Name: ____________________________

A LEVEL PHYSICS

MECHANICS

MID-TOPIC TEST

Time allowed: 60 minutes

Question Score Total

Available
Section A 4

5 12

6 8

7 8

8 18

Total 50

Grade

Page 1 of 17
Section A

Q1.
A projectile is launched with a speed of 25 m s–1 at an angle of 35° to the horizontal, as
shown in the diagram.

Air resistance is negligible.

What is the time taken for the projectile to return to the ground?

A 1.5 s

B 2.1 s

C 2.9 s

D 4.2 s
(Total 1 mark)

Q2.
The diagram shows the forces acting on a uniform rod.

Which statement is correct?

A The rod is in equilibrium.

For equilibrium, an anticlockwise moment of 1.0

B
N m is needed.

For equilibrium, a clockwise moment of 1.0 N m

C
is needed.

For equilibrium, the 10 N force should be

D
increased to 20 N.
(Total 1 mark)

Page 2 of 17
Q3.
A uniform beam of weight 23.5 N is attached by a hinge to a vertical wall and supported
by a string.
The string makes an angle of 35° to the wall.

What is the tension in the string?

A 14 N
B 21 N
C 29 N
D 41 N
(Total 1 mark)

Q4.
An aeroplane flies horizontally at 150 m s−1 along a bearing 60° east of north.

How far north from its starting position is the aeroplane after one hour?

A 270 km
B 470 km
C 510 km
D 540 km
(Total 1 mark)

Page 3 of 17
Section B

Q5.
Figure 1 shows a simplified catapult used to hurl projectiles a long way.

Figure 1

The counterweight is a wooden box full of stones attached to one end of the beam. The
projectile, usually a large rock, is in a sling hanging vertically from the other end of the
beam. The weight of the sling is negligible.
The beam is held horizontal by a rope attached to the frame.

(a) The catapult is designed so that the weight of the beam and the weight of the empty
wooden box have no effect on the tension in the rope.

Suggest how the pivot position achieves this.

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(2)

Page 4 of 17
(b) The stones in the counterweight have a total mass of 610 kg and the projectile
weighs 250 N.

Calculate the tension in the rope.

tension = ____________________ N
(5)

(c) When the rope is cut, the counterweight rotates clockwise. When the beam is
vertical it is prevented from rotating further. The projectile is then released
horizontally with a velocity of 18 m s–1, as shown in Figure 2.

The projectile is released at a height of 7.5 m above ground level.

Figure 2

The range of the catapult is the horizontal distance between the point where the
projectile is released to the point where it lands.

Calculate the range.

Ignore air resistance.

range = ____________________ m
(2)

Page 5 of 17
(d) In another release, the sling is adjusted so that a projectile of the same mass is
released just before the wooden beam is vertical. The projectile is not released
horizontally.

Discuss the effect this change has on the range of the catapult.

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(3)
(Total 12 marks)

Page 6 of 17
Q6.
The diagram shows a 250 kg iron ball being used on a demolition site. The ball is
suspended from a cable at point A, and is pulled into the position shown by a rope that is
kept horizontal. The tension in the rope is 1200 N.

(a) In the position shown the ball is in equilibrium.

(i) What balances the force of the rope on the ball?

______________________________________________________________

(ii) What balances the weight of the ball?

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(2)

(b) Determine

(i) the magnitude of the vertical component of the tension in the cable,

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(ii) the magnitude of the horizontal component of the tension in the cable,

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(iii) the magnitude of the tension in the cable,

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(iv) the angle the cable makes to the vertical.

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Page 7 of 17
 ______________________________________________________________
(6)
(Total 8 marks)

Q7.
A supertanker of mass 4.0 × 108 kg, cruising at an initial speed of 4.5 m s–1, takes one
hour to come to rest.

(a) Assuming that the force slowing the tanker down is constant, calculate

(i) the deceleration of the tanker,

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(ii) the distance travelled by the tanker while slowing to a stop.

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(4)

(b) Sketch, using the axes below, a distance-time graph representing the motion of the
tanker until it stops.

(2)

(c) Explain the shape of the graph you have sketched in part (b).

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(2)
(Total 8 marks)

Page 8 of 17
Q8.
A student performs an experiment to find the acceleration due to gravity. The student
measures the time t for a spherical object to fall freely through measured vertical
distances s. The time is measured electronically. The results are shown in the table below.

mean time
s/m t1/s t2/s t3/s tm2/s 2
tm/s
0.300 0.245 0.246 0.244 0.245 0.0600

0.400 0.285 0.286 0.286 0.286 0.0818

0.500 0.319 0.321 0.318 0.319 0.102

0.600 0.349 0.351 0.348 0.349 0.122

0.700 0.378 0.380 0.378 0.379 0.144

0.800 0.403 0.406 0.404

0.900 0.428 0.428 0.430

(a) Complete the table by entering the missing values for tm and tm2
(1)

(b) Complete the graph below by plotting the remaining two points and draw a line of
best fit.
(2)

(c) Determine the gradient of the graph.

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(3)

Page 9 of 17
(d) Theory suggests that the equation for the line is where g is the acceleration
due to gravity.

Calculate a value for g using the above equation and the gradient of your graph
above.

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(1)

Page 10 of 17
(e) Calculate the percentage difference between your value for g and the accepted
value of 9.81 m s –2.

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(1)

(f) Calculate the uncertainty in the smallest value of tm.

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(1)

(g) Calculate the value of g which would be given from the smallest value of tm and the
corresponding value of s.

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(3)

(h) The uncertainty in each value of s is ± 0.001 m.

Calculate the uncertainty in the value of g you calculated in part (g).

You will need to use the uncertainty for tm you calculated in part (f).

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(3)

Page 11 of 17
(i) A student wishes to investigate the effect of changing the mass of the spherical
object on the acceleration of free fall.

Explain how you would modify the experiment seen at the start of this question.

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(3)
(Total 18 marks)

Page 12 of 17
Mark schemes

Q1.
C
[1]

Q2.
A
[1]

Q3.
C
[1]

Q4.
A
[1]

Q5.
(a) The centre of mass of the beam and box is at the pivot ✔

Idea that moments balance / sum of the moments is zero at this position ✔

OR

The anticlockwise moment (of weight of the beam) = clockwise moment (of
weight of the box) ✔

Links pivot position to a consideration of moments ✔

Accept one route or the other, do not accept points from
both.
Allow max 1 for “the pivot is to the right of the centre (of
mass) of the beam”
‘pivot’ on its own does not get the first mark
Award 2 for 1.25 × weight of beam = 1.5 × weight of empty
box
Confusion of moments with eg work done/forces = max 1
2

(b) Clockwise moment = 610 × 9.81 × 1.5 (= 8976 N m) ✔

Anticlockwise moment = 250 × 4 + T sin 50 × 4.0 (N m)✔

Use of clockwise = anticlockwise✔

Use of T sin 50° seen / relates vertical component to tension✔

Page 13 of 17
 T (= 1994/sin 50° ) = 2600 (N)✔
Credit any evidence to work out a moment with one mark
Condone cos 50 in MP2.
Allow ecf for clockwise moment
Allow ecf for anticlockwise moment
Use of g = 10 N kg–1 gives 2990 N Omission of 4.0 m (g =
9.8) gives 10410 N. Use of cos 50 (g = 9.8) gives 3100 N
Allow max 4 for use of g = 10 N kg–1.
5

(c) 7.5 = ½ g t2 ✔

(t = 1.2 s)

(calculate distance)

s (= ut = 18 × 1.2) = 22 (m)✔
Allow ecf from incorrect t for MP2
2

(d) (Range will be greater:)

component of velocity upwards ✔

rock will spend longer in the air ✔

greater t ✔

therefore the range is greater ✔

OR

(Range will be smaller)

Counterweight will fall less far before projectile released ✔

Less energy transferred to rock ✔

Initial speed of rock less/horizontal velocity reduced ✔

therefore the range is smaller ✔

OR

(balanced arguments)

therefore the range is unchanged / answer is indeterminate ✔

Candidates can argue from both lists to reach a balanced
view suggesting that there is no change.
Full credit can be obtained from 2 deductions from one list ✔
✔+ consistent conclusion ✔
1 deduction from each list ✔ ✔+ consistent conclusion ✔
Do not allow an unsupported conclusion.

Page 14 of 17
 Conclusion must be consistent with correct statements.
Treat incorrect statements as neutral.
Do not reward arguments based on a longer time of flight.
MAX 3
[12]

Q6.
(a) (i) horizontal component of the tension in the cable (1)

(ii) vertical component of the tension in the cable (1)

2

(b) (i) Tvert = 250 × 9.81 = 2500 N (1) (2452 N)

(ii) Thoriz = 1200 N

(iii) T2 = (1200)2 + (2500)2 (1)

T = (1.44 × 106 + 6.25 × 106)1/2 = 2800 N (1) (2773 N)
(if use of Tvert = 2450 N then T = 2730 N)

(allow C.E. for values from (b) (i) and (b)(ii))

(iv) tan θ = (1)

θ = 26° (1)
(allow C.E. for values from (b) (i) and (b)(ii))
6
[8]

Q7.

(a) (i) (use of gives) (1)

=1.25 × 10–3 ms–2 (1)

(ii) (use of v2 = u2 +2as gives) 0=4.52 – 2 × 1.25 ×10–3 × s (1)

(1)
4

(b) increasing curve (1)

correct curve (1)

Page 15 of 17
 1

(c) gradient (slope) of graph represents speed (1)

hence graph has decreasing gradient (1)
2
[8]

Q8.
(a) Both tm values correct: 0.404, 0.429
AND
Both tm2 values correct: 0.163, 0.184 ✔
Exact values required for the mark.
1

(b) Both plotted points to nearest mm ✔

Best line of fit to points ✔
The line should be a straight line with approximately an
equal number of points on either side of the line.
2

(c) Large triangle drawn (at least 8 cm × 8 cm) ✔

Correct values read from graph ✔
Gradient value in range 0.190 to 0.222 ✔
Allow 2 or 3 sf for gradient
3

(d) g = 9.71 (ms–2) or correct value from gradient value in (c) ✔.

(The answer must be in the range 9.0 to 10.5 (ms–2)).

Allow 2 or 3 sf.
Unit not required
1

(e)

OR correct computation using value from (d) ✔

If the candidate’s value is exactly 9.81, then a statement that
there is no (or zero) percentage difference is acceptable.
No sf penalty.
NB. Allow an answer from a calculation with either the
candidate’s value or the accepted value as the denominator
in the equation.
1

(f) 0.001 s✔ (half the spread)

Page 16 of 17
 (Must have unit).
1

(g) g = 2s/tm2 ✔
= 2 × 0.300/0.2452 ✔
= 10.0 (or 10.00) ms−2 ✔
Unit required and 3 or 4sf for the last mark.
3

(h) % uncertainty in s = 0.33 and

% uncertainty in tm = 0.41 ✔
Allow ecf from part (f).

% uncertainty in g
= 0.33 + (2 × 0.41) = 1.15 ✔
Allow ecf at each stage of calculation.

Uncertainty in g
= 10.0 × 1.15/100 = 0.12 m s−2 or 0.1 m s−2 ✔
Allow ecf from part (g).

(allow 1 or 2 sf only)
(Must have unit for 3rd mark).
3

(i) (a) Use spherical objects of different mass and determine mass with balance ✔
Annotate the script with the appropriate letter at the point
where the mark has been achieved.

(b) Would need same diameter spherical objects for fair comparison (same air
resistance etc) ✔

(c) Time spherical object falling through same height and compare times
Alternative for (c):
i.e. repeat whole of experiment, plot extracted values of g
against mass. Horizontal line expected, concluding
acceleration same for different masses.
3
[18]

Page 17 of 17