Skip to content
QuizQuip
Sign up
Back to WA1
Mark schemePDF

WA1 Practice Paper: Measurement and Kinematics — question paper

QuizQuipPractice Series
QQ/S3CPH/WA1

Secondary 3 · Combined Science (Physics) (G2 / G3)

WA1 Practice Paper

Measurement and Kinematics

Duration: 55 minutes
Total: 40 marks
Name:
Class:
Register No.:
Date:

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

  • Answer all questions.
  • Section A: for each question, write the letter (A, B, C or D) of the correct answer.
  • Section B: answer in the spaces provided; show all necessary working.
  • The acceleration of free fall near the Earth is 10 m/s².
  • The use of a calculator is permitted.

Original practice material written for the MOE Combined Science (Physics) syllabus. It is not an official MOE or school examination paper. Chapters 1–2: measurement (units, prefixes, instruments, scalars and vectors) and kinematics (speed, acceleration, graphs, free fall).

For Examiner’s Use
Section A/ 10
Section B/ 30
Total/ 40

Section A: Multiple-choice questions[10 marks]

Answer all questions. For each question, write the letter (A, B, C or D) of the correct answer.

  1. 1

    A wire has a diameter of 0.40 mm. Which instrument gives a reading precise enough to check this value?

    1. Aa metre rule
    2. Ba measuring tape
    3. Ca micrometer screw gauge
    4. Da pair of dividers
    ( )
  2. 2

    A beaker contains 25 cm³ of liquid. Which apparatus measures this volume most precisely?

    1. Aa 100 cm³ beaker
    2. Ba 50 cm³ measuring cylinder
    3. Ca 25 cm³ pipette
    4. Da 500 cm³ measuring cylinder
    ( )
  3. 3

    Which is a vector quantity?

    1. Adistance
    2. Bspeed
    3. Ctime
    4. Dvelocity
    ( )
  4. 4

    A jogger runs 150 m in 25 s. Her average speed is

    1. A0.17 m/s
    2. B6.0 m/s
    3. C25 m/s
    4. D3750 m/s
    ( )
  5. 5

    On a distance–time graph, the speed of an object is represented by the

    1. Aarea under the line
    2. Bgradient of the line
    3. Cintercept on the y-axis
    4. Dlargest recorded distance
    ( )
  6. 6

    A car speeds up uniformly from 4.0 m/s to 12 m/s in 4.0 s. Its acceleration is

    1. A0.5 m/s²
    2. B2.0 m/s²
    3. C3.0 m/s²
    4. D8.0 m/s²
    ( )
  7. 7

    On a speed–time graph, the distance travelled is represented by the

    1. Aarea under the line
    2. Bgradient of the line
    3. Cintercept on the x-axis
    4. Dfinal speed
    ( )
  8. 8

    A stone is dropped from rest and falls for 3.0 s. Ignoring air resistance, its speed just before landing is

    1. A3.3 m/s
    2. B10 m/s
    3. C30 m/s
    4. D90 m/s
    ( )
  9. 9

    A ball is thrown straight up. At the highest point of its flight,

    1. Aits speed and acceleration are both zero
    2. Bits speed is zero but its acceleration is 10 m/s² downwards
    3. Cits speed is maximum
    4. Dits acceleration is zero
    ( )
  10. 10

    A cyclist travels at a steady 5.0 m/s for 60 s, then at 10 m/s for 30 s. Her average speed for the whole journey is

    1. A6.7 m/s
    2. B7.5 m/s
    3. C7.1 m/s
    4. D15 m/s
    ( )

Section B: Structured questions[30 marks]

Answer all questions in the spaces provided. Show all necessary working. Take g = 10 m/s².

  1. 1

    A student times a pendulum swinging 20 complete oscillations. The time for the 20 oscillations is 34 s.

    1. (a)

      Calculate the period of one oscillation.

      period =s[2]
    2. (b)

      Explain why timing 20 oscillations rather than a single oscillation gives a more accurate result.

      [2]
    3. (c)

      State one other measurement in this experiment that benefits from repeating and averaging.

      [2]
  2. 2

    A toy car rolls down a straight ramp. Its distance from the start is recorded:

    Distance against time

    Time / s01.02.03.04.0
    Distance / m01.04.09.016
    1. (a)

      Explain what the increasing gaps between distance readings show about the car’s motion.

      [2]
    2. (b)

      Show that the car’s acceleration is uniform, and state its value.

      a =m/s²[3]
    3. (c)

      Predict the distance travelled at 5.0 s, with a reason.

      [2]
  3. 3

    A bus travels along a straight road. Its speed–time graph is described as: constant speed 12 m/s for 40 s, then decelerating uniformly to rest in 8.0 s.

    1. (a)

      Calculate the distance travelled during the constant-speed stage.

      distance =m[2]
    2. (b)

      Calculate the deceleration during the final 8.0 s.

      a =m/s²[2]
    3. (c)

      Calculate the distance travelled while decelerating, using the graph area.

      distance =m[2]
    4. (d)

      Calculate the average speed for the whole journey described.

      average speed =m/s[2]
  4. 4

    A coin is dropped from rest from a bridge and takes 2.0 s to hit the water. Ignore air resistance.

    1. (a)

      Calculate the coin’s speed as it hits the water.

      speed =m/s[2]
    2. (b)

      Calculate the height of the bridge above the water.

      height =m[3]
    3. (c)

      In reality the coin takes slightly longer than 2.0 s. Name the force that causes this and state its direction.

      [2]
    4. (d)

      State and explain whether the coin’s mass affects the answer to (a), ignoring air resistance.

      [2]

— End of paper —