IGCSE
Cambridge (CIE)
Physics
2 hours
16 questions
Theory Questions
Physical Quantities &
Measurement
Techniques
Measurement / Scalars & Vectors / Calculating with Vectors
Easy (6 questions)
/44
Medium (5 questions)
/42
Hard (5 questions)
/40
Total Marks
/126
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Easy Questions
1 (a) Extended tier only
Explain the difference between speed and velocity.
(2 marks)
(b) Extended tier only
Identify the scalar quantities.
Tick all the boxes that apply.
□ time
□ weight
□ acceleration
□ distance
(2 marks)
(c) Extended tier only
State another example of a vector quantity and a scalar quantity.
(2 marks)
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(d)
Extended Only
Fig. 1.1 shows a vector diagram for the effects of two forces.
Fig. 1.1
Calculate the resultant force.
resultant force = ....................................
(2 marks)
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2 (a) Some students observe drops of water falling from a tap that leaks, as shown in Fig. 1.1.
The students measure the time for 50 drops to fall from the tap. The time for 50 drops to
fall is 20 s.
Calculate the average time between two drops falling.
average time = ..................................................... s
(2 marks)
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(b) The students collect some drops of water.
(i) The students measure the volume of the water they collect.
State the term for the equipment that is suitable for measuring the volume accurately.
[1]
(ii) In a similar experiment, another student collects 0.21 kg of water.
Calculate the weight of this water.
weight of water = .................................................... N [3]
(4 marks)
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3 (a) Four students P, Q, R and S each attempt to measure the time period (the time for one
complete oscillation) of a pendulum. The arrows in Fig. 2.1 show the movements of the
pendulum that each student times.
State the student who has chosen the correct movement for one period of a pendulum.
(1 mark)
(b) Another student uses a stopwatch to measure the time taken for 50 periods of a
pendulum.
Fig. 2.2 shows the time taken on the stopwatch.
Calculate the time for one period of the pendulum. Give your answer to 3 significant
figures.
time for one period = ...................................................... s
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(3 marks)
(c) The student measures the displacement of the pendulum bob from its rest position. The
displacement is 16.5cm, as shown in Fig. 2.3.
State the displacement in millimetres.
displacement = ...................................................... mm
(1 mark)
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4 (a) A student measures the length of the sides of a metal cuboid using a 30 cm ruler.
State the measured lengths of the following sides.
Include the appropriate units in your answer.
(i) Side A in Fig. 1.1
length of side A = .................................... [1]
(ii) Side B in Fig 1.2
length of side B = .................................... [1]
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(iii) Side C in Fig 1.3
length of side C = .................................... [1]
(3 marks)
(b) Calculate the volume of the metal cuboid. Give your answer in cubic metres.
volume = .................................... m3
(3 marks)
(c) The student measures the mass of the metal cuboid on a scale. The measurement is
shown in Figure 1.4.
Fig. 1.4
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State the reading for mass. Give your answer in kg.
mass = ................................... kg
(1 mark)
(d) The densities of different metals are listed in the following table:
Metal
Density kg/m3
Iron
7870
Magnesium
1740
Titanium
4510
Aluminium
2600
Use the information in the table to identify the type of metal which the cuboid is made
of.
(3 marks)
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5 (a) Extended tier only
Identify the unit of velocity.
Tick one box.
□m
□ m/s
□ m/s2
(1 mark)
(b) Extended tier only
Explain how a scalar quantity is different to a vector quantity.
(2 marks)
(c) Extended tier only
Fig. 1.1 shows a vector diagram for two component velocities.
Fig. 1.1
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Determine the velocity of the vector labelled v .
2
(1 mark)
(d) Extended tier only
Calculate the magnitude of the resultant velocity of the components shown in Fig. 1.1.
Give your answer to 2 significant figures.
(2 marks)
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6 (a) A stack of paper is used for a design project. Describe how to determine accurately the
thickness of one sheet from this stack, using only a ruler.
(2 marks)
(b) A small rectangular block is required for the design project. Describe how to accurately
measure the volume of the block.
(2 marks)
(c) Describe how to measure the volume of a small, irregularly shaped object using only a
measuring cylinder and some water.
(5 marks)
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Medium Questions
1 (a) A student has a pile of A4 paper for his computer printer.
Fig. 1.1 shows the dimensions of the pile of paper.
The pile contains 500 sheets of paper.
Calculate the average thickness of one sheet of paper.
average thickness = .................................................... cm
(1 mark)
(b) Show that the pile of paper has a volume of 3000 cm3. Use the information shown in
Fig.1.1.
(1 mark)
(c) The student measures the total mass of the paper in the pile.
State the name of a device used to measure mass.
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(1 mark)
(d) The mass of the paper in the pile is 2400 g.
Calculate the density of the paper.
density = .............................................. g/cm3
(3 marks)
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2 (a) A teacher investigates the reaction time of five students. A 0.50 m ruler is held above the
hand of a student before being allowed to fall. The arrangement is shown in Fig. 3.1.
As soon as the ruler falls the student closes their hand, catching the ruler. The further
the ruler falls, the greater the reaction time of the student. The results obtained are
shown in Fig. 3.2.
Using the results shown in Fig. 3.2, calculate the average distance that the ruler drops.
average distance = ................................................... cm
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(2 marks)
(b) List the students in order of their reaction times, with the shortest reaction time at the
top of the table. One has been done for you.
order
student
1st
2nd
3rd
B
4th
5th
(2 marks)
(c) In a similar investigation, a ruler drops a distance of 11.0 cm and has an average speed
of 16 cm / s.
Calculate the reaction time.
reaction time = ...................................................... s
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(3 marks)
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3 (a) Fig. 1.1 shows a large tank containing water. The tank leaks. Drops of water fall from the
tank.
The drops hit the ground at a regular rate.
A student measures the time interval between two drops of water hitting the ground.
They use a stopwatch and repeat the procedure three times. Fig. 1.2 shows each
stopwatch reading.
(i) On the line below each stopwatch, state the time readings shown, in seconds.
[1]
(ii) Calculate the average time interval between two drops of water hitting the ground.
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average time = ....................................................... s [2]
(3 marks)
(b) Another student measures the average time taken for a drop of water to fall from the
tank to the ground. The time taken is 1.6 s.
Calculate the average speed of this drop of water.
average speed = ................................................... m/s
(3 marks)
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4 (a) A student has a piece of metal that has an irregular shape. The weight of the metal is 3.0
N.
Calculate the mass of the metal.
mass = ..................................................... kg
(2 marks)
(b) Fig. 2.1 shows the piece of metal, a measuring cylinder and a beaker containing water.
(i) Describe how to determine the volume of the metal, using the equipment in Fig. 2.1.
[4]
(ii) Explain why the procedure in (b)(i) is not suitable for finding the volume of a piece of
low-density wood that is of similar shape and size to the piece of metal in (a).
[1]
(iii) The mass of another piece of metal is 405 g and its volume is 150 cm3.
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Calculate the density of the metal. State the unit.
density = .......................................................... [3]
(8 marks)
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5 (a) Extended tier only
Two students are discussing mass and weight.
Student 1 claims that a person's weight will be different on Mars than it is on Earth.
Describe the difference between mass and weight, and explain whether you agree with
Student 1.
(5 marks)
(b) Extended tier only
Identify the vector quantities.
Tick all the boxes that apply.
□ displacement
□ distance
□ speed
□ velocity
(1 mark)
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(c) Extended tier only
Two forces act at right angles to one another: a 35 N force acts to the right and a 42 N
force acts downward.
Construct a scale diagram showing the effect of these two forces, and label the resultant
force as X.
Use the scale 10 N = 1 cm
(3 marks)
(d) Extended tier only
Calculate the magnitude and direction of the resultant force of the forces acting from
part (c)
magnitude of resultant force = ....................................
direction of resultant force = .................................... to the horizontal
(4 marks)
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Hard Questions
1 (a) A student uses a stopwatch in a timing experiment.
Fig. 1.1 shows the stopwatch readings.
Calculate the time interval between the two readings.
time interval = ...................................................... s
(2 marks)
(b) A device has a light-emitting diode (LED) that flashes briefly at regular intervals.
Describe how to determine accurately the average time for each interval, using a
stopwatch.
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(4 marks)
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2 (a) A student places 8 similar coins in a pile, as shown in Fig. 1.1.
The height of the pile of coins is 2.4 cm.
Calculate the average thickness of one coin.
average thickness = .................................................. cm
(2 marks)
(b) Fig. 1.2 shows the pile of coins, a measuring cylinder and a beaker containing some
water.
Describe how the student can measure the volume of one of the coins using the set-up
shown in Fig. 1.2.
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(4 marks)
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3 (a) Extended tier only
An object of weight W is suspended by two ropes from a beam, as shown in Fig. 1.1.
Fig. 1.1
The tensions in the ropes are 45.6 N and 81.1 N, as shown.
Using a scale of 1 cm = 10 N, construct a scale drawing to show the resultant force of the
two tensions.
Clearly label the resultant force.
(4 marks)
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(b) Extended tier only
Using your scale diagram from part (a), determine the magnitude and direction of the
resultant force.
magnitude of resultant force = ....................................
direction of resultant force = ....................................
(2 marks)
(c) Extended tier only
State the value of W.
W = ....................................
(1 mark)
(d) Extended tier only
State another vector quantity other than a type of force.
(1 mark)
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4 (a) Extended tier only
State the definition of a vector quantity.
(1 mark)
(b) Extended tier only
A list of vector quantities and their SI units are given in the following table.
Quantity
SI unit
weight
m/s
kg m/s
gravitational field strength
Complete the information missing from the table.
(4 marks)
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(c) Extended tier only
A horizontal force of 136 N to the right, and a vertical downward force of 54 N act on an
object perpendicularly to one another.
By use of a scale diagram (not by calculation) determine the magnitude of the resultant
force.
magnitude of resultant force = ....................................
(4 marks)
(d) Extended tier only
Using the information from part (c), determine the direction of the resultant force.
direction of resultant force = .................................... from the horizontal
(2 marks)
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5 (a) Extended tier only
A bucket of water hangs from a rope attached to a pole as shown in Fig. 1.1.
Fig. 1.1
The tension force, T = 31 N and the ropes are perpendicular to one another.
Calculate the magnitude of the downward force acting on the bucket of water.
magnitude of downward force = ....................................
(4 marks)
(b) State the name of the downward force acting on the bucket.
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(1 mark)
(c) Extended tier only
Weight is a vector quantity. Name one other vector quantity.
(1 mark)
(d) The bucket has a mass of 0.65 kg.
Calculate the mass of the water in the bucket.
(3 marks)
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