O Level Physics 5054, topic 2.1

Kinetic particle model of matter: past paper questions

47 Cambridge O Level Physics 5054 questions on Kinetic particle model of matter (2.1) from 22 papers, 2023 to 2026. Mostly multiple choice. Open the paper or try a question free.

Practising builds a set from this topic, free with an account. One question opens straight away, with no account.

Questions
47
Papers
22
Years
2023 to 2026
Total marks
120
Average per question
2.6 marks
Largest question
10 marks

By type: Multiple choice 37 · Structured 10

How hard the questions are

  • Recall4
  • Apply4
  • Analyse9
  • Not banded30

Derived from the command word Cambridge prints in each question, banded by a fixed table beside the syllabus's own definitions. A question printing no command word is unbanded: unknown, not middling.

Command words

  • explainAnalyse7 questions

    set out purposes or reasons / make the relationships between things clear / say why and/or how and support with relevant evidence

  • stateRecall7 questions

    express in clear terms

  • calculateApply6 questions

    work out from given facts, figures or information

  • describeApply5 questions

    state the points of a topic / give characteristics and main features

  • compareAnalyse2 questions

    identify/comment on similarities and/or differences

  • completeApply2 questions
  • nameRecall1 question
  • sketchApply1 question

    make a simple freehand drawing showing the key features, taking care over proportions

  • suggestAnalyse1 question

    apply knowledge and understanding to situations where there are a range of valid responses in order to make proposals / put forward considerations

Where the questions come from

By year

  • 20267
  • 202512
  • 202415
  • 202313

By session

  • May/June24
  • Oct/Nov23

By paper

  • Paper 137
  • Paper 210

Questions on this topic

Showing 30 of 47, spread across the years. Open one to write your answer and have it marked.

  • Question 16May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

    What is the name of the change of state that occurs when a substance changes from a solid to a liquid?

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  • Question 10Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

    The pressure and volume of a sample of gas at constant temperature are measured and plotted on a graph. The pressure is decreased to 12.5 kPa. What is the new volume of this sample of gas?

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  • Question 7Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

    Some gas trapped in a container is compressed at constant temperature by a piston. Which property of the gas does not change?

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  • Question 14Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

    Some gas is trapped in a large syringe. The atmospheric pressure is 100 kPa. The gas pressure is 200 kPa above atmospheric pressure.

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  • Question 19May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

    Some of the liquid in a dish evaporates, as shown in the diagrams. Which molecules leave the liquid and which molecules in the liquid have greater average kinetic energy?

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  • Question 21Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

    Air at atmospheric pressure and room temperature is trapped in an insulated container by a frictionless piston of negligible weight. The air can be compressed by placing masses on top of the piston.

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

    Which diagram shows the names of the changes of state that correspond to the directions of the arrows?

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  • Question 16May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

    Which terms describe the changes in state between a gas and a liquid?

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  • Question 15Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

    A student investigates how changing the temperature of a gas affects the volume of the gas. The gas is kept at a constant pressure. Which graph shows the relationship between the temperature and the volume of a sample of gas at constant pressure?

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  • Question 13Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

    Air at a pressure of 1.0 × 105 N/m2 is trapped in a container by a piston.

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  • Question 20Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

    Pot X and pot Y are both in a cool room. Pot X contains hot water below its boiling point. Pot Y is identical to pot X but contains water that is kept boiling by a hotplate underneath it.

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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 22Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

    Air is trapped in a glass tube by a liquid. When the tube is horizontal, the length of the trapped air is 50 mm and its pressure is 1.0×105 Pa. When the tube is vertical, with the closed end downwards, the length of the trapped air is 45 mm.

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

    The melting temperature of gold is 1064 °C. What is the melting temperature of gold on the Kelvin scale?

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  • Question 1Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Structured9 marksHas a diagram

    Fig. 1.1 shows a toy water rocket. The rocket is half-filled with water and connected by rubber tubing to a pump. Air is then pumped into the rocket so that the pressure of the air inside the rocket increases.

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  • Question 3May/June 2026, paper 21Structured10 marksHas a diagram

    A syringe containing air is connected to a pressure sensor in a school laboratory as shown in Figure 3.1. Figure 3.1 The pressure of the air in the syringe cylinder is 1.0×105 Pa. There is no friction between the plunger and the walls of the syringe cylinder.

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  • Question 3Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Structured7 marksHas a diagram

    Fig. 3.1 shows a small block of ice at 0 ∘C and a plastic cup that contains 0.24 kg of water. The initial temperature of the water in the cup is 22.0 ∘C. The block of ice is dropped into the water.

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  • Question 16Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

    The table shows the melting and boiling temperatures of three elements. element | melting temperature / °C | boiling temperature / °C argon | –189 | –185 nitrogen| –210 | –196 oxygen | –218 | –183 At which temperature are the three elements in different states?

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  • Question 5Oct/Nov 2023, paper 22Structured5 marksHas a diagram

    Fig. 5.1 shows a device that cools the air in a room by evaporation. Water drips from the container into the sponge block and keeps it wet. Air flows in through one grille and out through the other.

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  • Question 13May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

    The strength of the forces between the particles of a solid determines how much the solid expands when heated. Which statement about these forces is correct?

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  • Question 3Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Structured10 marksHas a diagram

    Fig. 3.1 shows gas at room temperature. The gas is trapped in a metal cylinder by a metal piston fixed in position. The metal cylinder is immersed in boiling water and the temperature of the trapped gas increases.

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  • Question 14May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

    Which row describes the shape and the volume of a liquid at constant temperature?

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  • Question 14May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

    Air is heated in a sealed container with constant volume. Why does the air pressure increase when the temperature increases?

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  • Question 4Oct/Nov 2024, paper 22Structured9 marksHas a diagram

    Fig. 4.1 shows a large syringe that is sealed at the nozzle by wax. There is a piston inside the syringe. The pressure of the air inside the syringe is equal to atmospheric pressure, 1.0×105 Pa.

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  • Question 15May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

    Which row shows how the forces and the distances between the particles in a solid generally compare with the forces and distances in a liquid?

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  • Question 13May/June 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

    The diagram shows a cylinder containing air. The piston is free to move inside the cylinder and atmospheric pressure acts outside the cylinder. As the air inside the cylinder is heated, the piston moves to the right.

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  • Question 15May/June 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

    In which example are the particles in fixed positions?

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  • Question 14May/June 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

    What is a property of both liquids and gases?

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  • Question 15May/June 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

    In an experiment, the volume of a gas in a cylinder is measured as the pressure of the gas is increased. The values obtained are shown.

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  • Question 15May/June 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

    The diagram shows four changes of state, W, X, Y and Z. Which row gives the names of the four changes of state?

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