PHYSICS PAPER 2 2026 EXAM-STYLE
QUESTIONS AND MODEL RESPONSES
◉ vector. Answer: a quantity with magnitude (size) AND direction
◉ scalar. Answer: a quantity with magnitude (size) but NOT
direction
◉ examples of vectors. Answer: force, weight, velocity, acceleration,
displacement
◉ examples of scalars. Answer: distance, mass, speed, energy, time
◉ contact forces. Answer: occur when an object is supported by or
strikes another object e.g. friction
◉ non-contact forces. Answer: the objects don't physically come into
contact, e.g. gravity, magnetic force
◉ mass. Answer: the measure of the amount of matter that anything
(including people) are made up of (this is a scalar)
,◉ weight. Answer: the measure of the force on an object due to
gravity (gravity has a direction, towards the centre of the Earth, so
this is a vector)
◉ the Earth's gravity. Answer: 9.81m/s² (approx.) - it is in m/s²
because gravity refers to the acceleration that is put on objects as
they are pulled in
◉ weight. Answer: = mass X gravity (can be rearranged) - (also,
gravity will always be 9.81 on Earth (above))
◉ gravity ideas on the moon and Earth. Answer: - the gravity of the
moon is less than on Earth as the moon has less mass than the Earth
- one would weigh less on the moon than on Earth, but still have the
same mass
- there is no air resistance on the moon as there is no air, so two
objects dropped simultaneously, regardless of their weight/mass,
would hit the ground simultaneously, as there is no force working
against gravity
◉ resultant forces. Answer: the eventual force of two forces acting
on one object
- if the forces are acting in the same/opposite directions, just
add/subtract
- if they are acting at an angle to each other:
, - draw a scale drawing of all the forces acting
- measure the distance from tip to tip of the forces; thats the
resultant force
- use a protractor to find a bearing for the force, as force is a vector
(so has to have direction too)
◉ resolving forces. Answer: to resolve a force you want to split it
into its horizontal and vertical components:
- draw a diagram with the info you have
- label the sides
- find one component using trig
- find the other component using trig
◉ work done. Answer: the transfer of energy in order to move
something - it is a form of energy, and so is a scalar, as energy is also
a scalar
◉ work (Nm or J). Answer: = force (N) X displacement (m) (can be
rearranged)
◉ 1 Nm (newtonmetre). Answer: = 1 J (joule)
◉ F∝e → F=ke. Answer: the extension of the spring is directly
proportional to the force exerted on it
QUESTIONS AND MODEL RESPONSES
◉ vector. Answer: a quantity with magnitude (size) AND direction
◉ scalar. Answer: a quantity with magnitude (size) but NOT
direction
◉ examples of vectors. Answer: force, weight, velocity, acceleration,
displacement
◉ examples of scalars. Answer: distance, mass, speed, energy, time
◉ contact forces. Answer: occur when an object is supported by or
strikes another object e.g. friction
◉ non-contact forces. Answer: the objects don't physically come into
contact, e.g. gravity, magnetic force
◉ mass. Answer: the measure of the amount of matter that anything
(including people) are made up of (this is a scalar)
,◉ weight. Answer: the measure of the force on an object due to
gravity (gravity has a direction, towards the centre of the Earth, so
this is a vector)
◉ the Earth's gravity. Answer: 9.81m/s² (approx.) - it is in m/s²
because gravity refers to the acceleration that is put on objects as
they are pulled in
◉ weight. Answer: = mass X gravity (can be rearranged) - (also,
gravity will always be 9.81 on Earth (above))
◉ gravity ideas on the moon and Earth. Answer: - the gravity of the
moon is less than on Earth as the moon has less mass than the Earth
- one would weigh less on the moon than on Earth, but still have the
same mass
- there is no air resistance on the moon as there is no air, so two
objects dropped simultaneously, regardless of their weight/mass,
would hit the ground simultaneously, as there is no force working
against gravity
◉ resultant forces. Answer: the eventual force of two forces acting
on one object
- if the forces are acting in the same/opposite directions, just
add/subtract
- if they are acting at an angle to each other:
, - draw a scale drawing of all the forces acting
- measure the distance from tip to tip of the forces; thats the
resultant force
- use a protractor to find a bearing for the force, as force is a vector
(so has to have direction too)
◉ resolving forces. Answer: to resolve a force you want to split it
into its horizontal and vertical components:
- draw a diagram with the info you have
- label the sides
- find one component using trig
- find the other component using trig
◉ work done. Answer: the transfer of energy in order to move
something - it is a form of energy, and so is a scalar, as energy is also
a scalar
◉ work (Nm or J). Answer: = force (N) X displacement (m) (can be
rearranged)
◉ 1 Nm (newtonmetre). Answer: = 1 J (joule)
◉ F∝e → F=ke. Answer: the extension of the spring is directly
proportional to the force exerted on it
