plumiWork, energy and power: Edexcel A‑Level Physics questions
Every Edexcel A-Level Physics exam question on Work, energy and power (specification points 25–30), 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Q13(b)(ii)
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Q17(c)
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Q10(a)
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Q14(a)(i)
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Q14(a)(ii)
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Q13(b)(ii)
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Q15(b)(i)
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Q15(b)(ii)
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Q16(b)
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Q15(a)(ii)
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Q16(a)
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Q16(b)(i)
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Q16(b)(ii)
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Q16(b)(iii)
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Q11(a)
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Q3(a)
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All 66 questions on Work, energy and power, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q13(b)(ii) (3 marks): The area of the solar cell is 104 cm2 . Determine the efficiency of the solar cell when operating at maximum power. intensity of sunlight = 1000 W m–2 (3) Effic
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q17(c) (4 marks): A cyclist has a constant speed of 8.3 m s–1 on a flat road. The cyclist generates an average power of 190 W. The total mass of the cyclist and bicycle is 75 kg.
- June 2025, AS Paper 1, Q10(a) (3 marks): The person pushes the pram with a constant force. The force is applied at an angle of 50° to the horizontal, as shown. 50 When a force of 35 N is applied, the p
- June 2025, AS Paper 1, Q14(a)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the maximum power input of the generator. mass flow rate of the water = 130 kg s –1 (2) Maximum power input =
- June 2025, AS Paper 1, Q14(a)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why the power input of the generator is always less than this value. (2)
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q3 (1 mark): A toy car moves up a slope at a constant speed, as shown. The car is moved by a motor with a power output of 5.2 W. The car gains a gravitational potential ener
- June 2024, AS Paper 1, Q13(b)(ii) (1 mark): Describe the energy transfers taking place as a vehicle comes to rest in the gravel. (1)
- June 2024, AS Paper 1, Q15(b)(i) (3 marks): Show that the average value for the resistive forces on the car was about 800 N. efficiency of car = 85% energy stored when battery has maximum charge = 42 kW h
- June 2024, AS Paper 1, Q15(b)(ii) (3 marks): The manufacturer repeated the test on a sloping track, as shown. This reduced the maximum range of the car. At the new maximum range, the car had moved upwards
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q6 (1 mark): In a boiler, energy is transferred to water at a rate of 40 kW. The corresponding power loss from the boiler to the surroundings is 4.0 kW. Which of the followi
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q16(b) (3 marks): An advert for an electric car has the following information: • electric motor can develop up to 390 kW output power • car achieves a velocity of 28 m s–1 from r
- June 2023, AS Paper 1, Q6 (1 mark): The diagram shows an electric motor pulling a truck of mass m along a slope. The truck moves through a vertical height h and a distance l along the slope, durin
- June 2023, AS Paper 1, Q15(a)(ii) (3 marks): Determine the maximum change in vertical height of the wooden block. (3) Maximum change in vertical height =
- June 2023, AS Paper 1, Q16(a) (2 marks): Describe how the student could measure h accurately. (2)
- June 2023, AS Paper 1, Q16(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why plotting a graph of h against v 2 will produce a straight line. (2)
- June 2023, AS Paper 1, Q16(b)(ii) (5 marks): The student varied h and measured corresponding values of v. The results are recorded below. –1 h / cm v / m s 10.8 1.38 18.9 1.98 28.7 2.45 40.3 2.86 49.8 3.22
- June 2023, AS Paper 1, Q16(b)(iii) (3 marks): The student used her results to plot a graph and determine a value for g. She concluded that her value was consistent with the value of g given on the data shee
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q11(a) (4 marks): The slope is at an angle of 5.7° to the horizontal. The go‑kart moves with a constant velocity of 2.8 m s−1. Calculate the power of the go‑kart. mass of go‑kart
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q3(a) (5 marks): Deduce whether the data confirms that 8000 slaps would be sufficient. Assume that no energy is transferred from the chicken to the surroundings. mass of chicken
- June 2022, AS Paper 1, Q8 (1 mark): A power station provides electrical power at a mean rate of 3500 MW. Which of the following gives the best estimate of the energy provided to consumers over a p
- June 2022, AS Paper 1, Q13(a) (2 marks): A student assumes that all the gravitational potential energy transferred from the counterweight is transferred to the kinetic energy of the rock. Give two reas
- June 2022, AS Paper 1, Q13(c) (5 marks): The mass of the counterweight was reduced. The trebuchet was then used to project the rock again. Explain why the horizontal distance travelled by the rock decr
- June 2022, AS Paper 1, Q15(a) (4 marks): The truck moves through a vertical height of 0.20 m in 15 s. The current in the motor is 8.1 mA and the potential difference across the motor is 12 V. mass of t
- June 2022, AS Paper 2, Q16(a) (3 marks): One such system is planned to use a load of mass 2500 tonnes. The load will be at the top of a shaft. The load will be lowered down the shaft at a steady speed.
- June 2022, AS Paper 2, Q16(b) (2 marks): The system can generate “a short burst of electricity at high power”. Explain why high power can be generated for only a short time. (2)
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q14(c)(i) (3 marks): Calculate the initial acceleration of the vehicle as it starts from rest. mass of vehicle and driver = 420 kg (3) Initial acceleration =
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q14(c)(ii) (1 mark): State one assumption made in this calculation. (1)
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q14(d) (2 marks): Solar power alone would not be suitable for a family car because it is not sunny all the time. Give two further reasons why solar power alone would not be suita
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q3 (1 mark): A car of mass 1.5 × 103 kg is travelling at a speed of 25 m s–1. The driver applies the brakes and the car comes to rest. Which of the following gives the decre
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q4 (1 mark): A rope is used to apply a force F to a box as shown. The box is pulled a distance d along a horizontal surface. F direction of motion θ Which of the following c
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q8 (1 mark): A motor is used to lift an object as shown. The object is raised through a vertical height of 75 cm at a constant speed of 0.40 m s−1. motor 0.25 kg Which of th
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q13(c) (2 marks): When the male skater pushes the female skater forwards, the total kinetic energy of the skaters increases. Explain why kinetic energy is not conserved in this i
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q14(b) (4 marks): Grasshoppers with longer legs accelerate to their launch velocity over a longer time. Leg length has a negligible effect on both the mass of a grasshopper and t
- October 2020, Paper 1, Q16(a)(iii) (3 marks): The spider achieves this jump by extending its two back legs by 3.0 mm. Calculate the average force the spider exerts in each leg to achieve the jump. mass of s
- October 2020, Paper 3, Q11(b)(ii) (4 marks): It is claimed that the area of solar panels needed to generate 100 GW of power is about 0.5% of the surface area of the Earth. Assess the validity of this claim
- October 2020, AS Paper 1, Q2 (1 mark): An object of mass m is moved from the bottom to the top of a slope. The vertical height of the slope is y. The horizontal distance between the bottom and top of
- October 2020, AS Paper 1, Q13(a) (1 mark): State why the ‘efficiency’ given on the website cannot be a value of efficiency as defined in physics. (1)
- October 2020, AS Paper 1, Q13(b) (2 marks): Explain why the kilowatt-hour (kW h) is a unit of energy. (2)
- October 2020, AS Paper 1, Q13(c) (3 marks): Calculate the efficiency of the battery. (3) Efficiency = .
- October 2020, AS Paper 1, Q13(d) (2 marks): A comparable petrol car has a petrol consumption of 21 km / litre. Show that the electric car is cheaper to run. cost of 1 litre of petrol = £1.20 cost of 1 kW
- October 2020, AS Paper 1, Q13(e) (1 mark): Give one environmental advantage of an electric car. (1)
- October 2020, AS Paper 1, Q13(f) (3 marks): The website provides the following additional information. Maximum Engine Power 80 kW Maximum Performance 0 to 28 ms−1 in 11.5 s Mass of Car 1500 kg Deduce whet
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q8(a) (4 marks): A stone of mass 19.6 kg is accelerated uniformly for 1.25 s before being released by a curler. The stone then decelerates uniformly to rest, travelling 32.5 m i
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q10(a) (3 marks): Show that the energy per unit volume that would have to be absorbed by the seat belt is about 2 × 108 J m–3. mass of dummy = 75 kg (3)
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q12(a) (3 marks): In one test, the spheres were dropped from the same height. Determine the factor by which the kinetic energy of the sphere just before impact increases when the
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q12(b) (6 marks): The student also dropped the spheres from different heights. His results are shown in the table. Drop height / m Sphere diameter / cm Crater diameter / cm 2.0 3
- June 2019, AS Paper 1, Q12(a) (5 marks): The efficiency of the pump is 76%. Show that the water leaves the nozzle at a speed of about 8ms'. mass of water leaving the pump each second = 3.5 kgs' power o
- June 2019, AS Paper 1, Q14(b) (5 marks): The photograph shows sphere A just before it was released. A 11 cm B Determine the momentum of sphere A just before the collision. You should take measurements
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q13(b) (5 marks): The engine, which ran continuously, could lift a mass of 2500 kg of water through 12 m each minute. The engine used 1250 kg of coal a day. 1 kg of coal can rele
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q6 (1 mark): A car of mass 1.2× 103 kg is travelling at a speed of 18 m s–1. The driver applies the brakes and the car comes to rest. What is the work done by the brakes in
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q16(b)(ii) (3 marks): A light-emitting diode (LED) is used to provide the unpolarised white light for the liquid‑crystal display. Calculate the efficiency of the liquid‑crystal displ
- June 2018, AS Paper 2, Q15(c) (2 marks): During the night the motors are switched off for 4 hours. Calculate the battery energy saved by switching off the motors. (2) Battery energy saved =
- June 2018, AS Paper 2, Q15(d) (2 marks): The plane flies at the greater height during the day. At night it glides down to the lower height over a period of 4 hours, with the motors switched off. Calcul
- June 2018, AS Paper 2, Q15(e) (3 marks): After four hours the engines are switched on again. Explain whether the plane should fly at a slower horizontal speed at its lower height. (3)
- June 2018, AS Paper 2, Q15(f) (1 mark): Comment on how projects such as the Solar Impulse 2 might be of benefit to society at large. (1)
- June 2017, Paper 1, Q4 (1 mark): An object of mass m is moved from point A on the ground, to point B on a bench of height h as shown in the diagram. B h θ A Which of the following is a correct
- June 2017, Paper 1, Q11(b) (3 marks): A student makes the following statement. The work done by the cyclist is converted into the kinetic energy of the cyclist and bicycle. Criticise this statement.
- June 2017, Paper 1, Q18(a) (4 marks): A motor lifts a load in a time t. The axle of the motor has a radius r and exerts a force F. r axle F axle load load The power produced by a motor can be calcul
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q12(a) (3 marks): The spreadsheet shows the student’s results (columns A to E) and calculation (column F). A B C D E F potential change in 1 load / N current / A difference / V t
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q12(b) (5 marks): The student uses the spreadsheet to plot a graph. 0.2 – – 0.1 – 0.0 0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 Load / N The student concludes that ‘the efficiency of the mot
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q13(b)(ii) (3 marks): The gardener continues to walk and pulls the trolley a distance of 15 m in a time of 4.2 s. Calculate the power developed while pulling the trolley. (3) Power =
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q16(b) (4 marks): Another trolley was adapted by placing a tube around the plunger so that it could be used to launch marbles. A marble was placed in the tube while the plunger w
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q16(c) (1 mark): The launch velocity was measured using a light gate and data logger. This produced a smaller value for the launch velocity than that calculated in (b). Give a r
- June 2016, AS Paper 1, Q9 (3 marks): A motor lifts a block of mass 0.050kg at a constant velocity of 0.40 m s–1. The current in the motor is 85mA and the potential difference across it is 3.0V. mot
- June 2016, AS Paper 1, Q13(a) (3 marks): The braking distance of a road train travelling at 15m s−1 is 70m. Assuming that the same braking force is applied at all speeds, show that the braking distance
- June 2016, AS Paper 1, Q13(c) (3 marks): One region of Australia decided to trial the removal of the speed limit on some roads. The following statements were made in an online forum discussing this iss
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