CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL PHYSICS: COURSEBOOK

Exam-style questions and sample answers have been written by the authors. In examinations, the way marks are awarded
may be different.

Coursebook answers
Chapter 1
Science in context guidance 6  or example, attach a card to a weight and
F
drop it through a light gate. Alternatively,
• To calculate speed you are going to need to attach ticker-tape to the falling mass.
know both displacement and time.
7 a 
Displacement
• To measure displacement you would need
to include an object of known length (for b Speed
example, a meter ruler) in the photograph. c Velocity
This would allow you to convert a
displacement measured on the photograph d Distance
into a real-life distance. 8 distance s = v × t = 1500 × 0.2 = 300 m
• The stroboscope would provide you with the (Remember: the 0.4 s total time is that taken
time period between photographs. for the sound waves to travel out and be
• However, calculating the speed is not as simple reflected back from the surface of the water.)
as using the equation speed= distance
time
. Think 9 t ime taken for orbit is one year = 1 × 365.25 ×
about the vertical motion of the ball; once the 24 × 60 × 60 = 31 557 600 s.
ball has left the hand it starts to decelerate
distance travelled = circumference of orbit =
(due to gravity). As it reaches the top of its
2 × π × 1.5 × 1011 = 9.425 × 1011 m
motion it is momentarily stationary, before
accelerating downwards again. The speed so, the Earth’s speed = 29.9 km s−1 ≈ 30 km s−1
is never constant. Realistically the best you As the Earth orbits the Sun, its direction of
could measure would be the average speed motion keeps changing. Hence, its velocity
between photographs. keeps changing. In the course of one year, its
displacement is zero, so its average velocity is
zero.
Self-assessment questions 10 Sloping sections: bus moving; horizontal
10000
1 average speed = 1625.17
= 6.15 m s−1 sections: bus stationary (e.g., at bus stops)
2 a 
mm s−1 11 O
 A: constant speed; AB: stationary; BC:
reduced constant speed; CD: running back
b km h-1
to gate
c km s−1 s
C
d m s−1

3 distance = 12 cm = 120 mm A B
so, average speed = 120
60
= 2.0 mm s −1`

0.05 m
4 average speed = 0.40 s = 0.0125 m s−1 ≈
0.013 m s−1
D
5 a Constant speed 0
0 t
b Increasing speed (accelerating)

Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics – Sang, Jones, Chadha & Woodside
1 © Cambridge University Press 2020
 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL PHYSICS: COURSEBOOK

12 a 
85 m s−1 b 17.3 m s−1 ≈ 17 m s−1
b 
Graph is a straight line through the c 43.9° ≈ 44° to the vertical
origin, with gradient = 85 m s−1 18 a 
10 m s−1 North
13 a Graph is a straight line for the first 3 h;
then less steep for the last hour b 0 m s−1

b car’s speed in first three hours = 23 km h−1 c 7.1 m s−1 045° or N45°E
d 7.1 m s−1 315° or N45°W
84
c car’s average speed in first four hours = 4

= 21 km h−1 Exam-style questions

14 a total distance travelled = 3.0 + 4.0 = 1 A[1]
7.0 km 2 C[1]
b, c T
 he two parts of the journey are at 90° to 3 a distance = speed × time
each other, so the resultant displacement 120 × 2.0
is given by Pythagoras’ theorem. = [1]
60 
displacement2 = 3.02 + 4.02 = 25.0, so = 4.0 km[1]
displacement = 5.0 km
b  he car’s direction of motion keeps
T
angle = tan−1 ( )
4.0
3.0
= 53° E of N or 37° N changing. Hence, its velocity keeps
of E changing. In the course of one lap,
its displacement is zero, so its average
15 a, b 8.5 km; 48° W of S or a bearing of 228° velocity is zero.[1]
c  istance travelled in 1 minute =
d
A
0.5 × circumference but, displacement =
diameter of track[1]
48° 45° circumference
8.5 km 8.0 km =
π
4000 m
= = 1270 m[1]
π π
4 a 
By Pythagoras’ theorem, distance2
W π SE
12.0 km = 6002 + 8002 m2[1]

16 S
 wimmer aims directly across river; river flows = 1000 000 = 1000 m [1]
at right angles to where she aims. So, resultant
velocity is given by geometry: b angle at B = tan−1 ( 800
600 )
[1]
magnitude2 = 2.02 + 0.82 = 4.64 so magnitude = displacement = 1000 m at an angle 53° W
4.64 = 2.154 ≈ 2.2 m s−1 of N or a bearing of 307°[1]
( )
direction = tan−1 02.8 ≈ 22° to the direct route c velocity = 1000
60
(68° to the river bank)
17 a  = 16.7 m s−1[1]
44°
at an angle 53° W of N[1]
5 distance in car = 0.25 × 60 = 15 km[1]
a 
resultant
vertical 25 ms–1 total distance = 2.2 + 15 = 17.2 km[1]
18 ms–1

horizontal
17 ms–1

Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics – Sang, Jones, Chadha & Woodside
2 © Cambridge University Press 2020
 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL PHYSICS: COURSEBOOK

b By Pythagoras’ theorem, displacement = At least two examples: 108 − 84 = 24,
84 − 60 = 24, 60 − 36 = 24 cm[1]
2.22 + 152
24
= 15 200 m[1] b speed = distance
time
= 0.1[1]
at an angle = tan−1 215.2 [1] ( ) = 240 cm s−1[1]
= 8° E of N or a bearing of 008°[1] c 108 + 2 × 24[1]
2200
c t ime for 2.2 km at 2.0 m s = −1
2 = 156 cm[1]
= 1100 s[1]
d distance = 240 × 0.001 = 0.24 cm[1]
total time = 1100 + 900 = 2000 s[1]
The smallest scale division on the ruler
d average speed = distance
time
is 2 cm and so each dot is blurred by about
17200 1/10th of a scale division. This might just be
= [1] observable but difficult to see[1]
2000
= 8.6 m s−1[1] 10 a 
Vector quantities have direction, and
scalar quantities do not.[1]
e average velocity = displacement
time One example of a vector, e.g., velocity,
15200
= [1] acceleration, displacement, force[1]
2000
One example of a vector, e.g., speed, time,
= 7.6 m s−1[1]
mass, pressure[1]
6 resultant velocity = 1.02 + 2.402
100 km h–1
= 2.6 m s [1] −1

at an angle of tan−1 12..04 [1]( )

N
= 23° E of N or a bearing of 023°[1]
7 a  Distance in a (particular) direction[1]
500 km h–1
resultant
b  hen athlete returns to his original
W
position or the start[1]
(direct) distance from original position
zero[1]
8 s / m 40 boy b Correct vectors drawn and labelled[1]
38
36 35
girl Scale stated and diagram of
30 sufficient size[1]
25
Resultant velocity 510 (±10) km h−1[1]
20
11° W of N or a bearing of 349° (±3°)[1]
15
10 c 0.25 × 510 = 128 ≈ 130 km 11° W of N[1]
5 11 a  velocity of aircr
0 B
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
t/s
Straight line from t = 0, s = 0 to t = 12,
a  7.5 m s–1
15 m s–1
s = 36[1]
b  traight line from t = 0, s = 0 to t = 5,
S A
s = 10[1] Correct vector diagram[1]
Straight line from t = 5, s = 10 to t = 12, Velocity of aircraft in still air in easterly
s = 38[1] direction or calculation[1]
c 10 s where the graphs cross[1] b t = 5000 = 333 s and 5000 = 370 s[1]
15 13.5
9 a 
Each second, it travels a constant
total time = 703 or 704 s or 703.7 s[1]
distance.[1]
average speed = 10000
703.7
= 14.2 m s−1[1]

Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics – Sang, Jones, Chadha & Woodside
3 © Cambridge University Press 2020