Energy, work and power: past paper questions

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• Question 13Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Seven energy sources are listed. fossil fuel hydroelectric solar nuclear geothermal wind tides How many of these energy sources are renewable energy sources?

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• Question 8Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a stationary fairground ride with four chairs of equal mass. Which chair has the most gravitational potential energy?

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• Question 14May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Why are fossil fuels described as non-renewable?

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• Question 15Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Energy is stored in batteries, fuel and food. What is the name of this energy store?

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• Question 10Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  As a cyclist uses the brakes on a bicycle, energy is transferred from the kinetic store to the thermal store. What causes the transfer of energy?

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Hydroelectric and tidal power stations generate electrical energy. Do these use renewable sources of energy?

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• Question 11May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  An electric motor produces a force $F$ to pull a trolley up a ramp. There is no friction or air resistance acting. Which quantity is equal to the work done by the force $F$?

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• Question 16Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  An object of mass $5.0\text{ kg}$ is moving at a constant speed. It has $10\text{ J}$ of kinetic energy. What is the speed of the object?

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• Question 10Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Which energy resource is correctly described?

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• Question 17Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  What is the definition of efficiency?

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• Question 13May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  In a fossil fuel power station, chemical energy stored in the fossil fuel is used to generate electricity. Which stage is not involved in the generation of electricity in a nuclear power station?

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• Question 18Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  An object of mass $m$ is lifted through a vertical distance $d$ in time $t$. Which equation is used to calculate the power $P$ required to lift the object?

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• Question 18Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Energy is transferred in a filament lamp at a rate of $60\text{ W}$. The lamp wastes energy at a rate of $46\text{ W}$. Which ratio is used to calculate the efficiency of the lamp?

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• Question 33May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Which quantities are multiplied together to determine the power input to an electrical appliance?

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Structured8 marksHas a diagram

  A car is at rest on a straight horizontal road. At time $t=0$, the car begins to accelerate. Fig. 1.1 shows how the momentum of the car varies with time.

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

  The diagram shows a curved track.

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• Question 2May/June 2026, paper 21Structured8 marksHas a diagram

  Figure 2.1 shows a waterfall. The speed of the water flow at points P and Q is the same. Describe the transfers of energy that occur as the water moves from point P to point Q.

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• Question 2Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Structured8 marksHas a diagram

  In a factory, an electric motor is used to lift the boxes shown in Fig. 2.1. The boxes are placed in a cage and the motor winds a cable around a cylinder to lift the cage and boxes.

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• Question 11Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Which equation is used to calculate the efficiency of an energy transfer?

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• Question 13Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  How does an oil-fired power station differ from a nuclear power station?

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• Question 2Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  A spherical container is used to carry measuring instruments to the bottom of a lake. Fig. 2.1 shows the container held at rest just below the water surface of a lake. The container is released and falls through the water to the bottom of the lake.

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

  Four objects of different masses are lifted through different distances in different amounts of time. In which combination of mass, distance and time is the greatest power transferred?

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• Question 14Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  An electric motor is used to lift a load at a constant speed. The gravitational potential energy (GPE) stored in the load increases. The moving load also has stored kinetic energy (KE).

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2025, paper 41Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  A student measures the efficiency of a small electric heater. The student is provided with the circuit shown in Fig. 1.1. The coil of wire is the small electric heater.

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• Question 32Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  How is energy transferred within a kettle that is powered by the mains supply?

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2025, paper 41Essay6 marksHas a diagram

  A solar cell is a device that can generate electrical power when light falls on it. You are given a solar cell connected to a fixed resistor as in the incomplete circuit shown in Fig. 4.1.

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Structured8 marksHas a diagram

  A trolley of mass $0.20\text{ kg}$ is at rest on a frictionless surface. A block of wood is attached to the trolley. The volume of the block of wood is $0.0012{\text{ m}}^3$, and the density of the wood is $650{\text{ kg/m}}^3$.

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• Question 2Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Structured8 marks

  A lorry (truck) is at rest on a straight, horizontal road. A constant driving force of $5.4\times {10}^4\text{ N}$ acts on the lorry and it accelerates forwards. Define what is meant by ‘acceleration’.

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

  An object pulled along horizontal ground accelerates to the right. The diagram shows the directions of the forces acting on the object. Which force is multiplied by the distance moved to calculate the work done to increase the kinetic energy store?

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• Question 2Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Structured8 marks

  A student makes a ball from modelling clay. The ball has a mass of $0.20\text{ kg}$. She drops the ball from a height of $40\text{ m}$ above the ground.

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