Cambridge Past Paper Questions
Browse 23,045questions from 25 years of O-Level & A-Level exams. Click any question to practice.
The uncertainty in the value of the momentum of a trolley passing between two points X and Y varies with the choice of measuring devices. Measureme...
The time-base on a cathode-ray oscilloscope is set at 6 ms/cm. A trace consisting of two pulses is recorded as shown in the diagram. [Figure 5.0]
A bullet is fired horizontally with speed v from a rifle. For a short time t after leaving the rifle, the only force affecting its motion is gravit...
A particle moves in the manner shown by the velocity-time graph. The displacement of the particle has been measured so that it is zero at t = 0. Po...
A tennis ball falls freely, in air, from the top of a tall building. Which graph best represents the variation of distance s fallen with time t?
A small glider moves along a friction-free horizontal air track as shown below. At each end of the air track there is a perfectly elastic buffer. W...
A force F is applied to a freely moving object. At one instant of time, the object has velocity v and acceleration a. Which quantities must be in t...
The momentum of an object changes from 160 kg m s⁻¹ to 240 kg m s⁻¹ in 2 s. What is the mean resultant force on the object during the change?
A car accelerates in a straight line. A graph of the momentum of the car is plotted against time. What is evaluated by finding the gradient of the ...
A stone is projected horizontally in a vacuum and moves along the path shown. [Figure 14.0] X is a point on this path. XV and XH are vertical and h...
The diagrams all show a pair of equal forces acting on a metre rule. Which diagram shows forces that provide a couple and zero resultant force?
A uniform rod XY of weight 10.0 N is freely hinged to a wall at X. It is held horizontal by a force F acting from Y at an angle of 30° to the horiz...
The diagram shows two fixed pins, Y and Z. A length of elastic is stretched between Y and Z and around pin X, which is attached to a trolley. X is ...
An electric motor produces 120 W of useful mechanical output power. The efficiency of the motor is 60%. Which row is correct?
A hammer with 10 J of kinetic energy hits a nail and pushes it 5.0 mm into a plank. Both the hammer and nail come to rest after the collision. What...
The diagram shows two vessels, P and Q, both with sides inclined at 45°. Vessel P tapers outwards and vessel Q tapers inwards, as shown. Both vesse...
Two solid substances P and Q have atoms of mass M_P and M_Q respectively. They have n_P and n_Q atoms per unit volume. The density of P is greater ...
The table summarises some descriptions of evaporation. Which row of the table is correct?
The behaviour of a wire under tensile stress may be described in terms of the Young modulus E of the material of the wire and of the force per unit...
The diagram shows the structure of part of a mattress. The manufacturer wants to design a softer mattress (one which will compress more for the sam...
In which order of magnitude are the frequencies of electromagnetic waves in the visible spectrum?
A transverse progressive wave is set up on a string. The graph shows the variation with time of displacement for a point on this string. [Figure 26...
If a wave can be polarised, it must be
In which situation does diffraction occur?
The diagrams show the arrangement of apparatus for a Young's slits experiment and also part of the pattern formed on the screen with a ruler placed...
The diagram shows two parallel metal plates connected to a d.c. power supply through a resistor. [Figure 30.0] There is a uniform electric field in...
In each electric field diagram, a positively charged particle is moved from X to Y. In which diagram would the particle experience an increasing re...
What describes the electric potential difference between two points in a wire that carries a current?
A cylindrical piece of a soft, electrically-conducting material has resistance R. It is rolled out so that its length is doubled but its volume sta...
A source of electromotive force (e.m.f.) E has a constant internal resistance r and is connected to an external variable resistor of resistance R. ...
Which graph best represents the way in which the current I through a thermistor depends upon the potential difference V across it?
Safety on railways is increased by using several electrical switches. In the diagram, switches P, Q, R, S and T control the current through a green...
The diagram shows a fixed resistor and a light-dependent resistor (LDR) in series with a constant low-voltage supply. When the LDR is in the dark, ...
The diagram shows a d.c. circuit. [Figure 38.0] What is the resistance between the points P and Q due to the resistance network?
The uranium nucleus ²³⁸U undergoes α-decay, producing nucleus X. Nucleus X undergoes β-decay, producing nucleus Y. For nucleus Y, what are the valu...
Radon-220 is radioactive and decays to polonium-216 with the emission of an α-particle. The equation for the radioactive decay is shown. ²²⁰Rn -> ²...
What is the unit watt in terms of Sl base units?
For which quantity is the magnitude a reasonable estimate?
A vector has magnitude R and perpendicular components P and Q, as shown in the diagram. Which row correctly describes the perpendicular components?
The diameter of a cylindrical metal rod is measured using a micrometer screw gauge. The diagram below shows an enlargement of the scale on the micr...
A mass is dropped from rest, and falls through a distance of 2.0 m in a vacuum. An observer records the time taken for the mass to fall through thi...
The diagram shows two complete pulses on the screen of a cathode-ray oscilloscope. A grid of 1 cm squares covers the screen. The time-base setting ...
The graph shows how the velocity v of an object moving in a straight line varies over time t = 0 to t = T. [Figure 7.1] Which graph represents the ...
Two markers M₁ and M₂ are set up a vertical distance h apart. [Figure 8.1] A steel ball is released at time zero from a point a distance x above M₁...
A brick is dislodged from a building and falls vertically under gravity. Which graph best represents the variation of its height h above the ground...
A projectile is launched at point O and follows the path OPQRS, as shown. Air resistance may be neglected. [Figure 10.1] Which statement is true fo...
Which row correctly states whether momentum and kinetic energy are conserved in an inelastic collision in which there are no external forces?
Two spheres approach each other along the same straight line. Their speeds are u₁ and u₂ before collision. After the collision, the spheres separat...
A box of mass 8.0 kg rests on a horizontal, rough surface. A string attached to the box passes over a smooth pulley and supports a 2.0 kg mass at i...
A ladder is positioned on icy (frictionless) ground and is leant against a rough wall. At the instant of release it begins to slide. Which diagram ...