Edexcel GCSE Combined Science Physics, Foundation tier sample questions and answers (1SC0)
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63 sample questions and answers
Taken from every topic of Edexcel GCSE Combined Science Physics, Foundation tier, specification 1SC0. The full guide has 1,297.
Paper 5, Paper 6
Key Concepts of Physics
30 questions in the guide, across 3 subtopics. More from this topic
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SI units in physics
Name the unit of time and give its symbol.
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Time is measured in seconds, symbol s. -
SI units in physics
Give the units of electric current, potential difference and resistance.
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Current is measured in amperes (A), potential difference in volts (V) and resistance in ohms (Ω). -
Multiples and sub-multiples of units
What do the prefixes centi and milli stand for?
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Centi means one hundredth (10⁻²) and milli means one thousandth (10⁻³). -
Multiples and sub-multiples of units
A radio station broadcasts at a frequency of 98 MHz. Give this frequency in hertz.
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98 MHz is 98 × 10⁶ Hz, which is 9.8 × 10⁷ Hz. -
Converting units, significant figures and standard form
A mass of 750 g is recorded on a balance. Give this mass in kilograms.
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750 g is 0.75 kg.
Paper 5
Motion and Forces
194 questions in the guide, across 11 subtopics. More from this topic
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Scalar and vector quantities
What is meant by a vector quantity?
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A vector quantity has both a magnitude and a specific direction. -
Examples of vectors and scalars, and velocity
State whether force is a scalar or a vector quantity.
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Force is a vector, since it has both magnitude and direction. -
Speed, distance, time and distance-time graphs
A cyclist rides 9 km in 30 minutes. Calculate the average speed in metres per second.
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9000 m ÷ 1800 s = 5 m/s. -
Acceleration and the equation v squared minus u squared
What does a negative value of acceleration tell you about an object?
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It means the object is slowing down, which is a deceleration. -
Velocity-time graphs and free fall
An object moves at a constant 12 m/s for 8 s. Use the area under its velocity–time graph to calculate the distance travelled.
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The area is 12 × 8 = 96 m.
Paper 5
Conservation of Energy
97 questions in the guide, across 7 subtopics. More from this topic
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Gravitational potential and kinetic energy
Explain why only the vertical height, and not the distance travelled along a ramp, is used to calculate a change in gravitational potential energy.
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Gravitational potential energy depends on how far the object is raised against gravity, which is the vertical height. -
Gravitational potential and kinetic energy
Calculate the kinetic energy of a 0.4 kg ball moving at 5 m/s.
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KE = ½ × 0.4 × 5² = 5 J. -
Energy transfer diagrams and conservation of energy
State what the total width of all the output arrows of a Sankey diagram must equal.
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It must equal the width of the input arrow, because energy is conserved. -
Energy transfer diagrams and conservation of energy
A student says that a car's energy is used up when the car brakes. Explain why this statement is wrong.
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The energy is not used up but transferred to the thermal stores of the brakes and the surroundings. -
Energy stores and closed systems
Explain why a hammer head becomes warm after it has repeatedly struck a nail.
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Each impact transfers energy from the kinetic store of the hammer to the thermal stores of the hammer, the nail and the wood.
Paper 5
Waves
81 questions in the guide, across 6 subtopics. More from this topic
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What waves transfer, and the evidence for it
A loudspeaker fills a room with sound. Explain why the listener feels no wind coming from it.
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The air particles only vibrate to and fro about fixed positions, so energy crosses the room but the air itself does not. -
What waves transfer, and the evidence for it
Explain how dust suspended in front of a loudspeaker shows that sound does not carry air along with it.
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The dust jiggles backwards and forwards about one position instead of being blown steadily away from the loudspeaker. -
Frequency, wavelength, amplitude and period
Name the unit in which wavelength is measured.
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Wavelength is measured in metres, m. -
Frequency, wavelength, amplitude and period
State the relationship between the period and the frequency of a wave.
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The period is one divided by the frequency, so a higher frequency means a shorter period. -
Longitudinal and transverse waves
Name the two regions found in a longitudinal wave.
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Compressions, where the particles are pushed together, and rarefactions, where they are spread apart.
Paper 5
Light and the Electromagnetic Spectrum
86 questions in the guide, across 7 subtopics. More from this topic
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Properties of electromagnetic waves
Explain why light from a distant star reaches the Earth across empty space but the star's sound cannot.
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Light is an electromagnetic wave that travels through a vacuum, while sound needs particles to carry it. -
Properties of electromagnetic waves
Explain in terms of energy transfer how a microwave oven heats food.
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Microwaves emitted inside the oven are absorbed by the food, transferring energy to it and raising its temperature. -
Investigating refraction in glass blocks
State the independent and dependent variables when refraction in a rectangular glass block is investigated.
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The angle of incidence is changed and the angle of refraction is measured. -
Investigating refraction in glass blocks
Give one source of error when refraction in a glass block is investigated, and how it can be reduced.
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The beam from a ray box is wide, so fit a narrow slit and always mark the centre of the ray. -
The groups of the electromagnetic spectrum
Name the group of the electromagnetic spectrum that lies between radio waves and infrared.
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Microwaves.
Paper 5
Radioactivity
201 questions in the guide, across 16 subtopics. More from this topic
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The atom and the size of atoms
Why is almost all the mass of an atom concentrated in its nucleus?
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Protons and neutrons are nearly two thousand times more massive than electrons, and both sit in the nucleus. -
Relative masses and charges of subatomic particles
How does a positron compare with an electron?
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A positron has the same tiny mass as an electron but the opposite, positive charge. -
Forming ions, and how the atomic model changed
Describe the plum pudding model of the atom.
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It pictured an atom as a ball of positive charge with negative electrons dotted through it. -
Background radiation and detecting radioactivity
Name three natural sources of background radiation that originate on Earth.
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Rocks and soil, building materials such as granite, and food and drink. -
Beta-minus and beta-plus decay
Which nuclei are likely to decay by β⁻ emission?
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Nuclei that have too many neutrons compared with their number of protons.
Paper 6
Energy - Forces Doing Work
98 questions in the guide, across 7 subtopics. More from this topic
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Energy stores and energy transfer diagrams
Describe the change in energy stores as a bouncing ball rises after hitting the ground.
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Energy is transferred from the elastic potential store of the squashed ball to its kinetic and gravitational potential stores. -
Energy stores and energy transfer diagrams
Explain why the total energy of a sealed, insulated box of moving marbles does not change as the marbles collide.
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No energy crosses the boundary, so the energy simply moves between kinetic and thermal stores inside the box. -
Changing a system's energy, and measuring work done
Explain why pushing a car and switching on an electric heater are both described as changing the energy of a system.
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Both transfer energy into the system, one through a force doing work and the other by heating. -
Changing a system's energy, and measuring work done
Give the unit in which work done is measured.
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The joule, J. -
Work done and the energy changes it causes
Explain why no work is done on a bag that is carried horizontally at a steady height.
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The upward force supporting the bag acts at right angles to the motion, so there is no movement in the direction of that force.
Paper 6
Forces and Their Effects
22 questions in the guide, across 2 subtopics. More from this topic
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Contact and non-contact forces
Give an example of two objects interacting through an electrostatic field.
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A charged plastic rod attracts small polystyrene balls without touching them. -
Contact and non-contact forces
Give two examples of contact forces.
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The normal contact force from a surface and friction between two surfaces. -
Vectors and scalars, and reducing friction
Explain why speed is a scalar quantity but velocity is a vector quantity.
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Speed states only how fast something moves, whereas velocity also states the direction of motion. -
Vectors and scalars, and reducing friction
Describe what happens to the friction force at a door hinge after oil is applied to it.
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The friction force becomes smaller.
Paper 6
Electricity and Circuits
264 questions in the guide, across 20 subtopics. More from this topic
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The atom, and drawing circuit diagrams
Why is almost all the mass of an atom concentrated in a tiny part of its volume?
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The protons and neutrons carry nearly all the mass and are packed into the nucleus, which is far smaller than the whole atom. -
Potential difference and the voltmeter
A charge of 1 C passes through a resistor and 6 J are transferred. What is the potential difference across the resistor?
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The potential difference is 6 V, because 6 J are transferred for each coulomb. -
Resistance and the equation V = IR
What unit is resistance measured in, and what is its symbol?
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Resistance is measured in ohms, symbol Ω. -
Designing circuits to test components
How can a circuit be used to show that a diode conducts in one direction only?
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The current is measured with the diode one way round and then with its connections reversed, and it is almost zero one way round. -
Light-dependent resistors and thermistors
Name one everyday device that uses a light-dependent resistor to respond to changing light levels.
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An automatic outdoor lighting circuit or a camera light meter uses a light-dependent resistor.
Paper 6
Magnetism and the Motor Effect
61 questions in the guide, across 6 subtopics. More from this topic
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Magnetic poles, permanent and induced magnets
Explain why attraction to a magnet does not show that an iron nail has been magnetised.
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An unmagnetised piece of iron is attracted to a magnet as well. -
Magnetic poles, permanent and induced magnets
Explain why a chain of steel paper clips can hang from the end of one magnet.
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Each clip becomes an induced magnet and so attracts the next clip in the chain. -
Uses of magnetic materials
Explain why the core of an electromagnet is made of iron rather than steel.
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Iron magnetises strongly and loses almost all its magnetism as soon as the current is switched off. -
Uses of magnetic materials
State the property that cobalt gives to the magnetic alloys it is added to.
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It makes them strong permanent magnets that hold their magnetism well. -
The magnetic field around a bar magnet
State where the magnetic field of a bar magnet is strongest.
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It is strongest at the poles.
Paper 6
Electromagnetic Induction
21 questions in the guide, across 2 subtopics. More from this topic
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The national grid, and step-up and step-down transformers
State the effect of transferring electrical energy at high voltage on the efficiency of the transmission network.
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The efficiency is higher, because less of the energy is wasted heating the cables. -
The national grid, and step-up and step-down transformers
Explain why a step-up transformer is used as electricity leaves a power station.
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It raises the voltage so the current in the cables is small and far less energy is wasted as heat. -
Transformer power calculations
A transformer takes 2.0 A from a 230 V supply and gives an output of 23 V. Calculate the output current.
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Input power = 230 × 2.0 = 460 W, so output current = 460 ÷ 23 = 20 A. -
Transformer power calculations
A transformer runs a 6.0 V lamp from a 240 V supply and draws 0.50 A from that supply. Calculate the current in the lamp.
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Input power = 240 × 0.50 = 120 W, so the lamp current = 120 ÷ 6.0 = 20 A.
Paper 6
Particle Model
96 questions in the guide, across 8 subtopics. More from this topic
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Kinetic theory and differences in density
Explain why a solid keeps a fixed shape while a liquid takes the shape of its container.
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Solid particles are held in fixed positions by strong forces, while liquid particles are free to move past each other. -
Calculating density, and investigating it
Calculate the mass of 0.25 m³ of water, which has a density of 1000 kg/m³.
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Mass = 1000 × 0.25 = 250 kg. -
Changes of state and internal energy
State what happens to the total mass of a substance when it melts.
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It stays the same, because mass is conserved during a change of state. -
Specific heat capacity
Give the main difference between specific heat capacity and specific latent heat.
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Specific heat capacity concerns a temperature change with no change of state, while specific latent heat concerns a change of state at constant temperature. -
Specific latent heat and thermal insulation
Melting 2.0 kg of a solid at its melting point requires 6.8 × 10⁵ J. Calculate its specific latent heat of fusion.
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Specific latent heat = 6.8 × 10⁵ ÷ 2.0 = 3.4 × 10⁵ J/kg.
Paper 6
Forces and Matter
46 questions in the guide, across 3 subtopics. More from this topic
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Elastic and inelastic distortion
Describe the forces needed to bend a metre rule that is supported at both ends.
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An upward force at each end together with a downward force in the middle, acting in opposing directions. -
Elastic and inelastic distortion
Give one everyday example of an elastic distortion.
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Stretching a rubber band, which springs back to its original length when released. -
Spring constant, and linear and non-linear behaviour
A force of 12 N stretches a spring by 0.040 m. Calculate the spring constant.
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Spring constant = 12 ÷ 0.040 = 300 N/m. -
Spring constant, and linear and non-linear behaviour
Describe how a graph of force against extension changes once the behaviour of a spring becomes non-linear.
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The line curves away from the straight part instead of continuing straight. -
Work done in stretching a spring
State the independent and dependent variables when investigating how the extension of a spring depends on the applied force.
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The force applied is the independent variable and the extension is the dependent variable.
Edexcel GCSE Combined Science Physics, Foundation tier Active Recall Guide
The other 1,234 questions, with the answers printed after each section.