AQA GCSE Physics: Combined Science

Topic Questions

5.4 Describing Motion

1a2 marks

Explain the difference between distance and displacement.

1b2 marks

Some students take part in a 400-metre running race.

They complete one lap of an athletics track shown in Figure 1, finishing at the point where they started.

5-6-e-1b

State the distance and displacements of the runners as they cross the finish line.

1c2 marks

Student A and student B raced each other on the same 400 athletics track. Their distance-time graph is shown in Figure 2.

5-6-e-1c-two-student-dvst-aqa-gcse-physics-sq

State which student won the race.

Explain your answer.

1d3 marks

A third student runs the race in 110 s.

Calculate the average speed of the third student. 

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

   

   

Speed (2 significant figures) = .................... m/s

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2a3 marks

Different vehicles travel with different typical speeds.

Complete the sentences. 

Choose answers from the box. 

Each answer can be used once, more than once or not at all.

cyclist van walker fast runner

 

     

A _____________________________ has a typical speed of 1.5 m/s.

   

A _____________________________ has a typical speed of 4 m/s.

   

A _____________________________ has a typical speed of 18 m/s.

2b2 marks

Two students are trying to measure the speed of a river. Each student stands on a bridge over the river - bridges A and B shown in Figure 1.

5-6-e-2b-river-stick

They both observe a stick floating on the river's surface.

State the two measurements they must take to measure the speed of the stick and, therefore, the speed of the river.

2c3 marks

The stick is travelling at a constant speed of 0.25 m/s.

It then falls down a small waterfall and is travelling at a speed of 4.5 m/s just before it hits the bottom of the waterfall.

The stick takes 0.50 s to fall.

Calculate the acceleration of the stick.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

   

Acceleration (2 significant figures) = .................... m/s2
2d1 mark

Which distance-time graph represents the motion of the stick in the waterfall?

Tick (✓) one box.

 5-6-e-2d-dvst-mcq

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3a2 marks

Which statements are correct?

Tick (✓) two boxes.

   

The units of acceleration are m/s. square
The units of speed are ms. square
The units of acceleration are m/s2. square
The units of speed are m/s. square
3b1 mark

Velocity (v), time (t), distance (s), acceleration (a) and mass (m) are common quantities in physics.

Which equation for acceleration (a) is correct?

Tick (✓) one box.

   

a space equals space fraction numerator straight capital delta t over denominator v end fraction square
a space equals space straight capital delta v space cross times space t square
a space equals space fraction numerator straight capital delta s over denominator t end fraction square
a space equals space fraction numerator straight capital delta v over denominator t end fraction square
a space equals space m over s squared square
a space equals space fraction numerator straight capital delta v over denominator t squared end fraction square
3c4 marks

Different objects have different typical accelerations. 

Draw one line from each object in motion to the typical acceleration.

screenshot-2023-02-16-at-11-13-10

3d3 marks

Figure 1 shows the velocity-time diagram of a bird accelerating from rest.

5-6-e-3d-speed-vs-time-8s-aqa-gcse-physics-sq

Calculate the acceleration of the bird over the first 8 seconds.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

   

   

Acceleration (2 significant figures) = .................... m/s2

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4a2 marks

A skydiver jumps out of an aeroplane. Their motion is shown on the velocity-time graph in Figure 1.

5-6-e-4a-terminal-velocity-abc-aqa-gcse-physics-sq

State the point AB or C, at which the skydiver reaches terminal velocity.

Explain your answer.

4b1 mark

Explain why the equation v squared space equals space u squared space plus space 2 a s cannot be used at points A or of Figure 1.

4c3 marks

The skydiver travels 4000 m in 50 s.

Calculate their average speed.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

   

   

Average speed (2 significant figures) = .................... m/s
4d1 mark

Higher Only

State what is represented by the area under a velocity-time graph.

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5a4 marks

The graph in Figure 1 shows the journey of a bus.

5-6-e-5a-bus-journey

Complete the sentences. 

Choose phrases from the box. 

Each answer can be used once, more than once or not at all.

stationary at a constant speed increasing in speed
 

decreasing in speed

 

 

     

Between points O and A the bus is ........................................ .

   

Between points B and C the bus is ........................................ .

   

Between points E and F the bus is ........................................ .

  

Between points D and E the bus is ........................................ .

5b2 marks

The bus waits at a bus stop.

State between which two points on Figure 1 that this happens. 

Explain your answer.

5c2 marks

Determine how long the bus waited at the bus stop.

Show clearly how you arrive at your answer.

5d4 marks

Higher Only

Later on, the motion of the bus over the course of one minute is shown in Figure 2.

5-6-e-5d-bus-journey2-aqa-gcse-physics-sq

State how to find the distance travelled using a speed-time graph, then calculate the distance travelled by the bus over the course of this minute.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.   

   

Distance (2 significant figures) = .................... m

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1a3 marks

A commercial jet needs to reach a speed of 60 m/s before it can take off. It takes the jet 30 seconds to reach this speed.

Calculate the acceleration of the jet.

1b2 marks

A larger jet needs to reach the same speed of 60 m/s to take off.

Explain how the motion of this jet will compare to that in part (a)

1c3 marks

Higher Only

Figure 1 shows a diagram of the jet.

Figure 1

fig1-q1c-5-6-hard-aqa-gcse-physics

After take-off, the jet eventually reaches a constant velocity.

Draw arrows on Figure 1 to show the forces on the plane at constant velocity. Label your diagram.

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2a2 marks

Figure 1 shows the velocity-time graph of a skydiver. At a time of 0 seconds, the skydiver jumps out of the plane. 

5-6-h-2a-complete-terminal-velocity

Complete the graph by drawing the missing part of the line from time = 0 seconds to point A

2b3 marks

Higher Only

Figure 2 shows the skydiver.

5-6-h-2b-skydiver-side-on

The skydiver is now between points A and B.

Draw and label a force diagram to show the forces acting on the skydiver.

2c4 marks

Describe and explain what is happening from B to C on Figure 1, referring to the forces involved. 

2d4 marks

Higher Only

Use Figure 1 to calculate the total distance travelled by the skydiver while at constant velocity.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

   

   

Total distance at constant velocity (2 significant figures) = .................... m

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3a3 marks

A physics teacher jokes to her students that even objects with constant speed can be accelerating. 

Explain how this can happen.

3b4 marks

Higher Only

A single ion is accelerating. The speed-time graph of the ion is shown in Figure 1.

5-6-h-3b

Calculate the maximum acceleration of the ion.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

   

   

Maximum acceleration (2 significant figures) = .................... m/s2
3c3 marks

Calculate the average acceleration from t = 0 s to t = 0.9 s in Figure 1.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

   

   

Average acceleration (2 significant figures) = .................... m/s2
3d5 marks

Later, the ion is accelerated by an electric field at a constant rate of 50 m/s2 over a distance of 2.0 × 10-6 m.

The ion has a mass of 4.5 × 10-26 kg. 

Calculate the work done on the ion by the electric field.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

   

   

Work done (2 significant figures) = .................... Joules

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1a3 marks

Some students take part in a 400-metre running race. 

They complete one lap of an athletics track shown in Figure 1, finishing at the point where they started.

Figure 1

fig1-5-6-medium-aqa-gcse-physics

One of the runners complete the lap in a time of 56 seconds.

Calculate the average speed of the runner. Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

1b3 marks

At the end of the race their Physics teacher jokes that their average velocity was zero.

Explain whether their Physics teacher was correct.

1c2 marks

A student starts at the starting line of the track and begins to run. They accelerate uniformly for 200 m.

Figure 2

fig-2-5-6-medium-aqa-gcse-physics

Complete the distance-time graph in Figure 2 to show the motion of the student.

1d3 marks

Halfway around the track, the student then comes to a rest to tie their shoelace which has come undone. After this, they run at constant speed to the finish line.

Complete the graph drawn in part (c) to show this motion.

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2a3 marks

Some children launch a toy water rocket into the air. Figure 1 shows how the displacement of the rocket changes over time.

Figure 1

fig-1-q2-5-6-medium-aqa-gcse-physics

Compare the rocket’s average speed as it travels upwards to its average speed as it travels back down.

2b2 marks

Explain how the velocity of the rocket could be found at any given time from the distance-time graph in Figure 1

2c3 marks

After 3 seconds, the water from the toy water rocket runs out.

In a scenario where there is no air resistance, explain the motion of the water rocket between 3 seconds to when it touches the ground, stating any relevant forces.

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3a3 marks

The graph shown in Figure 1 is a velocity time graph for a lift travelling between two different floors in a tall building.

Figure 1

fig-1-q3-5-6-medium-aqa-gcse-physics

Calculate the acceleration of the lift during the first 2 seconds. Show your working clearly and give your answer with appropriate units.

3b3 marks

Explain the motion of the lift between 4-6 seconds by referring to Figure 1. State any important values.

3c2 marks

The lift is now called to travel between two floors that are much further apart, with no stops in between.

Assuming that the lift has the same acceleration as before, explain how the graph in Figure 1 would change to reflect this.

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4a2 marks

Figure 1 shows a distance-time graph for a train.

5-6-m-4a

State whether the train is travelling faster from A to B or from B to C.

Explain your answer.

4b3 marks

Calculate the speed of the train from A to B.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

   

   

Speed (2 significant figures) = .................... m/s
4c4 marks

Higher Only

The velocity-time graph of another train is shown in Figure 2.

5-6-m-4c

Using Figure 2, calculate the distance travelled in the first 6 hours.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.   

   

Distance (2 significant figures) = .................... km
4d2 marks

Higher Only

Explain why the total displacement after 11 hours is less than your answer to part (c).

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5a4 marks

A train travels at a constant speed of 45.0 m/s.

Calculate the distance it travels in 1.50 minutes.

Give your answer to 3 significant figures.

   

   

Distance (3 significant figures) = .................... m
5b4 marks

Calculate how long it takes (in minutes) for the same train travelling at the same speed to travel 10.0 km.

Give your answer to 3 significant figures.

   

   

Time (3 significant figures) = .................... minutes
5c2 marks

Higher Only

A toy train is made based on the train in parts (a) and (b). The toy train is shown in Figure 1.

A toy sign is placed at the side of the track.

5-6-m-5c

The toy train is powered by a battery and moves along a circular track.

Compare the speed of the train and the velocity of the train.

5d3 marks

Higher Only

The speed-time graph of the model train is shown in Figure 2.

5-6-m-5d

The points at which the train passes the sign are indicated on the graph.

Calculate the circumference of the circular track.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

   

   

Circumference (2 significant figures) = .................... m

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