plumiSHM equations, mass-spring and pendulum: Edexcel International A Level Physics questions
Edexcel International A Level Physics past-paper questions on 5.5.1.2 SHM equations, mass-spring and pendulum, 2019–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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All 51 questions on SHM equations, mass-spring and pendulum, as a list
- June 2025, Unit 5, Q11 (3 marks): The photograph shows a woman making a bungee jump. The woman was attached to a platform high above the ground by an elastic rope. platform elastic rope woman (S
- January 2025, Unit 5, Q11 (3 marks): A mass of 0.35 kg is hung from a spring. The mass is displaced vertically from its equilibrium position and released. The mass oscillates vertically with simple
- January 2025, Unit 5, Q17(b)(i) (5 marks): Calculate the maximum kinetic energy of the object. mass of object = 0.25 kg (5) Maximum kinetic energy of object =
- October 2024, Unit 5, Q4 (1 mark): A simple pendulum consists of a mass attached to a string. The pendulum is set into simple harmonic motion. The acceleration of the mass is a and the displaceme
- October 2024, Unit 5, Q6 (1 mark): A mass is hung on a spring. The mass is set into vertical oscillation with frequency of oscillation f. The mass on the spring is doubled. What is the new freque
- October 2024, Unit 5, Q13 (5 marks): A student is investigating two simple pendulums. Each pendulum has the same mass. One pendulum has a length L. The other pendulum has a length L 2 . He hangs bo
- October 2024, Unit 5, Q19(a)(ii) (4 marks): The spring balance can be used to determine the mass of a small animal without causing harm to the animal. The animal is placed in a bag. The bag is hung from t
- June 2024, Unit 5, Q3 (1 mark): A mass-spring system is set into oscillation. The maximum kinetic energy of the mass is E. The amplitude of oscillation is then doubled. What is the new maximum
- June 2024, Unit 5, Q20(b)(ii) (4 marks): The dimensions of the lead box are 5.20 m by 5.20 m by 0.90 m. Calculate the stiffness of the spring system that attaches the lead box to the supports. density
- January 2024, Unit 5, Q7 (1 mark): A mass oscillates with simple harmonic motion. The mass has an angular velocity of –1 and a maximum velocity of 10 cm s –1. 2 rad s Which of the following gives
- January 2024, Unit 5, Q12 (4 marks): A simple pendulum has a period of 2.00 s on Earth. Calculate what the period would be if the pendulum was on the planet Venus. mass of Venus = 4.87 × 10 24 kg r
- January 2024, Unit 5, Q17(b) (5 marks): The spring was tested without oscillating. A force of 175 N was applied to the spring and the spring deformed by 28.9 cm. When no one was sitting in the chair,
- January 2024, Unit 6, Q1(a) (3 marks): The student gave the mass a small vertical displacement and released it. She used a stopwatch to determine the time period T of the oscillations. Describe how t
- January 2024, Unit 6, Q1(b)(ii) (3 marks): Determine the value of the mass. k = 30 N m –1 (3) Mass =
- October 2023, Unit 5, Q10 (1 mark): A simple pendulum is displaced through a small angle then released. The frequency of oscillation is determined. The length of the pendulum is then doubled. By w
- October 2023, Unit 5, Q20(b) (6 marks): Calculate the maximum velocity of the oscillating mass. (6) Maximum velocity of mass =
- October 2023, Unit 6, Q2(a) (2 marks): Show that the relationship between T and h can be written as 2 2 4π H 4π h 2 T g g (2)
- October 2023, Unit 6, Q2(b) (6 marks): The student used a stopwatch to determine T. Describe a method, using the pendulum, to obtain a value for H. Your method should use a suitable graph. (6)
- June 2023, Unit 5, Q15(a) (4 marks): A baby’s heart was beating at 142 beats minute –1. The wall of the baby’s heart was moving with a maximum velocity of 22.0 mm s –1. Calculate the maximum displa
- June 2023, Unit 5, Q19(a) (4 marks): The student measures the time t for the mass to complete 30 oscillations. She repeats this measurement. Her measurements are given in the table. t1 / s t2 / s 1
- June 2023, Unit 6, Q4(c)(i) (2 marks): Show that ρ is about 1200 kg m –3. D = 2.38 cm ± 0.01 cm T = 0.61 s ± 0.01 s m = 48.95 g (2)
- January 2023, Unit 5, Q9 (1 mark): An object oscillates with simple harmonic motion. The period of oscillation is 0.65 s and the amplitude is 0.12 m. Which of the following expressions gives the
- January 2023, Unit 5, Q19(b) (5 marks): When a person of mass 65 kg steps into the car, the vertical height of the car above the road decreases by 2.5 cm. Resonance occurs when the speed bumps are spa
- October 2022, Unit 5, Q8 (1 mark): A ‘seconds’ pendulum has a period of 2 seconds. Which of the following gives the length of the pendulum in metres? π 2 A 4 × 9.81 4 9.81 × B π 2 9.81 C π 2 9.81
- October 2022, Unit 5, Q19(b)(ii) (2 marks): Determine the maximum acceleration of the bracket. (2) Maximum acceleration of bracket =
- October 2022, Unit 5, Q19(b)(iii) (1 mark): Suggest why the particles of paint in the can will experience a maximum acceleration that is different from the answer to (ii). (1)
- June 2022, Unit 5, Q2 (1 mark): A mass is hung from a spring and set into vertical oscillation. The mass is then changed so that the frequency of oscillation doubles. The amplitude of the osci
- June 2022, Unit 5, Q17(b)(ii) (3 marks): Calculate the frequency of oscillation of the man on the board. Ignore the mass of the board. (3) Frequency of oscillation =
- June 2022, Unit 5, Q17(c) (3 marks): If the amplitude of oscillation is large enough, the man will lose contact with the board at a point above the equilibrium position. Explain why. (3)
- January 2022, Unit 5, Q3 (1 mark): In the Pantheon in Paris there is a pendulum that takes 8.25 s to swing from one extreme position to the other. Which of the following expressions gives the len
- January 2022, Unit 5, Q11 (4 marks): A mass is hung from a spring and set into vertical oscillation by displacing the mass 5 cm from its equilibrium position. The graph shows how the acceleration a
- January 2022, Unit 5, Q17(b)(i) (3 marks): Calculate the maximum velocity of the coil. (3) Maximum velocity of the coil =
- October 2021, Unit 5, Q3 (1 mark): The gravitational field strength at the surface of the Moon is one sixth of that at the surface of the Earth. A simple pendulum has a period T at the surface of
- October 2021, Unit 5, Q5 (1 mark): A mass oscillates with simple harmonic motion with a frequency of 0.5 Hz. The amplitude of the oscillation is 0.3 m. Which of the following is an expression for
- October 2021, Unit 5, Q10 (1 mark): A mass oscillates with simple harmonic motion. The graph shows how the acceleration a of the mass depends upon displacement x from the equilibrium position. a /
- October 2021, Unit 5, Q18(a)(iii) (2 marks): The baby has a mass of 7.25 kg. Calculate the period of oscillation of the crib. mass of crib = 2.55 kg stiffness of spring = 350 N m−1 (2) Period of oscillatio
- October 2021, Unit 5, Q18(b) (2 marks): The maximum mass that the spring can support before being damaged is 25.0 kg. Explain why the instructions state that the maximum mass is only 15.0 kg. (2)
- October 2021, Unit 6, Q2(a) (3 marks): Determine the time period T for the whole oscillation when h = 0.25 m. l = 1.00 m (3) T =
- October 2021, Unit 6, Q2(b) (6 marks): A student suggests that an approximate relationship between T and h is given by π 2 2 = g (2l − h) T Devise a plan to test the validity of the relationship usin
- June 2021, Unit 5, Q9 (1 mark): An object oscillates with simple harmonic motion. The period of oscillation is 0.55 s and the amplitude is 0.25 m. Which of the following shows a correct calcul
- June 2021, Unit 5, Q14(a)(ii) (3 marks): Determine the length of the simple pendulum. (3) Length of simple pendulum =
- June 2021, Unit 5, Q17(b)(ii) (6 marks): The student used a stopwatch to determine the frequency of oscillation f of the mass m. She repeated this procedure for four more values of m and obtained the f
- June 2021, Unit 6, Q3(b)(ii) (5 marks): The student predicts that the relationship between T and M is given by M T = 2π k where k is the spring constant. Discuss the validity of this prediction. (5)
- June 2021, Unit 6, Q3(b)(iii) (3 marks): Determine the value of k. (3) k =
- January 2021, Unit 5, Q13(b)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the length of a simple pendulum that swings from one extreme position to the other in 1.00 s. (2) Length =
- January 2021, Unit 5, Q13(b)(ii) (1 mark): Suggest a disadvantage of basing the metre on the length of a ‘seconds pendulum’. (1)
- January 2021, Unit 5, Q18(b)(i) (3 marks): Show that the amplitude of the motion of the wing tip is about 1.5 mm. (3)
- January 2021, Unit 5, Q18(b)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the maximum acceleration of the wing tip. (2) Maximum acceleration of wing tip =
- October 2020, Unit 5, Q5 (1 mark): A simple pendulum takes 1.00 s to swing from one extreme position to the other. Which of the following expressions gives the length of the pendulum? (1.00) × 9.
- October 2020, Unit 5, Q9 (1 mark): A student hangs a mass from the end of a spring and sets the mass into vertical oscillation. The period of oscillation of the mass is T. The student then hangs
- October 2020, Unit 5, Q20(b) (5 marks): Calculate the maximum kinetic energy of the oscillating mass. (5) Maximum kinetic energy =
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