OCR A LEVEL PHYSICS A H556/02 – EXAM-STYLE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
VERIFIED AND WELL DETAILED ANSWERS | PLUS RATIONALES | GUARANTEED
PASS | 2026/27 LATEST UPDATE | EXAM PREP | STUDY GUIDE | PRACTICE TEST
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1-50
1. A student is investigating the motion of a toy car on a horizontal track. The
car is attached to a data logger that records its velocity at 0.010 s intervals.
Which statement correctly describes the precision of the measurement?
A. Precision is improved by increasing the sampling rate of the data logger.
B. Precision is improved by using a more accurate calibration of the velocity
sensor.
C. Precision refers to how close the measured value is to the true value.
D. Precision is independent of the random errors in the measurement.
Correct Answer: A. Precision is improved by increasing the sampling rate of the
data logger.
Rationale: Precision relates to the reproducibility or consistency of measurements.
Increasing the sampling rate provides more data points, reducing the effect of
random fluctuations and improving the precision of the average value. Option B
describes accuracy, not precision. Option C describes accuracy. Option D is incorrect
because precision is directly related to the magnitude of random errors; higher
precision implies smaller random errors.
2. A metal wire of original length 1.50 m and cross-sectional area 1.8 × 10⁻⁷ m²
stretches by 1.2 mm when a tensile force of 15 N is applied. What is the Young
,modulus of the metal?
A. 1.0 × 10¹¹ Pa
B. 1.0 × 10¹⁰ Pa
C. 1.0 × 10⁹ Pa
D. 1.0 × 10⁸ Pa
Correct Answer: A. 1.0 × 10¹¹ Pa
Rationale: Young modulus E = (F/A) / (ΔL/L) = FL / AΔL. Substituting values: E =
(15 × 1.50) / (1.8 × 10⁻⁷ × 1.2 × 10⁻³) = 22..16 × 10⁻¹⁰ = 1.04 × 10¹¹ Pa.
Option B results from a unit or power-of-ten error. Options C and D involve
significant computational miscalculations of the denominator or numerator.
3. In a diffraction grating experiment, monochromatic light is incident normally
on a grating with 600 lines per mm. The second-order maximum is observed at
an angle of 30.0° to the normal. What is the wavelength of the light?
A. 4.17 × 10⁻⁷ m
B. 4.17 × 10⁻⁸ m
C. 8.33 × 10⁻⁷ m
D. 8.33 × 10⁻⁸ m
Correct Answer: A. 4.17 × 10⁻⁷ m
Rationale: The grating equation is d sin θ = nλ. The grating spacing d = 1 / (600 ×
10³) m = 1.67 × 10⁻⁶ m. For n = 2, λ = d sin θ / n = (1.67 × 10⁻⁶ × 0.500) / 2 =
4.17 × 10⁻⁷ m. Option B has a power-of-ten error. Options C and D incorrectly use
sin 30° as 1 or use n incorrectly in the equation.
,4. An object is performing simple harmonic motion with amplitude 0.080 m
and frequency 2.5 Hz. What is the maximum speed of the object?
A. 0.20 m s⁻¹
B. 1.26 m s⁻¹
C. 1.57 m s⁻¹
D. 0.63 m s⁻¹
Correct Answer: B. 1.26 m s⁻¹
Rationale: In SHM, maximum speed v_max = 2πf A = 2π × 2.5 × 0.080 = 1.26 m
s⁻¹. Option C incorrectly uses angular frequency ω directly (ω A). Option D likely
uses 2π/ f. Option A simply multiplies f and A, ignoring 2π.
5. The following data were recorded for the decay of a radioactive isotope:
initial activity 480 Bq, activity after 8.0 hours 120 Bq. What is the half-life of the
isotope?
A. 2.0 hours
B. 4.0 hours
C. 6.0 hours
D. 16.0 hours
Correct Answer: B. 4.0 hours
Rationale: The activity has dropped from 480 Bq to 120 Bq, which is one-quarter of
the initial value. This corresponds to two half-lives (since 1/4 = (1/2)²). Therefore,
one half-life is 8.0 hours / 2 = 4.0 hours. Option A is one quarter of the total time.
, Option C is three-quarters of the total time. Option D is twice the total time,
assuming a linear relationship.
6. An ideal gas is compressed at a constant temperature. Which of the
following statements about the gas is correct?
A. The internal energy of the gas increases because work is done on the gas.
B. The internal energy of the gas remains constant because the temperature is
constant.
C. The gas releases heat to its surroundings equal to the work done on the gas.
D. The pressure of the gas decreases because the volume decreases.
Correct Answer: B. The internal energy of the gas remains constant because the
temperature is constant.
Rationale: For an ideal gas, internal energy is a function of temperature alone. In
an isothermal process, ΔU = 0. Option A is incorrect because while work is done on
the gas (ΔW > 0), heat is also released (ΔQ < 0) to maintain constant temperature.
Option C is correct regarding the heat transfer but does not describe the internal
energy. Option D is incorrect because at constant temperature, pressure and
volume are inversely proportional; when volume decreases, pressure increases.
7. A standing wave is established on a string fixed at both ends. Which of the
following changes will increase the frequency of the fundamental mode?
A. Decreasing the tension in the string
B. Increasing the length of the string
VERIFIED AND WELL DETAILED ANSWERS | PLUS RATIONALES | GUARANTEED
PASS | 2026/27 LATEST UPDATE | EXAM PREP | STUDY GUIDE | PRACTICE TEST
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1-50
1. A student is investigating the motion of a toy car on a horizontal track. The
car is attached to a data logger that records its velocity at 0.010 s intervals.
Which statement correctly describes the precision of the measurement?
A. Precision is improved by increasing the sampling rate of the data logger.
B. Precision is improved by using a more accurate calibration of the velocity
sensor.
C. Precision refers to how close the measured value is to the true value.
D. Precision is independent of the random errors in the measurement.
Correct Answer: A. Precision is improved by increasing the sampling rate of the
data logger.
Rationale: Precision relates to the reproducibility or consistency of measurements.
Increasing the sampling rate provides more data points, reducing the effect of
random fluctuations and improving the precision of the average value. Option B
describes accuracy, not precision. Option C describes accuracy. Option D is incorrect
because precision is directly related to the magnitude of random errors; higher
precision implies smaller random errors.
2. A metal wire of original length 1.50 m and cross-sectional area 1.8 × 10⁻⁷ m²
stretches by 1.2 mm when a tensile force of 15 N is applied. What is the Young
,modulus of the metal?
A. 1.0 × 10¹¹ Pa
B. 1.0 × 10¹⁰ Pa
C. 1.0 × 10⁹ Pa
D. 1.0 × 10⁸ Pa
Correct Answer: A. 1.0 × 10¹¹ Pa
Rationale: Young modulus E = (F/A) / (ΔL/L) = FL / AΔL. Substituting values: E =
(15 × 1.50) / (1.8 × 10⁻⁷ × 1.2 × 10⁻³) = 22..16 × 10⁻¹⁰ = 1.04 × 10¹¹ Pa.
Option B results from a unit or power-of-ten error. Options C and D involve
significant computational miscalculations of the denominator or numerator.
3. In a diffraction grating experiment, monochromatic light is incident normally
on a grating with 600 lines per mm. The second-order maximum is observed at
an angle of 30.0° to the normal. What is the wavelength of the light?
A. 4.17 × 10⁻⁷ m
B. 4.17 × 10⁻⁸ m
C. 8.33 × 10⁻⁷ m
D. 8.33 × 10⁻⁸ m
Correct Answer: A. 4.17 × 10⁻⁷ m
Rationale: The grating equation is d sin θ = nλ. The grating spacing d = 1 / (600 ×
10³) m = 1.67 × 10⁻⁶ m. For n = 2, λ = d sin θ / n = (1.67 × 10⁻⁶ × 0.500) / 2 =
4.17 × 10⁻⁷ m. Option B has a power-of-ten error. Options C and D incorrectly use
sin 30° as 1 or use n incorrectly in the equation.
,4. An object is performing simple harmonic motion with amplitude 0.080 m
and frequency 2.5 Hz. What is the maximum speed of the object?
A. 0.20 m s⁻¹
B. 1.26 m s⁻¹
C. 1.57 m s⁻¹
D. 0.63 m s⁻¹
Correct Answer: B. 1.26 m s⁻¹
Rationale: In SHM, maximum speed v_max = 2πf A = 2π × 2.5 × 0.080 = 1.26 m
s⁻¹. Option C incorrectly uses angular frequency ω directly (ω A). Option D likely
uses 2π/ f. Option A simply multiplies f and A, ignoring 2π.
5. The following data were recorded for the decay of a radioactive isotope:
initial activity 480 Bq, activity after 8.0 hours 120 Bq. What is the half-life of the
isotope?
A. 2.0 hours
B. 4.0 hours
C. 6.0 hours
D. 16.0 hours
Correct Answer: B. 4.0 hours
Rationale: The activity has dropped from 480 Bq to 120 Bq, which is one-quarter of
the initial value. This corresponds to two half-lives (since 1/4 = (1/2)²). Therefore,
one half-life is 8.0 hours / 2 = 4.0 hours. Option A is one quarter of the total time.
, Option C is three-quarters of the total time. Option D is twice the total time,
assuming a linear relationship.
6. An ideal gas is compressed at a constant temperature. Which of the
following statements about the gas is correct?
A. The internal energy of the gas increases because work is done on the gas.
B. The internal energy of the gas remains constant because the temperature is
constant.
C. The gas releases heat to its surroundings equal to the work done on the gas.
D. The pressure of the gas decreases because the volume decreases.
Correct Answer: B. The internal energy of the gas remains constant because the
temperature is constant.
Rationale: For an ideal gas, internal energy is a function of temperature alone. In
an isothermal process, ΔU = 0. Option A is incorrect because while work is done on
the gas (ΔW > 0), heat is also released (ΔQ < 0) to maintain constant temperature.
Option C is correct regarding the heat transfer but does not describe the internal
energy. Option D is incorrect because at constant temperature, pressure and
volume are inversely proportional; when volume decreases, pressure increases.
7. A standing wave is established on a string fixed at both ends. Which of the
following changes will increase the frequency of the fundamental mode?
A. Decreasing the tension in the string
B. Increasing the length of the string
