Edexcel GCSE Physics Paper 1 Higher June 2025 question paper 1PH0/1H

This question is about both infrasound and ultrasound.

Which of these is a frequency of infrasound ?

Figure 1 shows a technician standing in front of a wall.

The technician has a device that can emit and detect ultrasound.

The device emits a pulse of ultrasound towards the wall and detects the echo of the pulse a short time later.

The wall is 7.6 m from the device.

The speed of ultrasound in air is 330 m / s.

Calculate the time between the emission of the pulse and the detection of the echo.

Explain why humans cannot hear infrasound.

Figure 2 shows the two forces acting on a beach ball as it falls through the air.

The resultant of these two forces is 0.92 N downwards.

The mass of the beach ball is 0.25 kg.

Calculate the acceleration of the beach ball as it falls.

Use the equation

F = m × a

acceleration =_........ m / s²

Calculate the size of the air resistance force on the beach ball.

Some students are investigating forces.

They use a newton meter to keep a trolley stationary on a sloping runway, as shown in Figure 3.

They measure the force needed to keep the trolley stationary on the sloping runway.

They do this at four different places on the runway.

When the height, h, of the runway is 0.60 m, their four readings for force are

2.1 N 2.7 N 2.5 N 2.2 N

Calculate the mean value of these forces.

The students then measure values of the force, F, for several different values of h, the height of the runway.

Figure 4 is a graph of F against h.

Use the graph in Figure 4 to determine the value of F when h = 0.80 m.

Determine the gradient of the graph in Figure 4.

gradient =_........ N / m

Figure 5 is a diagram of part of a water wave.

Use data from Figure 5 to determine the amplitude of the wave.

Use data from Figure 5 to determine the wavelength of the wave.

wavelength =_........

The water wave shown in Figure 5 is generated in a large tank.

A student observes the wave.

Describe how the student could determine the wave speed of the wave.

When an earthquake happens, waves are transmitted through the Earth. Figure 6 is a diagram of a part of the Earth’s crust.

Earth’s surface

An earthquake happens at point X, 20 km below the Earth’s surface.

An earthquake wave from X is detected at point L.

This earthquake wave is a transverse wave.

State one other example of a transverse wave.

A point in the crust is labelled R in Figure 6. There is a rock at point R.

Describe the effect that this earthquake wave has on the rock at R as the wave passes through the rock.

You may add to Figure 6 to help your answer.

The wave from X reaches L 3.8 seconds after it passes through R.

The speed of the wave is 4500 m / s.

Calculate the distance between X and R.

This question is about using radioactivity and nuclear energy.

Gamma ray irradiation of food kills harmful bacteria by using

Which part of a nuclear reactor is used to absorb neutrons?

The isotope fluorine-18 is used in PET scans, which help to detect cancers.

Figure 7 shows a radioactive decay curve for a sample of fluorine-18.

Use the graph to calculate the percentage of fluorine-18 remaining after 150 minutes.

percentage of fluorine-18 remaining after 150 minutes =_........

Fluorine-18 releases positrons.

Describe what happens when positrons meet electrons.

Figure 8 shows what happens during a fission chain reaction.

Explain what happens when one neutron interacts with one uranium nucleus.

In 2023, Finland produced 4.4 GW of power from nuclear power plants.

The UK produced 8.9 GW of power from nuclear power plants.

Calculate the ratio of nuclear power produced in Finland compared with the UK as

power production in Finland

Give your answer to 2 significant figures (2 s.f.).

When light travels from air into glass, it is refracted.

To investigate this, a student has a rectangular glass block and a ray box.

The ray box produces a ray of light.

Describe how the student should use the glass block and ray box to produce a refracted ray and mark its position.

You may draw a diagram to help your answer.

Figure 9 is a table of data for three coloured beams of light travelling from air into glass.

Using data from Figure 9,

state what happens to the wavelength of light when the light travels from glass into air

state what happens to the frequency of light when the light travels from glass into air.

The speed of blue light in air is 3.0 × 10⁸m / s.

Calculate the change in the speed of blue light when it travels from air into glass.

Use the equation

v = f × λ

change in speed =_........

Figure 10 shows a skier sliding down a slope.

The gravitational potential energy of the skier decreases by 39 000 J between the top and the bottom of the slope.

The mass of the skier is 70 kg.

Calculate the height, h of the slope.

The value of g is 10 N / kg.

Use the equation

Δ GPE = m × g × h

The skier starts from rest at the top of the slope.

The velocity of the skier at the bottom of the slope is 27 m / s.

Using information from Figure 10, calculate the acceleration of the skier along the slope.

acceleration =_........ m / s²

When the skier slides from the top to the bottom of the slope, some energy is dissipated.

Explain how to determine the amount of energy dissipated.

Figure 11 shows athletes running at a constant speed on a curved section of

Even though they are running at a constant speed, the velocity of each athlete is changing.

State why the velocity of each athlete is changing.

The athletes start the race on a straight section of track.

Figure 12 shows a distance / time graph for one of the athletes.

Determine the gradient of this graph at a time of 2.5 s.

gradient =_........

Describe how the power of a lens is related to its focal length and the shape of the lens.

Give one example of a virtual image that a lens could produce.

Give one example of a real image that a lens could produce.

A student investigates what happens when a ray of light shines into a semicircular block made of transparent plastic.

The ray meets the straight edge at an angle of 20°, as shown in Figure 13.

The student gradually increases the angle at the straight edge from 20° to 50° and observes what happens to the ray of light.

The critical angle for the transparent plastic is 38°.

Describe what you would expect to happen to the ray of light as the angle at the straight edge increases from 20° to 50°.

You may add to the diagram in Figure 13 to help your answer.

The asteroid Ceres orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.

During its orbit, Ceres receives electromagnetic radiation from the Sun.

The average temperature of Ceres is constant.

Explain why the average temperature of Ceres remains constant.

Figure 14 shows a footballer and a ball.

The ball is stationary before it is kicked.

The mass of the ball is 0.43 kg.

The kick exerts a force of 2700 N on the ball.

The velocity of the ball just after it has been kicked is 36 m / s.

Calculate the momentum of the ball just after it has been kicked.

State the unit for momentum.

Calculate the amount of time that the footballer’s kicking foot is in contact with the ball.

Explain how Newton’s third law applies to the interaction between the kicking foot and the football.

Figure 15 shows a system consisting of two toy trolleys, S and T, on a straight, horizontal track.

T is not moving.

S is moving with a velocity of 0.36 m / s towards T.

S collides with T.

The trolleys stick together and move off together.

With reference to the momentum of the system, explain why the velocity of the trolleys after the collision is less than the velocity of S before the collision.

Carbon-14 is a radioactive substance that emits beta minus (β^–) particles.

Which of these is the unit for the activity of a sample of carbon-14?

Which row of the table gives a correct comparison of the penetrating abilities of alpha, beta and gamma radiation?

The mass of a beta minus particle is 9.1 × 10^–31kg.

Calculate the kinetic energy of a beta minus particle moving with a speed of 3.8 × 10⁶m / s.

kinetic energy =_........

Describe what happens in the nucleus of an atom when a beta plus particle is emitted.

*(c) Radioactive decay can produce gamma radiation and alpha radiation.

Compare the processes of gamma decay and alpha decay.

Your answer should include

• a description of both gamma radiation and alpha radiation

• the effect of each type of decay on the original nucleus.

The table in Figure 16 shows some data about four stars.

State which star in the table in Figure 16 is most likely to become a Black Hole.

Using data from the table in Figure 16, give a reason for your answer to part (i).

In a nuclear fusion reaction, mass is converted into energy.

Describe what is meant by nuclear fusion.

The speed of light, c, is 3.0 × 10⁸m / s.

The energy radiated by the Sun in 1 second is 3.9 × 10²⁶J.

Calculate the decrease in the Sun’s mass equivalent to this energy.

State the unit with your answer.

Use the equation

decrease in mass =_........

*(c) There have been a number of theories about the origin and development of the Universe.

One theory about the origin and development of the Universe is The Big Bang Theory.

Discuss two pieces of evidence that support The Big Bang Theory.