Name: ________________________

AQA A Level Physics

Mechanics and Materials 3.4.1.7 to 3.4.1.8: Class: ________________________
Work, Energy & Power
Date: ________________________

Time: 72 minutes

Marks: 61 marks

Q1 to Q6 to be worked through with tutor. Q7 to Q11 to

Comments:
be worked through independently.

Answers: http://www.harrowsmithtuition.co.uk/topictests/alevel/
aqa/3.4.1.7-3.4.1.8.pdf
 The diagram shows a girl bouncing vertically on a trampoline. The highest point that she reaches
1 is H.

Describe the energy changes involved as the girl bounces from position H and back to the same
position shown in the diagram.

You should consider the energy losses that occur during this motion.

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________
(Total 3 marks)

(a) State the law of conservation of energy.

2
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(b) The diagram shows a block on a horizontal table top initially held against a spring so that
the spring is compressed. The other end of the spring is fixed to a wall. When released the
block is pushed away by the spring. When the spring reaches its natural length the block
leaves the spring and then slides along the table top. A constant frictional force acting
between the moving block and the table top eventually brings the block to rest.
(i) When the block leaves the spring, the block has a kinetic energy of 2.2 J. The mass
of the block is 0.40 kg.
Calculate the maximum velocity of the block.

maximum velocity = ____________________ m s−1

(1)

(ii) The block travels 1.2 m after leaving the spring before coming to rest.
Show that the frictional force between the block and the table top is about 1.8 N.

(1)
 (iii) The spring was initially compressed through 0.20 m. The constant frictional force
acts on the block whenever it is moving.
Calculate the elastic potential energy in the spring when in its initial compressed
position.
Assume the spring has negligible mass.
State an appropriate unit for your answer.

elastic potential energy = __________ unit = _________

(3)

(iv) The force exerted on the block by the spring is proportional to the compression of the
spring.
Calculate the maximum force exerted on the block by the spring.

maximum force = ____________________ N

(1)
(Total 8 marks)

The diagram below shows a possible design for a pumped storage system used to generate
3 electricity.
Water from the upper reservoir is to fall through a vertical distance of 90 m before reaching a
powerplant chamber. The water rotates a turbine in the chamber that drives an electricity
generator. After leaving the turbine, the water travels through an exit pipe to a lake.

(a) Show that the maximum possible speed of the water as it arrives at the turbine is about 40
m s−1.

(2)

(b) The volume of water flowing into the turbine every second is 3.5 m3.

Estimate the radius of the intake pipe that is required for the system.

pipe radius = _______________________ m

(2)

(c) The water leaves the powerplant chamber at a speed of 12 m s−1.

Calculate the maximum possible power output of the turbine and generator.
Give an appropriate unit for your answer.

density of water = 1000 kg m−3

Maximum power output = _________________ unit = ____________

(4)
 (d) Energy losses are estimated to reduce the output power for the turbine and generator to
60% of the value you calculated in part (c).

Explain two possible reasons for this energy loss.

1. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 10 marks)

(a) An egg of mass 5.8 × 10–2 kg is dropped from a height of 1.5 m onto a floor. Assuming air
4
resistance is negligible, calculate for the egg

(i) the loss of potential energy,

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(ii) the kinetic energy just before impact,

______________________________________________________________

(iii) the speed just before impact,

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(iv) the momentum just before impact.

______________________________________________________________
(7)

(b) On hitting the floor, the egg is brought to rest in a time of 0.010 s. Calculate the magnitude
of the average decelerating force on the egg.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
 (c) The egg is now placed in a container that crumples on impact. Explain why this type of
container makes it far less likely that the egg will break.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 11 marks)

5 Which of the following is not a unit of power?

A N m s–1

B kg m2 s–3

C J s–1

D kg m–1 s–1 (Total 1 mark)

An electric motor of input power 100 W raises a mass of 10 kg vertically at a steady speed of 0.5
6
m s–1. What is the efficiency of the system?

A 5%

B 12%

C 50%

D 100% (Total 1 mark)

A car exerts a driving force of 500 N when travelling at a constant speed of

7
72 km h–1 on a level track. What is the work done in 5 minutes?

A 3.0 × 106 J

B 2.0 × 106 J

C 2.0 × 105 J

D 1.1 × 105 J (Total 1 mark)

 The table below indicates some positions of a person carrying out a bungee jump from a high
8 bridge.
Tick the appropriate box(es) to show the forms that the jumper’s energy takes at the different
stages of the jump.

(Total 3 marks)

The following figure shows a roller coaster car which is accelerated from rest to a speed of 56 m
9
s–1 on a horizontal track, A, before ascending the steep part of the track. The roller coaster car
then becomes stationary at C, the highest point of the track. The total mass of the car and
passengers is 8300 kg.
(a) The angle of the track at B is 25° to the horizontal. Calculate the component of the weight
of the car and passengers acting along the slope when the car and passengers are in
position B as shown in the image above.

component of weight ____________________ N

(2)

(b) (i) Calculate the kinetic energy of the car including the passengers when travelling at
56 m s–1.

kinetic energy ____________________ J

(2)

(ii) Calculate the maximum height above A that would be reached by the car and
passengers if all the kinetic energy could be transferred to gravitational potential
energy.

maximum height ____________________ m

(2)

(c) The car does not reach the height calculated in part (b).

(i) Explain the main reason why the car does not reach this height.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)
 (ii) The car reaches point C which is at a height of 140 m above A. Calculate the speed
that the car would reach when it descends from rest at C to its original height from
the ground at D if 87% of its energy at C is converted to kinetic energy.

speed ____________________ m s–1

(2)
(Total 10 marks)

A skydiver of mass 70 kg, jumps from a stationary balloon and reaches a speed of 45 m s–1 after
10
falling a distance of 150 m.

(a) Calculate the skydiver’s

(i) loss of gravitational potential energy,

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(ii) gain in kinetic energy.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(4)

(b) The difference between the loss of gravitational potential energy and the gain in kinetic
energy is equal to the work done against air resistance. Use this fact to calculate

(i) the work done against air resistance,

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(ii) the average force due to air resistance acting on the skydiver.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 7 marks)
 The diagram below shows a child coming down a slide in a playground. The vertical height of the
11 slide is 3.0 m. The angle between the main slope of the slide and its vertical support is 50°.

acceleration of free fall g = 9.8 m s–2

(a) The child has a mass of 41 kg. Calculate the gain in gravitational potential energy as the
child climbed to the top of the slide.

Gravitational potential energy gained ____________________

(2)

(b) Assume that the slide is frictionless.

(i) Use your answer to part (a) to calculate the speed of the child when reaching the
bottom of the slide.

Speed ____________________
(2)

(ii) Calculate the resultant force acting on the child when in the position shown in the
diagram above.

Resultant force ____________________

(2)
(Total 6 marks)
Mark schemes
GPE to KE and / or elastic potential (and reverse)
1
Energy is lost due to work done on air / trampoline

Work done by child (on trampoline) makes up for energy losses

No B1 mark for an incorrect energy change
Accept air resistance for an energy loss
[3]

(a) energy cannot be created or destroyed ✔

2
it can only be transferred / changed / converted from one form to another ✔
‘Transformed’ can be taken to mean transferred from one form to
another.
2

(b) (i) (using Ek = ½ mv2 )

2.2 = ½ × 0.40 × v2
v = 3.3 (ms-1) ✔
Ignore errors in 3 sig fig.
Answer only can gain mark.
1

(ii) (using work done = F × s ) 2.2 = F × 1.2 ✔ ( F = 1.83 N ) or

(using a = (v2 – u2) / 2 s)
a = (02 – 3.322) / 2 × 1.2 = (-) 4.59 (m s-1)
(F = ma) = 0.4 × 4.59 ✔ = (1.84 N)
A substitution of numbers are necessary for the mark
1

(iii) (work done in moving 0.2 m) = 1.8 × 0.2 (J) ✔ (= 0.36 J)

(allow ecf (bii) × 0.2)
total work done = 2.2 + 0.36 = 2.6 ✔ (same answer is achieved if F = 2N)
J or joule ✔
3

(iv) (use of energy = ½ F x)

2.6 = ½ Fmax 0.2
Fmax = 26 N ✔
(allow ecf 10 × (biii))
Allow mark for answer only even for ecf.
1
[8]
3 (a) Ek Ep or v = ✔

= 42.0 (m s−1) ✔
First mark for realising energy transformation from GPE to KE.
Second mark for correct answer.
2

(b) calculation of area of pipe (=0.0833 m2) ✔

radius = = 0.16 (m) ✔

(c) mass of water / s = 3500 kg ✔

energy available per second = 0.5 × 3500 × (422 − 122) ✔

= 2.8 ✔ MW ✔
4

(d) heat / mechanical friction in turbines ✔

friction at walls of pipes / turbulence ✔

electrical heating in wires ✔

Do not allow (friction) bald.
Seat of loss must be clear.
Max 2
[10]

4 (a) (i) Ep = mgΔh (1)

= 5.8 × 10-2 × 9.8(1) × 1.5 = 0.85 J ✓

(ii) 0.85 J (1)

(allow C.E. for value of Ep from (i))

(iii) (use of Ek = ½mv2 gives) 0.85 = 0.5 × 5.8 × 10-2 × v2 (1)

(allow C.E. for answer from (ii))
(v2 = 29.3) v = 5.4 m s-1 (1)

(iv) (use of p = mv gives) p = 5.8 × 10-2 × 5.4 (1)

(allow C.E. for value of v from (iii))
= 0.31 N s (1)
7
 (b)

(allow C.E. for value of p from (iv))

= 31 N (1)

[or a = = 540 (m s-2) (1)

F = 5.8 × 10-2 × 540 = 31 N (1)]

2

(c) egg effectively stopped in a longer distance (1)

hence greater time and therefore less force on egg (1)
[or takes longer to stop

hence force is smaller as

[or acceleration reduced as it takes longer to stop

thus force will be smaller]

[or some energy is absorbed by container

less absorbed by egg]
2
[11]

D
5
[1]

C
6
[1]

A
7
[1]

correct boxes ticked

8
gravitational potential energy (1)

B1

potential energy and kinetic energy (1)

B1

elastic potential energy ( in ‘rope’) (1)

(condone gravitational PE in addition)

B1
[3]
 (a) 8300 × 9.81 OR = 81423 ✓
9
(8300 × 9.81 sin 25)
= 3.4 × 104 (N) ✓ (34 411 N) ecf from first line unless g not used

msin25 gets zero

Penalize use of g = 10 here only
(35 077 N)
Allow 9.8 in any question
Correct answer only, gets both marks for all two mark
questions
2

(b) (i) (Ek = ½mv2 )

= ½ × 8300 × 562 ✓
= 1.3 × 107 (J) ✓ (13 014 400) allow use of 8300 only
In general: Penalise transcription errors and rounding errors in
answers
2

(ii) mgh = KE (13 014 400) for mgh allow GPE or Ep

OR 13 014 400 / 81 423 ✓
h = 160 (m) ✓ (159.8) ecf 1bi
Allow use of suvat approach
2

(c) (i) (work done) by friction \ drag \ air resistance \ resistive forces ✓
(energy converted) to internal \ thermal energy ✓
Allow ‘heat’
2

(ii) 0.87 x (8300 x 9.81 x 140 = 9 917 000) OR V = ✓

= 49 ( = 48.88 ms ) ✓-1

87% of energy for 140m or 160m only for first mark.

Use of 160 (52.26) and / or incorrect or no % (52.4) gets max 1
provided working is shown
Do not credit suvat approaches here
2
[10]

(a) (i) (use of Ep = mgh gives) Ep = 70 × 9.81 × 150 (1)

10
= 1.0(3) × 105 J (1)

(ii) (use of Ek = ½mv2 gives) Ek = ½ × 70 × 452 (1)

= 7.1 × 104 J (1) (7.09 × 104 J)
4
 (b) (i) work done (= 1.03 × 105 – 7.09 × 104) = 3.2(1) × 104 J (1)
(allow C.E. for values of Ep and Ek from (a)

(ii) (use of work done = Fs gives)

3.21 × 104 = F × 150 (1)
(allow C.E. for value of work done from (i)
F = 210 N (1) (213 N)
3
[7]

(a) PE = mgh
11
C1

= 41 × 9.8 × 3.0 =

1200 or 1210 J

A1
2

(b) (i) mgh = 0.5mv2

C1

v = 7.7 ms–1

A1
2
or ecf from (a)

(ii) F = mgcos50

C1

= 258N

A1
2
[6]
Examiner reports
The majority of answers were limited to describing energy changes. Very few students
1 considered energy losses, even though this was explicit in the question. Almost no answers
addressed how the girl would return to the same height.

(a) Conservation of energy was well understood by most students. At the weaker end students
2 wanted to add conditions such as 'in a system' or they only wanted to refer to some specific
energy conversion. Sometimes students would refer to a ‘change in energy’ but not add
‘from one form to another’.

(b) (i) A very easy question that students performed well in.

(ii) Students also performed well in this question with equal numbers using work equals
force times distance to obtain the answer and others finding the acceleration first to
use in Newton's second law equation.

(iii) Students had severe problems with this question. Even the unit of 'joule' was not
given in the weaker responses. Most students felt the need to include a 'half' in the
work done equation probably because the question included a reference to a spring.
Also, very few added the kinetic energy given to the block.

(iv) With the use of an error carried forward students were more successful in calculating
the maximum force. There was still fifty percent of students who could not calculate
the maximum force because they failed to appreciate that the stored energy equation
was required.

The calculations in parts (a) and (b) were well done although the unit for momentum produced
4 the usual problems. Explaining the crumple zone in part (c) was often well answered although
some candidates’ answers did tend to lack focus. The idea that the time duration of the collision
was increased and that this was important, seemed to be well understood.

Those who gained one mark usually had the first line correct. Those who gained two marks
8 usually forgot the gravitational PE in the second line.
 (a) The number of mistakes on this question was surprising. Most candidates knew it was
9 something to do with ‘cos’ or ‘sin’ but they resolved incorrectly. Common errors included
resolving the mass rather than the weight (8300sin25), finding the wrong component
(mg cos25), incorrect trigonometry (mg / sin25) or simply calculating the weight without
resolving (8300 × 9.81). Plenty of practice and assessment on resolution of forces on
inclined planes is needed for many students.

(b) (i) These presented few problems apart from an occasional power of ten error or use of
weight instead of mass.

(ii) As above.

(c) (i) There were lots of really good answers on this question with correct descriptions of
energy transformations and mention of friction and ‘thermal energy’.

However, some mentioned the appropriate force (friction, drag, etc.) but not the form
of energy (internal, ‘thermal’, ‘heat’) and vice versa. Some candidates do not know
the difference between a form of energy and the process that causes the
transformation: ‘kinetic energy is converted to friction’ being a typical comment.

(ii) This was generally well done, but some used 160 m instead of 140 m.

Some candidates used a ‘suvat’ equation but this is incorrect physics due to the fact
that the acceleration is not constant. Students must first identify if a situation involves
constant velocity, uniform acceleration or changing acceleration. If the acceleration is
changing, the kinematics equations used at AS will not be applicable.

A significant proportion of weaker candidates were not able to select the correct equations to
10 calculate the loss in potential energy and gain in kinetic energy, which is a little surprising given
that these have been tested frequently in the past and do not usually cause problems. Significant
figure errors were very common in this question with many candidates quoting the changes in
kinetic and potential energies to five and six significant figures respectively. Part (b) proved to be
successful with a pleasing number of candidates able to calculate the force of air resistance from
the energy differences.

All but the weakest candidates scored some marks on this question.
11
In part (a) most candidates who calculated the energy correctly, lost one of the two marks on
offer by quoting too many significant figures in their answer.

In part (b) (i), some candidates were penalised for not using their answer from part (a).

Part (b) (ii) proved to be too difficult for many candidates.