GCSE Combined Science Forces and Newton's laws questions by topic

This question is about forces and their units.

1. (a)Circle the two scalars in this list: velocity, mass, force, time.[1]
2. (b)Calculate the weight of a 25 kg dog where g = 10 N/kg.[1]
3. (c)Name the force that slows a bicycle when the rider stops pedalling.[1]
4. (d)State the unit of force.[1]

This question is about distance–time graphs.

1. (a)State what a horizontal section of a distance–time graph shows.[1]
2. (b)State what a steeper line on the same graph shows.[1]
3. (c)A cyclist covers 240 m in 48 s at steady speed. Calculate the speed.[2]

A resultant force acts on a 950 kg car, accelerating it at 2.5 m/s².

1. (a)Write the equation linking resultant force, mass and acceleration.[1]
2. (b)Calculate the resultant force.[2]
3. (c)State what happens to the acceleration if the same force acts on a larger mass.[1]

This question is about stopping distances.

1. (a)State what stopping distance is made up of.[1]
2. (b)Give two factors that increase thinking distance.[1]
3. (c)Calculate the thinking distance of a car travelling at 30 m/s whose driver reacts in 0.80 s.[2]

This question is about Newton's laws and falling.

1. (a)State the two properties that a pair of Newton's-third-law forces always share.[2]
2. (b)Describe the forces on a skydiver immediately after jumping from a plane.[1]
3. (c)Explain why the skydiver eventually falls at terminal velocity.[2]

This question is about the trolley-and-pulley acceleration experiment.

1. (a)State the independent and dependent variables when investigating how force affects acceleration.[2]
2. (b)Describe how the force on the trolley is varied while keeping its mass constant.[2]
3. (c)State the expected shape of the graph of acceleration against force.[1]

A 1 100 kg car brakes from 20 m/s to rest in 5.0 s.

1. (a)Calculate the deceleration.[2]
2. (b)Calculate the braking force.[2]
3. (c)Name the energy transfer that happens in the brakes.[1]

A car speeds up from rest to 12 m/s in 4.0 s, cruises at 12 m/s for 6.0 s, then brakes to rest in 4.0 s.

1. (a)Calculate the acceleration during the first stage.[2]
2. (b)Calculate the total distance travelled.[2]
3. (c)Describe the motion between 4.0 s and 10.0 s.[1]

An 800 kg car travelling at 15 m/s brakes steadily to rest with a braking force of 3 000 N.

1. (a)Calculate the car's kinetic energy before braking.[2]
2. (b)Calculate the braking distance, using work done by the brakes.[2]
3. (c)Explain why doubling the speed would roughly quadruple this distance.[1]

A van travels at 24 m/s. Its driver's reaction time is 0.90 s; the brakes decelerate it at 6.0 m/s².

1. (a)Calculate the thinking distance.[2]
2. (b)Calculate the braking distance.[2]
3. (c)State the stopping distance.[1]
4. (d)State and explain the effect of a wet road on the stopping distance.[1]

In the force–extension practical, loads of 0, 2.0, 4.0 and 6.0 N extend a spring by 0, 8.0, 16 and 24 cm.

1. (a)State what the data show about force and extension in this range.[1]
2. (b)Calculate the spring constant in N/m.[2]
3. (c)State what the graph shows if a further load makes the extension no longer follow the pattern.[1]
4. (d)Name the energy store filled as the spring is stretched.[1]

A 900 kg lift is pulled upwards by a cable with a tension of 9 500 N. Take g = 10 N/kg.

1. (a)Calculate the lift's weight.[1]
2. (b)Calculate the resultant force on the lift.[2]
3. (c)Calculate the lift's acceleration.[2]
4. (d)State the direction of the acceleration.[1]