Cambridge Past Paper Questions

The average kinetic energy E of a gas molecule is given by the equation E = k T where T is the absolute (kelvin) temperature. What are the SI base ...

An analogue ammeter has a pointer which moves over a scale. Following prolonged use, the pointer does not return fully to zero when the current is ...

The arrow represents the vector R. Which diagram does not represent R as two perpendicular components?

A power supply of electromotive force (e.m.f.) 50V and negligible internal resistance is connected in series with resistors of resistance 100Ω and ...

A single sheet of aluminium foil is folded twice to produce a stack of four sheets. The total thickness of the stack of sheets is measured to be (0...

In an experiment to determine the acceleration of free fall g, a ball bearing is held by an electromagnet. When the current to the electromagnet is...

A stone is thrown horizontally from the top of a cliff. Air resistance is negligible. Which graph shows the variation with time of the vertical com...

A sprinter runs a 100 m race in a straight line. He accelerates from the starting block at a constant acceleration of 2.5 m s⁻² to reach his maximu...

A firework rocket is fired vertically upwards. The fuel burns and produces a constant upwards force on the rocket. After 5 seconds there is no fuel...

Trolley X, moving along a horizontal frictionless track, collides with a stationary trolley Y. The two trolleys become attached and move off togeth...

An astronaut throws a stone with a horizontal velocity near to the Moon's surface. Which row describes the horizontal and vertical forces acting on...

Newton's third law of motion is often summarised as 'Every action (force) has an equal and opposite reaction.' A book rests on a table. If the weig...

A uniform solid block has weight 500 N, width 0.4 m and height 0.6 m. The block rests on the edge of a step of depth 0.8 m, as shown. [Figure showi...

The diagram shows a hydroelectric power station. [Figure showing a reservoir, a pipe (penstock) leading down to a turbine house, and points X (in r...

A fisherman lifts a fish of mass 250 g from rest through a vertical height of 1.8 m. The fish gains a speed of 1.1 m s⁻¹. What is the energy gained...

Water from a reservoir is fed to the turbine of a hydroelectric system at a rate of 500 kg s⁻¹. The reservoir is 300 m above the level of the turbi...

Which row correctly describes the ordering and motion of the molecules in liquid water and in ice when both are at a temperature of 0 °C?

The maximum pressure that granite rock can withstand is 2.0 × 10⁸ N m⁻². Above this pressure, the rock begins to flow like a liquid. The density of...

To determine the Young modulus of a wire, several measurements are taken. In which row can the measurement not be taken directly with the stated ap...

A long, thin metal wire is suspended from a fixed support and hangs vertically. Masses are suspended from its lower end. The load on the lower end ...

The diagram represents a steel tube with wall thickness w which is small in comparison with the diameter of the tube. [Figure showing a tube under ...

Two light waves of the same frequency are represented by the diagram. [Figure showing two sinusoidal displacement-phase angle graphs. Both start at...

A sound wave has a speed of 330 m s⁻¹ and a frequency of 50 Hz. What is a possible distance between two points on the wave that have a phase differ...

What is not an essential condition for an observable interference pattern to occur between the waves from two sources?

Source S emits microwaves with a constant amplitude. The microwaves hit a metal screen P and are reflected. A stationary wave is formed between S a...

A pattern of waves was observed without being able to view the source of the waves. The pattern is represented in the diagram. [Figure showing a se...

A positive charge and a negative charge of equal magnitude are placed a short distance apart. Which diagram best represents the associated electric...

A charged oil drop of mass m, with n excess electrons, is held stationary in the uniform electric field between two horizontal plates separated by ...

Which unit is not used in either the definition of the coulomb or the definition of the volt?

When a thin metal wire is stretched, it becomes longer and thinner. This causes a change in the resistance of the wire. The volume of the wire rema...

Which statement is not valid?

A cell of e.m.f. E delivers a charge Q to an external circuit. Which statement is correct?

A potential divider circuit consists of fixed resistors of resistance 2.0 Ω and 4.0 Ω connected in series with a 3.0 Ω resistor fitted with a slidi...

A cell of e.m.f. 2.0 V and negligible internal resistance is connected to a network of resistors as shown. [Figure showing a 2.0V cell connected to...

An experiment in which α-particles were deflected by a gold foil produced new insights into the structure of the atom. Which conclusion can be draw...

A radioactive substance contains a number of identical nuclei that emit β-particles. Which property of these nuclei remains unaltered by the emission?

A uranium-238 nucleus, ₂₃₈U, undergoes nuclear decays to form uranium-234, ₂³⁴U. Which series of decays could give this result?

Which quantity with its unit is correct?

The luminosity L of a star is given by L = 4πr² σΤ⁴ where r is the radius of the star, T is the temperature of the star, σ is a constant with uni...

The diagram shows two vectors X and Y, drawn to scale. Y X If X = Y – Z, which diagram best represents the vector Z?

The diagram shows a cathode-ray oscilloscope (c.r.o.) being used to measure the rate of rotation of a flywheel. [Figure 4.1] The flywheel has a sma...

A student determines the density ρ of steel by taking measurements from a steel wire. mass m = 6.2 ± 0.1 g length l = 25.0 ± 0.1 cm diameter d = 2...

The acceleration of free fall on the Moon is 1.6ms⁻². The Moon has no atmosphere. An astronaut standing on the surface of the Moon drops a feather....

A tennis ball is released from rest at the top of a tall building. Which graph best represents the variation with time t of the acceleration a of ...

The graph shows how the velocity v of an object moving in a straight line varies with time t from t = 0 to t = T. [Figure 8.1] Which graph represe...

A ball falls vertically onto horizontal ground and rebounds, as shown. [Figure 9.1] The ball has momentum p₁ downwards just before hitting the grou...

A sphere falls from rest through the air. The graph shows the variation with time of the sphere's velocity. [Figure 10.1] Which diagram shows the ...

A ball of mass m travelling at velocity u collides with a stationary ball of mass M. After collision the two balls travel at velocities v and V res...

A light rigid rod XY has an object of weight W fixed at one end. The rod is in equilibrium, resting on a roller at Z and a vertical wall at X. The ...

In a large container in an oil refinery, three oils of different densities are mixed. No chemical activity occurs. The mixture consists of 1200 kg...