Forces (Edexcel GCSE Physics: Combined Science)

Exam Questions

2 hours11 questions
1a
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2 marks

State Newton's first law of motion.

1b
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1 mark

Write down the equation for Newton's second law. 

1c
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2 marks

An aeroplane moves with a forward thrust force of 300 kN from the engines, while experiencing a drag force of 300 kN from the air.

Describe the motion of the aeroplane.

1d
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2 marks

The thrust force from the engines now decreases to 200 kN.

Describe and explain any changes in the aeroplane's motion.

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2a
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2 marks

Name two quantities that are constant in circular motion.

2b
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1 mark

B is travelling anti-clockwise in circular motion around A in Figure 1.

12-1-3d-m-circular-motion-a-and-b-2

Figure 1

Draw an arrow on Figure 1 representing the direction of centripetal acceleration.

2c
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1 mark

A planet is orbiting a star in a circular path. 

Name the centripetal force which acts in this scenario.

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3a
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2 marks

A student is sitting still on a chair in her physics lesson.

Name the forces acting on the student.

3b
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2 marks

For your answer to part (a), state whether these forces are contact or non-contact forces.

3c
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1 mark

The student's weight is 450 N.

Determine the resultant force on the student.

3d
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1 mark

The gravitational field strength on Earth is 9.8 N/kg.

Calculate the mass of the student.

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1a6 marks

A student investigates the relationship between force and acceleration for a trolley on a runway.

Figure 12 shows some of the apparatus the student uses.

fig-12-ipho-1h-june18-qp-edexcel-gcse-physics
Figure 12

i)
Describe how the student could increase the accelerating force applied to the trolley.

[2]

ii)
Describe how the mass of the moving system can be kept constant.

[2]

iii)
Explain how the student could improve the procedure to compensate for the effects of frictional forces acting on the trolley.

[2]

1b6 marks

Higher Only

 

Figure 13 shows two objects, Q and R, before and after they collide.
fig-13-ipho-1h-june18-qp-edexcel-gcse-physicsFigure 13

The arrows show the direction of movement of the objects.
The arrows are not to scale.

Explain how momentum is conserved in the collision.

Use Newton’s third law and Newton’s second law in your answer.

Newton’s second law can be written as

force space equals space fraction numerator change space in space momentum over denominator time end fraction

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2a1 mark

The force that keeps an object moving in a circular path is known as the

  A balancing fore
  B centripetal force
  C reaction force
  D resistance force
2b3 marks
Figure 11 shows an object moving in a circular path.

fig-11-paper1h-june2019-edexcel-gcse-physics
Figure 11

i)
Draw an arrow on Figure 11 to show the direction of the force that keeps the object moving in a circular path.
[1]
ii)
The object in Figure 11 is moving at constant speed.

Explain why it is not moving with constant velocity.
[2]
2c6 marks

Figure 12 shows a skier on a slope.

The skier travels down the slope with a constant acceleration.

The speed of the skier is measured at points P and Q.p

fig-12-paper1h-june2019-edexcel-gcse-physics
Figure 12

The table in Figure 13 gives some data about the skier making one downhill run.

acceleration 3.0 m/s2
speed at P 7.6 m/s
speed at Q 24 m/s

Figure 13

i)
Calculate the distance from P to Q.

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

[3]

distance from P to Q = .................................. m

ii)
Calculate the time taken for the skier to travel from P to Q.

[3]

time from P to Q = .............................. s

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3a2 marks

A student carries out an experiment to determine the relationship between the force applied to an object and the object's acceleration.

She sets up her apparatus as shown in Figure 1.

2-2-m-3a-trolley-exam-style-labels-edexcel-gcse-physics

  

Figure 1

She places a number of masses on top of the trolley and then removes them, one at a time, placing them on the mass hanger in order to increase the force.

Explain why she keeps the unused masses on top of the trolley.

3b2 marks

Figure 2 shows some of the results of the experiment.

  
Force (N) Acceleration (m/s2)
0.2 0.29
0.4 0.57
0.6 0.86
0.8 1.24
1.0 1.43

  

Figure 2

Figure 3 shows the graph of the results.

2-2-m-3b-figure3graph

Figure 3

Another student says that there is an anomalous data point.

Circle this point and suggest how the first student could confirm that this is an anomalous data point. 

3c3 marks
Use the graph to calculate the mass of the trolley and weight system. Clearly show your method.
3d2 marks

The experiment is repeated on a rougher carpeted surface.

There is a stronger, constant frictional force of 0.2 N acting on the trolley when it moves. 

Sketch a new line on Figure 1 of the results of this second experiment. 

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4a2 marks

A student draws a Newton's third law pair of forces on a book, as shown in Figure 1.

screenshot-2023-03-22-at-15-17-38
Figure 1

Fg is the gravitational force and FN is the normal reaction force.

State and explain whether the student has drawn a Newton's third law pair of forces correctly.

4b3 marks
A child balances on a pogo stick as shown in Figure 2. The child and the pogo stick are both stationary.
screenshot-2023-03-22-at-15-23-57
Figure 2

Using Newton's second and third laws, explain how the child moves upwards when they exert a downward force on the spring.

4c3 marks
Explain, using Newton's Third Law, how the forces on a person's foot enables them to walk on the ground.
4d2 marks

A teacher is running late for a class. He sets off and exerts a force of 8.5 N on the ground. 

The mass of the Earth is 6.0 × 1024 kg.

Calculate the theoretical acceleration of the Earth resulting from this step. Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

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5a4 marks

Higher Only

The Sun lies at the centre of our solar system, with all other bodies, such as planets, orbiting it.

Figure 1 shows shows a model of the orbits of some of the planets in the solar system. 

screenshot-2023-03-22-at-16-07-48

Figure 1

Assume these orbits are circular.

Draw the resultant forces acting on Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.

5b2 marks

Higher Only

Describe the centripetal force acting in Figure 1.
5c3 marks

Higher Only

Mercury has an orbital period of 88 days. 


Compare the speed and velocity of Mercury in Figure 1 to Mercury 44 days after its position in Figure 1.

5d4 marks
On Mercury's surface, the gravitational field strength is 3.7 N/kg.


A space probe has a weight of 5000 N on Earth. 

Calculate the probe's weight on Mercury.

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1a
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2 marks

Figure 1 shows a man attempting to push a large rock, and identifies some of the forces acting in this system.

5-1-h-1a-force-acting-on-a-system

Figure 1

  

Which forces in the list correctly identify the force pairs in this scenario?

Tick () two boxes.

   

Force applied by man to rock & reaction force of rock square
Weight of rock & normal force of ground  square
Force of man's feet on ground & frictional force of ground square
Weight of man & normal force of ground square
1b
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2 marks

Unable to push the rock, the man wonders whether he would be able to push it if it was on the Moon.

The Moon has a gravitational field strength of 1.6 N/kg. 

The frictional force the man is doing work against is directly proportional to the rock's weight.

Calculate how many times easier it would be to push the rock on the Moon compared to Earth, assuming the rock is pushed on the same type of surface.

1c
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2 marks

The rock has a mass of 850 kg. 

Calculate the size of the normal reaction of the Moon's surface on the rock.

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2a
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2 marks

Higher Tier Only

A student throws a tennis ball vertically upwards and catches it as it returns to her.

Figure 1 shows the motion of the ball whilst it is in the air. 

5-1-h-2a-forces-ball

Figure 1

  

Draw a free-body force diagram of the ball at position C.

2b
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5 marks

Higher Tier Only

Explain the motion of the ball in terms of the forces acting upon it at each position throughout its journey.

2c
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2 marks

One force that acts on the ball is weight. This force is part of a force pair obeying Newton's third law. 

Describe the other force in the pair.

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3a
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4 marks

Higher Tier Only

Figure 1 shows a skier being towed with a rope at a constant speed whilst sinking into the snow. 

Figure 1

5-1-h-3a-skier-with-forces

State the name of each of the forces A - D acting on the skier.

3b
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2 marks

Higher Tier Only

Which of the following statements are true about the forces acting on the skier?

  

Tick (✓) two boxes.

   

Force D > Force C square
Force C > Force D square
Force B > Force A square
Force A = Force B size 36px square
3c
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4 marks

A second skier uses the same system as the skier in part (a).

While being towed by a force of 200 N in the rope, the skier is also pushing themselves forward with a force of 150 N.

The second skier has a weight of 600 N and is accelerating forwards at 1.5 m/s2.

Calculate the magnitude of the resistive forces on the skier.

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