AQA GCSE Synergy Paper 3: Physical sciences Higher June 2025 question paper 8465/3H

Figure 1 shows a rugby player running with a rugby ball.

Use the Physics Equations Sheet to answer questions 01.1 and 01.2.

Which equation links distance (s), speed (v) and time (t)?

Tick () one box.

The rugby player travels a distance of 44 m in a time of 5.0 s.

Calculate the mean speed of the rugby player.

The rugby player collides with another player and stops.

Use the Physics Equations Sheet to answer questions 01.3 and 01.4.

Which equation links acceleration (a), change in velocity (Δv) and time (t)?

Tick () one box.

a = Δv × t

The velocity of the rugby player changes from 6.0 m/s to 0.0 m/s in a time of 400 ms.

Calculate the deceleration of the rugby player.

Figure 2 shows a rugby player wearing a ‘mouthguard’.

Mouthguards reduce the risk of injury when rugby players collide.

A mouthguard has been invented that transmits data about the deceleration of a rugby player’s head during a collision.

A deceleration of 540 m/s² or more automatically alerts the team doctor at the side of the rugby pitch.

Use the Physics Equations Sheet to answer questions 01.5 and 01.6.

Which equation links acceleration (a), mass (m) and resultant force (F)?

Tick () one box.

F = m × a

The mass of a rugby player’s head is 3500 g.

During a collision the rugby player’s head has a deceleration of 540 m/s².

Calculate the resultant force on the rugby player’s head.

Give one advantage of using the new mouthguard when playing rugby compared with a mouthguard that does not transmit data.

Metals are found in the Earth’s crust as the metal itself or as a metal compound.

Why is gold found in the Earth as the metal itself?

Aluminium is extracted from aluminium oxide by electrolysis.

The electrolyte is a molten mixture of aluminium oxide and cryolite.

Aluminium cannot be extracted from aluminium oxide using carbon.

Give one reason why.

Give two reasons why large amounts of energy are needed for the electrolysis of aluminium oxide.

Recycling aluminium needs less energy than extracting new aluminium.

Table 1 shows the energy needed for 1 kg of aluminium to be:

extracted

recycled.

Calculate the percentage decrease in energy needed when aluminium is recycled instead of extracted.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

This question is about forms of carbon.

A carbon nanotube has: a length of 2 mm

a diameter of 0.8 nm.

Calculate the simplest length to diameter ratio of the nanotube.

1 000 000 nm = 1 mm

Length to diameter ratio = _____________________________________________: 1

Figure 3 represents the structure of diamond and of graphite.

Compare the structure and bonding of diamond with the structure and bonding of graphite.

A student investigated how the resistance of a light dependent resistor (LDR) varies with light intensity.

Figure 4 shows the circuit.

The potential difference across the battery was 6.0 V.

Determine the potential difference across each cell.

When the LDR was in a dark room, the reading on the voltmeter was 3.0 V.

What was the resistance of the LDR?

Give a reason for your answer.

Tick () one box.

1000 Ω 2000 Ω 4000 Ω

The student directed a bright light onto the LDR in the circuit.

Explain why the reading on the voltmeter decreased.

Another student set the circuit up incorrectly.

Figure 5 shows the incorrect circuit.

The student placed the circuit in a dark room and then directed a bright light onto the LDR.

Explain what the reading on the voltmeter would be.

This question is about metals and metal compounds.

A teacher demonstrated the reaction of copper with silver nitrate.

Figure 6 shows the apparatus:

at the start

after a few minutes.

The word equation for the reaction is:

copper + silver nitrate copper nitrate + silver

Silver ions are reduced to silver atoms in the reaction.

What is meant by ‘reduced’ in this reaction?

Complete the ionic equation for the reaction between copper and silver nitrate solution.

You should balance the equation.

Copper nitrate is made up of Cu²⁺ ions and NO₃⁻ ions.

What is the formula of copper nitrate?

Tick () one box.

CuNO₃

Cu(NO₃)₂

Cu₂NO₃

Cu₂(NO₃)₃

Figure 7 shows the order of reactivity for three metals.

Table 2 shows the colours of three metal nitrate solutions.

The teacher added an excess of each metal to each metal nitrate solution.

Complete Table 3 to show the colours of the resultant solutions.

Copper is a good conductor of electricity.

Explain how copper conducts electricity.

Pure copper is too soft for many uses.

Copper is mixed with other metals to make copper alloys.

Explain why copper alloys are harder than pure copper.

Two drivers raced their cars in a straight line over a distance of 400 metres.

Figure 8 shows the cars.

At the start of the race, one car accelerated from rest at 25 m/s².

The car moved 32 m while accelerating.

Calculate the final velocity of the car.

Use the Physics Equations Sheet.

At the end of the race, each driver applied the brakes and opened a parachute to decelerate the car.

Figure 9 shows one of the cars at the end of the race.

Explain how opening the parachute affects the deceleration of the car.

The elements in Group 1 of the periodic table are called the alkali metals.

Lithium reacts with chlorine to produce lithium chloride.

Figure 11 shows the reaction profile for the reaction between lithium and chlorine.

What do labels A, B and C on Figure 11 represent?

What type of reaction does the reaction profile in Figure 11 represent?

Describe what happens when a lithium atom reacts with a chlorine atom.

Answer in terms of electrons.

Explain the trend in the reactivity of the Group 1 metals.

An aqueous solution of sodium chloride can be electrolysed.

Figure 12 shows the apparatus.

The electrodes in Figure 12 are made of graphite.

Graphite is a good conductor of electricity.

Give one other reason why graphite electrodes are used.

Do not refer to conduction of electricity in your answer.

The electrolysis of an aqueous solution of sodium chloride produces chlorine, hydrogen and one other substance.

What is the other substance produced in the electrolysis of an aqueous solution of sodium chloride?

Tick () one box.

Hydrochloric acid

Sodium

Sodium hydroxide

Water

Write the half equation for the production of chlorine gas at the positive electrode.

Hydrogen gas is produced at the negative electrode in the electrolysis of an aqueous solution of sodium chloride.

Explain why.

A teacher demonstrates the motor effect.

Figure 13 shows the apparatus.

The wire is connected to a circuit.

The part of the wire between P and Q is fixed in position and cannot move.

The teacher switches the circuit on.

When there is a current in the wire, there is an upwards magnetic force on the wire.

Explain why the reading on the balance increases when the circuit is switched on.

Give one way the upwards magnetic force on the wire in Figure 13 can be increased.

Figure 14 shows the wire and the magnets.

Figure 14

The direction of the current is from P to Q.

The magnetic force on the wire is upwards.

What are the names of the magnetic poles on Figure 14 ?

The potential difference across the wire is 2.0 × 10^–3 V. The resistance of the wire is 4.0 × 10^–4 Ω.

The length of wire in the magnetic field is 6.0 cm.

The magnetic flux density between the magnets is 0.025 T.

Calculate the force exerted on the wire.

Use the Physics Equations Sheet.

Buckminsterfullerene is a form of carbon.

Buckminsterfullerene is a covalent molecule that consists of 60 carbon atoms.

Describe the structure of a buckminsterfullerene molecule.

Calculate the number of molecules in 9.00 g of buckminsterfullerene (C₆₀).

Relative atomic mass (A_r): C = 12

The Avogadro constant = 6.02 × 10²³ per mole