OCR GCSE Combined Science A (Gateway) Physics Paper 6 Foundation June 2024 question paper J250/06

What is a typical speed of a vehicle on a road with a 30 mph speed limit?

A 0.01 m / s

B 0.10 m / s

C 10 m / s

D 100 m / s

When some fireworks are lit, an explosive called gunpowder acts as a fuel and is ignited.

The gravitational potential store of the firework increases.

Which other energy changes take place when the firework is lit?

A A chemical store decreases and a kinetic store increases.

B A chemical store decreases and an elastic potential store increases.

C A nuclear store decreases and a kinetic store increases.

D A thermal store decreases and a chemical store increases.

A motorcycle has a mass of 200 kg and travels at 5 m / s.

What is the kinetic energy of the motorcycle? Use the equation: kinetic energy = mass (speed)²

A 2500 J

B 5000 J

C 100 000 J

D 200 000 J

A 4 kg mass is lifted 3 m vertically onto a shelf.

How much gravitational potential energy is gained?

Use the equation: gravitational potential energy = mass gravitational field strength height

Gravitational field strength = 10 N / kg

A 1.2 J

B 7.5 J

C 17 J

D 120 J

Material X has a high thermal conductivity. Material Y has a low thermal conductivity.

Each material is wrapped around a different identical beaker containing water at 60 C.

Which beaker of water would have the smallest temperature decrease if all other variables are kept the same?

A 1 layer of material X wrapped around the beaker

B 1 layer of material Y wrapped around the beaker

C 2 layers of material X wrapped around the beaker

D 2 layers of material Y wrapped around the beaker

What does thinking distance mean?

A The distance travelled after pressing the brakes.

B The distance travelled while reacting.

C The time taken to react.

D The time taken to stop after pressing the brakes.

The diagram shows a picture of a water wave in a ripple tank.

Which row shows the correct labels for the diagram?

An atom absorbs electromagnetic radiation.

What happens to some electrons in this atom?

A They form a neutron.

B They form a new element.

C They move from a high energy level to a lower energy level.

D They move from a low energy level to a higher energy level.

A student uses a ruler to measure a friend’s reaction time.

How does the student determine the friend’s reaction time?

A Divide the length of the ruler by the time taken to catch the ruler.

B Measure the length of the ruler where the friend catches it and convert to a time.

C Multiply the length of the ruler by the time taken to catch the ruler.

D Time how long it takes the ruler to hit the floor.

Some students design a practical to model radioactive decay.

Which model is correct?

A Throw a coin in the air 100 times and count the number of heads or tails.

B Throw 10 dice in a tray 10 times and add up the scores.

C Throw 100 dice in a tray and remove the ones with a 6 facing up.

D Throw 100 identical wooden blocks in a tray.

This question is about radioactivity.

Some atoms and isotopes of elements are shown.

Which statements are correct for these atoms and isotopes? Tick (✓) three boxes.

Thorium‑234 decays by emitting beta radiation.

What happens to the mass number and charge of a nucleus of thorium‑234 when it decays?

Draw one line from each quantity to what happens.

Why do some atoms emit nuclear radiation?

The diagram shows how the amount of a radioactive element changes over a total of 30 days.

Calculate the half‑life of this radioactive element.

This question is about how electricity is generated.

A student writes down advantages and disadvantages of wind turbines.

The student has made one mistake.

State the letter of the statement that is in the wrong place.

The student writes down a list of renewable and non‑renewable energy sources.

The student has made one mistake.

State the name of the energy source that is in the wrong place.

It might not be possible to replace all non‑renewable energy sources with renewable energy sources to generate enough electricity in the future.

Suggest two reasons why this might not be possible.

The table shows the percentages of electricity generated by different energy sources in the UK in

The student plots a bar chart using the data in the table.

Draw a bar for gas and a bar for wind on the bar chart.

The total electricity generated in the UK in 2020 was 315 TW h.

Solar produced 4% of the total electricity generated.

Calculate the amount of electricity generated in TW h from solar.

Amount of electricity =........ TW h

The total electricity generated in the UK in 2020 was 315 TW h.

1 TW h = 1 000 000 000 kW h

What is the total amount of electricity generated in kW h?

Tick (✓) one box.

13* A student investigates the speed of a water wave using this equipment.

Plastic tray
Ruler
Stopwatch

The student lifts one side of the plastic tray and drops it to make a wave.

Describe how the student can use this equipment to measure the speed of a water wave.

In your answer you should include:

• the measurements they should take

• the variables they need to keep constant

• any precautions they should take to obtain accurate and precise results.

This question is about electromagnetic waves.

Electromagnetic waves are transverse waves.

Describe what a transverse wave is.

You can label the diagram of a transverse wave to help explain your answer.

A radio wave has a frequency of 7 500 kHz and a wavelength of 40 m.

Calculate the speed of this radio wave.

Use the equation: wave speed = frequency wavelength

Give your answer in metres per second.

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

The table shows some different radio waves.

What is the relationship between frequency range and wavelength?

Use the table.

Which type of radio wave has a frequency of 15 MHz and a wavelength of 20 m?

Tick (✓) one box.

High frequency radio waves are similar to microwaves.

Suggest how high frequency radio waves can harm the human body.

Complete the sentence about high frequency radio waves.

High frequency radio waves are more / less dangerous than microwaves.

Suggest a reason for your answer.

This is a diagram of a transformer.

Calculate the power output from the secondary coil.

Use the equation: power = potential difference current

Name the type of transformer shown in the diagram.

Where can this type of transformer be used in the national grid?

Tick (✓) one box.

The energy input to the primary coil is 200 kJ.

The energy output from the secondary coil is 180 kJ.

Calculate the efficiency of the transformer.

Fig. 16.1 shows a heater plugged into an electrical socket.

Fig. 16.1

The heater is operating normally.

What are the names of the two wires in the plug that carry a current?

Tick (✓) one box.

A live wire is accidentally connected to the earth wire in the house. This causes a large current to flow in the earth wire.

This can cause electrocution.

Suggest another reason why this is dangerous.

A 2.4 kW heater is used for 2.5 hours each day for 1 week.

Calculate the energy transferred in kW h by the heater in 1 week.

Use the equation: energy transferred = power time

Energy transferred in 1 week =........ kW h

A residual current device (RCD) is a safety feature found in homes.

The RCD turns off the electricity quickly if it detects a fault due to a difference between the current in the live wire and the current in the neutral wire.

Fig. 16.2 shows the effects that mains current has on a human body.

Fig. 16.2

Current passing through a human body (mA)

Describe one trend shown by Fig. 16.2.

A current of 10 mA is passing through a human body.

How long can the current pass through the body before the person has difficulty breathing?

Calculate the charge flowing when 150 mA is in the human body for 0.3 s.

Use the equation: charge flow = current time

Sensitive RCDs are designed to shut off the electricity supply within 40 ms.

Suggest why this is an important feature for currents below 200 mA. Use Fig. 16.2.

An electrician has a choice of two different RCDs, A and B, to use in a house.

Suggest which RCD the electrician should use in the house.

Give two reasons. Use Fig. 16.2.