GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

High Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 1

om

A jet aircraft is taking off from an international airport. Its mass, including passengers and fuel is 150,000 kg.
Its take-off speed is 100 ms-1. The maximum thrust of its engines is 500,000 N.

(a) Using the equation Kinetic Energy (joules) = mv2 ,calculate the kinetic energy at the moment of take-off.

e.c

..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]

ctiv

(b) Name the two main forces acting on the plane at take-off.

..............................................................................................................................................................................

ma

......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]
(c) We can assume there are no forces of resistance and the engines maintain maximum thrust.
Using the equation Work done (joules) = force distance, calculate the minimum length of runway needed for
take-off.

he

..............................................................................................................................................................................

ww
w.c

..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]

TOTAL / 7

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

High Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 2

Alice pulls per brother Simon on a sledge. She pulls with a force of 100 N and the friction force between sledge
and ground is 20 N.
(a) What is the resultant force on the sledge?
......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) How much work does she do in pulling the sledge 20m?

om

..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................

3m

ma

ctiv

e.c

......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]

(c) Alice pulls the sledge up a hill of vertical height 3m.

If the sledge and Simon together weigh 100 N, use the equation:

he

(i)

ww
w.c

Potential Energy (joule) = force vertical height

to calculate their potential energy at the top of the hill.
......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(ii) Alice lets go of the sledge. Explain what happens in terms of the energy changes.
..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]

TOTAL / 7

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

High Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 3

The diagram below shows a skydiver during three stages of the parachute jump. Stage 1 and 2 shows the
skydiver during free fall long after the skydiver has left the plane. Stage 3 shows the skydiver after the
parachute has been open for some time.

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

om

In Stage 1 the skydiver is travelling at a constant speed.

(a) State the name for this steady speed.

e.c

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) State the names of the forces on the skydiver in stage 1.

ctiv

..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]
In Stage 2 the skydiver increases his speed by tilting downwards.

ma

(c) Explain how tilting downwards has altered the forces acting on the skydiver.
..............................................................................................................................................................................

he

..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]

ww
w.c

(d) The table below shows readings from the parachutists altimeter (an instrument for measuring the height
above the ground) during the descent. The altimeter was later found to be inaccurate at times. At 15 seconds
into the jump the parachutist tilts downwards.
TIME
(SECS)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60

HEIGHT
(METRES)
2000
1860
1600
1300
770
580
500
420
450
300
250
200
175

(Continued...)

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION
QUESTIONSHEET 3 CONTINUED

Construct a graph of the information.

[4]

(ii)

Use the graph to determine the average speed between 10-15 seconds.

ww
w.c

he

ma

ctiv

e.c

om

(i)

..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]
TOTAL / 10

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

High Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 4

Michael Johnson won the 200m at the 1996 Olympic Games in a new World record time of 19.32s.
(a) Write down the equation you could use to work out his average speed in the race.
......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) Calculate his average speed.

om

..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................

e.c

......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]

ctiv

(c) He reached a velocity of 7.5 m/s 2 seconds after the start of the race.
How far had he run in the first 2s? (You may assume he accelerates at a constant rate.)

..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................

ma

......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]
(d) What was his average acceleration 2s after the start of the race?

he

..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................

ww
w.c

......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]

TOTAL / 9

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

High Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 5

The graph below shows the distance travelled (m) against time (s) for Alecia and Dina who are riding their bikes
to school .
Dina

Alecia

2000
1500

500
0
100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

e.c

om

1000

(a) How far is it to school?

ctiv

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) Who sets off at the faster speed?

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]

ma

(c) Explain what has happened at the section marked PQ.

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]

he

(d) Work out Dinas speed for the first 400 seconds.

..............................................................................................................................................................................

ww
w.c

......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]
(e) What happens at point X?

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(f) Who arrives at school first?

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(g) What is Alecias average speed for the whole journey?
..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]

TOTAL / 9

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

High Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 6

A child steps out in the path of a car in a busy street.

27 m/s

om

speed m/s

0
time/s

5.4s

e.c

1.2s

(a) What is the driver's reaction time in seconds?

ctiv

The graph shows how the speed of the car changes from the moment the driver sees
the child until the car safely stopped before the child was harmed.

ma

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) Calculate the deceleration of the car while the brakes are being applied.
..............................................................................................................................................................................

he

..............................................................................................................................................................................

ww
w.c

......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]
(c) Calculate the distance travelled by the car from the moment the driver saw the child.
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [6]

TOTAL / 10

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

High Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 7

The world's strongest man pulled a lorry along and crossed the finish line in 30s.
Time s
0
5
10
15
20
30

om

Speed
m/s
0
0.5
0.75
1.25
2.0
3.0

[3]

ww
w.c

he

ma

ctiv

e.c

(a) Plot a graph of speed (m/s) (vertical axis) against time (s) (horizontal axis).

(Continued...)

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION
QUESTIONSHEET 7 CONTINUED

(b) (i)

Calculate his average acceleration in the first 5s.

..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]
(ii) Calculate his average acceleration in the last 5s (between 25 and 30s).

om

..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]

e.c

(iii) Explain why there is a difference.

ww
w.c

he

ma

ctiv

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]

TOTAL / 9

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

High Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 8

In the 1996 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Linford Christie won the 100m race in 9.96s.
(a) Write down the equation for calculating his average speed.
......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) (i)

Calculate Linford Christie's average speed for the 100m race.

..............................................................................................................................................................................

om

..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]

e.c

(ii) In the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens, the 100m race was won by Thomas Burke in 12.0s.
Calculate his average speed.
..............................................................................................................................................................................

ctiv

......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]
(iii) Suggest one reason why the winning time is less in 1996.

(c) (i)

ma

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
The 100m freestyle swimming event in 1996 was won by Alexander Popov in 40.02s.
Calculate his average speed.

he

..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]

ww
w.c

(ii) Suggest why this time is greater than Linford Christie's time for running the 100m race.
......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]

TOTAL / 9

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

Medium Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 9

A bus leaves a bus stop, and its motion along a straight road is shown in the graph.

20
a

om

Speed/ s

d
10

10

20

30

40
50
Time/ s

60

70

ctiv

e.c

80

Z
90

(a) Describe what is happening in region b of the graph.

ma

..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................

he

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]

ww
w.c

(b) Using the equation: acceleration = change in velocity , calculate the acceleration of the bus in region a.
time taken
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]
(c) At point X, the bus driver sees slow moving traffic ahead. Explain what is happening in regions c, d and e.
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]
(d) Suggest what is happening at point Z.
......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
TOTAL / 12

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

Medium Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 10

Shina dives from a diving board into a swimming pool. The vertical and horizontal displacements of her centre
of mass are shown in the graph.
0.9
0.8

om

0.7
0.6

e.c

0.5

ctiv

0.4
0.3

ma

0.2

he

0.1

-0.1

ww
w.c

Distance/ m

-0.2
-0.3
-0.4
-0.5
-0.6
-0.7
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

Time/ s
(Continued...)

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION
QUESTIONSHEET 10 CONTINUED

(i)

Find the maximum height of Shinas centre of mass above the board.

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(ii) Find the time taken to reach this height.
......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(iii) Find the vertical distance from the top of the dive to the water surface.

om

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) Shinas mass is 40 kg. Using the equation Work Done (joule) = force distance, calculate the work done
against gravity from the board to the highest point.

e.c

..............................................................................................................................................................................

ww
w.c

he

ma

ctiv

......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]

TOTAL / 5

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION
QUESTIONSHEET 11

Louise weighs 420N. She runs upstairs.

e.c

om

3 metres

ctiv

Her power when running up the stairs is given by:

power (watts) = energy transferred
time
You may also need to use the equation potential energy (joules) = force vertical height.

ma

(a) Calculate Louises power when running up the stairs in 3 seconds.

..............................................................................................................................................................................

he

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]

ww
w.c

(b) As she reaches the top, she hears the telephone ringing and runs back down again. What happens to
the potential energy she gained when she climbed the stairs?
......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(c) Louise carries a box of weight 140N up the stairs. How much extra work does she do when climbing
the stairs than she would without the box?
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]
(d) How long would it take her to climb the stairs carrying the box using the same power as in part (a)?
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]
TOTAL / 7

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

Medium Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 12

A bungee jumper falls from rest on a bridge. His speed over time is shown in the table.
time (s)
speed (ms-1)

1
10

2
20

3
30

4
40

5
50

6
60

7
47

[2]

he

ma

ctiv

e.c

om

Plot a graph of speed against time.

ww
w.c

(a) (i)

8
0

(Continued...)

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION
QUESTIONSHEET 12 CONTINUED

(i)

What happens between points A and B?

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(ii) Calculate the average deceleration between points A and B.
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................

om

......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]
(ii) What is causing this deceleration?

(c) (i)

e.c

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
Calculate the acceleration between 2 and 4 seconds into the jump.

ctiv

..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]

ma

(ii) What is causing this acceleration?

ww
w.c

he

......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]

TOTAL / 10

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

Medium Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 13

Mary drives her car from Wyton to work in Inbury each day. Her journey is described in the graph.
On the first day it follows the line marked 1.
Wyton

10

8
2

4
A

om

8
Time/ s

(a) How far away is Inbury from Wyton?

10

ctiv

Inbury

e.c

Distance/ s

ma

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) Calculate the speed of the car between Wyton and Inbury on day 1.

he

..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]

(i)

ww
w.c

(c) On the second day, the motion of the car follows line 2.
What happens between A and B ?

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(ii) Calculate the new speed between B and C.
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]
(d) If a speed restriction of 60 kmh-1 was imposed, how long would it take for Mary to get to work if
every day was like day 2?
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]
TOTAL / 9

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

Medium Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 14

Here is some information about the speed of a car during its journey.
Speed m/s
0
5
10
15
20
20
20

Time s
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
[3]

ww
w.c

he

ma

ctiv

e.c

om

(a) Plot a graph of speed m/s (vertical axis) against time s (horizontal axis).

(Continued...)

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION
QUESTIONSHEET 14 CONTINUED

(b) How far does the car travel in the first 30s of its journey?
..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]
(c) Describe the motion of the car for the rest of its journey (the next 30s).
......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]

(i)

Draw this deceleration on your graph.

[1]

e.c

(ii) Calculate the deceleration of the car between 60 and 75s.

om

(d) At 60s, the driver starts to brake and the car stops after a further 15s (a total of 75s).

..............................................................................................................................................................................

ctiv

..............................................................................................................................................................................

ww
w.c

he

ma

......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]

TOTAL / 11

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

Medium Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 15

A car starts up and travels along the road

Here is a table showing how the speed of the car changed.

[3]

he

ma

ctiv

e.c

Plot a graph of speed in m/s (vertical axis) against time in s (horizontal axis).

ww
w.c

(a)(i)

TIME (s)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6

om

SPEED (m/s)
0
3
6
9
12
15
16

(Continued...)

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION
QUESTIONSHEET 15 CONTINUED

(ii) Calculate the acceleration of the car over the first 5 seconds.
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]
(iii) How far does the car travel in the first 5 seconds?

om

..............................................................................................................................................................................

e.c

......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]

ma

ctiv

Velocity

Time

(b)(i)

Mark on the graph CV when the car is travelling at constant velocity.

he

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]

ww
w.c

(ii) Mark D when the car is decelerating.

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]

TOTAL / 11

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

Medium Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 16

A car moves along a dry road.

The driver sees danger ahead. It takes her 0.6s to react before braking. This is
called her reaction time. In this time the car travels 15m.
(a) Calculate the speed of the car during the 0.6s it takes the driver to react to the danger ahead.
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................

(b) The distance travelled before braking is the thinking distance.

om

......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]

e.c

Total stopping distance for the car = thinking distance + braking distance

The total stopping distance at this speed is 63m. What is the braking distance of the car?

(c) (i)

ctiv

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
What effect does driving on a wet road have on the driver's reaction time?

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]

ma

(ii) What other two factors besides speed affects the braking distance of a car?
..............................................................................................................................................................................

ww
w.c

he

......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]

TOTAL / 7

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

Low Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 17

Kris and Joshua are racing their remote-controlled model cars down a flat road. Information on their motion is
shown in the table.
Kris: time (s)
1
2
3
4
5

Joshua: distance (m)

3
6
9
12
15

om

Kris: distance (m)

4
8
12
16
20

[3]

ww
w.c

he

ma

ctiv

e.c

(a) Plot a graph of distance against time for both cars.

Joshua: time (s)

1
2
3
4
5

(Continued...)

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION
QUESTIONSHEET 17 CONTINUED

(i)

Calculate the average speed of both for the 5 seconds.

..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [3]
(ii) Whose car travelled faster?

om

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(c) Joshuas car veers off course and collides with a wall. Describe the energy changes which take
place during the collision.

e.c

..............................................................................................................................................................................

ww
w.c

he

ma

ctiv

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]

TOTAL / 8

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

Low Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 18

Karl is taking his Driving Theory test soon.

He has written out this table of stopping distances.

[3]

he

ma

ctiv

e.c

Plot a graph of speed (mph) (vertical axis) against stopping distance (m) (horizontal axis).

ww
w.c

(a)

STOPPING DISTANCE(m)
23
36
45
73
96

om

SPEED (mph)
30
40
50
60
70

(Continued...)

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION
QUESTIONSHEET 18 CONTINUED

(b) Karl has got one of the stopping distances wrong. At which speed has he made a mistake?
......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(c) At 30 mph, the thinking distance is 9m and the braking distance 14m. Explain carefully what is meant by:
(i)

thinking distance.

..............................................................................................................................................................................

om

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(ii) braking distance.

e.c

..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]

ctiv

(d) These stopping distances are called the shortest distances in the Highway Code.
Suggest two things which may make the stopping distance at that speed longer than in Karl's table.
..............................................................................................................................................................................

ma

..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................

ww
w.c

he

......................................................................................................................................................................... [2]

TOTAL / 8

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

Low Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 19

Bungee jumping is a very popular sport in New Zealand. People jump of high bridges with elastic cord tied to
their feet. The diagram shows three stages of a bungee jump.

2. Bouncing
back up
1. Start
(moving
down)

(a) Name the force that pulls the jumper down.

e.c

om

3. End
(stationary)

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]

Choose from:-

Increases

ctiv

(b) State the size of this force throughout the jump.

decreases

stays the same.

ma

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
At only some stages of the bungee jump there is a tension force in the elastic cord.

Cross out the wrong answer.

At the start the forces are balanced/unbalanced.

ww
w.c

(i)

he

(c) For each of the three questions you should describe whether the gravity and tension forces are balanced
or unbalanced.

[1]

(ii) When bouncing upwards the forces are balanced/ unbalanced.

[1]

(iii) When stationary at the end the forces are balanced/ unbalanced.

[1]

(d) Apart from making the object stay still describe one other effect balanced forces can have on an object.
......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(e) Describe the motion of the bungee jumper in stages 1 and 2. For each stage state in which direction
the resultant force acts.
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................... [4]
TOTAL / 10

GCSE PHYSICS

MOTION

Low Demand Questions

QUESTIONSHEET 20

A speed of a train is plotted against time.

50

om

30

e.c

Speed m/s

40

ma

ctiv

20

50

100

ww
w.c

he

10

150

C
200

x
250

300

Time/ s

(a) What is the maximum speed of the train?

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) (i)

Describe the movement of the train between points A and B.

......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(ii) Describe the movement of the train between points B and C.
......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(c) Were the brakes applied at point A, B or C?
......................................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(d) How far did the train travel between A and B?
......................................................................................................................................................................... [4]
TOTAL / 8