AQA GCSE PHYSICS PAPER 2 EXAM STYLE
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
SUCCESS DRIVEN 2026
‣ Explain what happens to an object when the resultant force acting on it
is zero. Answer: The object will either remain stationary or continue
moving at a constant velocity because there is no unbalanced force to
change its motion.
‣ Explain why passengers move forwards when a car suddenly stops.
Answer: Their bodies continue moving due to inertia, as no force acts
immediately to stop them at the same rate as the car.
‣ Explain why forces in a Newton's Third Law pair do not cancel.
Answer: They act on different objects, so they do not affect the motion
of a single object.
‣ Explain why increasing mass reduces acceleration for the same force.
Answer: A larger mass has greater inertia, so it resists changes in motion
more strongly.
‣ Explain why braking distance increases at high speed. Answer: The
object has much greater kinetic energy, so more energy must be
dissipated by friction, requiring a longer distance.
, ‣ Explain how terminal velocity is reached. Answer: As speed increases,
drag increases until it equals the driving force, resulting in zero resultant
force and constant speed.
‣ Explain why friction must be reduced in this investigation. Answer:
Friction provides an additional force that affects acceleration, reducing
the validity of the relationship being investigated.
‣ Explain why keeping the mass constant improves validity. Answer: It
ensures that any change in acceleration is due only to the applied force.
‣ Explain why repeating measurements improves reliability. Answer:
Repeats reduce the effect of random errors and anomalies.
‣ Explain the difference between transverse and longitudinal waves.
Answer: In transverse waves, oscillations are perpendicular to the
direction of energy transfer, while in longitudinal waves they are
parallel.
‣ Explain how wavelength and frequency affect wave speed Answer:
Wave speed depends on how often waves are produced and how far
apart wave peaks are, determined by the medium.
‣ Explain why the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
Answer: Wavefronts strike the surface symmetrically, so energy is
reflected at the same angle
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
SUCCESS DRIVEN 2026
‣ Explain what happens to an object when the resultant force acting on it
is zero. Answer: The object will either remain stationary or continue
moving at a constant velocity because there is no unbalanced force to
change its motion.
‣ Explain why passengers move forwards when a car suddenly stops.
Answer: Their bodies continue moving due to inertia, as no force acts
immediately to stop them at the same rate as the car.
‣ Explain why forces in a Newton's Third Law pair do not cancel.
Answer: They act on different objects, so they do not affect the motion
of a single object.
‣ Explain why increasing mass reduces acceleration for the same force.
Answer: A larger mass has greater inertia, so it resists changes in motion
more strongly.
‣ Explain why braking distance increases at high speed. Answer: The
object has much greater kinetic energy, so more energy must be
dissipated by friction, requiring a longer distance.
, ‣ Explain how terminal velocity is reached. Answer: As speed increases,
drag increases until it equals the driving force, resulting in zero resultant
force and constant speed.
‣ Explain why friction must be reduced in this investigation. Answer:
Friction provides an additional force that affects acceleration, reducing
the validity of the relationship being investigated.
‣ Explain why keeping the mass constant improves validity. Answer: It
ensures that any change in acceleration is due only to the applied force.
‣ Explain why repeating measurements improves reliability. Answer:
Repeats reduce the effect of random errors and anomalies.
‣ Explain the difference between transverse and longitudinal waves.
Answer: In transverse waves, oscillations are perpendicular to the
direction of energy transfer, while in longitudinal waves they are
parallel.
‣ Explain how wavelength and frequency affect wave speed Answer:
Wave speed depends on how often waves are produced and how far
apart wave peaks are, determined by the medium.
‣ Explain why the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
Answer: Wavefronts strike the surface symmetrically, so energy is
reflected at the same angle
