Year 9 GCSE Physics Time:- approx.

2 HOURS (Week 1 and 2 )

The following tasks/activities are designed to review the work you have
covered so far in your GCSE Physics course.
 Log onto the following link: - complete the revise and test activities
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zcw22nb

IGNORE THIS SECTION ->>>>>>>

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  Use the following checklist to make a revision mindmap on a double page in
your books.

CP2a Resultant forces

Step Learning outcome Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!
Explain the difference between scalar and
vector quantities.
  
Use arrows to represent the direction and
magnitude of forces.
  
Define a resultant force.   
Calculate resultant forces.   
Explain whether forces on an object are
balanced or unbalanced.
  

CP2b Newton’s First Law

Step Learning outcome Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!
Describe the effect of balanced forces on
moving and stationary objects.
  
Describe the effect of a non-zero resultant
force on moving and stationary objects.
  

CP2c Mass and weight

Step Learning outcome Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!
Describe the difference between mass and
weight.
  
List the factors that determine the weight of an
object.
  
Recall the formula for calculating weight.   
Calculate weights using the formula.   
Change the subject of the weight formula to
calculate mass or gravitational field strength.
  

CP2d Newton’s Second Law

Step Learning outcome Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!

Describe what an acceleration is.   

List the factors that affect the acceleration of
an object.
  
Recall the formula that relates the factors
affecting acceleration.
  

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 Use the formula relating force, mass and
acceleration.
  
Change the subject of the formula relating
force, mass and acceleration.
  

CP2e Newton’s Third Law

Step Learning outcome Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!

Describe what Newton's Third Law says.   

Recall the meaning of ‘equilibrium situation’.   
Identify action–reaction pairs in familiar
situations.
  
Distinguish between action–reaction pairs and
balanced forces.
  

CP2g Stopping distances

Step Learning outcome Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!
Describe how human reaction times are
measured.
Recall typical human reaction times and the
factors that affect them.
Describe the link between stopping distance,
thinking distance and braking distance.
Recall the factors that affect stopping
distances.
Describe how different factors affect stopping
distances.

Watch the following video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Xj3ysW5D08

 Now Try some past exam questions (answers included at the end)
(You can print these or complete in your book)

Page 3 of 25
Q1.
Figure 1 shows the velocity-time graph for a car driven along a straight road.

Figure 1

(a) From B to C the car is moving at a constant velocity.

Complete the sentence.

Choose the answer from the box.

equal to greater than less than

From B to C the forward driving force is _________________________ the

backward resistive force.

(1)

(b) From C to D the car is slowing down.

What word is used to describe the motion of an object that is slowing down?

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(c) Between A and B the car is accelerating.

Calculate the acceleration of the car between A and B.

Use the equation:

Page 4 of 25
 ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Acceleration = ____________________ m/s2

(2)

(d) Figure 2 shows how the stopping distance of a car depends on the speed of the
car.

Figure 2

Describe what happens to the stopping distance of the car when the speed of the
car doubles.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

Page 5 of 25
 (Total 6 marks)

Q2.
A number of different forces act on a moving vehicle.

(a) A car moving at a steady speed has a driving force of 3000 N.

(i) What is the value of the resistive force acting on the car?

Tick ( ) one box.

Tick ( )

2000 N

3000 N

4000 N
(1)

(ii) What causes most of the resistive force?

Tick ( ) one box.

Tick ( )

Air resistance

Faulty brakes

Poor condition of
tyres
(1)

(b) A car is moving along a road. The driver sees an obstacle in the road at time t = 0
and applies the brakes until the car stops.

The graph shows how the velocity of the car changes with time.

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 (i) Which feature of the graph represents the negative acceleration of the car?

Tick ( ) one box.

Tick ( )

The area under the graph

The gradient of the sloping

line

The intercept on the y-axis

(1)

(ii) Which feature of the graph represents the distance travelled by the car?

Tick ( ) one box.

Tick ( )

The area under the graph

The gradient of the sloping

line

The intercept on the y-axis

(1)

(iii) On a different journey, the car is moving at a greater steady speed.

The driver sees an obstacle in the road at time t = 0 and applies the brakes
until the car stops.

The driver’s reaction time and the braking distance are the same as shown the
graph above.

On the graph above draw another graph to show the motion of the car.
(3)

(c) In this question you will be assessed on using good English, organising
information clearly and using specialist terms where appropriate.

Thinking distance and braking distance affect stopping distance.

Explain how the factors that affect thinking distance and braking distance affect
stopping distance.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

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 ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(6)
(Total 13 marks)

Q3.
The figure below shows the horizontal forces acting on a car.

(a) Which one of the statements describes the motion of the car?

Tick one box.

It will be slowing down.

It will be stationary.

It will have a constant speed.

It will be speeding up.

(1)

(b) During part of the journey the car is driven at a constant speed for five minutes.

Which one of the equations links distance travelled, speed and time?

Tick one box.

distance travelled = speed + time

distance travelled = speed × time

distance travelled = speed − time

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 distance travelled = speed ÷ time

(1)

(c) During a different part of the journey the car accelerates from 9 m/s to 18 m/s in 6 s.

Use the following equation to calculate the acceleration of the car.

acceleration =

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

acceleration = _________________________ m/s2

(2)

(d) Which equation links acceleration, mass and resultant force?

Tick one box.

resultant force = mass + acceleration

resultant force = mass × acceleration

resultant force = mass − acceleration

resultant force = mass ÷ acceleration

(1)

(e) The mass of the car is 1120 kg. The mass of the driver is 80 kg.

Calculate the resultant force acting on the car and driver while accelerating.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Resultant force = _________________________ N

(2)

(f) Calculate the distance travelled while the car is accelerating.

Use the correct equation from the Physics Equation Sheet.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

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 ___________________________________________________________________

Distance = _________________________ m
(3)

(g) A car driver sees a fallen tree lying across the road ahead and makes an
emergency stop.

The braking distance of the car depends on the speed of the car.

For the same braking force, explain what happens to the braking distance if the
speed doubles.

You should refer to kinetic energy in your answer.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(4)
(Total 14 marks)

Q4.
(a) The diagram shows the horizontal forces acting on a swimmer.

(i) The swimmer is moving at constant speed.

Force T is 120 N.

What is the size of force D?

_________________________ N
(1)

(ii) By increasing force T to 140 N, the swimmer accelerates to a higher speed.

Calculate the size of the initial resultant force acting on the swimmer.

______________________________________________________________

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 ______________________________________________________________

Initial resultant force = _________________________ N

(1)

(iii) Even though the swimmer keeps the force T constant at 140 N, the resultant
force on the swimmer decreases to zero.

Explain why.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(3)

(b) A sports scientist investigated how the force exerted by a swimmer’s hands against
the water affects the swimmer’s speed.
The investigation involved 20 males and 20 females swimming a fixed distance.
Sensors placed on each swimmer’s hands measured the force 85 times every
second over the last 10 metres of the swim.
The measurements were used to calculate an average force.
The average speed of each swimmer over the last 10 metres of the swim was also
measured.

The data from the investigation is displayed in the graph.

(i) What was the dependent variable in this investigation?

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 ______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii) Explain one advantage of measuring the force 85 times every second rather
than just once or twice every second.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)

(iii) Give one way in which the data for the male swimmers is different from the
data for the female swimmers.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(iv) Considering only the data from this investigation, what advice should a
swimming coach give to swimmers who want to increase their average speed?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 10 marks)

Q5.
(a) The diagram shows a steel ball-bearing falling through a tube of oil.
The forces, L and M, act on the ball-bearing.

What causes force L?

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 ___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(b) The distance – time graph represents the motion of the ball-bearing as it falls
through the oil.

(i) Explain, in terms of the forces, L and M, why the ball-bearing accelerates at
first but then falls at constant speed.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(3)

(ii) What name is given to the constant speed reached by the falling ball-bearing?

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(iii) Calculate the constant speed reached by the ball-bearing.

Show clearly how you use the graph to work out your answer.

Page 13 of 25
 ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Speed = ______________________________ m/s

(2)
(Total 7 marks)

Q6.
A sky-diver jumps from a plane.

The sky-diver is shown in the diagram below.

(a) Arrows X and Y show two forces acting on the sky-diver as he falls.

(i) Name the forces X and Y.

X _____________________________

Y _____________________________
(2)

(ii) Explain why force X acts in an upward direction.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(iii) At first forces X and Y are unbalanced.

Which of the forces will be bigger? ____________________

(1)

(iv) How does this unbalanced force affect the sky-diver?

______________________________________________________________

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 ______________________________________________________________
(2)

(b) After some time the sky-diver pulls the rip cord and the parachute opens.

The sky-diver and parachute are shown in the diagram below.

After a while forces X and Y are balanced.

Underline the correct answer in each line below.

Force X has

increased / stayed the same / decreased.

Force Y has

increased / stayed the same / decreased.

The speed of the sky-diver will

increase / stay the same / decrease.

(3)

(c) The graph below shows how the height of the sky-diver changes with time.

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(i) Which part of the graph, AB, BC or CD shows the sky-diver falling at a
constant speed?

________________________
(1)

(ii) What distance does the sky-diver fall at a constant speed?

Distance _______________ m
(1)

(iii) How long does he fall at this speed?

Time __________________ s
(1)

(iv) Calculate this speed.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Speed _______________ m/s

Page 16 of 25
 (2)
(Total 14 marks)

Q7.
(a) The arrows in the diagram represent the size and direction of the forces on a space
shuttle, fuel tank and booster rockets one second after launch. The longer the arrow
the bigger the force.

Thrust force

Weight of shuttle, fuel tanks and

booster rockets plus air resistance

(i) Describe the upward motion of the space shuttle one second after launch.

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii) By the time it moves out of the Earth’s atmosphere, the total weight of the
space shuttle, fuel tank and booster rockets has decreased and so has the air
resistance.

How does this change the motion of the space shuttle? (Assume the thrust
force does not change).

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(b) The space shuttle takes 9 minutes to reach its orbital velocity of 8100 m/s.

(i) Write down the equation that links acceleration, change in velocity and time
taken.

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii) Calculate, in m/s2, the average acceleration of the space shuttle during the first
9 minutes of its flight. Show clearly how you work out your answer.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

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 average acceleration = _______________________ m/s2
(2)

(iii) How is the velocity of an object different from the speed of an object?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 6 marks)

Page 18 of 25
ANSWERS

Q1.
(a) equal to
1

(b) deceleration / decelerate

braking is insufficient
1

(c)
1

3 (m/s2)
an answer of 3 (m/s2) scores 2 marks
allow other correct pairs of numbers taken from A
to B
1

(d) the stopping distance increases

1

by more than double

1
[6]

Q2.
(a) (i) 3000 N
1

(ii) air resistance

1

(b) (i) the gradient of the sloping line

1

(ii) the area under the graph

1

(iii) horizontal line above previous one

1

for the same time

1

sloping line cutting time axis before previous line

eg

Page 19 of 25
 1

(c) Marks awarded for this answer will be determined by the Quality of
Communication (QC) as well as the standard of the scientific
response. Examiners should also refer to the information on page 5
and apply a ‘best-fit’ approach to the marking.

0 marks
No relevant content.

Level 1 (1−2 marks)

One factor is given that affects thinking distance
or
one factor is given that affects braking distance

Level 2 (3−4 marks)

One factor and a description of its effect is given for either thinking
distance or braking distance

Level 3 (5−6 marks)

One factor and a description of its effect is given for both thinking
distance and braking distance
plus
some extra detail

Examples of the points made in the response

stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance

the faster the car travels the greater the stopping distance

thinking distance is the distance travelled from when the driver sees
an obstacle to when the brakes are applied

braking distance is the distance travelled from when the brakes are
applied to when the car stops

thinking distance:
• tiredness increases thinking distance
• taking drugs increases thinking distance
• drinking alcohol increases thinking distance
• distractions in the car increase thinking distance.

braking distance:
• poor condition of brakes increases braking distance
• poor condition of tyres increases braking distance
• wet roads increase braking distance
• icy roads increase braking distance.
6
[13]

Page 20 of 25
Q3.
(a) It will have a constant speed.
1

(b) distance travelled = speed × time

1

(c) a = 18 − 9

6
1

a = 1.5
allow 1.5 with no working shown for 2 marks
1

(d) resultant force = mass × acceleration

1

(e) F = (1120+80) × 1.5

1

F = 1800 (N)
allow 1800 with no working shown for 2 marks
1
accept their 10.3 × 1200 correctly calculated for 2
marks

(f) 182 − 92 = 2 × 1.5 × s

1

s = 182 − 92 / 2 × 1.5
1

s = 81 (m)
1
allow 81 (m) with no working shown for 3 marks
accept answer using their 10.3 (if not 1.5) correctly
calculated for 3 marks

(g) Level 2 (3–4 marks):

A detailed and coherent explanation is provided. The response makes
logical links
between clearly identified, relevant points that include references to the
numerical factor.

Level 1 (1–2 marks):

Simple statements are made. The response may fail to make logical links
between the points raised.

0 marks:
No relevant content.

Indicative content
• doubling speed increase the kinetic energy
• kinetic energy increases by a factor of 4

Page 21 of 25
 • work done (by brakes) to stop the car increases
• work done increases by a factor of 4
• work done is force × distance and braking force is constant
• so if work done increases by 4 then the braking distance must
increase by 4
4
[14]

Q4.
(a) (i) 120
1

(ii) 20
accept 140–their (a)(i) provided answer is not
negative
1

(iii) as speed increases

1

drag force / water resistance / friction / D increases

1

(until) D = 140 N or (until) D = T

forces balance is insufficient
1

(b) (i) (average) speed (of swimmer)

1

(ii) any two from:

• more data
accept results for data
do not accept more accurate data

• force may vary (a lot) / change

• give more reliable average

ignore references to anomalies
ignore accurate / precise
2

(iii) examples of acceptable responses:

• most / some females produce smaller forces

do not accept all females produce smaller forces

• most / some males produce larger forces

do not accept all males produce larger forces

• some females swim as fast as males but use a smaller force

• most of the faster swimmers are male

Page 22 of 25
 do not accept all males swim faster

• most of the slower swimmers are female

do not accept all females swim slower

• range of the (average) speed of males is smaller than the

range of the (average) speed of females

• range of the (average) force of the males is greater than the

range of the (average) force of the females
1

(iv) exert maximum (hand) force (throughout the swim / stroke)

accept (any method to) increase (hand) force
practise more is insufficient
1
[10]

Q5.
(a) gravity
accept weight
do not accept mass
accept gravitational pull
1

(b) (i) Initially force L greater than force M

accept there is a resultant force downwards
1

(as speed increases) force M increases

accept the resultant force decreases
1

when M = L, (speed is constant)

accept resultant force is 0
accept gravity/weighty for L
accept drag/ upthrust/resistance/friction for M
do not accept air resistance for M but penalise only
once
1

(ii) terminal velocity

1

(iii) 0.15
accept an answer between 0.14 – 0.16
an answer of 0.1 gains no credit
allow 1 mark for showing correct use of the graph
2
[7]

Page 23 of 25
Q6.
(a) (i) air resistance/drag/friction (or upthrust)
weight/gravitational pull/gravity
for 1 mark each
1

(ii) air resistance/friction acts in opposite direction to motion

1

(iii) Y
1

(iv) the sky-diver accelerates/his speed increases

in downward direction/towards the Earth/falls
for 1 mark each
2

(b) force X has increased force Y has stayed the same the speed of the sky-
diver
will stay the same
for 1 mark each
3

(c) (i) CD
1

(iv) 10 (but apply e.c.f. from (ii) and (iii))

gets 2 marks

or 500/50 or d/t
gets 1 mark
2
[14]

Q7.
(a) (i) accelerating
accept getting faster
accept speed / velocity increasing
1

(ii) acceleration increases

accept velocity / speed increases more rapidly
do not accept velocity / speed increases
1

(b) (i) acceleration =

Page 24 of 25
 accept a = or a =

do not accept velocity for change in velocity

do not accept change in speed

do not accept a =
1

(ii) 15
allow 1 mark for an answer of 900 or for correct
use of 540 seconds
2

(iii) velocity includes direction

accept velocity is a vector (quantity)
accept converse answer
1

Page 25 of 25