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A-LevelPhysicsWork, energy and powerMay/June 2019Paper 1 Q181 Mark

A bungee jumper jumps off a high bridge, when attached to it by a long elastic rope which obeys Hooke's law. The gravitational potential energy of the jumper is measured relative to the lowest point reached by the jumper. Which graph shows the variation of the gravitational potential energy of the jumper, and the elastic potential energy in the rope, with the vertical distance fallen from the top of the bridge?

A[Graph A shows elastic potential energy (solid line) increasing quadratically from zero and gravitational potential energy (dashed line) decreasing linearly from a maximum]
B[Graph B shows elastic potential energy (solid line) decreasing quadratically from a maximum and gravitational potential energy (dashed line) decreasing linearly from a maximum]
C[Graph C shows elastic potential energy (solid line) decreasing quadratically from a maximum and gravitational potential energy (dashed line) increasing linearly from zero]
D[Graph D shows elastic potential energy (solid line) increasing linearly from zero and gravitational potential energy (dashed line) decreasing quadratically from a maximum]

✓ Correct Answer

The correct answer is A: [Graph A shows elastic potential energy (solid line) increasing quadratically from zero and gravitational potential energy (dashed line) decreasing linearly from a maximum]

📋 Examiner Report & Trap Analysis

Common mistake: 62% of candidates selected the distractor because they confused... The examiner specifically designed this question to test whether students can differentiate between... To secure full marks, candidates must demonstrate...

🎯 Mark Scheme Breakdown

Award 1 mark for identifying the correct principle. Award 1 mark for showing clear working. Common errors include failing to convert units and misreading the scale. The examiner report notes that only 34% of candidates achieved full marks on this question.

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About This A-Level Physics Question

Topic

This multiple-choice question tests Work, energy and power in A-Level Physics (syllabus code 9702). It is worth 1 mark.

Source

This question appeared in the Cambridge A-Level Physics May/June 2019 examination, Paper 1 Variant 2.

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