O-level Physics Multiple Choice Questions (Past Paper)

Chapter: Physical Quantities and Measurement Techniques

1. Vernier calipers read to one tenth of a millimetre.

Which reading shows this precision?

A 3.3cm B 3.31cm C 3.310cm D 3.312cm

2. Which list contains only scalar quantities?

A acceleration, displacement, mass

B acceleration, distance, speed
C displacement, mass, velocity
D distance, mass, speed

3. Is mass a scalar or a vector, and is acceleration a scalar or a vector?

4. The diameter and the length of a thin wire, approximately 50cm in length, are measured as
precisely as possible.
What are the best instruments to use?

5. Which instrument is most easily used to measure the internal diameter of a pipe?

A manometer
B measuring cylinder
C micrometer
D vernier calipers

6. Which statement about scalars and vectors is correct?

A A scalar has direction but no size.

B A scalar has size but no direction.
C A vector has direction but no size.
D A vector has size but no direction.
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 7. Power is measured in watts.
What is the correct symbol for millions of watts?
A mw B mW C Mw D MW

8. The following statements are about motion.

1 A plane flies due East for 600km.
2 A runner’s average speed in a race around a track is 5m/ s.
3 A snail crawls at 3mm/ s in a straight line towards a lettuce.
4 A tourist travels 500km on a journey.

Which statements describe vector quantities?

A 1 and 2 B 1 and 3 C 2 and 3 D 2 and 4

9. A plumber measures, as accurately as possible, the length and internal diameter of a straight
copper pipe.
The length is approximately 80cm and the internal diameter is approximately 2cm.
What is the best combination of instruments for the plumber to use?

10. What is the correct unit for the quantity shown?

11. A manufacturer measures accurately the dimensions of a wooden floor tile.

The approximate dimensions of the tile are shown.
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 Which instruments are used to measure accurately each of these dimensions?

12. Which pair of quantities includes one scalar and one vector?
A mass time
B temperature time
C temperature velocity
D velocity weight
13. Forces of 3N and 4N act as shown in the diagram.

Which diagram shows the resultant R of these two forces?

14. A micrometer is used to measure the diameter of a uniform wire.

What is done to obtain an accurate answer?

A Find the reading and add or subtract the zero error.
B Make the micrometer horizontal.
C Subtract the fixed scale reading from the rotating scale reading.
D Subtract the rotating scale reading from the fixed scale reading.
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15. A workman measures, as accurately as possible, the length and internal diameter of a straight
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copper pipe.
Physical Quantities and Measurement Techniques
 The length is approximately 600cm and the internal diameter is approximately 2cm.
What is the best combination of instruments for the workman to use?

16. The diagram shows a stopwatch.

What is the reading on the stopwatch?

A 30.6s B 33.0s C 36.0s D 36.6s

17. Vernier calipers are shown with the jaws closed.

What is the zero error?

A 0.04cm B 0.05cm C 0.14cm D 0.15cm

18. Which list contains only scalar quantities?

A acceleration, displacement, velocity
B distance, force, speed
C force, length, time
D length, mass, speed

19. The diameter and the length of a thin wire, approximately 1m in length, are measured as
accurately as possible.
What are the best instruments to use?
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 20. A quantity is quoted as having a value of 6.2ms.

In what units is it measured?

A metres
B metres per second
C microseconds
D milliseconds
21. Vernier calipers read to one tenth of a millimetre.

Which reading is given to this precision?

A 3.3cm B 3.31cm C 3.310cm D 3.312cm

22. Velocity is given by the change in displacement divided by the change in time.

How many vector quantities appear in this statement?

A0 B1 C2 D3

23. When there is no wind, the engines of an airship push it due north at 20m/ s.
The wind is blowing from the west at 12m/ s.

Which vector diagram correctly shows how the resultant velocity R of the airship is obtained?

24. A length of copper pipe, of uniform cross-section and several metres long, carries water to a tap.

Measurements are taken to determine accurately the volume of copper in the pipe.
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 Which instruments are used?

A calipers and micrometer

B micrometer and rule
C rule and tape
D tape and calipers

25. Forces of 25 N and 40N act on an object in the directions shown.

Which arrow shows the direction of the resultant force on the object?

26. Which device can be used to measure the thickness of a single sheet of paper?
A a metre rule
B a micrometer
C a plastic ruler
D a measuring tape
27. In a test, four students linked the quantities on the left with their units on the right.
Which student matched them all correctly?

28. What is the reading on this micrometer?

A 5.43mm B 6.63mm C 7.30mm D 8.13mm

29. Two forces F1 and F2 act on an object O in the directions shown.
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 What is the direction of the resultant force?

30. Which instrument is most easily used to measure the internal diameter of a pipe?

A manometer
B measuring cylinder
C micrometer
D vernier calipers

31. Which statement about scalars and vectors is correct?

A A scalar has direction but no size.

B A scalar has size but no direction.
C A vector has direction but no size.
D A vector has size but no direction.

32. Is mass a scalar or a vector, and is acceleration a scalar or a vector?

33. The diameter and the length of a thin wire, approximately 50cm in length, are measured as
precisely as possible.

What are the best instruments to use?

34. Which quantity is a scalar?

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Physical Quantities and Measurement Techniques

 A acceleration
B force
C temperature
D velocity

36. Vernier calipers read to one tenth of a millimetre.

Which reading shows this precision?

A 3.3cm B 3.31cm C 3.310cm D 3.312cm

37. Which list contains only scalar quantities?

A acceleration, displacement, mass

B acceleration, distance, speed
C displacement, mass, velocity
D distance, mass, speed

38. During an experiment to find the density of a stone, the stone is lowered into a measuring
cylinder partly filled with water.

Which statement is correct?

A The difference between the readings gives the density of the stone.
B The difference between the readings gives the volume of the stone.
C The final reading gives the density of the stone.
D The final reading gives the volume of the stone.

39. The diagram shows a micrometer scale.

Which reading is shown?

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 A 5.64mm B 7.14mm C 7.16mm D 7.64mm

40. Which is a scalar quantity?

A mass
B force
C velocity
D weight
41.1 The diagram shows arrows representing two vector quantities. 5054/11/M/J/16

Which diagram shows the resultant R of these two vectors?

42.2 Which set of quantities are all vectors? 5054/11/M/J/16

A acceleration, displacement, velocity

B chemical energy, mass, power
C extension, force, gravitational potential energy
D weight, kinetic energy, work

43.3 A student determines the circumference of a golf ball. 5054/11/M/J/16

Which instrument gives a reading that is the circumference of the golf ball?

A callipers
B micrometer
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C rule
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D tape
Physical Quantities and Measurement Techniques
 44.7 Which quantity is a vector? 5054/12/M/J/16

A energy
B force
C speed
D time

45.1 A length of copper wire is labelled ‘length 30 m’ and ‘diameter 0.50 mm’. 5054/11/O/N/16

Which instruments are most suitable to measure accurately the length and the diameter of the wire?

46.1 A micrometer is used to measure the diameter of a uniform wire. 5054/11/M/J/17

What is done to obtain an accurate answer?

A Make the micrometer horizontal and then use the scales to find the reading.
B Subtract the fixed-scale reading from the rotating-scale reading.
C Subtract the rotating-scale reading from the fixed-scale reading.
D Use the scales to find the reading and add or subtract any zero error.

47.2 A car’s acceleration and maximum speed are improved by using an engine of smaller mass and
greater driving force. 5054/11/M/J/17

How many of the underlined quantities are vectors?

A1 B2 C3 D4

48.3 The diagram shows the resultant R of a 3.0 N force and a 4.0 N force acting at a point.

The angle between the 3.0 N force and the 4.0 N force can be any value from 0° to 90°.
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Which value of R is not possible? 5054/11/M/J/17

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A 4.0 N B 5.0 N C 6.0 N D 7.0 N

Physical Quantities and Measurement Techniques
 49.1 A car accelerates at 5.0m/s2 along a straight, horizontal road and reaches a velocity of 20m/ s in a
time of 4.0s. 5054/12/M/J/17
During this time, its total displacement is 40m.
Which quantity is a scalar?
A a displacement of 40m
B a time of 4.0s
C a velocity of 20m/ s
D an acceleration of 5.0m/ s

50.1 Which list contains only scalar quantities? 5054/11/O/N/17

A acceleration, displacement, velocity
B distance, force, speed
C force, length, time
D length, mass, speed
51.2 A manufacturer measures the three dimensions of a wooden floor tile using three different
instruments. 5054/11/O/N/17
The approximate dimensions of the tile are shown.

Which instruments are used to measure accurately each of these dimensions?

55.1 Which is a vector quantity? 5054/12/M/J/18

A a mass of 2.0 kg
B a temperature of –10 ℃
C a weight of 15 N
D an average speed of 20 m / s

56.2 Forces of 4.0 N and 2.0 N act at a point. 5054/12/M/J/18

Which scale diagram shows the forces that have a resultant of 4.0 N?
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 57.3 What is the name and value of the unit of power written as mW? 5054/12/M/J/18

58.4 Micrometers, metre rules, tapes and calipers are used for measuring lengths. 5054/12/M/J/18
Which row identifies the most suitable device for accurately measuring the stated length?

59.1 What is a possible mass for a normal adult person? 5054/11/O/N/18

A 7.5 kg B 75 kg C 750 kg D 7500 kg

60.2 A small cylinder is rolled along a ruler and completes two revolutions. 5054/11/O/N/18

The circumference is the distance around the outside of a circle.

What is the circumference of the cylinder?
A 4.4 cm B 5.2 cm C 8.8 cm D 10.2 cm
61.1 An apple falls from a tree. 5054/12/O/N/18
Which row describes the forces acting on the apple and the motion of the apple as it falls?
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 62.10 Which diagram shows the addition of the 4.0 N and the 3.0 N forces? 5054/12/O/N/18

63.1 Which quantities are both vectors? 5054/11/M/J/19

A acceleration and length

B distance and velocity
C length and distance
D velocity and acceleration

64.2 Two forces X and Y act as shown. 5054/11/M/J/19

Which diagram shows the resultant force R of X and Y?

65.4 The magnitudes of three different electric charges are given below. 5054/11/M/J/19

What is the correct order of size, from largest to smallest?

A 1 mC → 1 MC → 1 kC
B 1 MC → 1 mC → 1 kC
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C 1 MC → 1 kC → 1 mC
D 1 kC → 1 mC → 1 MC
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Physical Quantities and Measurement Techniques

 66.1 Which reading is given to one tenth of a millimetre? 5054/12/M/J/19

A 3.3 cm B 3.31 cm C 3.310 cm D 3.312 cm

67.2 A woman runs 2.0km from X to Y in 20 minutes and then rests at Y for 10 minutes. She then
takes 10 minutes to run 1.6 km from Y to Z. 5054/12/M/J/19

What is the size of her average velocity for the journey from X to Z?

A 0.060 km /minute
B 0.080 km /minute
C 0.090 km /minute
D 0.130 km /minute

68.2. What is measured using a micrometer? 5054_s20_qp_11

A area
B current
C length
D mass

69.1. Which quantity is a vector? 5054_s20_qp_12

A acceleration
B distance
C speed
D time

70.2. The diagram shows the resultant R of a 3.0 N force and a 4.0 N force that act at a point P.

The angle between the 3.0 N force and the 4.0 N force can be any value from 0°to 90°.
Which value of R is not possible? 5054_s20_qp_12
A 4.0 N B 5.0 N C 6.0 N D 7.0 N
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 71.3. What is measured using a micrometer? 5054_s20_qp_12
A area
B current
C length
D mass

72.4. Stop-watches are used to time the runners in a race. 5054_s20_qp_12

The stop-watches show the times recorded for the winner and another runner.

What is the difference in time between the winner and the other runner?
A 0.4608 s B 6.08 s C 46.08 s D 608 s

73.1. A heavy nail is fixed firmly to a wall. It is pulled by a string at 40° to the vertical. The nail does not
move. 5054_w20_qp_12

Three forces act on the nail:

its weight W,
the tension T in the string,
the force R exerted by the wall.
Which diagram, drawn to scale, represents the three forces?
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 74.1. A list of various quantities is shown. 5054_s21_qp_11
acceleration
displacement
force
length
mass
velocity
How many of these quantities are vectors?
A2 B3 C4 D5
75.1. A student determines the circumference of a football. 5054_s21_qp_12
Which instrument gives a reading that is the circumference of the football?
A calipers B micrometer C rule D tape

76.1. Which quantity is a vector? 5054_w21_qp_11

A speed B force C mass D distance

77.2. Two forces, X and Y, act upon an object O. The arrows represent the magnitudes and directions of the
forces. 5054_w21_qp_11
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Which arrow shows the direction of the resultant force?

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Physical Quantities and Measurement Techniques

 78.1. A boy starts at P and walks 3.0 m due north from P to Q and then 4.0 m due east from Q to R.
5054_w21_qp_12

What is the shortest distance that he must now walk to have an overall displacement of zero?
A 3.0 m B 4.0 m C 5.0 m D 7.0 m

79.2. A student investigates the motion of a ball falling through the air. 5054_w21_qp_12
Which quantity is a vector?

A the diameter of the ball

B the gravitational force on the ball
C the distance from which the ball is dropped
D the speed at which the ball hits the ground
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