Space physics: past paper questions

Where the questions come from

• Question 38May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  The Sun radiates most of its energy in three regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. What are these three regions?

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  The planets in the Solar System orbit the Sun. Which statement is correct?

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• Question 39Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which list shows the planets in order of increasing distance from the Sun?

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• Question 39Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  What is the first stage in the life cycle of stars?

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• Question 39May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Towards the end of its life cycle, a red supergiant explodes and leaves behind a neutron star. What is the name of this type of explosion?

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• Question 40Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  What is the definition of redshift?

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• Question 40May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Light is emitted from a distant galaxy with a frequency $f_{\text{e}}$ and a wavelength ${\lambda }_{\text{e}}$. The light from the galaxy, when observed on Earth, has a frequency $f_{\text{o}}$ and a wavelength ${\lambda }_{\text{o}}$.

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• Question 40Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  What is a protostar?

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• Question 40Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  When observed on the Earth, the redshift of the light from galaxy X is smaller than the redshift of the light from galaxy Y. Which galaxy is closer to the Earth and which galaxy is receding from the Earth faster?

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• Question 38May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  The Earth, the Moon and the Sun are objects in the Solar System. Which statement about the Earth, the Moon and the Sun is correct?

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• Question 39Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Which statement about the Earth is correct?

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• Question 40Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  What is never formed by the explosion of a red supergiant?

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Structured12 marksHas a diagram

  The planet Venus orbits the Sun at a constant speed of $3.5\times {10}^4\text{ m/s}$ and takes a time $T_{\text{V}}$ to complete one orbit.

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• Question 39May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  In which three regions of the electromagnetic spectrum does the Sun radiate most of its energy?

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Structured10 marks

  A stable star in a distant galaxy has a mass that is more than 15 times the mass of the Sun. State the name of the nuclear reaction that occurs at the centre of the star and describe this nuclear reaction.

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2023, paper 22Structured10 marks

  In space, an interstellar cloud of dust and gas collapses to form a protostar. The cloud contains hydrogen. Describe the energy transfers that take place as the cloud collapses and forms the protostar.

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• Question 40May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  The Big Bang theory describes the expansion of the Universe. Three statements that relate to the Big Bang theory are listed. 1 Distant galaxies are receding faster than closer galaxies.

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  An object moves through space. It is a large distance from any other object. There are no external forces acting on the object.

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2024, paper 22Structured11 marksHas a diagram

  The Earth has a radius of $6.4\times {10}^6\text{ m}$ and rotates on its axis once in every 24 hours. Fig. 9.1 shows that as the Earth rotates, objects on the surface of the Earth move in circular paths around the axis of rotation.

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• Question 39May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  It takes $27\text{ days}$ for the Moon to orbit the Earth. The average value of the radius of the Moon’s orbit is $3.8\times {10}^8\text{ m}$. What is the average orbital speed of the Moon?

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• Question 9May/June 2026, paper 21Structured8 marks

  Table 9.1 gives data about some of the planets in the Solar system. Table 9.1 The orbital period is the time taken by a planet to make one orbit around the Sun. The distance between Earth and Venus is not constant.

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 9.1 shows how the Sun and the rest of the Solar System orbit around the centre of the Milky Way in a circular path. The Sun travels around the circular path at a speed $v$. The speed of light in a vacuum is $9.5\times {10}^{12}\text{ km}\mathrm{/}\text{year}$.

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• Question 40May/June 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which statement is correct?

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• Question 40May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  What is the nuclear reaction that takes place in stable stars?

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• Question 9May/June 2026, paper 22Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Figure 9.1 shows the Sun and the orbits of three planets in the Solar System. Halley’s comet orbits around the Sun. The orbit of Halley’s comet passes through points X and Y and is closest to the Sun between the orbits of Mercury and Venus.

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• Question 39May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The orbital speed of a planet around the Sun is $v$ and its orbital period is $T$. Jupiter is further from the Sun than the Earth. Which planet has the greater value for $v$ and which planet has the greater value for $T$?

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• Question 40May/June 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  What is the nuclear reaction that powers the Sun?

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• Question 39May/June 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  In which region of the electromagnetic spectrum does the Sun radiate the most energy?

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• Question 40May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  What is the Earth’s position in the order of planets from the Sun?

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• Question 8May/June 2024, paper 22Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 8.1 is a picture of a nebula formed from a supernova. State what is meant by ‘a supernova’.

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