Describing motion along a line

What is the best apparatus to measure the length of a school corridor?

A 30 cm ruler

B Metre ruler

C Protractor

D Tape measure

A runner increases their velocity from 0 m / s to 8 m / s in 2 s.

What is their acceleration?

0.25 m / s² A

0.33 m / s² B

3.0 m / s² C

4.0 m / s² D

What is a typical speed for a strong wind ?

A 2 m / s

B 13 m / s

C 56 m / s

D 330 m / s

A car travels 9000 m in 90 seconds.

What is the car’s speed?

A 0.01 m / s

B 0.1 m / s

C 10 m / s

D 100 m / s

A student uses a stopwatch to measure the time it takes for a marble to travel down a ramp between two markers.

Which change will make the results more accurate ?

A Asking a second student to operate the stopwatch

B Decreasing the height of the ramp

C Moving the markers closer together

D Starting the stopwatch as soon as the marble is released

13* Two students run for 10 seconds.

The graph shows their motion.

Compare the motion of Student A and Student B.

Include acceleration and distance travelled.

A student is investigating how force affects acceleration. They set up this apparatus.

Explain how they should use this apparatus to find acceleration.

Include any extra equipment they need.

Two forces act to reduce the acceleration of the car.

One of these forces is air resistance.

Name the other force.

Suggest how the teacher can reduce the effect of this other force.

The table shows the student’s results.

Suggest two changes the student could make to improve the validity of their results.

Predict the acceleration if a force of 1.2 N was applied to the car.

Use data from the table.

Acceleration =........ m / s²

Mass is an example of a quantity which has a magnitude, but no direction.

What scientific term is used for this type of quantity?

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

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........

A car changes velocity by 14 m / s in 3.5 s.

What is the acceleration of the car?

0.25 m / s² A

4.0 m / s² B

10.5 m / s² C

17.5 m / s² D

14* A crane lifts a block straight upwards. Fig. 14.1 shows the forces acting on the block. The size of these forces may change during its journey.

Fig. 14.1

Fig. 14.2 shows the velocity-time graph for the block during a part of its journey.

Fig. 14.2

Use Fig. 14.1 and Fig. 14.2 to:

• Describe how the velocity of the block changes from point A to point E.

• Describe how the resultant force on the block changes from point A to point E.

The distance-time graph shows the journey of a car.

Calculate the average speed of the car.

Use the graph and the equation: distance travelled = speed × time

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

Two students do an experiment to measure their power by walking up steps.

This is the data from student P:

• Weight = 600 N

• Number of steps = 250

• Height of each step = 0.20 m

Calculate the work done by student P.

This is the data from student Q:

• Work done = 36 000 J

• Time taken = 240 s

Calculate the power of student Q.

Give your answer in kW.

Describe how the students carry out this experiment. Include any equipment they use.

Student P carries out the experiment five more times and calculates their power.

Here are student P ’s results.

How can student P ’s results be described?

Tick one (✓) box in each row.

Explain your answer to (d)(i).

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

Two students do an experiment to measure their power by walking up steps.

This is the data from student P:

• Weight = 600 N

• Number of steps = 250

• Height of each step = 0.20 m

Calculate the work done by student P.

This is the data from student Q:

• Work done = 36 000 J

• Time taken = 240 s

Calculate the power of student Q.

Give your answer in kW.

Describe how the students carry out this experiment. Include any equipment they need to use.

Student P carries out the experiment five more times and calculates their power.

Here are student P ’s results.

How can student P ’s results be described?

Tick one (✓) box in each row.

Explain your answer to (d)(i).

12* A cable is used to lift a block vertically upwards. Fig. 12.1 shows the forces acting on the block.

Fig. 12.1

The size of the resultant force on the block changes as the block is lifted. Fig. 12.2 shows the velocity-time graph for the block during the time it is being lifted.

Fig. 12.2

Describe how the motion of the block and resultant force on the block change as the block moves from point A to point G.

Use Fig. 12.1 and Fig. 12.2

A student does an experiment to measure the power rating of a Bunsen burner.

The diagram shows their experiment.

This is the method they follow:

• Pour 0.2 kg of water into a beaker.

• Increase the temperature of the water using the Bunsen burner.

• Measure the time taken for the temperature of the water to increase by 50 °C.

Suggest a way to measure the time taken.

The mass of the water is 0.2 kg. The temperature change is 50 °C.

The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J / kg °C.

Calculate the thermal energy transferred to the water.

Use the Equation Sheet.

The student repeats the experiment. They say that the energy transferred by the Bunsen burner is 40 000 J after 200 s.

Calculate the power of the Bunsen burner.

Another student repeats the experiment for two Bunsen burners A and B.

The graph shows the time taken for the temperature of 0.2 kg of water to increase by 50 °C.

The student says, ‘Bunsen burner A has the highest power.’

Explain how the graph shows this.

The manufacturer says, ‘The line on the graph for Bunsen burner B is not accurate. The power of the Bunsen burners should be the same.’

Both Bunsen burners are working correctly.

What did the student do wrong when testing Bunsen burner B ?

Tick (✓) one box.

A boy and a girl walk from their house to a shop. They walk there in different ways.

The distance–time graph shows their motion.

How long does the boy stop for during the walk?

The boy and girl are at the same distance from the house when they are at the shop.

At what other time are the boy and girl at the same distance from the house?

Calculate the boy’s average speed for the whole journey.

Use the Equation Sheet.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

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

The girl walks back to the house. She accelerates for part of the journey.

Which distance–time graph describes her motion for this part of her journey?

Tick (✓) one box.

The girl’s change in velocity is 1.2 m / s. The time taken is 3 seconds.

Calculate the girl’s acceleration.

Acceleration =........ m / s²

The free body force diagram shows how the girl accelerates as she walks along the

What is the name of force X ?

Tick (✓) one box.

A student measures the acceleration due to gravity by dropping a ball through a light gate.

The diagram shows the experiment.

Draw lines to match each source of error in the experiment to the correct way to remove the error.

Source of error
Way to remove the error

The light gate and computer are used to calculate the final velocity of the ball.

What information does the student have to enter into the computer?

The computer displays a final velocity of 7.2 m / s when the student drops the ball from 2.7 m.

Calculate a value for the acceleration due to gravity.

Use the equation: (final velocity)² – (initial velocity)² = 2 × acceleration × distance

Acceleration due to gravity =........ m / s²

A car travels along a road at 20 m / s.

Fig. 12.1 shows how the velocity of the car changes when the driver sees a hazard in the road at time = 0 seconds.

Fig. 12.1

Describe the motion of the car in part B of Fig. 12.1.

Name the distance travelled by the car in part A of Fig. 12.1. Tick (✓) one box.

Calculate the distance travelled by the car in part A of Fig. 12.1.

Use the equation: distance travelled = speed × time

Draw lines to match each situation to its correct speed.

Fig. 12.2 shows how acceleration changes with the mass of a car.

Fig. 12.2

Use Fig. 12.2 to determine the acceleration of a car with a mass of 960 kg.

Acceleration =........ m / s²

Use Fig. 12.2 to estimate the acceleration of a car with a mass of 1400 kg. Show your working on the graph.

Acceleration =........ m / s²

A car travels around a roundabout at 20 mph.

Why is the car accelerating?

A The direction of the car is changing.

B The forces on the car are balanced.

C The mass of the car is decreasing.

D The speed of the car is changing.

A student measures the acceleration due to gravity by dropping a ball through a light gate.

The diagram shows the experiment.

Draw lines to match each source of error in the experiment to the correct way to remove the error.

Source of error
Way to remove the error

The light gate and computer are used to calculate the final velocity of the ball.

What information does the student have to enter into the computer?

The computer displays a final velocity of 7.2 m / s when the student drops the ball from 2.7 m.

Calculate a value for the acceleration due to gravity.

Use the equation: (final velocity)² – (initial velocity)² = 2 × acceleration × distance

Acceleration due to gravity =........ m / s²

The graph shows how acceleration changes with the mass of a car.

Use the graph to determine the acceleration of a car with a mass of 1250 kg.

Acceleration =........ m / s²

Use the graph to estimate the acceleration of a car with a mass of 700 kg.

Acceleration =........ m / s²

A car is travelling at 60 mph.

Which statement most likely describes what the car is doing?

Tick (✓) one box.

This graph shows how the velocity of a car changes when driver A sees a hazard in the road at time = 0 seconds.

Describe how the graph shows that the reaction time of driver A is 0.6 s.

Calculate the braking distance on the graph.

Driver B then drives the same car with the same road conditions and sees the same hazard.

Driver B:

• drives at the same speed as driver A

• has been drinking alcohol

• applies the brakes harder than driver A.

Draw another line on the graph to show how the velocity changes for driver B.

A toy train moves around a circle of track. The speed of the toy train is 2 cm / s.

Why is the velocity of the toy train changing?

A Air resistance is acting on the toy train.

B Force of track on toy train = force of toy train on track.

C Friction is acting between the track and the toy train.

D The toy train is changing direction.

An athlete ran a 100 m sprint. This is a distance-time graph of the sprint:

Describe the athlete’s motion in part A and part C.

After the first 4 seconds, the athlete’s speed is 11.5 m / s. They travelled a distance of 32 m.

Calculate their acceleration during the first 4 seconds.

Use the Data Sheet.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

Acceleration =........ m / s²

Student A says:

‘The displacement from Room 1 to Room 4 is the same as the distance travelled from Room 1 to Room 4.’

Use calculations to explain why student A is incorrect.

Draw two lines from each word to the correct descriptions.

Student B runs along the corridor from Room 1 to Room 2.

Fig. 11.2 is a graph of their motion:

Calculate the acceleration of student B during the first 2 seconds.

Use the equation: acceleration = change in velocity / time

Acceleration =........ m / s²

Describe the motion of the student between 2 and 10 seconds.

Student C starts running along the corridor from Room 1 to Room 2 at the same time as student B.

Their acceleration is less than student B ’s acceleration.

Add a line to Fig. 11.2 to show the acceleration of student C.

This question is about waves.

Two students are watching a tap dripping water into a bowl. As the water drips, it makes waves in the bowl, as shown in Fig 13.1.

The students want to calculate the frequency of the waves in the bowl.

Define frequency.

In 10 seconds, 10 waves are made in the bowl.

State the frequency of the waves.

The students want to measure the wavelength of the water’s waves.

Describe a way for them to do this accurately.

Storms can produce thunder and lightning.

The speed of light is 3 × 10⁸ m / s.

Estimate how many times greater the speed of light is than the speed of sound.

A storm is 1340 m away.

A student sees the lightning and then hears the thunder 4 s later.

Calculate the speed of sound.

Use the equation: distance travelled = speed × time

Speed of sound =........ m / s

The speed of sound can be worked out using two different methods.

Method 1: Clapping your hands and timing the echo from a wall.

Method 2: Measuring the time to hear the thunder after seeing the lightning.

Which method is better?

Explain your answer.

13* This is the plan view of a corridor in a school building.

The arrow XY shows the path student A takes to walk around the corridor from Room 1 to Room 2

Student A takes 120 seconds to walk from point X to point Y. Student B describes the motion:

‘The average velocity of student A is greater than their average speed.’

‘This is because their displacement is greater than the distance they travel.’

Evaluate these statements.

Use calculations to help explain your answer.

This is a picture of a ball on a field.

Draw a free-body force diagram for the ball.

The ball is stationary on the field. Explain why using Newton’s laws.

Student A kicks the ball with their toes.

This hurts the student’s toes. Explain why using Newton’s laws.

Student A kicks the ball.

Their boot is in contact with the ball for 0.05 s.

The velocity of the ball increases by 25 m / s.

Calculate the acceleration of the ball.

Use the equation: acceleration = change in velocity / time

Acceleration =........ m / s²

Student B kicks the ball with a force of 216 N.

The mass of the ball is 0.45 kg.

Calculate the acceleration of the ball.

Use the equation: force = mass × acceleration

Acceleration =........ m / s²

12* Two students do an experiment to calculate their reaction times. They use a 30 cm ruler.

Describe, in detail, a suitable method the students can use to calculate reaction time using the ruler.

In your answer, include:

• Equations the students can use to calculate reaction time.

• How the students can obtain accurate and precise results.

A car changes velocity from 5 m / s to 15 m / s in 10 s.

What is the acceleration of the car?

Use the equation: acceleration = change in velocity ÷ time

0.5 m / s² A

1.0 m / s² B

1.5 m / s² C

2.0 m / s² D

Look at the graph of distance against time for an object.

What is the speed of the object?

A 0.5 m / s

B 2.0 m / s

C 4.0 m / s

D 8.0 m / s

A student measures the acceleration of a trolley on a horizontal surface.

Fig. 15.1 is a diagram of her experiment.

The weight of the masses accelerates the trolley.

Define the term weight.

Show that the weight of a 100 g mass is 1 N.

Friction can change the results of this experiment.

Suggest one way friction can be reduced.

The tall parts of the card on the trolley (U and V) pass through the light gate, as shown in Fig. 15.2.

The velocity of U is 0.5 m / s.

The velocity of V is 1.0 m / s.

Calculate the acceleration of the trolley.

Use the equation: (final velocity)² – (initial velocity)² = 2 acceleration distance

Acceleration =........ m / s²

When the trolley reaches the edge of the surface, it is moving at 1.2 m / s.

The mass of the trolley is 1.0 kg.

Calculate the kinetic energy of the trolley.

The student repeats the experiment with different masses.

This is a graph showing her results.

The student says, ‘The graph shows that the acceleration of the trolley is directly proportional to the force.’

Is the student correct?

Explain your answer.

A student investigates the stopping distance of a toy car. He looks for a relationship between angle of slope and stopping distance as shown in Fig. 12.1

Complete Table 12.1 to show the apparatus he needs.

Describe two things the student should do to get precise and repeatable results.

Table 12.2 shows the results from the experiment.

Describe the relationship shown by the graph.

Use the graph to estimate the mean stopping distance at an angle of 15°.

Explain why the result at 30° in Table 12.2 is the least precise.

Radar stations can be used to find out where ships are.

At a radar station:

• a radar transmitter transmits pulses of microwaves

• the pulses are reflected by the ship

• a radar receiver detects the pulses.

The diagram shows the radar signals on an oscilloscope screen:

Calculate the time taken between the pulse being transmitted and received.

A radar signal is sent from the radar station. The signal reflects off the ship and is detected 0.0006 s later.

The speed of the microwaves is 3.0 × 10⁸ m / s.

Calculate the distance of the ship from the radar station.

Use the equation: distance travelled = speed × time

The amplitude of the received pulse is lower than the transmitted pulse.

Suggest why.

Radar stations use microwaves with a frequency of 200 MHz.

The speed of the waves is 3.0 × 10⁸ m / s.

Calculate the wavelength of these waves.

A car accelerates from rest. This is a graph of the motion of the car on a straight road.

In the first 20 seconds, the car travels 750 m.

Show that the total distance travelled in 40 seconds is approximately 2000 m.

Use the graph to help you.

Calculate the average speed for the total journey shown in the graph.

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

Student A does an experiment to find out if force is related to acceleration.

Fig. 15.1 is a diagram of her experiment.

She hangs a 400 g mass over the pulley.

How can she work out the accelerating force on the trolley?

Use an equation to help explain your answer.

The tall parts of the card on the trolley labelled X and Y pass through the light gate, as shown in Fig. 15.2.

The light gate can measure:

• the time it takes for Y to go through

• the time it takes for X to go through

• the time between Y and X going through.

How can student A use the light gate and card to measure the acceleration of the trolley?

Use an equation to help explain your answer.

Describe one way this experiment could be improved.

* Student A records some measurements. She plots the data points and draws a line of best fit on the graph in Fig. 15.3.

Describe and explain what the results in Fig. 15.3 show. Comment on the validity of student A ’s results shown on the graph in Fig. 15.3.

You are not expected to include a calculation.

Student B does the same experiment.

Fig. 15.4 is a graph of her results.

Calculate the gradient of the graph in Fig. 15.4.

Gradient =........ per kg

Student B ’s graph in Fig. 15.4 can be described by an equation.

Write this equation in the form: y = mx + c

Use your answer to 15(e)(i) and student B ’s graph in Fig. 15.4 to help you.

A student uses a stopwatch to time water waves. The stopwatch always starts from 0.5 s and does not go back to zero.

What is this type of error called?

A Hypothesis error

B Precision error

C Random error

D Systematic error

Radar stations can be used to find out where ships are.

At a radar station:

• a radar transmitter transmits pulses of microwaves

• the pulses are reflected by the ship

• a radar receiver detects the pulses.

The diagram shows the radar signals on an oscilloscope screen:

Calculate the time taken between the pulse being transmitted and received.

A radar signal is sent from the radar station. The signal reflects off the ship and is detected 0.0006 s later.

The speed of the microwaves is 3.0 × 10⁸ m / s.

Calculate the distance of the ship from the radar station.

Use the equation: distance travelled = speed × time

The amplitude of the received pulse is lower than the transmitted pulse.

Suggest why.

Radar stations use microwaves with a frequency of 200 MHz.

The speed of the waves is 3.0 × 10⁸ m / s.

Calculate the wavelength of these waves.

A student wishes to calculate the average speed of a toy car travelling down a ramp. He releases the car without pushing it from the start point A.

He takes measurements of distance and time.

Write down the instruments the student could use to measure distance and time.

State how he can calculate the average speed using these measurements.

The student has an idea about this experiment. He thinks that the greater the angle of the ramp, the greater the average speed of the car.

Look at his results.

Calculate the average speed for the 20° angle.

Write your answer to 2 significant figures.

Do these results support the student’s idea?

Explain your answer.

Another student thinks that this experiment could be improved.

Suggest one problem with this experiment and explain how the experiment could be improved.

What is the speed of sound in air?

A 30 m / s

B 100 m / s

C 340 m / s

D 300 000 000 m / s

15* Person A and person B drive their cars along the same road on different days. Both cars travel at 25 m / s.

The traffic lights along the road change to red. Person A and person B see the red light and press the brakes in their car.

The graphs show the speed of each car after person A and person B see the red light.

The graphs are drawn using the same scale.

Describe the different ways the cars come to a stop.

In your answer:

• Suggest reasons why the cars take different times to stop

• Write about thinking and braking.

Objects in freefall eventually reach terminal velocity.

Draw a labelled diagram to show the forces acting on an object when it is falling at terminal velocity.

A student measures two forces.

The forces are 5.0 N and 3.0 N. The forces act at 90° to each other.

Draw a scale drawing to determine the resultant force.

An object travelling in a circle at a constant speed has a changing velocity.

State why.

Look at the velocity-time graph for a car.

Which graph shows the correct distance-time graph for this car?

13* Person A and person B drive their cars along the same road on different days.

Both cars travel at 25 m / s. The traffic lights along the road change to red.

Person A and person B see the red light and press the brakes in their car.

The graphs show the velocity of each car after person A and person B see the red light.

The graphs are drawn using the same scale.

Explain what the graphs show you about how the cars stop.

Use values from the graphs and calculations in your answer.