GCSEPhysics: Combined ScienceEdexcelExam Questions2. Motion & Forces2.1 Describing Motion

Describing Motion (Edexcel GCSE Physics: Combined Science)

Exam Questions

2 hours13 questions
Easy
Medium
Hard
1a1 mark
Which of these speeds would be normal for a person walking?

  ☐ A 0.1 m/s
  ☐ B 1.0 m/s
  ☐ C 10 m/s
  ☐ D 100 m/s

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1b1 mark
Figure 1 shows a block hanging from a spring balance.

fig-1-paper1f-june2018-edexcel-gcse-physics

Figure 1

Use a word from the box to complete the sentence below.

density mass volume weight

The quantity measured by the spring in Figure 1 is..

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1c3 marks

A toy car has a mass of 0.10 kg. The toy car accelerates at 2.0 m/s2

Calculate the force producing this acceleration and state the unit.

Use the equation

F = m × a

force = ....................................... unit = ................................

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1d2 marks
Use words from the box to complete the sentences below.



direction energy mass size

Vectors have size and ............................

Scalars have only         ............................

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2a
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Describe the difference between distance and displacement.

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2b
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Some students take part in a 400-metre running race.

They complete one lap of an athletics track shown in Figure 1, finishing at the point where they started.

screenshot-2023-05-19-142836

Figure 1

State the distance and displacements of the runners as they cross the finish line.

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2c
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Student A and student B raced each other on the same 400 m athletics track. Their distance-time graph is shown in Figure 2.

screenshot-2023-05-19-143338

Figure 2

    

State which student won the race.

Explain your answer.

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2d
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A third student runs the race in 110 s.

Calculate the average speed of the third student. 

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

   
  speed (2 significant figures) = .................... m/s

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3a
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The graph in Figure 1 shows the journey of a bus.

fig-1

Figure 1

Complete the sentences. 

Choose phrases from the box.  Each answer can be used once, more than once or not at all.

stationary at a constant speed increasing in speed
 

decreasing in speed

  

 

     

Between points O and A the bus is ........................................ .

   

Between points B and C the bus is ........................................ .

   

Between points E and F the bus is ........................................ .

  

Between points D and E the bus is ........................................ .

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3b
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The bus waits at a bus stop.

State which two points on Figure 1 this happens between. 

Explain your answer.

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3c
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Determine how long the bus waited at the bus stop.

Show clearly how you arrive at your answer.

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3d
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Later on, the motion of the bus over the course of one minute is shown in Figure 2.

screenshot-2023-05-19-170057

Figure 2

State how to find the distance travelled using a speed-time graph, then calculate the distance travelled by the bus over the course of this minute.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

  

  

distance (2 significant figures) = .................... m

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1a1 mark

The symbol ‘g’ can be used to refer to the acceleration due to gravity.

The acceleration due to gravity ‘g’ has the unit of m/s2.

‘g’ can also have another unit.

Which of these is also a unit for g ?


  ☐ A J/kg
  ☐ B J/kg2
  ☐ C N/kg
  ☐ D N/kg2

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1b4 marks

Two students try to determine a value for g, the acceleration due to gravity.

(i)
They measure the time, t, for a small steel ball to fall through a height, h, from rest.

They measure t to be 0.74 s, using a stopwatch.

They measure h to be 2.50 m, using a metre rule.

Calculate a value for g from the students’ measurements.

Use the equation
begin mathsize 16px style g space equals space fraction numerator 2 h over denominator t squared end fraction end style
(2)
                        

g = .............................................................. m/s2

(ii)

They record the time t for two more drops from the same height.

The three values for time t are

0.74 s, 0.69 s, 0.81 s.

      Calculate the average value of time t to an appropriate number of significant figures.

(2)

average value of time t = .............................................................. s

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1c2 marks

Explain one way the students could improve their procedure to obtain a more accurate value for g.

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1d3 marks

A car travelling at 15 m/s comes to rest in a distance of 14 m when the brakes are applied.

Calculate the deceleration of the car.


Use an equation selected from the list of equations at the end of this paper.


deceleration = .............................................................. m/s2

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2a6 marks

Figure 1 shows a speed/time graph for a car


fig-1-paper1f-june2019-edexcel-gcse-physics

Figure 1

(i)
The graph in Figure 1 is divided into four parts, P, Q, R and S.

Draw a line from the letter for each part to the correct description of the motion during that part.

One line has been drawn for you. 
(2)

q1ai-paper1f-june2019-edexcel-gcse-physics

(ii)
In two parts of the graph in Figure 1 the forces are balanced.

State the letters of the two parts of the graph where the horizontal forces acting on the car are balanced.  
(2)

part .................... and part .......................

(iii)
Calculate the distance travelled by the car in part Q.

Use the equation

distance travelled = average speed × time 
(2)


distance travelled = .......................................... m

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2b2 marks

A car with a mass of 1800 kg is accelerating at 1.2 m/s2.

Calculate the force used to accelerate the car.

Use the equation


force = mass × acceleration


force = .......................... N

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3a4 marks

A train travels at a constant speed of 45.0 m/s.

(a)

Calculate the distance it travels in 1.50 minutes.

   

   

Distance = .......................... m

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3b2 marks

Calculate how long it takes for the same train travelling at the same speed to travel 10.0 km.

Give your answer in minutes.

   

   

Time = .................... minutes

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3c2 marks

A toy train is made based on the train in parts (a) and (b). The toy train is shown in Figure 1.

A toy sign is placed at the side of the track.screenshot-2023-03-21-at-11-17-23

Figure 1

The toy train is powered by a battery and moves along a circular track.

Each lap takes the same amount of time

Compare the speed of the train and the velocity of the train.

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3d3 marks
The speed-time graph of the model train is shown in Figure 2.

screenshot-2023-03-21-at-11-21-58

Figure 2

The points at which the train passes the sign are indicated on the graph.

Calculate the circumference of the circular track.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

   

   

Circumference = .................... m

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4a2 marks

A skydiver jumps out of an aeroplane. Their motion is shown on the velocity-time graph in Figure 1.

5-6-e-4a-terminal-velocity-abc-aqa-gcse-physics-sq

(a)

State the point A, B or C, at which the skydiver's acceleration is greatest.

Explain how you arrived at your answer.

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4b1 mark

Explain why the equation v squared space equals space u squared space plus space 2 a x cannot be used at points A or B of Figure 1.

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4c3 marks

The skydiver travels 4000 m in 50 s.

Calculate their average speed.

  

   

Average speed = .................... m/s

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4d1 mark

State what is represented by the area under a velocity-time graph.

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5a2 marks

Figure 1 shows a distance-time graph for a train.

screenshot-2023-03-21-at-12-30-42

Figure 1

(a)

State whether the train is travelling faster from A to B or from B to C.

Explain your answer.

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5b3 marks

Calculate the speed of the train from A to B.

   

Speed = .................... m/s

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5c4 marks

The velocity-time graph of another train is shown in Figure 2.

screenshot-2023-03-22-at-10-24-25

Figure 2

Calculate the distance travelled in the first 6 hours.

   

   

Distance = .................... km

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5d2 marks
Suggest why the total displacement after 11 hours is less than your answer to part (c).

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1a3 marks
i)
Which of these is the correct equation that relates force, mass and acceleration?
[1]

  ☐ A F = m + a
  ☐ B F = m − a
  ☐ C F = m × a
  ☐ D F = m ÷ a

ii)
A cyclist has a mass of 70 kg.
Calculate the force needed to accelerate the cyclist at 2.0 m/s2.

State the unit.

[2]

force = .............................................................. unit = ...............................

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1b2 marks

Another cyclist travels 1200 m in a time of 80 s.

Calculate the average speed of the cyclist.

Use the equation

a v e r a g e italic space s p e e d space equals space fraction numerator d i s t a n c e over denominator t i m e end fraction

average speed = .............................................................. m/s

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1c2 marks
A student wants to measure the average speed of a cyclist.

The student estimates that one of his own steps is 1 m.

He counts 100 steps between two posts on a track.

He uses a stopwatch to measure the time the cyclist takes to travel between the two posts.

Figure 2 shows the set‐up used to measure the average speed.

fig-2-paper1f-june2020-edexcel-gcse-physics

Figure 2

State two improvements the student could make to this method.

1................................................................................................................................................

2................................................................................................................................................

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2a4 marks
i)
Which of these would be a typical speed for a racing cyclist travelling down a steep straight slope?  
[1]

  ☐ A 0.2 m/s
  ☐ B 2 m/s
  ☐ C 20 m/s
  ☐ D 200 m/s


ii)
A cyclist travels down a slope.
The top of the slope is 20 m vertically above the bottom of the slope.
The cyclist has a mass of 75 kg.

Calculate the change in gravitational potential energy of the cyclist between the top and the bottom of the slope.

The gravitational field strength, g, is 10 N/kg. 
[3]

change in gravitational potential energy = ................................. J 

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2b2 marks

An aircraft waits at the start of a runway.
The aircraft accelerates from a speed of 0 m/s to a speed of 80 m/s.
The acceleration of the aircraft is 4 m/s2.

Calculate the distance, x, travelled by the aircraft while it is accelerating.
Use the equation  


begin mathsize 16px style x equals fraction numerator v squared minus u squared over denominator 2 a end fraction end style



x =.......................m

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2c4 marks

A student needs to measure the average speed of an accelerating trolley between two marks on a bench.

Figure 5 shows the arrangement of some apparatus that the student can use. 

fig-5-paper1f-june2019-edexcel-gcse-physics
Figure 5

i)
One piece of apparatus is missing from the diagram.
This piece of apparatus is needed to determine the average speed.

State the extra piece of apparatus needed to determine the average speed.
[1] 
ii)
Describe how the student can make the trolley accelerate along the bench.
[2] 

iii)
The student wishes to develop the experiment to determine the acceleration of the trolley.

State one other measurement that the student must make to determine the acceleration of the trolley.  
[1] 

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3a1 mark

Which of these graphs represents an object moving with a constant velocity of 2 m/s?

q6a-paper1h-oct2021-edexcel-gcse-physics

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3b6 marks
Figure 8 is a velocity/time graph showing a 34 s part of a train’s journey.

lAgfeEsV_fig-8-paper1h-oct2021-edexcel-gcse-physics

Figure 8

i)
Calculate the acceleration of the train in the 34 s.

Give your answer to an appropriate number of significant figures.

[3] 

acceleration = ............................................................. m/s2

ii)
Calculate the distance the train travels in the 34 s.

[3] 

distance ............................................................. m

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3c3 marks
Figure 9 shows a rocket soon after it takes off from the ground.


GPk46S7W_fig-9-paper1h-oct2021-edexcel-gcse-physics
Figure 9

The force that the rocket engines produce remains constant during the first few seconds after take-off.

Explain what happens to the acceleration during the first few seconds.

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4a1 mark

Quantities can be either scalar or vector.

Which of these is a vector quantity?

  ☐ A mass
  ☐ B force
  ☐ C energy
  ☐ D distance

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4b6 marks
Figure 7 shows a ball bearing as it falls slowly through a clear, dense liquid.

fig-7-paper1f-oct2021-edexcel-gcse-physics

Figure 7

The apparatus in Figure 7 is used to find the average speed of the ball bearing as it falls.

i)
Devise an experiment to determine the average speed of the ball bearing as it falls through the liquid.

[4] 

You should include:


• any extra apparatus you would use to take measurements

• the measurements you would take

• how you would calculate the speed.



ii)
A student thinks that the ball bearing falls through the liquid at a constant speed.

Explain how you could develop this experiment to determine if the ball bearing falls through the liquid at constant speed.

You may draw a diagram to help your answer.

[2] 

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4c2 marks

The ball bearing is now dropped through air.

The initial velocity of the ball bearing is zero.

The acceleration of the ball bearing is 10 m/s2.

The ball bearing falls 1.5 m.

Calculate the velocity of the ball bearing when it has fallen 1.5 m.

Use the equation

straight v squared space minus space straight u squared space equals space 2 space cross times space straight a space cross times space straight x


velocity of ball bearing = .............................................................. m/s

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5a1 mark
Which of these is a vector?


  ☐ A energy
  ☐ B force
  ☐ C mass
  ☐ D work

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5b3 marks
i)
State the equation that relates acceleration to change in velocity and time taken. 

[1] 

ii)
A van accelerates from a velocity of 2 m/s to a velocity of 20 m/s in 12 s.

Calculate the acceleration of the van.

[2] 

acceleration = .............................................................. m/s2

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5c5 marks
Figure 3 is a velocity /time graph for 15 s of a cyclist’s journey.

fig-3-paper1h-june2020-edexcel-gcse-physics

Figure 3

i)
Calculate the distance the cyclist travels in the 15 s.

[3] 

distance = .............................................................. m

ii)
Another cyclist starts from rest, but his acceleration decreases as time increases.
Sketch the velocity / time graph for this cyclist on Figure 3.

[2] 

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