating of 2300 W.

Electrical safety

Lithium occurs in more than one isotope. Fig. 8.1 shows a neutral atom of a radioactive lithium isotope (Li). The nucleus is surrounded by three electrons in orbits. The nuclide symbols for lithium isotopes are written as $^{X}_{Y}\mathrm{Li}$, where X and Y are numbers.

The nuclear model of the atom

Fig. 9.1 illustrates the Sun and the rest of the Solar System travelling in a circular orbit around the centre of the Milky Way. Diagram labels: Milky Way, orbit about centre, centre of Milky Way, position of Solar System, 26 000 light-years. The Sun moves along this circular path with speed v. The speed of light in a vacuum is $9.5 \times 10^{12}$ km/year. The Sun lies 26 000 light-years from the centre of the Milky Way.

Stars and the Universe

A student is assessing the efficiency of a small electric heater. Fig. 1.1 shows a circuit containing a d.c. power supply, ammeter, switch and a coil of wire (small electric heater) in a 100 cm^3 beaker. In (b)(i), the student is also given a thermometer, a stirrer, a measuring cylinder containing water at room temperature and a stopwatch.

Energy, work and power

A student is studying how light refracts as it passes through a transparent block. Fig. 2.1 gives a plan view of the transparent block. The upper edge is marked X and Y, with point M on XY. Two crosses indicate the position of the emerging ray.

Refraction of light

A student measures the mean mass of a marble (glass ball) and explores how fast a marble rolls down a slope.

Motion

A solar cell is a device that produces electrical power when light shines on it. You are given a solar cell connected to a fixed resistor, as in the incomplete circuit shown in Fig. 4.1. The power of the cell can be determined from the equation: power = current \times voltage. Extra apparatus available includes a lamp connected to a power supply, a metre rule, a voltmeter, an ammeter and connecting leads. Any other equipment normally found in a school laboratory may also be used.

Electrical quantities

A student is studying a light dependent resistor (LDR). The student sets up a series circuit made up of a power supply, the LDR, a 560 Ω resistor and a switch. Fig. 1.1 presents circuit symbols for: resistor, variable resistor, resistor with bands, thermistor, cell/power supply terminals, LDR, switch, diode and LED.

Electrical quantities

A student is studying how much thermal radiation different coloured surfaces absorb. The thermometer has a piece of white card taped to its bulb, and the bulb is positioned so that it is level with the filament of a lamp. The lamp is not on. Fig. 2.1 presents the setup with the power supply, white card, tape, clamp, stand and distance d labelled.

Radiation

A student uses a balancing technique to find the mass of a metre rule.

Turning effect of forces

A student is studying how quickly hot water cools in a beaker. Plan an experiment to explore how the thickness of cardboard insulation around the beaker affects the cooling rate of the hot water in the beaker. The apparatus available includes a supply of hot water, a beaker, a thermometer, and 1 mm thick cardboard sheets.

Transfer of thermal energy