Further mechanics and thermal physics (A-level only) questions

Question and mark-scheme extracts © AQA. Reproduced for educational use; the original paper is linked on every question. Contact hello@oscarsongtutoring.co.uk for removal.

• AQA 7408 · June 2025 · Paper 1 · Q3 · 5 marks

  5 marks

  3

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  Question 3.1 discriminated well and produced a good spread of marks. Many students were able to calculate the amplitude and maximum acceleration. Much fewer went on to draw the correct line. Sine curves were the most common incorrect answer. Even those who drew a straight line often only used one quadrant or had a positive slope. Question 3.2 was the hardest one on the paper. Only those who had a straight line in 3.1 had much chance of gaining this mark. For these students the most common error was to label the point halfway along the line.

  Text version

  A mass-spring system undergoes simple harmonic motion. Its maximum speed is 0.39 m s^-1 and its period is 0.81 s.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2025 · Paper 1 · Q7 · 8 marks

  8 marks

  7

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  57% of students obtained full marks for Question 7.1. As this was a ‘show that’ question, each step in the derivation had to be clear. Students given one mark often used ‘r’ for the radius in early stages before substituting R in their final answer without reason. It was expected that students used R throughout or wrote r=R at some point. Students who tried to work backwards from the answer rarely gained much credit. The straightforward calculation in Question 7.2 was completed correctly by about 85% of students. Occasionally students lost the mark for incorrectly rounding to 59.0. Most students suggested increasing the radius, and therefore obtained the mark for Question 7.3. Some suggested changing the banking. This was not rewarded as the question clearly referred to the curved section of the track in the earlier part of the question. Other correct answers in the mark scheme were also seen fairly frequently. Most students obtained 1 mark for Question 7.4 by labelling the weight. It was expected that this would pass through the centre of mass of the car. Whilst some leeway was given, answers that showed a wobbly line or did not pass through a point near the centre of the car were not credited. Very few students labelled the two reaction forces that act through the wheels. A very common error was to see a centripetal force drawn, as though this was an extra force © 2025 AQA rather than a combination of the horizontal components of the normal reaction forces. Students should be encouraged to use a ruler whenever drawing forces on a diagram. They should give attention to the line of action of these forces. It should also be stressed that a centripetal force gives rise to circular motion, and not the other way round. Question 7.5 proved to be more difficult than expected. A common error was to suggest that the weight of the car had a horizontal component because of the slope.

  Text version

  A 1600 kg racing car travels around the semicircular ends of a horizontal oval track. The maximum centripetal force available between tyres and track is 24 kN, and the minimum bend radius is 230 m.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2025 · Paper 2 · Q2 · 11 marks

  11 marks

  2

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [2.1] Most students did not understand the use of the term “random motion” in kinetic theory. Many mixed up the concept with Brownian motion or the random nature of radioactive decay, comment that it is unpredicted, it is spontaneous, or it can’t be affected by external forces. None of these gained marks. In order to gain marks here, students needed to define the word ‘random’ and not just refer to random direction and speed. While a range of speeds was accepted and should have been accessible, few talked about the speed or the magnitude of the velocity with most focussing only on the direction. The direction was more demanding where answers had to demonstrate the idea that there was no preferred direction, rather than just a range of directions. A very few clearly knew the derivation and used ideas like 𝑐𝑐𝑥𝑥2 തതത= 𝑐𝑐𝑦𝑦2 തതത= 𝑐𝑐𝑧𝑧2 തതത; this was rewarded, although centres should note that if symbols are used that are not defined in the questions, they should be defined in the answer.

  Text version

  The derivation of pV = (1/3)Nm(c_rms)^2 is based on assumptions about ideal-gas particles.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2025 · Paper 2 · Q3 · 11 marks

  11 marks

  3

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  Question 3 was about radioactive decay set in the context of a radioisotope thermoelectric generator used to power a Mars rover. This question was the most accessible on the paper with a mean mark of around two thirds of the total marks.

  Text version

  A Mars vehicle uses a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) that initially contains 3.23 x 10^24 plutonium-238 atoms.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2025 · Paper 2 · Q6 · 13 marks

  13 marks

  6

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [6.4] Most students were able to determine the acceleration of the ion, although a minority of students mixed up the field and the potential.

  Text version

  Ions orbit Jupiter in a plasma torus. Consider gravitational, magnetic and electric fields acting separately on an ion in the torus.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2025 · Paper 3A · Q4 · 12 marks

  12 marks

  4

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  This question was about the vertical oscillations of a loaded test tube in a liquid. The main ideas tested were • use of vernier scales (8.1 ATe) • comment on experimental design (7.3.2 PS2.1) In 04.1 most correctly determined that there were 13 turns of the string between points P and Q but then could not make progress because they could not read the vernier scale. In 04.2 few took account of the thickness of the string in their calculation but over 50% obtained two marks for calculating an appropriate length for their number of turns. Some very good answers did use their string thickness but then did not record the length of string to the nearest mm. In 04.3 less than 50% correctly identified position B as the correct position for the fiducial mark. 04.4 was a simple problem and over 60% got fully correct answers. © 2025 AQA Part 04.5 presented a tricky problem. Many realised that to produce more oscillations the initial amplitude should be larger. However, the test tube was already in contact with the bottom of the beaker as it was released. This tempted some to suggest using a deeper beaker but that would not change the depth of the test tube when at rest. Others thought the beaker could be made narrower which would increase the depth at which the test tube floated, however that would increase the drag on the test tube due to the proximity of the walls. Therefore, to increase the initial amplitude the only available solution was to add more liquid. Many said that reducing drag would make the oscillations die away more slowly but there was very little they could say to explain how they would achieve this. Changes to the test tube or to the liquid would change the period and the question said that was not allowed.

  Text version

  Wire is wound tightly in 13 adjacent turns around a test tube. Points P and Q lie on the wire 13 turns apart. A travelling microscope reads 9.26 mm at P. At Q, the vernier zero lies between 24.7 and 24.8 mm on the fixed scale and the third vernier division aligns, giving a reading of 24.73 mm. The test tube external diameter is 18.0 mm.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2025 · Paper 3BC · Q3 · 15 marks

  15 marks

  3

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  In 3.1, many students stated that an isothermal change involved no change in internal energy. Whilst this is true for an ideal gas, it does not take into account a change of state, for example. The required answer was that an isothermal change involves no change in temperature. More than half of the students gained this mark. © 2025 AQA To gain full marks for the calculation in 3.2, students had to match a temperature with a point on Figure 6. Students who used the incorrect temperature could still gain partial credit. Using the differences in temperature, volume or pressure meant a student gained no marks. Question 3.3 was the easiest one on the paper. Although a substituted equation was sufficient on this occasion, students should be made aware that in the future the correct equation followed by substitution may be required for the mark. Question 3.4 discriminated well and produced a good spread of marks. About half of students obtained all three marks. It was clear, however, that many students did not know how to apply the first law of thermodynamics in this situation. This was also evident in later question parts. Question 3.5 was one of the hardest on the paper. Many students did not understand which process was isothermal and which adiabatic. Others did not realise in which process energy was being transferred to or from the gas by heat transfer. Question 3.6 was the level of response question. Despite there being many marking points available, very few students obtained full marks. This was usually due to a failure to address the third bullet point sufficiently well. Often answers were restricted to those seen in previous papers without any attempt to apply it to this particular situation. A surprisingly large number of students obtained a theoretical efficiency of 100% for the cycle. This prevented much progress in the first bullet point. The best answered section was the second bullet point, with students making comments similar to those seen in previous mark schemes on this topic.

  Text version

  A fixed amount of ideal gas follows the cyclic p-V path A -> B -> C -> A. Coordinates are A: p = 1.00 x 10^5 Pa, V = 12.0 x 10^-4 m^3; B: p = 8.51 x 10^5 Pa, V = 2.60 x 10^-4 m^3; C: p = 1.00 x 10^5 Pa, V = 22.1 x 10^-4 m^3. A -> B is adiabatic compression, B -> C is isothermal expansion, and C -> A is compression at constant pressure. The maximum cycle temperature is 536 K and the minimum is 291 K. Use the convention delta U = Q - W, where W is work done by the gas. An incomplete energy table (all values in J) is: A -> B: Q blank, W = -253, delta U blank; B -> C: Q = 473, W blank, delta U blank; C -> A: Q blank, W blank, delta U = -253; whole cycle: Q blank, W = 119, delta U blank.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2024 · Paper 2 · Q1 · 9 marks

  9 marks

  1

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [01.2] There were many different routes through this question and most students found this very challenging, although 2 of the 3 marks were easily accessible. The first mark was for some relevant calculations and the last for the correct number of significant figures. Since the value used for the significant figures depended on which value the students used for 𝑛𝑛 from question 01.1, different answers were accepted based on the value of 𝑛𝑛 seen. For those who chose a route that did not require 𝑛𝑛, then an answer to 3 sf was correct. If 𝑛𝑛 was calculated to 2 or 3 sf, then the number of significant figures in 𝑛𝑛 determined the correct answer. If the value of 40 was used and the student had not calculated a correct value in 01.1, then either 1 or 2 sf was accepted since 40 is ambiguous. Students who identified 43 or 43.1 as the correct value of 𝑛𝑛 should have recognised that 40 was therefore to 1 sf. Many students were unsure about which mass to use in the equation 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝= 1 3 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁(𝑐𝑐rms)2 or 1 2 𝑚𝑚(𝑐𝑐rms)2 with many confusing the mass of the particle with the mass of the gas.

  Text version

  A dehumidifier processes air at 20.0 degrees C and pressure 105 kPa. The density of dry air is 1.25 kg m^-3.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2024 · Paper 2 · Q5 · 8 marks

  8 marks

  5

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [05.1] This question was very challenging, with most students gaining 1 or 0. The first mark was for calculating the angular speed of S1. Some students did gain this mark although they did not know how to progress from there. In order to make much progress with this question students had to realise that the centripetal acceleration was equal to the resultant gravitational field strength. They could then subtract the gravitational field strength of the Earth to determine the gravitational field strength of the moon. Some students attempted to determine an effective mass to allow this period and then use this with 𝑇𝑇2 = 4𝜋𝜋𝑟𝑟3 𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺; this approach did not gain credit.

  Text version

  Satellite S1 is on the Earth-Moon line beyond the far side of the Moon so that it remains directly behind the Moon as viewed from Earth. It has the Moon's orbital period of 27.3 days and is 4.489 x 10^5 km from the Earth. The Earth's gravitational field strength at S1 is 1.98 x 10^-3 N kg^-1. The Moon's field strength at S1 is gM.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2023 · Paper 1 · Q6 · 9 marks

  9 marks

  6

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [06.1] It was clear that many students had little idea about how the equation for SHM can be obtained. Having the force equation on page 20 of the question paper gave some students a starting point, but relating it to the acceleration with a negative sign, or stating which factors were constant, was rarely seen. Commonly students simply stated the conditions for SHM without relating it to the context.

  Text version

  A weighted pencil floats vertically in water with submerged length l. If pushed down by displacement y and released, the additional buoyancy provides restoring force F = -A rho g y, where A is pencil cross-sectional area and rho is water density. The pencil oscillates about equilibrium.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2023 · Paper 2 · Q1 · 5 marks

  5 marks

  1

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [01.1] Most students did not pick up the point that the gas is ideal. Potential energy was often added to the kinetic energy in answers. Only very few students went on to state that, in this case, potential energy is zero. Those who appreciated that kinetic energy alone was the expected answer sometimes spoiled the point by referring to a mean kinetic energy.

  Text version

  A gas-particle model contains a particle P of mass m moving at constant speed c between two parallel walls. Wall W has area A, the perpendicular wall separation is l, and the box volume is V = Al. Collisions with W are perfectly elastic.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2023 · Paper 2 · Q7 · 10 marks

  10 marks

  7

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [07.4] A majority of students could determine the initial and final kinetic energies in similar units and go on to obtain the correct answer. Re-arranging the equation did not pose much of a difficulty. It was most common for students to work with energies in J. Some of these made errors in converting from eV and some did not use the correct expression for the energy of a thermal neutron. There was also a significant number (nearly 9%) who had no idea how to start.

  Text version

  A neutron-moderator collision is modelled by neutron glider N of mass m_N striking stationary moderator glider M of mass m_M and rebounding. A graph gives rebound-speed ratio v/u against mass ratio m_M/m_N; at mass ratio 12, v/u is about 0.85.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2022 · Paper 1 · Q5 · 11 marks

  11 marks

  5

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  The question was based on a practical demonstration of the relationship between simple harmonic motion (shm) and circular motion. The calculations in 05.1, 05.3 and 05.5 were very straightforward and caused little trouble for most students. 05.2 was more challenging. Examiners were lenient in their interpretation of the arrow, but several students lost the mark through carelessness. When drawing a direction such as this students should use a ruler and avoid ambiguity in the construction. In order to answer 05.4 correctly students had to be clear about the evidence on which their answer was based. Stating that the velocity is changing, without any mention of direction, was not interpreted by examiners as evidence. Many students invoked Newton’s 3rd law without success. Answers to 05.6 were often incomplete. Examiners were expecting to see a comparison, but many students only discussed the effect on the pendulum. In order to gain the phase mark some supporting discussion was needed. This was partly because both no change and an in-phase change were acceptable, depending on the depth of the student’s discussion.

  Text version

  A teacher demonstrates the relationship between circular motion and SHM. A block is 0.25 m from the centre of a clockwise turntable rotating at 1.8 rad s^-1 without slipping.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2022 · Paper 2 · Q1 · 5 marks

  5 marks

  1

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [01.1] This question was answered well by most students but many made a significant error because they correctly evaluated the temperature difference in oC but then converted the value to K by adding 273. These students did not appreciate that temperature changes are the same in both oC and K. Other errors seen included an incorrect re-arrangement when combining the two equations, and power of ten errors in the evaluation.

  Text version

  Figure 1 shows an electric steam iron. Figure 1 Water from a reservoir drips onto an electrically-heated metal plate. The water boils and steam escapes through holes in the metal plate. The electrical power of the heater inside the iron is 2.1 kW. Assume that all the energy from the heater is transferred to the metal plate.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2022 · Paper 2 · Q2 · 10 marks

  10 marks

  2

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [02.4] Most students scored at least one mark by drawing the correct basic shape that passed correctly through one data point. It was very common for students to miss the second mark through lack of care and by failing to use other useful data points for their graph. Students who failed to score usually drew the correct general shape but did not locate the graph correctly, with some even drawing the graph below the printed given line.

  Text version

  Question 2 from AQA A-level Physics Paper 2, June 2022.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2022 · Paper 3A · Q4 · 19 marks

  19 marks

  4

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  This question was about methods to confirm Boyle’s Law (required practical activity 8). The method described in parts 04.1 to 04.3 was for a loaded gas syringe. In parts 04.4 to 04.7 the method was the familiar version in which pressure is applied to air trapped above a column of oil. 04.1 is a similar question to 01.3 in November 2021. While half could perform calculations that could lead to a conclusion, nearly all then stated that their ‘M  y values were different.’ Random error will inevitably affect real data so students were required to make a reasoned comment about the extent of the discrepancy. Some seemed to think they were being asked to test for an exponential relationship while others, sowing the seeds of the downfall in 04.3, said the points in Figure 10 lay on a straight line. In 04.2 students needed to explain how the pressure inside the cylinder changed as P moved downwards, how this led to P coming to rest and why P fell out of the cylinder when the valve was opened. Misconceptions seen included saying that P came to rest when the internal and external pressures were the same. Some thought pressure could be equated with force or suggested that there was a ‘suction’ effect on P. Others said that, when the valve was opened, air rushed into the cylinder and pushed P downwards. Many struggled to make progress and 60% were unable to score. The instruction in 04.3 to ‘Draw a best fit line on Figure 10’ seems to have persuaded many to draw a straight line. Only a quarter of students drew a smooth curve following the obvious trend of the points. Many realised they should extrapolate their line to deduce y for the inverted cylinder but nearly all read off at M = −0.35. Since M did not include the mass of P, the y read-off should have been made at M = −0.70. Meniscus is a term for the curved surface of a liquid. In 04.4 many used the term appropriately in explaining the error made by the student. Others earned this mark with a sketch. The alternative suggestion that the student thought the sub-divisions were at 0.1 cm3 intervals was accepted. At least a quarter failed to record 35.8 as the correct reading. In 04.5 students were asked to explain why the gradient in Figure 13 confirmed Boyle’s Law. A calculation to show the gradient was approximately −1 and relevant algebra to explain the y = mx + c form of Figure 13 were expected. Some did not use the blank space provided for a calculation and just said the line had a negative slope. In 04.6 students were required to make use of a point on the line in Figure 13 in their solution. Gradient calculations were not accepted as part of the working here. Many decided to substitute their data into the equation for the line in Figure 13. This required a calculation of the intercept but many claimed the value to be 1.685. Others ignored the intercept altogether and stated that log V = the gradient  log 0.34. It was possible to solve this problem in two or three lines but keeping more complex working error- free was often an insurmountable problem. Students found 04.5 and 04.6 to be very challenging and only a third of them were able to make progress in either part. In 04.7 keeping temperature constant was correctly identified by over 80%. About half of these added the second mark by saying they would change the pressure slowly, showing good recall of the required practical. Examiners did not allow ‘carry out the experiment at room temperature’.

  Text version

  Air is trapped by a frictionless piston P in a vertical cylinder with a closed valve. Added mass M moves P down and distance y measures trapped-air volume. The six (M/kg, y/mm) points are (0.50,89), (1.00,82), (1.50,76), (2.00,71), (2.50,66.5), (3.00,62.5). In a later log-log plot, the best-fit line for log(V/cm^3) against log(p/MPa) passes approximately through (-1.10,1.69) and (-0.60,1.17).

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · November 2021 · Paper 1 · Q4 · 11 marks

  11 marks

  4

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  Circular motion is a demanding topic for many students. Answers to these questions indicated the difficulties students commonly have with the ideas of reaction force, centripetal force and angular speed. The multi-step calculation in question 04.4 proved too difficult for many students, some of whom did little more than work out the Young Modulus, which was not needed. Some of these students made a little progress when they used their calculated Young Modulus to determine a quantity that they could have simply read from the graph. The idea of a safety factor was usually either missed or not understood.

  Text version

  A rotating Mars spacecraft consists of inhabited A and cargo B joined by a rigid rod, rotating about common centre of mass O. Separation of their centres is L; m_A=1.32 x 10^6 kg and m_B=3.30 x 10^6 kg. A must experience 3.7 m s^-2. The rod metal remains elastic below roughly 0.30 GPa.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · November 2021 · Paper 2 · Q3 · 11 marks

  11 marks

  3

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [03.1] In the main, students thought it was sufficient to explain that in a vacuum a collision would not occur. Only about a fifth of them went on to explain how collisions might affect the speed distribution of the atoms emerging from the oven.

  Text version

  Atoms escape an ideal-gas oven through a slit S into an evacuated drum of diameter 0.500 m rotating clockwise at 120 rev s^-1. One atom crosses the drum while it rotates 45 degrees. The detector is an arc running from B at the leading/left end to A at the trailing/right end; the original dark band is strongest nearer B and fades toward A. Gas molar mass is 0.209 kg mol^-1.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · November 2020 · Paper 2 · Q1 · 10 marks

  10 marks

  1

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [01.4] Only a tiny fraction of students made any reference to ‘mean’ or ‘average’. Also, when the answer involved ‘speed’ a number of students used the term ‘velocity’. At this level the correct technical language is essential.

  Text version

  A perfectly insulated flask contains 0.25 kg of metal M, initially at -10 degrees C. Energy is supplied at a constant 35 W. The temperature-time graph rises to 28 degrees C at 1.8 min, remains at 28 degrees C until 11.2 min, then rises to 110 degrees C at 14.8 min.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · November 2020 · Paper 3A · Q1 · 15 marks

  15 marks

  1

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  This question expanded on the ideas behind assessed practical 7. About half the students knew the mark should be at the equilibrium position in 01.1, but disappointingly few of them could explain why this was so. In 01.2, some thought they were measuring the period and not the amplitude. Too many described trigonometric methods based on an angle measurement. To determine the percentage increase in 01.3, some tried a mathematical approach based on the average rate of increase shown in Figure 3. We expected students to extrapolate the curve and those that did could usually proceed smoothly. Over half scored at least 2 out of 3 marks. The key in 01.4 was to calculate the average having rejected the anomalous data, then determine the uncertainty from half the resulting range. About a third of the students were able to follow one or both of these steps. It was hard to find many solutions to 01.5 and 01.6 that indicated work of A-grade standard and even the correct completion of Table 2 proved beyond nearly 10% of the cohort. Both in data tabulation and in the labels marked on graph axes, we expect consistency in decimal places. We saw far too many reversed scales that produced upwards-sloping lines and compressed scales that produced shallow lines. Less than 20% of students produced completely correct solutions to this routine problem. 01.7 discriminated well in favour of the stronger students who manipulated the equation to produce an expression of the form y = mx + c and went on to deduce that δ = e−gradient. A novel approach seen was to deduce A0 from the intercept and then obtain a value of An from a convenient point on the line, e.g. at n = 2. Going on to explain that n A A0 = δ earned full credit.

  Text version

  A simple pendulum is investigated to measure its period, the limit of small-amplitude behaviour and its damping.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2019 · Paper 1 · Q6 · 5 marks

  5 marks

  6

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [6.1] This question caused no problems for the majority of students. Common errors were confusing the negative and positive velocities (giving an answer of 0.5 ms), or treating Figure 8 as a v-t graph (giving an answer of 2.0 ms).

  Text version

  Loudspeaker cone point executes SHM with amplitude4.2 mm and period2.0 ms. Its displacement-time graph starts at +4.2 mm at t=0, crosses zero while falling at0.50 ms, reaches -4.2 mm at1.0 ms, crosses zero while rising at1.5 ms, and returns to +4.2 mm at2.0 ms.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2019 · Paper 2 · Q2 · 14 marks

  14 marks

  2

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [2.3] This question discriminated well. About a fifth of the students did not know a correct version of an equation involving crms that could be used to solve the problem. However, one third of the students scored full marks. Between these two extremes, scripts would show a correct working equation but data were not substituted into it correctly. Often there was a confusion between molecular and molar masses.

  Text version

  Argon and helium form an ideal-gas mixture at 310 K in a piston cylinder; argon molar mass is 4.0 x10^-2 kg mol^-1.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2018 · Paper 1 · Q5 · 8 marks

  8 marks

  5

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [05.1] Many students (59%) completed this part fully successfully. This and part 05.2 exposed weaknesses in the understanding of some students when using sine, cosine and tangent. Many who arrived at 2.71 m did not add the extra metre for the platform to deduce the radius of the circular path followed by the acrobats.

  Text version

  Two85 kg acrobats hang from opposite edges of a2.0 m diameter rotating platform. Their centres are5.0 m below platform, ropes28.5 degrees to vertical, period5.2 s.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2018 · Paper 3A · Q3 · 14 marks

  14 marks

  3

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [03.2] Many answers suggested that Charles’s Law was even less well understood than Boyle’s Law. Only the better students realised that they were being asked to give two conditions that should be met if Charles’s Law is to apply. While some correctly stated that pressure must remain the same, only 7% added that the mass of gas must be constant.

  Text version

  To estimate absolute zero, air is trapped in a flask at 86 degC, then cooled to 19 degC. The inverted flask valve is opened under water, then its depth is adjusted until inside and outside water levels match. Measured water volumes are V1=48 cm^3 and flask volume V2=255 cm^3.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2017 · Paper 1 · Q7 · 10 marks

  10 marks

  7

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  Question 07.1 was an extended calculation and 60% of students were able to calculate the mass or spring constant. The ‘consequential error’ principle was applied and so an incorrect value could be used to calculate the other value for full credit. The next part also resulted in many good answers and although students did not need to use their values, full credit was given for correct calculations using calculated mass and spring constant, even if one or both of these were incorrect. Question 07.3 required students to identify two differences that would occur when the mass attached to spring B oscillated in oil. Identifying the differences proved to be straightforward but giving the reason for this far less so. The most common difference given was the decrease in amplitude, with the next most popular being the shift in the peak amplitude to a higher frequency. Use of statistics Statistics used in this report may be taken from incomplete processing data. However, this data still gives a true account on how students have performed for each question.

  Text version

  Two springs support equal masses from a vibrating rod. Spring A has stiffness k and spring B has stiffness 3k. At resonance f=2.0 Hz, A has amplitude 2.5 x 10^-2 m and maximum kinetic energy 54 mJ.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

• AQA 7408 · June 2017 · Paper 2 · Q1 · 10 marks

  10 marks

  1

  
  Show mark scheme

  

  Examiner report

  [01.4] This turned out to be a discriminating question. What distinguished the more able student was not only to have the knowledge to calculate the new temperature, but the ability to deduce what must remain constant if the temperature was constant. They then could interpret their calculations in a clear fashion. They could provide a statement as simple as, ‘if the temperature were constant then PV would be constant, which is not the case’. Less able students tended to give an array of numbers with very little calculation. They also showed errors in substituting the wrong data.

  Text version

  A fixed mass of ideal gas follows states A, B and C on a pressure-volume graph. A is (0.70 x 10^-3 m^3, 1.0 x 10^5 Pa) at 300 K; B is (0.50 x 10^-3 m^3, 1.0 x 10^5 Pa); C is (0.30 x 10^-3 m^3, 2.05 x 10^5 Pa). A to B is horizontal. B to C follows the plotted curve approximately through (0.45 x 10^-3 m^3, 1.15 x 10^5 Pa), (0.40 x 10^-3 m^3, 1.35 x 10^5 Pa) and (0.35 x 10^-3 m^3, 1.65 x 10^5 Pa); it is not a straight line.

  Open the full paper (PDF)

References open the specific AQA question paper when it is available. Missing, login-only or unverified question-paper sources are labelled on the affected row. Question content remains on the exam board's website.