Cambridge Past Paper Questions
Browse 23,045questions from 25 years of O-Level & A-Level exams. Click any question to practice.
A beam of light with power P has an area of cross-section A. The amplitude of the light waves in the beam is X. The beam of light is then changed t...
Two loudspeakers are connected to the same signal generator. The signal generator produces a single frequency. The loudspeakers face each other so ...
Two wave sources emit coherent waves. Which condition must be correct for the coherent waves?
A student sets up an experiment to investigate double-slit interference. The student uses light of a single wavelength from a laser to illuminate a...
What are the definitions of potential difference (p.d.) and electromotive force (e.m.f.), in terms of energy transfer W and charge q?
The diagram shows a network consisting of three resistors. [Figure showing a resistor network with 1.2 kΩ, 2.2 kΩ, 4.7 kΩ] What is the combined res...
A resistor dissipates 25W of power when there is a potential difference (p.d.) of 4.0 V across it. What is the resistance of the resistor?
The diagram shows a cell with internal resistance connected in parallel with a fixed resistor and a variable resistor. [Figure showing a circuit wi...
A radioactive source produces a beam of α-particles in a vacuum. The average current caused by the α-particles in the beam is 1.5 × 10⁻⁹ A. The bea...
The charge carriers in a metal wire are free electrons. Which statement about the charge of each free electron is correct?
Which flavours of quark have charge +⅔ e?
An unstable nucleus of an element decays by emitting an α-particle or a β⁻ particle to become a nucleus of a different element. This nucleus is als...
A nucleus of carbon-10, ¹⁰C, decays by beta-emission to form a nucleus of boron-10, ¹⁰B. For this decay process, what is the change to a nucleon an...
Which quantity is a scalar quantity?
What is the effect of a systematic error on the measurement of a physical quantity?
A car is accelerated by a constant resultant force of 300 N for 5.0 s. The variation with time of the velocity, in cm s⁻¹, of the car is shown. [Fi...
An object is fired upwards from horizontal ground. The object has an initial velocity of 20 m s⁻¹ at an angle of 45° to the horizontal. Air resista...
What is a statement of the principle of conservation of momentum for a system?
Objects P and Q form an isolated system. Object P has mass 6.0 kg and is moving at a speed of 3.0 m s⁻¹. Object Q has mass 2.0 kg and is moving at ...
An astronaut of mass m in a spacecraft experiences a gravitational force F = mg when stationary on the launchpad. What is the gravitational force o...
The diagram shows a child X of mass 20 kg and a child Y of mass 15 kg seated on a uniform plank. [Figure 9.1] The plank has a mass of 7.0 kg and ha...
An object is fully submerged in a liquid. A student determines the ratio upthrust acting on the object weight of the object Which single change w...
A shop sign weighing 75 N hangs from a frame attached to a vertical wall. [Figure 11.1] The frame consists of a horizontal rod XY and a rod YZ that...
A student takes measurements to calculate the density of a liquid in a beaker. The height of the liquid in the beaker is 0.20 m ± 2%. The internal ...
The diagram shows a uniform plank XY of length 4.0 m and weight 300 N. [Figure 13.1] The plank rests on fixed supports at its ends X and Y. A child...
Which relationship is used in the derivation of the equation shown? power = force × velocity
A block is released from rest at the top of a slope inclined at an angle θ to the horizontal. The slope has length L as shown in the diagram. [Figu...
A skateboarder and her skateboard have a total mass of 70 kg. She pushes on the ground with her foot to create a forward force F of 25 N on herself...
A turbine at a hydroelectric power station is situated at a vertical distance of 30 m below the level of the surface of a large lake. The water pas...
A projectile is launched at 45° to the horizontal with initial kinetic energy E. Assuming air resistance to be negligible, what will be the kinetic...
A wire is extended by a tensile force so that its deformation is elastic. What is meant by elastic deformation?
A bolt is subjected to a tensile force, as shown. [Figure 20.1] The bolt has a circular cross-section. At end X, the diameter is 2d. At end Y, the ...
The graph shows the relationship between force acting on a compression spring and change in length of the spring. [Figure 21.1] One of these spring...
Which row correctly identifies the properties of all electromagnetic waves? [Figure 22.1] key ✓ = property of an electromagnetic wave x = not a pro...
What is the approximate range of wavelengths in free space for infrared radiation?
The diagram shows a car travelling at a constant speed in a straight line between person P and person Q from point X to point Y. [Figure 24.1] The ...
A progressive wave of frequency 300 Hz is travelling with a speed of 600 m s⁻¹. What is the phase difference between two points on the wave that ar...
A polarised beam of light with intensity I is incident normally on a polarising filter. The transmitted light has intensity I. The filter is rotate...
Light waves are emitted from two sources. What is a necessary condition for observable interference fringes to be produced?
The diagram shows a water wave in a shallow tank. The wave is diffracted through a gap in a barrier and spreads. The wavelength of the wave is much...
Light of wavelength 567 nm is incident normally on a diffraction grating. The grating has 400 lines per mm. A number of diffraction maxima are obse...
Two cylindrical conductors, X and Y, are made from the same material. The conductors have equal lengths, but Y has a smaller diameter than X. X and...
A copper wire is 6.4 m long and has a resistance of 0.92 Ω. The resistivity of copper is 1.8 × 10⁻⁸ Ωm. What is the diameter of the wire?
A thermistor is connected to a cell with negligible internal resistance. [Figure 32.1] Which graph shows the variation with temperature of power, P...
A metal electrical conductor has a resistance of 5.6 kΩ. A potential difference (p.d.) of 9.0 V is applied across its ends. How many electrons pass...
Which circuit symbol does not represent an electric component that is designed to emit sound waves?
The diagram shows a junction in a circuit where three wires, P, Q and R, meet. The currents in P and Q are 1 A and 3 A respectively, in the directi...
A cell of electromotive force (e.m.f.) E and internal resistance r is connected in series with a switch S and an external resistor of resistance R....
What is a general description of a baryon?
A stationary nucleus has nucleon number A. The nucleus decays by emitting a proton with speed v to form a new nucleus with speed u. The new nucleus...