CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL PHYSICS: COURSEBOOK

Exam-style questions and sample answers have been written by the authors. In examinations, the way marks are awarded
may be different.

Coursebook answers
Chapter 1
Exam-style questions
1 A[1] b By Pythagoras’ theorem, displacement =
2 C[1] 2.22 + 152
3 a distance = speed × time = 15 200 m[1]

=
120 × 2.0
[1]
at an angle = tan−1 215.2 [1] ( )
60  = 8° E of N or a bearing of 008°[1]
= 4.0 km[1] c t ime for 2.2 km at 2.0 m s−1 = 2200
2
b T
 he car’s direction of motion keeps = 1100 s[1]
changing. Hence, its velocity keeps total time = 1100 + 900 = 2000 s[1]
changing. In the course of one lap,
its displacement is zero, so its average d average speed = distance
time
velocity is zero.[1] 17200
= [1]
2000
c  istance travelled in 1 minute =
d
0.5 × circumference but, displacement = = 8.6 m s−1[1]
diameter of track[1] e average velocity =  displacement
time
circumference 15200
= = [1]
π 2000
4000 m = 7.6 m s−1[1]
= = 1270 m[1]
π
6 resultant velocity = 1.02 + 2.402
4 a 
By Pythagoras’ theorem, distance2 = 2.6 m s−1[1]
= 6002 + 8002 m2[1]
( )
at an angle of tan−1 12..04 [1]
= 1000 000 = 1000 m [1] = 23° E of N or a bearing of 023°[1]
7 a  Distance in a (particular) direction[1]
b angle at B = tan−1 ( 800
600 )
[1]
b W
 hen athlete returns to his original
displacement = 1000 m at an angle 53° W position or the start[1]
of N or a bearing of 307°[1]
(direct) distance from original position
c velocity = 1000
60 zero[1]
8 boy
= 16.7 m s−1[1] s / m 40
38
36 35
at an angle 53° W of N[1] girl
30
distance in car = 0.25 × 60 = 15 km[1]
5 a 
25
total distance = 2.2 + 15 = 17.2 km[1] 20
15
10
5
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
t/s

Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics – Sang, Jones, Chadha & Woodside
1 © Cambridge University Press 2020
 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL PHYSICS: COURSEBOOK

Straight line from t = 0, s = 0 to t = 12,

a  100 km h–1
s = 36[1]
 traight line from t = 0, s = 0 to t = 5,
b S
N
s = 10[1]
Straight line from t = 5, s = 10 to t = 12,
500 km h–1
s = 38[1] resultant

c 10 s where the graphs cross[1]

9 a 
Each second, it travels a constant
distance.[1]
At least two examples: 108 − 84 = 24, b Correct vectors drawn and labelled[1]
84 − 60 = 24, 60 − 36 = 24 cm[1]
Scale stated and diagram of
24
b speed = distance
time
= 0.1[1] sufficient size[1]
= 240 cm s−1[1] Resultant velocity 510 (±10) km h−1[1]
c 108 + 2 × 24[1] 11° W of N or a bearing of 349° (±3°)[1]
= 156 cm[1] c 0.25 × 510 = 128 ≈ 130 km 11° W of N[1]
d distance = 240 × 0.001 = 0.24 cm[1] 11 a  velocity of aircr
B
The smallest scale division on the ruler is
2 cm and so each dot is blurred by about
1/10th of a scale division. This might just 7.5 m s–1
15 m s–1
be observable but difficult to see[1]
10 a 
Vector quantities have direction, and
A
scalar quantities do not.[1]
Correct vector diagram[1]
One example of a vector, e.g., velocity,
Velocity of aircraft in still air in easterly
acceleration, displacement, force[1]
direction or calculation[1]
One example of a vector, e.g., speed, time,
mass, pressure[1] b t = 5000
15
= 333 s and 5000
13.5
= 370 s[1]
total time = 703 or 704 s or 703.7 s[1]
average speed = 10000
703.7
= 14.2 m s−1[1]

Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics – Sang, Jones, Chadha & Woodside
2 © Cambridge University Press 2020