Motion | OCR A-Level Physics A (H556)
Motion
- 54 questions
- 5 subtopics
- Module 3: Forces and motion
- Paper 1 and Paper 3
Kinematics: describing motion in words and graphs, the equations for constant acceleration, free fall and stopping distances, and the independence of horizontal and vertical motion in a projectile..
It covers displacement, speed, velocity and acceleration, motion graphs and the equations of motion, measuring g and investigating motion experimentally, free fall, reaction time and stopping distance and projectile motion.
Sample questions from Motion
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Displacement, speed, velocity and acceleration
How does average speed differ from instantaneous speed?
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Average speed is calculated over an entire journey using total distance and total time, whereas instantaneous speed refers to the speed at one specific moment. -
Displacement, speed, velocity and acceleration
Define velocity.
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Velocity is the rate of change of displacement with respect to time; it is a vector quantity. -
Motion graphs and the equations of motion
What quantity is represented by the area under a velocity–time graph?
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The area under the curve equals the displacement. -
Motion graphs and the equations of motion
Which kinematic equation would you use if you know initial velocity, acceleration and time, but not final velocity?
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s = ut + ½at². -
Measuring g and investigating motion experimentally
What role do data-loggers play in motion experiments?
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Data-loggers automatically record measurements such as time, position or velocity at regular intervals, enabling accurate and detailed analysis of motion. -
Measuring g and investigating motion experimentally
In the trapdoor-and-electromagnet method, what is the function of the electromagnet?
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The electromagnet holds the ball bearing in place; when the current is switched off, the ball is released and timing begins. -
Free fall, reaction time and stopping distance
What is thinking distance?
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Thinking distance is the distance travelled by a vehicle during the driver's reaction time, before braking begins. -
Free fall, reaction time and stopping distance
Define braking distance.
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Braking distance is the distance travelled by a vehicle from when the brakes are first applied until the vehicle comes to rest.
The 5 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement, speed, velocity and acceleration | Recall questions on defining displacement, instantaneous and average speed, velocity and acceleration, why displacement and velocity are vectors, and calculating average speed. | 9 |
| Motion graphs and the equations of motion | Recall questions on gradients and areas of displacement-time and velocity-time graphs, estimating areas under curves, the equations of motion for constant acceleration, when each is used, and calculations with them. | 13 |
| Measuring g and investigating motion experimentally | Recall questions on the trapdoor-and-electromagnet and two-light-gate methods for measuring g, and on air-track gliders, ticker timers, light gates and data-loggers for investigating motion. | 15 |
| Free fall, reaction time and stopping distance | Recall questions on measuring g, reaction time and thinking distance, and what affects braking distance. | 9 |
| Projectile motion | Recall questions on treating the horizontal and vertical motions separately, and on the path of a projectile under gravity. | 8 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
OCR A-Level Physics A Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 1,862 questions with their answers.