OCR GCSE Combined Science A (Gateway) Physics Paper 12 Higher June 2025 question paper J250/12

A student calculates that the energy used to make steel for a car is 1 260 000 000 J.

Which of these is equal to 1 260 000 000 J?

A 1260 GJ

B 1260 kJ

C 1260 MJ

D 1260 nJ

Object X and object Y move at the same speed.

Object X has 10 J of kinetic energy. Object Y has twice the mass of object X.

What is the kinetic energy of object Y ?

A 5 J

B 10 J

C 20 J

D 100 J

A student drops a ball.

The graph shows the relationship between the kinetic energy of the ball just before it hits the ground and the height from which the ball is dropped.

Which phrase describes this relationship?

A Directly proportional

B Negative correlation

C Non-linear

D Zero correlation

Which of these would not reduce unwanted energy transfers?

A Filling gaps around doors and window frames

B Lubricating a bicycle chain

C Increasing the temperature of your home

D Insulating a mug that contains a hot drink

What is a good estimate of the speed of a person running?

A 1.5 m / s

B 3.0 m / s

C 15 m / s

D 24 m / s

A remote control uses infra-red waves to send signals to a television.

The infra-red waves have a frequency of 320 THz and a speed of 3.0 10⁸ m / s.

What is the wavelength of the infra-red waves?

Use the equation: wave speed = frequency wavelength

Crumple zones reduce the risk of injury to car passengers in collisions.

How do crumple zones reduce the forces exerted in a collision?

A They decrease the time of the collision.

B They decrease the speed of the collision.

C They increase the acceleration during the collision.

D They increase the time of the collision.

The displacement-time graph is shown for a wave passing a point.

Which quantity is indicated by the arrow PQ ?

A Amplitude

B Frequency

C Period

D Wavelength

The diagram shows the refraction of a light wave as it passes from material A to material B.

Which statement is correct?

A The frequency of the wave increases as it passes from material A to material B.

B The period of the wave decreases as it passes from material A to material B.

C The speed of the wave decreases as it passes from material A to material B.

D The wavelength of the wave increases as it passes from material A to material B.

The national grid uses alternating voltage.

A simple circuit powered by a battery uses direct voltage.

Explain the difference between alternating voltage and direct voltage.

The table shows the current in one of the wires in the national grid at two different voltages.

The wire has a resistance of 2.0 .

Calculate how much power is dissipated from the wire at 11 000 V.

Use the equation: power = current² resistance

Give your answer to 2 significant figures and in MW.

The national grid transfers 8 000 kJ of energy from the power station every second.

When the voltage across the wires is 400 000 V, the transformers and wires dissipate 160 kJ of this energy every second.

Calculate the efficiency of the energy transfer at 400 000 V.

Explain how step-up transformers allow the national grid to transfer energy more efficiently.

A UK mains plug has 3 wires: live, neutral and earth.

Describe the function of the neutral wire.

This is their method:

• Compress the spring by pushing the trolley towards the wall.

• Release the trolley from rest.

• Measure the time it takes for the trolley to travel 0.30 m from A to B using a stopwatch.

• Repeat the experiment 2 times.

The table shows the student’s results.

Calculate the mean time it takes the trolley to travel from A to B.

Calculate the average speed from A to B.

Use the Equation Sheet.

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

The range of results for the time it takes the trolley to travel from A to B is 0.5 s.

This range is large compared to the mean time it takes. It is due to errors when the student uses the stopwatch.

Complete the sentence to explain the large range of results.

Use words from the list.

accuracy random reaction systematic

A large range of results is caused by a type of error know as a........ error.

The........ time of the student causes this type of error.

Suggest one way the student can improve the experiment to reduce the effect of the error in (a)(iii).

The student uses the speed calculated in (a)(ii) to determine the change in the kinetic energy store of the trolley.

The change in the kinetic energy store of the trolley is 1.9 10^–2 J.

The spring is compressed by 0.02 m each time.

Calculate the spring constant of the spring.

Assume that all of the energy stored in the compressed spring is transferred to the kinetic energy store of the trolley.

Use the equation:

Spring constant =........ N / m

The value calculated for the spring constant in (b)(i) assumes that there is no friction between the wheels of the trolley and the bench.

What effect would friction have on the value calculated for the spring constant in (b)(i) ?

Explain your answer.

Effect on spring constant........

The frequency, wavelength and speed of the waves can be changed.

State the unit for each of the variables.

The student takes a photograph of the wave pattern projected onto the white paper.

Fig. 13.2 shows a diagram of the photograph.

Fig. 13.2

Describe how the student uses Fig. 13.2 to obtain an accurate value for the wavelength of the wave.

You can draw on Fig. 13.2 to support your answer.

The student lifts the ripple tank at one end so that the water is deeper at one end of the ripple tank than at the other end.

The student uses the motor and paddle to produce waves and takes a photograph of the wave pattern projected onto the white paper.

Fig. 13.3 shows a scale diagram of the photograph.

Fig. 13.3

Describe and explain how the speed of the waves changes as the waves travel from the deep end of the ripple tank to the shallow end in Fig. 13.3.

Use the relationship between wave speed, frequency and wavelength in your explanation.

Security markings can be written on items you own. These are written using a fluorescent ink which is only visible under an ultraviolet lamp.

The diagram shows a security code ABCXYZ written on a black surface.

Particles inside the atoms in the ink absorb energy from ultraviolet radiation.

The same particles inside the atoms in the ink re-emit the energy as waves in the visible light region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Which particles inside the atom absorb ultraviolet radiation and emit visible light?

Describe what happens to these particles when they absorb ultraviolet radiation.

Electromagnetic waves with short wavelengths can cause ionisation when absorbed by these particles inside the atom.

Describe the effect ionisation has on the atom.

Radio waves and microwaves are both electromagnetic waves.

Describe the difference in frequency between radio waves and microwaves.

Describe one use that radio waves and microwaves have in common.

Describe one similarity and one difference between a nucleus of iodine-127 and a nucleus of iodine-131.

Iodine-131 is radioactive.

The graph shows how the activity of a sample of iodine-131 changes over time.

Use the graph to show that the half-life of iodine-131 is approximately 8 days.

Show your working on the graph.

Iodine-131 is used as a medical tracer and for radiotherapy when treating cancer patients.

A radiologist injects a patient with a dose of iodine-131. The dose has an initial activity of 4.00 MBq.

Calculate the number of days it takes the activity to reduce to 0.25 MBq.

The radiologist wears gloves and a film badge while handling iodine-131.

The film badge contains photographic film which turns dark when exposed to ionising radiation.

Explain how using the gloves and the film badge reduces risks to the radiologist’s health.