Mini practice paper: 8 questions
Mixed-difficulty questions from across the Physics syllabus. Tap "Show answer" after each to check yourself.
Q1 · Difficulty 1/3
On a displacement–distance graph of a transverse wave, what does the amplitude represent?
- The distance between two adjacent crests
- The total distance from the highest to lowest point of the wave
- The maximum displacement from the equilibrium position
- The number of waves per metre
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — The maximum displacement from the equilibrium position
Amplitude is the maximum displacement of a particle from its equilibrium (rest) position. It is not the total peak-to-trough distance (which would be twice the amplitude), nor the wavelength or frequency.
Q2 · Difficulty 1/3
Which of the following correctly converts a temperature of 127 °C into kelvin?
- A) 127 K
- B) 400 K
- C) 354 K
- D) 246 K
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — B) 400 K
To convert Celsius to Kelvin, add 273: 127 + 273 = 400 K. A common misconception is to subtract 273 (giving 246 K, option D) or to leave the value unchanged. Option C results from adding an incorrect value of 227.
Q3 · Difficulty 1/3
What causes the pressure exerted by a gas on the walls of its container?
- A) Gas molecules pushing each other apart and pressing outward
- B) Gas molecules colliding with the container walls and exerting a force
- C) Gas molecules sticking to the walls and pulling them inward
- D) Gravity pulling gas molecules downward onto the base of the container
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — B) Gas molecules colliding with the container walls and exerting a force
Gas pressure arises from the repeated collisions of gas molecules with the container walls. Each collision exerts a small force, and the total effect of billions of collisions per second produces measurable pressure. Molecules do not stick to walls or push each other to create pressure.
Q4 · Difficulty 2/3
A wave has a frequency of 50 Hz and a wavelength of 4 m. What is the wave speed?
- 12.5 m/s
- 54 m/s
- 200 m/s
- 0.08 m/s
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — 200 m/s
Wave speed is calculated using v = f × λ. Substituting the values: v = 50 Hz × 4 m = 200 m/s. A common error is dividing wavelength by frequency instead of multiplying.
Q5 · Difficulty 2/3
A wave has a period of 0.02 s. What is its frequency?
- 0.02 Hz
- 50 Hz
- 200 Hz
- 20 Hz
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — 50 Hz
Frequency and period are related by f = 1/T. So f = 1/0.02 = 50 Hz. A common misconception is to confuse period with frequency or to divide incorrectly.
Q6 · Difficulty 2/3
A 2 kg ball is dropped from rest and falls 5 m to the ground. Assuming no air resistance, what is the kinetic energy of the ball just before it hits the ground? (g = 10 N/kg)
- A: 10 J
- B: 50 J
- C: 100 J
- D: 200 J
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — C: 100 J
The gravitational potential energy lost equals the work done by gravity on the ball, which transfers entirely to kinetic energy (no air resistance). GPE = mgh = 2 × 10 × 5 = 100 J. Option B uses mass instead of weight multiplied by height. Option D incorrectly doubles the answer.
Q7 · Difficulty 3/3
A student claims: 'A force at 90° to the direction of motion does no work.' Which scenario correctly supports this claim?
- A: A person carrying a bag while walking horizontally
- B: A car engine pushing a car forward along a flat road
- C: A crane lifting a load vertically upward
- D: A child kicking a ball along the ground
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — A: A person carrying a bag while walking horizontally
When carrying a bag while walking horizontally, the upward force supporting the bag is perpendicular to the horizontal direction of motion, so no work is done by that supporting force. This is a classic example of a force doing zero work due to the 90° angle. Options B, C, and D all involve forces acting along the direction of displacement.
Q8 · Difficulty 3/3
A student sets up an experiment and finds that doubling the frequency of a wave (while keeping wave speed constant) has what effect on the wavelength?
- The wavelength doubles
- The wavelength stays the same
- The wavelength halves
- The wavelength quadruples
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — The wavelength halves
From v = f × λ, if v is constant and f doubles, then λ must halve to keep the equation balanced. This inverse relationship between frequency and wavelength is a key application of the wave equation.
AQA GCSE Physics FAQ
What does the AQA GCSE Physics exam look like?
The AQA GCSE Physics exam is structured across 3 components. Paper 1: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 1-4 of the specification. Paper 2: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 5-8 of the specification. Paper 3: Where applicable — e.g. Combined Science, Languages. Includes synoptic and applied questions. Total exam time: ~3 hours across two or three papers.
Can I download a free AQA GCSE Physics past paper?
Real AQA past papers are published directly by AQA on their official website. Kramizo doesn't redistribute copyrighted past papers, but we do generate free AI-written practice papers in the exact same style — same command words, same difficulty tier, same mark conventions. Use this practice paper as warm-up, then time yourself on official past papers before exam day.
How is AQA GCSE Physics graded?
Grades: 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest), with U (ungraded). A grade of 4 is a standard pass; 5 is a strong pass. Kramizo's practice questions are tagged with difficulty 1-3 mapping roughly to the lower, middle, and top grade boundaries you'll encounter in the real exam.