plumiThe physics of sports: WJEC A‑Level Physics questions
Every WJEC A-Level Physics exam question on 4.C The physics of sports, 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Q9(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗![Summer 2025 Unit 4, question 9(a)(i): Explain what is meant by the moment of inertia of a golf clubhead used as shown in the following image. [3] golf clubhead](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/1420u40-jun25-09-ai-qp.webp)
Q9(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗![Summer 2025 Unit 4, question 9(a)(ii): “The coefficient of restitution between a golf ball and clubhead is 0.83.” Explain what is meant by this statement. [2]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/1420u40-jun25-09-aii-qp.webp)
Q9(b)
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Q9(c)(i)
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Q9(c)(ii)
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Q9(c)(iii)
The whole paper ↗![Summer 2025 Unit 4, question 9(c)(iii): If the speed of the golf ball relative to the air increases by 42%, determine the factor by which the drag force, FD, changes. [3]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/1420u40-jun25-09-ciii-qp.webp)
Q9(a)(i)
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Q9(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗![Summer 2024 Unit 4, question 9(a)(ii): Calculate the angular momentum of a baseball bat if it has a moment of inertia of 0.35 kg m2 and is rotating at 63 rad s−1. [2]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/1420u40-jun24-09-aii-qp.webp)
Q9(b)(i)
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Q9(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗![Summer 2024 Unit 4, question 9(b)(ii): Calculate the rotational kinetic energy gained by the ball. [2]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/1420u40-jun24-09-bii-qp.webp)
Q9(b)(iii)
The whole paper ↗![Summer 2024 Unit 4, question 9(b)(iii): By considering both the linear and rotational motion, explain why baseball players wear a glove on the hand that they use to catch the ball. [3]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/1420u40-jun24-09-biii-qp.webp)
Q9(c)(i)
The whole paper ↗![Summer 2024 Unit 4, question 9(c)(i): Explain how the information in the diagram shows that air resistance must be acting on the ball. [2]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/1420u40-jun24-09-ci-qp.webp)
Q9(c)(ii)
The whole paper ↗![Summer 2024 Unit 4, question 9(c)(ii): Evaluate whether the vertical acceleration of the ball is equal to the acceleration due to gravity. [3]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/1420u40-jun24-09-cii-qp.webp)
Q9(c)(iii)
The whole paper ↗![Summer 2024 Unit 4, question 9(c)(iii): Explain why a spinning ball may travel further in air than a non-spinning ball. [2]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/1420u40-jun24-09-ciii-qp.webp)
Q9(a)
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Q9(b)
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Q9(c)(i)
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Q9(c)(ii)
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Q9(c)(iii)
The whole paper ↗![Summer 2023 Unit 4, question 9(c)(iii): The rugby ball is dropped on to two playing surfaces, A and B. Evaluate whether the playing surfaces are different. [3] Playing surface Initial height / m Bounc](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/1420u40-jun23-09-ciii-qp.webp)
Q9(c)(iv)
The whole paper ↗![Summer 2023 Unit 4, question 9(c)(iv): of 17.0 ms. The moment of inertia of the rugby ball is 0.0028 kg m2. Calculate the torque exerted on the ball by the kicker’s foot. [2]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/1420u40-jun23-09-civ-qp.webp)
All 39 questions on The physics of sports, as a list
- Summer 2025, Unit 4, Q9(a)(i) (3 marks): Explain what is meant by the moment of inertia of a golf clubhead used as shown in the following image. [3] golf clubhead
- Summer 2025, Unit 4, Q9(a)(ii) (2 marks): “The coefficient of restitution between a golf ball and clubhead is 0.83.” Explain what is meant by this statement. [2]
- Summer 2025, Unit 4, Q9(b) (5 marks): Assume the effects of air resistance can be ignored for this part. In a competition, a golfer has to hit the ball a minimum distance of 114 m to clear a lake. T
- Summer 2025, Unit 4, Q9(c)(i) (3 marks): Calculate the total kinetic energy of the ball at its maximum height if it spins at a rate of 120 revolutions per second and the same club as in part (b) is use
- Summer 2025, Unit 4, Q9(c)(ii) (4 marks): In reality the effects of air resistance cannot be neglected. Explain how the flight of the ball changes when considering the influence of the air. You may incl
- Summer 2025, Unit 4, Q9(c)(iii) (3 marks): If the speed of the golf ball relative to the air increases by 42%, determine the factor by which the drag force, FD, changes. [3]
- Summer 2024, Unit 4, Q9(a)(i) (2 marks): Liam wishes to buy a baseball bat with a large moment of inertia and he chooses bat B from the following list in a catalogue. Evaluate whether he has chosen the
- Summer 2024, Unit 4, Q9(a)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the angular momentum of a baseball bat if it has a moment of inertia of 0.35 kg m2 and is rotating at 63 rad s−1. [2]
- Summer 2024, Unit 4, Q9(b)(i) (4 marks): Calculate the torque that the pitcher must exert on a 145 g baseball with radius 3.70 cm to increase the baseball’s spin from zero to 2400 revolutions per minut
- Summer 2024, Unit 4, Q9(b)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the rotational kinetic energy gained by the ball. [2]
- Summer 2024, Unit 4, Q9(b)(iii) (3 marks): By considering both the linear and rotational motion, explain why baseball players wear a glove on the hand that they use to catch the ball. [3]
- Summer 2024, Unit 4, Q9(c)(i) (2 marks): Explain how the information in the diagram shows that air resistance must be acting on the ball. [2]
- Summer 2024, Unit 4, Q9(c)(ii) (3 marks): Evaluate whether the vertical acceleration of the ball is equal to the acceleration due to gravity. [3]
- Summer 2024, Unit 4, Q9(c)(iii) (2 marks): Explain why a spinning ball may travel further in air than a non-spinning ball. [2]
- Summer 2023, Unit 4, Q9(a) (2 marks): An athlete lifts a dumbbell of weight, 74.0 N as shown in the following diagram. Calculate the magnitude of the force, F, that the biceps muscle exerts on the a
- Summer 2023, Unit 4, Q9(b) (3 marks): the collision with the tackle pad, the player experiences a mean force of 5500 N for a contact time of 0.176 s. This force is in the exact opposite direction to
- Summer 2023, Unit 4, Q9(c)(i) (3 marks): During a rugby match, a player wishes to kick the ball as far as possible. Describe the factors that affect the drag force on the ball. You may use the followin
- Summer 2023, Unit 4, Q9(c)(ii) (2 marks): A kicking coach thinks that, if the number of revolutions per second of the ball is doubled, then the rotational kinetic energy of a rugby ball will also double
- Summer 2023, Unit 4, Q9(c)(iii) (3 marks): The rugby ball is dropped on to two playing surfaces, A and B. Evaluate whether the playing surfaces are different. [3] Playing surface Initial height / m Bounc
- Summer 2023, Unit 4, Q9(c)(iv) (2 marks): of 17.0 ms. The moment of inertia of the rugby ball is 0.0028 kg m2. Calculate the torque exerted on the ball by the kicker’s foot. [2]
- Summer 2023, Unit 4, Q9(c)(v) (5 marks): an angle of 32° to the horizontal. The maximum height reached by the player catching the ball is 4.4 m and he is standing 6.2 m away from the thrower. Explain w
- Summer 2019, Unit 4, Q8(a)(i) (2 marks): Explain what is meant by the statement “the coefficient of restitution is 0.55”. [2]
- Summer 2019, Unit 4, Q8(a)(ii) (4 marks): When a puck is cooled from room temperature to 0 °C its coefficient of restitution is reduced by 30%. Calculate the bounce height of a puck at 0 °C when it is d
- Summer 2019, Unit 4, Q8(b)(i) (2 marks): changing its direction. The puck remains in contact with the hockey stick for 25 ms. Calculate the mean force exerted by the hockey stick on the puck. [2]
- Summer 2019, Unit 4, Q8(b)(ii) (3 marks): The player aims for the top corner of the goal, which is at a height of 1.2 m. The initial angle of the puck’s motion is 8° to the horizontal and its speed is 3
- Summer 2019, Unit 4, Q8(b)(iii) (3 marks): The spin rate of the puck at its maximum height is 14 revolutions per second. Calculate its rotational kinetic energy. mr2 The moment of inertia of the puck is
- Summer 2019, Unit 4, Q8(b)(iv) (2 marks): Wayne thinks that the answer to part (b)(iii) is actually the total kinetic energy of the puck at the maximum height. Determine whether Wayne is correct. [2]
- Summer 2019, Unit 4, Q8(b)(v) (4 marks): During the shot at goal, the puck is moving to the right. The diagram below shows the velocity of the air relative to the puck. During its flight, the velocity
- Summer 2018, Unit 4, Q8(a) (2 marks): Option C – The Physics of Sports Define angular acceleration. [2] 8 (a)
- Summer 2018, Unit 4, Q8(b)(i) (4 marks): Calculate the torque on the gymnast. [4]
- Summer 2018, Unit 4, Q8(b)(ii) (4 marks): The gymnast lets go of the bar and somersaults in the air before she lands on her feet on the ground. Explain why the gymnast pulls in her arms and adopts a tuc
- Summer 2018, Unit 4, Q8(b)(iii) (3 marks): The gymnast, of mass 52 kg, lands on the mat with a velocity of 5.7 m s–1 and comes to rest in a time of 0.26 s. Show clearly that the mean force exerted by the
- Summer 2018, Unit 4, Q8(c)(i) (2 marks): Explain in terms of centre of gravity why he does not rotate. [2]
- Summer 2018, Unit 4, Q8(c)(ii) (5 marks): At a later point the forces acting on the gymnast are shown in the following diagram. Justify, using calculations, the motion of the gymnast. [5] Total force of
- Summer 2017, Unit 4, Q8(a) (3 marks): Calculate the force, F. [3]
- Summer 2017, Unit 4, Q8(b)(i) (4 marks): A football player must kick a football a distance of 43.6 m for it to be a successful kick. Determine whether or not the kick will be successful if it is kicked
- Summer 2017, Unit 4, Q8(b)(ii) (8 marks): The football has a mass of 0.45 kg and spins at a rate of 8.8 Hz. It has a moment of inertia of 0.0041 kg m2. I. Explain what is meant by the moment of inertia.
- Summer 2017, Unit 4, Q8(c)(i) (3 marks): Explain clearly by what factor the drag force changes for these two cross-sectional areas. [3]
- Summer 2017, Unit 4, Q8(c)(ii) (2 marks): If the rugby ball had been kicked in a region where the density of the air is lower, explain how your answer to part (c)(i) would change, if at all. [2]
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