plumiScalars, vectors and resolving forces: Edexcel International A Level Physics questions
Edexcel International A Level Physics past-paper questions on 1.3.2.1 Scalars, vectors and resolving forces, 2019–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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All 67 questions on Scalars, vectors and resolving forces, as a list
- June 2025, AS Unit 1, Q5 (1 mark): A wire is used to hang a picture from a hook on a wall. The wire exerts forces T1 and T2 on the picture. The picture has weight W, as shown. hook wire T1 T2 Not
- June 2025, AS Unit 1, Q7 (1 mark): The forces acting on a helicopter are shown. The helicopter is represented by the dot. 14 500 N 200 N Not to scale 15 000 N Which of the following expressions g
- June 2025, AS Unit 1, Q8 (1 mark): A box of weight W slides down a ramp. The ramp is at an angle θ to the horizontal. A frictional force F acts on the box, as shown. F W θ Which of the following
- June 2025, AS Unit 1, Q12(a) (2 marks): At the end of the path, the magnitude of the displacement from the start is less than the distance travelled by the person. Describe why the displacement is les
- June 2025, AS Unit 1, Q18(b) (2 marks): A student pulls sphere A, so the string is at an angle of 38° to the vertical, as shown. The student then releases sphere A. 38 direction of acceleration Determ
- January 2025, AS Unit 1, Q3 (1 mark): A physical quantity can be either a scalar or a vector. Which row of the table is correct for acceleration and work done? Acceleration Work done A scalar scalar
- January 2025, AS Unit 1, Q10 (1 mark): Traffic lights of weight W are suspended from a wire. The wire is held at an angle θ to the horizontal by two supports, as shown. support support θ θ traffic li
- January 2025, AS Unit 1, Q12 (3 marks): A person on skis slides down a slope. The slope is at an angle of 14° to the horizontal. The initial speed of the person is 7.1 m s −1, as shown. –1 7.1 m s 14
- January 2025, AS Unit 1, Q18(a) (5 marks): The engine of the submarine produced a horizontal force of 70 N. The drag force on the submarine was 43 N at an angle of 25° to the horizontal, as shown. 70 N N
- October 2024, AS Unit 1, Q2 (1 mark): Which row of the table gives two vector quantities? A acceleration weight B displacement kinetic energy C strain velocity D Young modulus mass
- October 2024, AS Unit 1, Q5 (1 mark): A box slides down a slope at a constant speed. Weight and resistive forces both act on the box. Which of the following is a reason why the speed of the box is c
- October 2024, AS Unit 1, Q9 (1 mark): Two boats, A and B, are pulling a ship. Each boat is attached to the ship by a rope, as shown. A forwards 31 ship 27 B The force from boat A on the ship is FA .
- October 2024, AS Unit 1, Q11 (2 marks): Two forces act on an object. The forces are perpendicular, as shown. 1200 N Not to scale 2300 N Determine the magnitude of the resultant force using a scaled ve
- October 2024, Unit 4, Q2 (1 mark): Which of the following is not the unit of a vector quantity? A kg m–3 B m s–2 C N C –1 D N s
- June 2024, AS Unit 1, Q4 (1 mark): Which of the following expressions gives a vector quantity? A density × volume B force × distance moved in direction of force C mass × velocity D power × time Q
- June 2024, AS Unit 1, Q17(a) (2 marks): Show that the vertical component of the stone’s initial velocity is about 5 m s –1. that the horizontal component is about 4 m s (2)
- June 2024, AS Unit 1, Q19(b)(i) (2 marks): Show, by calculation, that the force on the wheel from the cable is about 740 N. (2)
- June 2024, AS Unit 1, Q19(b)(ii) (4 marks): There is a force on the wheel from the wire of 800 N. The angle between the force from the cable and the 800 N force from the wire is 150°. Determine the magnit
- June 2024, Unit 4, Q13(a) (4 marks): The student determined the maximum frictional force between the coin and the disk by tilting the disk, as shown. coin plastic disk Not to scale 6.3 cm The edge
- January 2024, AS Unit 1, Q2 (1 mark): Which row of the table only contains vector quantities? A acceleration momentum weight B density time work done C displacement mass velocity D force kinetic ene
- January 2024, AS Unit 1, Q6 (1 mark): A length of string is attached between two vertical posts. A bird of weight W stands on the middle of the string causing tension T in the string. The string mak
- January 2024, AS Unit 1, Q18(c)(ii) (4 marks): The vertical component of the force of each hinge on the door is equal to half the weight of the door. Hinge Y exerts a force F on the door at an angle θ to the
- October 2023, AS Unit 1, Q1 (1 mark): A quantity is either a scalar or a vector. Which row of the table is correct? Scalar Vector A energy momentum B displacement acceleration C time mass D velocity
- October 2023, AS Unit 1, Q9 (1 mark): A box of weight W is suspended, in equilibrium, from a support by two ropes. The tensions in the two ropes are T1 and T2 support T1 T2 box W Which of the follow
- October 2023, AS Unit 1, Q13(b) (3 marks): The initial velocity of the ball, as it is projected from the machine, can be increased. Explain how increasing the initial velocity would affect the angle at w
- October 2023, AS Unit 1, Q14(a) (4 marks): A person keeps the cable stationary by applying a force F of 121 N. Determine the magnitude of the tension T in the cable using a scaled vector diagram. (4) T =
- June 2023, AS Unit 1, Q1 (1 mark): Which of the following is a vector quantity? A efficiency B kinetic energy C power D weight
- June 2023, AS Unit 1, Q17(a)(i) (2 marks): Show that F is about 500 N. (2)
- June 2023, AS Unit 1, Q17(a)(ii) (3 marks): The buoy floats due to the upthrust from the water. The weight of water displaced by the buoy is 2.9 kN. Determine the weight of the buoy. (3) Weight of buoy =
- June 2023, AS Unit 1, Q17(b) (3 marks): The speed of the water flowing past the buoy increases, so the horizontal force increases. Assume that the weight of water displaced by the buoy does not change
- June 2023, Unit 4, Q17(b)(iii) (3 marks): Show that θ is about 1°. mass of sphere = 2.7 g (3)
- January 2023, AS Unit 1, Q1 (1 mark): Which of the following is a scalar quantity? A displacement B moment of a force C power D weight
- January 2023, AS Unit 1, Q6 (1 mark): A soap bubble is being blown by the wind. The free-body force diagram shows the forces acting on the bubble. P is the force of the wind, W is the weight of the
- January 2023, AS Unit 1, Q15(b)(i) (2 marks): Show that the tension in the spring is about 300 N. (2)
- October 2022, AS Unit 1, Q2 (1 mark): Which of the following quantities is a vector? A energy B mass C momentum D power
- October 2022, AS Unit 1, Q7 (1 mark): Two forces, X and Y, act at a point. Which of the following vector diagrams shows the magnitude and direction of the resultant of the two forces? X X Y Y result
- June 2022, AS Unit 1, Q3 (1 mark): Which of the following is a scalar quantity? A force B momentum C velocity D work
- June 2022, AS Unit 1, Q16(a) (4 marks): Determine the magnitude of the tension in the string by using a scaled vector diagram. (4) Tension =
- June 2022, AS Unit 1, Q16(b) (5 marks): The student wants to determine the tension T in the string. She attaches a mass holder to the string. The student adds known masses to the mass holder until the
- June 2022, AS Unit 1, Q18(a) (2 marks): Show that the vertical component of the ball’s initial velocity was about 30 m s–1. (2)
- January 2022, AS Unit 1, Q2 (1 mark): Physical quantities may be vectors or scalars. Which row of the table is correct? Force Mass Acceleration A scalar vector scalar B scalar scalar vector C vector
- January 2022, AS Unit 1, Q4 (1 mark): The diagram shows a student during a parachute jump on a windy day. The vertical component of her velocity is 5.0 m s−1. The horizontal component of her velocit
- January 2022, AS Unit 1, Q13(a) (3 marks): The free-body force diagram for the climber is shown below. The weight of the climber is 650 N. T T 76° 76° 650 N Show that the tension T in the rope is about 1
- January 2022, AS Unit 1, Q18(a) (2 marks): Calculate the horizontal and vertical components of the motorcycle's initial velocity as it leaves the ramp. (2) Horizontal component = Vertical component =
- January 2022, Unit 4, Q13(a)(i) (4 marks): Show that the force of repulsion between the balloons in diagram 2 is about 1 × 10−3 N. mass of each balloon = 1.1 grams (4)
- October 2021, AS Unit 1, Q4 (1 mark): A tennis ball is moving through the air. The diagram shows the horizontal and vertical components of its velocity. 13.2 m s–1 22.6° 5.5 m s–1 velocity Which of
- October 2021, AS Unit 1, Q6 (1 mark): A block of wood is stationary on a frictionless ramp as shown. The block is held in place by a string. The weight of the block is W. The force applied to the bl
- October 2021, AS Unit 1, Q13(b)(i) (2 marks): Show that the initial acceleration of the sledge along the slope is about 1 m s–2. (2)
- October 2021, AS Unit 1, Q19(b) (5 marks): To prevent the parasol from toppling, a rope is attached to the parasol at 1.50 m from the ground as shown. The rope makes an angle of 44° to the vertical. 25 N
- June 2021, AS Unit 1, Q1 (1 mark): Which of the following is a scalar quantity? A weight B momentum C terminal velocity D kinetic energy
- June 2021, AS Unit 1, Q10 (1 mark): Two forces F1 and F2 act on an object, as shown. F1 F2 Which of the following is a correctly drawn scaled vector diagram for the resultant R of the forces F1 an
- January 2021, AS Unit 1, Q8 (1 mark): Which of the following is a vector quantity? A density B kinetic energy C momentum D viscosity
- January 2021, AS Unit 1, Q17(b) (6 marks): When m is equal to 0.55 kg, the value of P is 8.5 N. Calculate the value of θ, and the extension of the spring in the force meter. (6) θ = Extension of the spri
- October 2020, AS Unit 1, Q1 (1 mark): Which of the following units is only used with vector quantities? A J B m C N D W
- October 2020, AS Unit 1, Q4 (1 mark): A car travels north with a velocity of +50 m s−1. While still travelling north, the car slows to a velocity of +20 m s−1. Which of the following is the change o
- October 2020, AS Unit 1, Q5 (1 mark): Two forces P and Q act on an object as shown. P Q Which of the following is a correctly drawn, scaled, vector diagram for the resultant R of forces P and Q? P P
- October 2020, AS Unit 1, Q19(a)(i) (1 mark): Suggest one further factor that may increase the sag of a cable. (1)
- October 2020, AS Unit 1, Q19(a)(ii) (3 marks): A cable of mass M is at an angle θ to the horizontal. Explain why the tension in the cable decreases as the sag increases. (3)
- January 2020, AS Unit 1, Q3 (1 mark): The diagrams below show the velocity of an object before and after a force is applied. The magnitude of the velocity did not change. before after Which of the f
- January 2020, AS Unit 1, Q15(b) (2 marks): Kinetic energy is conserved as the ball bounces off the ramp. The ball bounces at an angle of 70° to the vertical. State expressions for the horizontal and vert
- June 2019, AS Unit 1, Q1 (1 mark): Quantities in physics are classified as either vectors or scalars. Which of the following units could only be used for a scalar quantity? A m sí B m sí C kg m
- June 2019, AS Unit 1, Q9 (1 mark): A student walked 12 km on a bearing of 135 and then walked 20 km on a bearing of 340 as shown. 20 km Diagram to scale N ° N ° 12 km Which of the followi
- January 2019, AS Unit 1, Q1 (1 mark): Which of the following is a vector quantity? A work done B time C temperature D displacement
- January 2019, AS Unit 1, Q15(a) (4 marks): Use a scaled vector diagram to show that the magnitude of the total momentum of spheres P and Q after the collision is about 0.2 kg m s–1. (4) Total momentum of
- January 2019, AS Unit 1, Q16(a)(ii) (3 marks): The parachute was at an angle to the vertical as shown. 6° Not to scale The total resistive force acting on the parachute and probe was at an average angle of 6
- January 2019, AS Unit 1, Q18(b)(i) (3 marks): Explain why the mass of the athlete has little effect on the initial acceleration. (3)
- January 2019, AS Unit 1, Q18(c)(i) (1 mark): Show that a track with a gradient of 20% is at an angle to the horizontal of about 11°. (1)
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