Particle model: past paper questions

Where the questions come from

• 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 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 $100\text{ kPa}$. The gas pressure is $200\text{ kPa}$ above atmospheric pressure.

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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 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 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 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 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 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 $1.0\times {10}^5\text{ Pa}$. There is no friction between the plunger and the walls of the syringe cylinder.

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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 $50\text{ mm}$ and its pressure is $1.0\times {10}^5\text{ Pa}$. When the tube is vertical, with the closed end downwards, the length of the trapped air is $45\text{ mm}$.

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

  Fig. 3.1 shows a small block of ice at $0{}^{\circ }\text{C}$ and a plastic cup that contains $0.24\text{ kg}$ of water. The initial temperature of the water in the cup is $22.0{}^{\circ }\text{C}$. The block of ice is dropped into the water.

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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 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 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, $1.0\times {10}^5\text{ Pa}$.

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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 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 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 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 17May/June 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The air in each of four syringes is slowly compressed so that the temperature of the air stays constant. The volumes before and after compression for each syringe are given in the table. The air in all four syringes is initially at the same pressure.

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• Question 3May/June 2023, paper 22Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  A fixed mass of gas in a glass tube is trapped by a seal at one end of the tube and by a column of mercury. The mercury is free to move within the tube. The tube is rotated slowly from the vertical as shown in Fig. 3.1 to the horizontal as shown in Fig. 3.2.

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• Question 4May/June 2023, paper 22Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 4.1 shows the particles (atoms) at one instant in a sample of iron at a temperature below its melting point. State the lowest possible temperature on the Celsius scale and on the Kelvin scale.

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• Question 5May/June 2024, paper 22Structured7 marksHas a diagram

  An initially uncharged rubber balloon is rubbed with a woollen cloth as shown in Fig. 5.1. Rubbing the balloon causes the balloon to have a negative charge. On Fig. 5.1, complete the labels on the diagram.

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