Work, energy and power: past paper questions

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• Question 17Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  An object with a mass of $100\text{ g}$ falls a vertical distance of $10\text{ m}$. What is the change in the gravitational potential energy of the object?

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• Question 17May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  What is meant by the efficiency of a system?

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• Question 18Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A bungee jumper jumps from a platform and is decelerated by an elastic bungee cord, as shown. When the jumper makes the jump, his initial gravitational potential energy relative to the ground is converted into his kinetic energy and into elastic potential energy in the cord.

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• Question 13Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  An object is dropped from rest on the Earth from a height of $2.0\text{m}$. The same object is dropped from rest on the Moon from twice the height. The acceleration of free fall on the Moon is approximately $16\mathrm{\%}$ of the value on the Earth.

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• Question 16Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  The input power to a television is $P_{\text{in}}$. The useful sound and light power emitted by the television is $P_{\text{out}}$. What is the efficiency of the television?

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• Question 18May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Object X is at a small height $h$ above the surface of the Earth and then falls from rest to the surface. The speed of object X when it reaches the surface of the Earth is $v_{\text{X}}$.

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• Question 19Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  A sailboat is pushed by the wind at a constant velocity $v$ across a lake. The force of the wind and the velocity of the sailboat are in the same direction. Which additional information is required to determine the work done per unit time by the wind acting on the sailboat?

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• Question 19May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which equation is not required to derive the formula $P=Fv$?

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• Question 21May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The graph shows the variation of the elastic potential energy $E_{\text{p}}$ stored in a spring with the square of the extension of the spring. What is the spring constant of the spring?

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• Question 15Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  An electric car travels at a constant speed of $70{\text{ km h}}^{-1}$ for $80\text{ km}$ on a straight horizontal road and uses energy $E$ from its battery. The total resistive force acting on the car is proportional to $(\text{speed}{)}^2$.

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• Question 17May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  An object of weight $3.0\text{ N}$ is moved vertically at a constant velocity $v$ by an electric motor. The electric motor has an efficiency of 25%. The object travels a vertical distance of $1.2\text{ m}$ in $3.0\text{ s}$.

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• Question 19Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a block on a slope.

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• Question 7Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A moving object strikes a stationary object. The collision is inelastic. The objects move off together.

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• Question 18May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  An alpha particle has $2.2\times {10}^{-13}\text{ J}$ of kinetic energy. What is the speed of the alpha particle?

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• Question 20Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  The motor of a crane lifts a load of mass $600\text{ kg}$. The load rises vertically at a constant speed of $12\text{ m}$ per minute. What is the useful power output of the motor?

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• Question 10Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Two train carriages each of mass $5000\text{ kg}$ roll toward one another on a horizontal frictionless track. One is travelling at a speed of $2.00{\text{ m s}}^{-1}$ and the other at a speed of $1.00{\text{ m s}}^{-1}$, as shown. They collide and join together.

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• Question 17Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  When an object of mass $m$ is raised through a vertical height $\mathrm{\Delta }h$, the gain of its gravitational potential energy is $\mathrm{\Delta }{E}_{\text{P}}$.

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• Question 9May/June 2026, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows an object on a horizontal air track moving with velocity $u$ towards a stationary identical object. The objects collide and stick together. The objects then move along the track with velocity $v$.

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• Question 15Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  What is the definition of power?

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  Define acceleration.

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• Question 3Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  A spring is fixed at one end and attached to the frame of a pulley at the other end. A cable is passed around the wheel of the pulley. The spring is stretched to a fixed length using the cable and pulley.

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• Question 17Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Which statement represents the principle of conservation of energy?

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• Question 17May/June 2026, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  An object of mass $m$ has a constant acceleration due to a constant resultant force $F$. In a distance $s$, the speed of the object is increased from $u$ to $v$. What is the relationship between $s$, $m$, $F$, $u$ and $v$?

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• Question 3Oct/Nov 2023, paper 22Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  A vertical rod is fixed to the horizontal surface of a table, as shown in Fig. 3.1. A spring of mass $7.5\text{ g}$ is able to slide along the full length of the rod.

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• Question 18May/June 2026, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  An object is displaced horizontally to the right in a uniform vertical gravitational field. Which statement describes the change in the gravitational potential energy of the object?

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• Question 9May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  What is always conserved in elastic collisions?

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• Question 11Oct/Nov 2024, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Which row states whether total momentum and total kinetic energy are conserved in an inelastic collision in which there are no external forces?

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• Question 12May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Leonardo da Vinci proposed a flying machine that would work like a screw to lift the pilot into the air. The 'screw' is rotated by the pilot. The machine and the pilot together have a total mass of $120\text{ kg}$.

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• Question 3May/June 2026, paper 22Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  Two oscillating dippers are used to create progressive transverse water waves on the surface of a lake. The waves are shown from above in Figure 3.1. Wave crests are represented by a solid line.

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• Question 17May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  An object is falling in a uniform gravitational field. Which two quantities are sufficient to calculate the change in gravitational potential energy?

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