Cambridge A Level Physics Exam - Practice Questions & Verified Answers
The angle through which the object has moved in a circle Define Angular Displacement
Radians What is the measurement for angular displacement?
s = rθ What is an equation for arc length
(θ = angle in radians)
(s = length of arc in meters)
(r = radius or circle in meters)
Arc length = rθ Define the conversion between radians and degrees
2πr = rθ
2π = θ
One radian is the angle subtended at the centre of a circle Define the radian
by an arc of length equal to the radius of the circle.
Speed is a scalar quantity which has magnitude only. Define speed
Velocity is a vector quantity with both magnitude and Define velocity
direction
angular velocity = angular displacement / time taken What is the equation for angular velocity? (word form)
ω = θ/t What is the equation for angular velocity? (symbol form)
(ω - angular velocity - rad s⁻¹)
(θ - angle - radians)
(t - time - seconds)
rad s⁻¹ What is angular velocity measured in?
ω = 126 rad s⁻¹ The drum of a washing machine spins at a rate of 1200 rpm (revolutions per minute)
Determine the angular velocity ω of the drum.
v = ωr What is the equation for speed involving the angular velocity
(v = speed - m s ⁻¹)
(ω = angular velocity - rad s⁻¹)
(r = radius - meters)
v = 0.39 m s ⁻¹ A toy train travels around a circular track of radius 2.5 m in a time of 40s. What is its
speed?
v = 5.2 m s⁻¹ A car travels around a 90° bend in 15 s. The radius of the bend is 50 m. Determine
the speed of the car
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, Cambridge A Level Physics Exam - Practice Questions & Verified Answers
Towards the center of the circle In what direction is the centripetal force?
a = vω State 3 equations for centripetal acceleration
a = v²/r
a = ω²r
(a = acceleration - m s⁻²)
(v = velocity - m s⁻¹)
(ω = angular velocity rad s⁻¹)
(r = radius - m)
(you can change 'a' to 'g' to get acceleration due to gravity
of an orbital object)
6400 km What is the radius of the earth?
84.5 minutes Calculate how long it would take a ball to orbit the earth once, just above the
surface, at a speed of 7920 m s⁻¹ given the radius of the earth is 6400 km
An object that moves at a steady speed along a circular Define uniform circular motion
path.
An object moving in a circle is not it equilibrium, it has a Are objects that move in a circle in equilibrium?
resultant force acting on it.
F = mv²/r = mrω² The magnitude of the centripetal force F acting on an object of mass m moving at
speed v in a circle of radius r is given by what equation?
The angle subtended at the centre of a circle by an arc Explain what is meant by a radian.
equal in length to the radius.
ω = 0.42 rad s⁻¹ A body moves round a circle at a constant speed and completes one revolution in
15s. Calculate the angular velocity of the body.
Centripetal force is the net force acting on Describe what is meant by centripetal force.
an object describing a circle - it is directed
towards the centre of the circle
v = 3.7 m s⁻¹ One end of a string is secured to the ceiling and a metal ball of mass 50 g is tied to
the other end. The ball is initially at rest in the vertical position. The ball is raised
through a vertical height of 70 cm. The ball is then released. It describes a circular
arc as it passes through the vertical position.
Ignoring the effects of air resistance, determine the speed v of the ball as it passes
through the vertical position where the length of the string is 1.50 m.
Friction between the tyres and the road A car is travelling around a bend when it hits a patch of oil. The car slides off the
provides the centripetal force. Oil reduces the frictional road into a family of 5. Explain, using your understanding of circular motion, why the
force, so the car carries on in a wider arc. car came off the road.
θ = 7.9° An aeroplane is banking to make a horizontal turn. The aeroplane is traveling at a
speed of 75 m s⁻¹ and the radius of the circle is 80 m. Calculate the angle the plane
makes with the horizontal.
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, Cambridge A Level Physics Exam - Practice Questions & Verified Answers
The rate at which the angular displacement changes. Explain what is meant by the term angular velocity.
(Angle covered per unit time)
ω = 6.0 rad s⁻¹ A rubber bung of mass 200 g is on the end of a string being swung in a horizontal
T = 3.5 N circle of radius 40 cm. The string makes an angle of 56° with the vertical. Calculate
the angular velocity ω of the bung and the tension T in the string.
v = 3.0 m s⁻¹ A teacher swings a bucket of water, of total mass 5.4 kg, round in a vertical circle of
F = 106 N diameter 1.8 m. Calculate the minimum speed v which the bucket must be swung at
so that the water remains in the bucket at the top of the circle and calculate the
force F on the teacher's hand when the bucket is at the bottom of the circle.
v = 17.2 m s⁻¹ In training, military pilots are given various tests. One test puts them in a seat at the
32.8 revolutions per minutes end of a large arm of 5 m which is then spun around at a high speed. At the top
speed the pilot will experience a centripetal force of 6 mg. Calculate the speed of
the pilot and the number of revolutions per minute.
Angle in radians = length of arc / radius Show that in one revolution there are 2π radians.
For a complete circle, arc length = circumference = 2πr
Angle in radians = 2πr/r = 2π
simple harmonic motion is defined as the motion of a Define simple harmonic motion.
particle about a fixed point such that its acceleration is
proportional to its displacement from the fixed point and is
always directed towards that point.
(measure the time difference (t = 17 ms) between the two Calculate the phase difference between the two oscillations. Give your answer in
oscillations, then the period (T = 60 ms) for one complete radians.
oscillation, phase difference = t/T = 0.283 oscillations = 1.8
rad)
1.8 rad
v=0 In s.h.m. what is the velocity at the maximum displacement (amplitude) from the
equilibrium position?
a=0 In s.h.m. what is the acceleration at the minimum displacement from the equilibrium
position?
s = r sin (ωt) State two equations for displacement of a particle in s.h.m.
s = r sin (θ)
(r = amplitude - max displacement - m)
(ω = angular velocity - rad s⁻¹)
(t = time - s)
v = ωr cos(ωt) In s.h.m. state two equations for velocity at any point in the cycle.
v = ω√(r² - s²)
(ω = angular velocity - rad s⁻¹)
(r = amplitude - m)
(t = time - s)
v = 0.72 m s⁻¹ (s = 0) A small mass is hung at the lower end of a spring, the upper end is fixed. when the
v = 0.62 m s⁻¹ (s = 20 mm) mass is displaced and released, it oscillates with s.h.m. with an amplitude of 40 mm
and a time period of 0.35 seconds. Calculate the speed when the displacement is 0
and when it is 20 mm.
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The angle through which the object has moved in a circle Define Angular Displacement
Radians What is the measurement for angular displacement?
s = rθ What is an equation for arc length
(θ = angle in radians)
(s = length of arc in meters)
(r = radius or circle in meters)
Arc length = rθ Define the conversion between radians and degrees
2πr = rθ
2π = θ
One radian is the angle subtended at the centre of a circle Define the radian
by an arc of length equal to the radius of the circle.
Speed is a scalar quantity which has magnitude only. Define speed
Velocity is a vector quantity with both magnitude and Define velocity
direction
angular velocity = angular displacement / time taken What is the equation for angular velocity? (word form)
ω = θ/t What is the equation for angular velocity? (symbol form)
(ω - angular velocity - rad s⁻¹)
(θ - angle - radians)
(t - time - seconds)
rad s⁻¹ What is angular velocity measured in?
ω = 126 rad s⁻¹ The drum of a washing machine spins at a rate of 1200 rpm (revolutions per minute)
Determine the angular velocity ω of the drum.
v = ωr What is the equation for speed involving the angular velocity
(v = speed - m s ⁻¹)
(ω = angular velocity - rad s⁻¹)
(r = radius - meters)
v = 0.39 m s ⁻¹ A toy train travels around a circular track of radius 2.5 m in a time of 40s. What is its
speed?
v = 5.2 m s⁻¹ A car travels around a 90° bend in 15 s. The radius of the bend is 50 m. Determine
the speed of the car
Stuvia 2026-2027
, Cambridge A Level Physics Exam - Practice Questions & Verified Answers
Towards the center of the circle In what direction is the centripetal force?
a = vω State 3 equations for centripetal acceleration
a = v²/r
a = ω²r
(a = acceleration - m s⁻²)
(v = velocity - m s⁻¹)
(ω = angular velocity rad s⁻¹)
(r = radius - m)
(you can change 'a' to 'g' to get acceleration due to gravity
of an orbital object)
6400 km What is the radius of the earth?
84.5 minutes Calculate how long it would take a ball to orbit the earth once, just above the
surface, at a speed of 7920 m s⁻¹ given the radius of the earth is 6400 km
An object that moves at a steady speed along a circular Define uniform circular motion
path.
An object moving in a circle is not it equilibrium, it has a Are objects that move in a circle in equilibrium?
resultant force acting on it.
F = mv²/r = mrω² The magnitude of the centripetal force F acting on an object of mass m moving at
speed v in a circle of radius r is given by what equation?
The angle subtended at the centre of a circle by an arc Explain what is meant by a radian.
equal in length to the radius.
ω = 0.42 rad s⁻¹ A body moves round a circle at a constant speed and completes one revolution in
15s. Calculate the angular velocity of the body.
Centripetal force is the net force acting on Describe what is meant by centripetal force.
an object describing a circle - it is directed
towards the centre of the circle
v = 3.7 m s⁻¹ One end of a string is secured to the ceiling and a metal ball of mass 50 g is tied to
the other end. The ball is initially at rest in the vertical position. The ball is raised
through a vertical height of 70 cm. The ball is then released. It describes a circular
arc as it passes through the vertical position.
Ignoring the effects of air resistance, determine the speed v of the ball as it passes
through the vertical position where the length of the string is 1.50 m.
Friction between the tyres and the road A car is travelling around a bend when it hits a patch of oil. The car slides off the
provides the centripetal force. Oil reduces the frictional road into a family of 5. Explain, using your understanding of circular motion, why the
force, so the car carries on in a wider arc. car came off the road.
θ = 7.9° An aeroplane is banking to make a horizontal turn. The aeroplane is traveling at a
speed of 75 m s⁻¹ and the radius of the circle is 80 m. Calculate the angle the plane
makes with the horizontal.
Stuvia 2026-2027
, Cambridge A Level Physics Exam - Practice Questions & Verified Answers
The rate at which the angular displacement changes. Explain what is meant by the term angular velocity.
(Angle covered per unit time)
ω = 6.0 rad s⁻¹ A rubber bung of mass 200 g is on the end of a string being swung in a horizontal
T = 3.5 N circle of radius 40 cm. The string makes an angle of 56° with the vertical. Calculate
the angular velocity ω of the bung and the tension T in the string.
v = 3.0 m s⁻¹ A teacher swings a bucket of water, of total mass 5.4 kg, round in a vertical circle of
F = 106 N diameter 1.8 m. Calculate the minimum speed v which the bucket must be swung at
so that the water remains in the bucket at the top of the circle and calculate the
force F on the teacher's hand when the bucket is at the bottom of the circle.
v = 17.2 m s⁻¹ In training, military pilots are given various tests. One test puts them in a seat at the
32.8 revolutions per minutes end of a large arm of 5 m which is then spun around at a high speed. At the top
speed the pilot will experience a centripetal force of 6 mg. Calculate the speed of
the pilot and the number of revolutions per minute.
Angle in radians = length of arc / radius Show that in one revolution there are 2π radians.
For a complete circle, arc length = circumference = 2πr
Angle in radians = 2πr/r = 2π
simple harmonic motion is defined as the motion of a Define simple harmonic motion.
particle about a fixed point such that its acceleration is
proportional to its displacement from the fixed point and is
always directed towards that point.
(measure the time difference (t = 17 ms) between the two Calculate the phase difference between the two oscillations. Give your answer in
oscillations, then the period (T = 60 ms) for one complete radians.
oscillation, phase difference = t/T = 0.283 oscillations = 1.8
rad)
1.8 rad
v=0 In s.h.m. what is the velocity at the maximum displacement (amplitude) from the
equilibrium position?
a=0 In s.h.m. what is the acceleration at the minimum displacement from the equilibrium
position?
s = r sin (ωt) State two equations for displacement of a particle in s.h.m.
s = r sin (θ)
(r = amplitude - max displacement - m)
(ω = angular velocity - rad s⁻¹)
(t = time - s)
v = ωr cos(ωt) In s.h.m. state two equations for velocity at any point in the cycle.
v = ω√(r² - s²)
(ω = angular velocity - rad s⁻¹)
(r = amplitude - m)
(t = time - s)
v = 0.72 m s⁻¹ (s = 0) A small mass is hung at the lower end of a spring, the upper end is fixed. when the
v = 0.62 m s⁻¹ (s = 20 mm) mass is displaced and released, it oscillates with s.h.m. with an amplitude of 40 mm
and a time period of 0.35 seconds. Calculate the speed when the displacement is 0
and when it is 20 mm.
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