Cambridge Past Paper Questions

A sound wave is displayed on the screen of a cathode-ray oscilloscope, as shown. [Figure showing a CRO display of a sinusoidal wave] The time-base ...

An observer is situated at the top of a tall tower. An aeroplane emitting sound at a frequency of 1000 Hz approaches the observer at a speed of 165...

What is the order of magnitude of the wavelengths of microwaves and X-rays?

A musical instrument is made using a long tube with a mouthpiece at one end. The other end is open and flared, as shown. [Figure showing a tube wit...

A water wave passes through a gap between two barriers. The wavefronts spread out as shown. [Figure showing water wavefronts diffracting through a ...

The table shows four possible combinations of values for the laser wavelength, slit separation and slit-screen distance in a two-slit interference ...

Light of wavelength λ is incident normally on a diffraction grating, as shown. [Figure showing light of wavelength λ incident on a diffraction grat...

A negatively charged oil drop is held stationary, equidistant between two plates connected to a high voltage supply, as shown. [Figure showing a ne...

Electrons move in a vacuum from one metal plate to another metal plate. As a result of this, there is an electric current of 48 μA between the two ...

A battery is connected to three resistors of resistances 12Ω, 6Ω and 2Ω, as shown. [Figure showing a circuit diagram with a 3 A battery connected t...

A manufacturer recommends that the longer the extension cord you use with an electric drill, the bigger the cross-sectional area of the cord should...

Two batteries are connected together, as shown. [Figure showing battery 1 (12 V, 0.3 Ω internal resistance) and battery 2 (9 V, 0.1 Ω internal resi...

The diagram shows a circuit. [Figure showing a circuit with a 6.0 V battery in series with a 0.1 Ω resistor, connected to a 2.0 Ω resistor in paral...

In the circuits shown, the cell has negligible internal resistance. Which diagram shows a potential divider circuit that can vary the potential dif...

Two alpha-particles with the same kinetic energy are moving towards, and are then deflected by, a gold nucleus. [Figure showing a gold nucleus and ...

The equation represents the decay of a nucleus X to a nucleus Y. ᴬ_Z X → ᴬ_Z-1 Y + p + q What are particles p and q?

Which row gives the correct type and quark composition for the named particle? key u = up quark d = down quark

A dolphin is swimming under water at a constant speed of 4.50ms⁻¹.

A uniform electric field is produced between two parallel metal plates. The electric field strength is 1.4 × 10⁴ NC⁻¹. The potential difference bet...

In this experiment you will investigate the oscillations of a rod.

In this experiment you will investigate the magnetic field produced by an electrical current.

Answer all the questions in the spaces provided. (a) Define gravitational potential at a point. (b) TESS is a satellite of mass 360kg in a circul...

A large container of volume 85m³ is filled with 110kg of an ideal gas. The pressure of the gas is 1.0 × 10⁵ Pa at temperature T. The mass of 1.0 m...

(a) A body undergoes simple harmonic motion. The variation with displacement x of its velocity v is shown in Fig. 3.1. [Figure 3.1]

4 (a) (i) Explain why ultrasound used in medical diagnosis is emitted in pulses. (ii) Explain the principles of the detection of ultrasound waves ...

5 (a) State two advantages of the transmission of data in digital form, rather than analogue form. (b) Optic fibres are used for the transmission ...

6 Two positively charged identical metal spheres A and B have their centres separated by a distance of 24 cm, as shown in Fig. 6.1. [Figure 6.1] Th...

7 (a) On Fig. 7.1, sketch the temperature characteristic of a negative temperature coefficient (n.t.c.) thermistor. Label the axes with quantity an...

8 (a) Explain what is meant by a magnetic field. (b) The apparatus shown in Fig. 8.1 is used in an experiment to find the magnetic flux density B ...

9 (a) The output of a power supply is represented by: V = 9.0 sin 20t where V is the potential difference in volts and t is the time in seconds. ...

10 (a) By reference to the photoelectric effect, explain what is meant by work function energy. (b) In an experiment, electromagnetic radiation of...

11 Electrons are accelerated through a potential difference of 100kV. They are then incident on a metal target, they decelerate, and X-ray photons ...

12 (a) Explain what is meant by the binding energy of a nucleus. (b) The following nuclear reaction takes place: ²³⁵U + ⁰n → ¹⁴⁴Cs + ^xRb + y⁰n (...

Fig. 1.1 shows a bar magnet attached to a spring. -spring N bar magnet S Fig. 1.1 The bar magnet is displaced a distance x from its equilibrium pos...

A student investigates the discharge of a capacitor through a resistor as shown in Fig. 2.1. E C R A Fig. 2.1 The student initially closes the swit...

What is a reasonable estimate for the density of sand?

Which physical quantity could have units of Ns²m⁻¹?

A velocity vector is shown. [Figure 3.1] What are the components of the velocity vector in the northerly and in the easterly directions?

A micrometer screw gauge is used to measure the diameter of a copper wire. The reading with the wire in position is shown in diagram 1. The wire is...

A student measures the current and the potential difference for a resistor in a circuit. current = (50.00 ± 0.01) mA potential difference = (500.0 ...

Four cars, A, B, C and D, move from rest in a straight line. The cars take the same time to accelerate to a velocity of 60 km h⁻¹. Their velocity-t...

A cannon fires a cannonball with an initial speed v at an angle α to the horizontal. [Figure 7.1] Which equation is correct for the maximum height ...

A ball strikes a horizontal surface with momentum p at an angle θ to the surface, as shown. [Figure 8.1] The ball rebounds with the same magnitude ...

A skydiver, who is falling vertically through the air, opens his parachute. Which row describes the velocity of the skydiver immediately after he o...

A stationary firework explodes into four fragments which travel in different directions in a horizontal plane. The diagram shows the velocity and m...