Energy: past paper questions

Where the questions come from

• Question 8May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which process transfers energy between stores by mechanical working?

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• Question 7Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which list contains only energy stores?

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• Question 8Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a steel sphere falling through a cylinder of oil. Which row indicates what happens to the steel sphere and what happens to the oil as the steel sphere falls?

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• Question 8Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows part of a rollercoaster ride with the car at different positions. The car runs freely down from position X to position Y and up the hill on the other side.

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• Question 8May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  An electric car is travelling at constant velocity along a straight horizontal road. Which row shows the energy changes that are taking place?

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Which physical quantity is transferred when work is done?

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  In a small power station, biofuel is used to generate electricity. Which energy store is reduced by this process?

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• Question 36May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The step-down transformer shown reduces mains voltage to $12\text{ V}$. When the transformer is used, some energy is transferred to the surroundings. Which energy store of the surroundings increases?

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• Question 8Oct/Nov 2025, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  When an object falls freely due to gravity, energy that was stored as gravitational potential energy is transferred to the kinetic energy store. How is the energy transferred in this process?

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows an object of mass $m$ being projected with speed $v$ from a point P to a point Q on top of a cliff height $h$. The object does work $W$ against air resistance as it travels from P to Q. What is the kinetic energy of the object when it reaches point Q?

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• Question 10Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a Sankey diagram for an electric drill. What is the total wasted energy shown by the diagram?

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• Question 7Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A mass is suspended from a vertical spring. The mass is pulled downwards causing the spring to extend further. The mass is held in this position and then released.

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2024, paper 22Multiple choice1 mark

  An object has a mass of $20\text{ kg}$. It is taken up stairs through a height of $4.0\text{ m}$. What is the increase in the store of gravitational potential energy?

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  An object of mass $m$ falls from a higher shelf to a lower shelf. How much gravitational potential energy does the object lose?

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• Question 13May/June 2026, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  The temperature of a copper block increases. Which energy store in the block must increase?

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2025, paper 23Multiple choice1 mark

  Which device transfers energy from a chemical energy store to a kinetic energy store?

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• Question 10Oct/Nov 2024, paper 22Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  An electrician uses a lifting machine, as shown. The lifting machine takes $4.5\text{ s}$ to lift the electrician a vertical height of $3.2\text{ m}$. The mass of the electrician is $72\text{ kg}$.

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• Question 7May/June 2026, paper 22Multiple choice1 mark

  The total mass of a cyclist and his bicycle is $80\mathrm{k}\mathrm{g}$. The cyclist starts from rest and rides down a hill without pedalling. The vertical height of the hill is $50\mathrm{m}$.

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2025, paper 31Structured8 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 4.1 shows a student doing some repetitive ‘step-up’ exercises. In each ‘step-up’, the student steps up from the floor onto a box and then back down to the floor. The height of the box is $0.40\text{ m}$.

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2025, paper 41Structured8 marks

  A train travels with a constant velocity of $56\text{ m/s}$ on a horizontal track. The mass of the train is $440000\text{ kg}$. State the difference between the velocity of the train and its speed.

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• Question 10Oct/Nov 2024, paper 23Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows the path of a long-jumper. Point R, where she lands, is on the same horizontal level as point P, from where she takes off. The long-jumper experiences air resistance as she runs and jumps.

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2023, paper 23Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The mass of air hitting the blades of a wind turbine each second is $1.5\times {10}^4\text{ kg}$. The speed of the air is $4.0\text{ m/s}$. The density of air is $1.2{\text{ kg/m}}^3$.

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• Question 4May/June 2026, paper 31Structured12 marksHas a diagram

  A student uses an electric motor to turn a wheel, as shown in Figure 4.1. Give the name of the energy store that increases as the wheel turns faster.

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2025, paper 43Structured11 marksHas a diagram

  A hard ball is dropped vertically downwards. Fig. 1.1 shows the speed–time graph for the ball from when it is dropped until it hits the ground. Air resistance is ignored.

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2024, paper 31Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 4.1 shows the energy transfers in a lamp. State the value of the wasted output energy.

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• Question 1May/June 2026, paper 41Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  Figure 1.1 shows a student holding a rubber ball $1.4\text{ m}$ above a hard floor. The mass of the ball is $0.18\text{ kg}$. State what is meant by the mass of the ball.

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• Question 3Oct/Nov 2025, paper 43Structured6 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 3.1 shows a Sankey diagram for the power transfer in a coal-fired power station. Show that the useful power output from the power station is approximately $1100\text{ MW}$.

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2024, paper 32Structured6 marksHas a diagram

  Energy stored in the water behind hydroelectric dams is an example of a renewable energy source. (i) State what is meant by a renewable energy source.

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• Question 2Oct/Nov 2023, paper 32Structured4 marksHas a diagram

  State the principle of conservation of energy.

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• Question 1May/June 2026, paper 43Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Figure 1.1 shows a speed–time graph for a toy aircraft. Describe the motion between times: 18 s and 110 s ....................................................................................................................

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