plumiMatter: very simple: OCR A‑Level Physics B questions
Every OCR A-Level Physics B exam question on 5.2.1 Matter: very simple, 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Calculations
![June 2025 Paper 1, question 19: What is the new value of the absolute temperature? A T B 3T C 6T D 9T Your answer [1]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/h55701-jun25-19-qp.webp?v=3)
Q35(a)
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 1, question 35(a): Calculate the maximum temperature increase in one of the germanium crystals caused by a 1200 MeV neutrino. temperature increase = K [3]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/h55701-jun25-35-a-qp.webp?v=3)
Q35(b)
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Q6(a)(i)
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Q6(b)(i)
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Q6(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2, question 6(b)(ii): The movement of particles in an ideal gas can be described as a ‘random walk’. State the meaning of ‘random walk’ in this context. [1]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/h55702-jun25-06-bii-qp.webp?v=3)
Q6(c)(i)
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2, question 6(c)(i): Explain why this is equivalent to 0.2 Pa–1 m–3. [2]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/h55702-jun25-06-ci-qp.webp?v=3)
Q6(c)(ii)
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2, question 6(c)(ii): Use the value in (c)(i) to calculate the number of moles of trapped air in the tube. number = mol [3]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/h55702-jun25-06-cii-qp.webp?v=3)
Q38(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 1, question 38(a)(i): Show that the mass of the person is about 61 kg. [2]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/h55701-jun24-38-ai-qp.webp?v=3)
Q38(a)(ii)
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Q38(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 1, question 38(b)(ii): Use the graph to calculate a value of absolute zero of temperature. absolute zero of temperature = °C [3]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/h55701-jun24-38-bii-qp.webp?v=3)
Q1(a)
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 3, question 1(a): Suggest a practical technique to improve the thermal connection between the thermometer and the block. [1]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/h55703-jun24-01-a-qp.webp?v=3)
Q1(c)(i)
The whole paper ↗
Q1(c)(ii)
The whole paper ↗
Q1(d)
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All 66 questions on Matter: very simple, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q18 (1 mark): Object P collides with another object. A graph of the force experienced by object P during the collision against time is drawn. What does the area under the gra
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q19 (1 mark): What is the new value of the absolute temperature? A T B 3T C 6T D 9T Your answer [1]
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q20 (1 mark): What happens to the root mean square speed of the molecules in the gas when the volume is increased to 3V and the pressure is increased to 3P? A It stays the sa
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q35(a) (3 marks): Calculate the maximum temperature increase in one of the germanium crystals caused by a 1200 MeV neutrino. temperature increase = K [3]
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q35(b) (1 mark): The graph shows how the specific thermal capacity of germanium varies with temperature. Specific thermal capacity 0 Temperature / K Suggest a reason for operati
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q6(a)(i) (4 marks): Explain why it is necessary to keep the temperature of the air constant during the demonstration. Use ideas from kinetic theory to explain the effect of the tem
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q6(b)(i) (3 marks): The temperature of the trapped air is 293 K. Show that the root mean square speed of the air molecules is about 500 m s–1. Assume the mass of a molecule is 4.8
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q6(b)(ii) (1 mark): The movement of particles in an ideal gas can be described as a ‘random walk’. State the meaning of ‘random walk’ in this context. [1]
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q6(c)(i) (2 marks): Explain why this is equivalent to 0.2 Pa–1 m–3. [2]
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q6(c)(ii) (3 marks): Use the value in (c)(i) to calculate the number of moles of trapped air in the tube. number = mol [3]
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q6 (1 mark): The area surrounding a waterfall is at a constant temperature. The water falls 100 m to the lake below. The specific thermal heat capacity of water is 4200 J kg
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q38(a)(i) (2 marks): Show that the mass of the person is about 61 kg. [2]
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q38(a)(ii) (2 marks): At the end of the day the temperature is 30 °C and the same person sits on the chair. Calculate the length l of the cylinder at the end of the day, when a perso
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q38(b)(ii) (3 marks): Use the graph to calculate a value of absolute zero of temperature. absolute zero of temperature = °C [3]
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q1(a) (1 mark): Suggest a practical technique to improve the thermal connection between the thermometer and the block. [1]
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q1(c)(i) (2 marks): Show that: The gradient of the graph in Fig. 1.2 = P mc ; where P = power input, m = mass of the block and c = experimentally-determined value of specific therm
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q1(c)(ii) (4 marks): The potential difference across the heater is set at 9.6 V ± 2%. The current is 3.76 A ± 0.9%. Using these values and the value calculated in part (b)(iii), det
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q1(d) (2 marks): The textbook value for the specific thermal capacity for aluminium is 900 J kg–1 K–1. Compare this value with your calculated value and explain the main reason
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q3 (1 mark): A mass of 0.5 kg of water at 25 °C is placed in a microwave oven and heated for 30 s. The final temperature of the water is 30 °C. What is the rate of energy tr
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q18 (1 mark): An egg is dropped from a height of 2.5 m. It lands on a soft surface and is reduced to zero velocity in 0.25 s. What is the impulse exerted on the egg by the de
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q20 (1 mark): A closed cylinder contains equal numbers of particles of two ideal gases, X and Y. Particles of gas X have twice the mass of particles of gas Y. Which is the co
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q2(c) (3 marks): The barrel has a uniform radius of 0.05 m. When the compressed gas is released the pressure on the left side of the T-shirt is 4.0 × 104 Pa greater than atmosph
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q3(a) (2 marks): Draw graphs on Fig. 3.2a and Fig. 3.2b showing how the pressure P of the gas varies with the volume V and how the pressure varies with 1 V. Assume that the temp
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q3(b) (3 marks): The temperature of the gas is 298 K. The mass of an argon atom is 6.6 × 10–26 kg. Show that the root mean square speed of the atoms is about 430 m s–1. [3]
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q3(c)(i) (2 marks): The collision between the atom and the piston is elastic. Explain why the velocity of the gas atom is – 433 m s–1 after the collision. [2]
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q3(c)(ii) (3 marks): Describe and explain how the behaviour of the gas would change if the gas were compressed more quickly. You may use equations and refer to your graphs in Fig. 3
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q15 (1 mark): Which relationship can be correctly represented by the graph shown? y 0 x 0 x axis y axis mass of gas in a constant volume at A pressure constant temperature pr
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q38(a) (6 marks): This question is about the relationship between the volume V of a fixed mass of gas at constant pressure and the absolute temperature T of the gas. The relation
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q38(b)(i) (3 marks): Use the data given to show that length L is approximately 1.2 m. Assume ideal gas behaviour. Explain your reasoning. Explanation: [3]
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q38(b)(ii) (3 marks): Use the kinetic model of ideal gas behaviour to explain why length L increases when the temperature of the trapped gas increases without change in atmospheric p
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q38(b)(iii) (3 marks): The temperature of the gas inside the cylinder is raised and length L increases to 1.8 m. Atmospheric pressure remains at 1.0 × 105 Pa. Calculate the r.m.s. spe
- June 2022, Paper 2, Q7 (3 marks): This question is about the movement of energy through the radiative zone (lines 53 – 60). Use the equation given in the article (line 58) to estimate the number
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q2(a)(i) (1 mark): Identify a variable which needs to be controlled in the investigation. [1]
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q2(b) (2 marks): The pressure gauge used in the experiment records excess pressure. The absolute pressure of the gas is given by absolute pressure = excess pressure + atmospheri
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q2(c) (6 marks): This question is about an investigation into the relationship between the pressure and volume of a gas. The relationship is often referred to as Boyle’s Law. A
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q40(a)(i) (2 marks): Write in the box below each graph of Fig. 40 the proportionality relationship shown. [2]
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q40(a)(ii) (1 mark): Combine all the proportionality relationships into one equation using the Boltzmann constant k. [1]
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q40(a)(iii) (1 mark): For one mole of gas at standard temperature and pressure (STP): T = 273 K P = 101 kPa V = 22.4 litres. Calculate the value of the Boltzmann constant to 3 signif
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q40(b)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the root mean square speed for helium gas at 300 K. molar mass for helium = 4.0 × 10–3 kg speed = m s–1 [2]
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q40(b)(ii) (2 marks): A typical speed for an air molecule at 300 K is about 4 × 103 m s–1. Explain why the scent from an air freshener may take several minutes to reach across a room
- November 2021, Paper 2, Q3(a) (2 marks): Use the data below to calculate the power per square metre of the radiation incident on the block. You may assume that all the energy incident on the face is re
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q14 (1 mark): Which statement about the kinetic theory of ideal gases is correct? A Particles have a significant volume compared to the gas volume. B Particles have average e
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q15 (1 mark): An outdoor swimming pool contains 100 m3 of water and must be heated by 12 °C. specific heat capacity for water = 4200 J kg−1 K−1 Which is the best estimate of
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q32(a) (2 marks): Calculate the number of moles of air in one tyre. number of moles = [2]
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q32(b) (3 marks): During driving, the tyres warm to 47 °C and the volume remains constant. Using ideas from kinetic theory, explain what happens to the air pressure in the tyres.
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q1(a) (2 marks): Suggest an improvement, with a reason, to the experimental design. [2]
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q1(c)(i) (2 marks): Explain the shape of the graph in Fig. 1.2. [2]
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q1(c)(iii) (2 marks): Show that the relationship between the gradient of the linear section and the specific thermal capacity, c, takes the form gradient = Z c where Z is a constant.
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q1(c)(iv) (3 marks): Use the linear part of Fig. 1.2 to find the specific thermal capacity of the liquid. c = J kg–1 K–1 [3]
- June 2019, Paper 1, Q18 (1 mark): A fixed mass of gas occupies a volume V. The temperature of the gas is increased so that the mean square speed of the molecules is doubled. What is the new volu
- June 2019, Paper 1, Q25 (1 mark): What is the best estimate of the average pressure exerted on the lead by the α-particles? 2 × 10−20 Pa A 2 × 10−16 Pa B 2 × 10−12 Pa C 2 × 10−8 Pa D Your answer
- June 2019, Paper 1, Q37(b)(i) (2 marks): To estimate the temperature at which 2H and 3H nuclei will fuse, a student writes down the formula: e2 4πε0R ≈ k T Explain what the two sides of the approximati
- June 2019, Paper 1, Q37(c)(i) (3 marks): The density of the bead of solid 2H and 3H (1:1 ratio by atoms) is 230 kg m−3. Estimate the energy needed to produce plasma at 400 MK from this bead of material
- June 2019, Paper 2, Q1(b) (3 marks): In a crash test, a driverless car strikes a wall and stops. The graph in Fig. 1.1 shows the variation of the force on the car over the time of the collision. 4
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q4(a)(i) (3 marks): Explain what is meant by an ideal gas. [3]
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q4(a)(ii) (3 marks): The average kinetic energy of the particles (atoms) in an ideal gas at absolute (kelvin) temperature T is given by the equation average kinetic energy = 3 2 kT
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q4(b) (3 marks): Argon is a gas at room temperature. You may assume that it behaves as an ideal gas at this temperature. The molar mass of argon is 0.0399 kg mol–1. Calculate th
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q15 (1 mark): A liquid flows through a tube containing an electrical heater with a constant voltage. At a steady state of flow, the liquid leaves the tube at temperature ∆θ h
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q39(a) (6 marks): 39 (a)* Boyle’s Law states that at constant temperature, pressure is proportional to volume. Explain how the random motion of particles gives rise to Boyle’s la
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q39(b)(i) (3 marks): Calculate the ratio: . speed of xenon atom with average kinetic energy Make your reasoning clear. ratio = [3]
- June 2017, Paper 1, Q19 (1 mark): Two samples L and M contain the same mass of an ideal gas. In which of the following cases will it always be true that the molecules in L have a larger root mea
- June 2017, Paper 1, Q33(a)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the thermal energy used to increase the temperature of 1 kg of the water. Specific thermal capacity of water = 4200 J kg–1 K–1 energy = kJ [2]
- June 2017, Paper 1, Q33(b) (2 marks): In winter the inlet water temperature drops to 5 °C, but the final temperature remains at 39 °C. State and explain the change to the water flow rate for this sh
- June 2017, Paper 2, Q1(c) (2 marks): The velocity of sound in air v is given by the equation v where p is the pressure of = t the gas, t is the density of the gas and k is a constant. m Use the exp
- June 2017, Paper 2, Q1(d) (3 marks): A flute of length L sounds a note of 262 Hz at a temperature of 293 K. Calculate the frequency of the note from the same length flute when the temperature of th
- June 2017, Paper 2, Q3(a) (3 marks): Explain how air particles exert a pressure on a sail and why, when no wind is blowing, the sail experiences the same pressure on both sides. [3]
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