Cambridge O Level · 5054 · Paper 1 · Multiple choice
Physics 5054/11 Oct/Nov 2025 past paper
Cambridge O Level Physics (5054) Paper 1 (Multiple choice), variant 1, Oct/Nov 2025: the question paper and its official mark scheme, 40 questions worth 40 marks, with the grade thresholds. Free to open, no account needed.
- Questions
- 40
- Marks
- 40
- Grade A from
- 29
File names: 5054_w25_qp_11 · 5054_w25_ms_11
Grade thresholds for 5054/11 Oct/Nov 2025
The minimum raw marks Cambridge set for each grade on this component (out of 40). Thresholds change every session and variant, so always compare your score with the paper you actually sat.
| A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 25 | 21 | 17 | 14 |
Topics in this paper
Which syllabus chapters 5054/11 Oct/Nov 2025 tested, by marks. Each chapter links to every past-paper question on it.
Questions in 5054/11 Oct/Nov 2025
- Question 1
Object X is placed against a ruler. …
- Question 2
Quantities can be described as scalar or vector. Which row shows scalar quantities and vector quantities? scalar quantities vector quantities A displacement, force, temperature distance, weight, mass B displacement, mass, force distance, weight, temperature C distance, force, weight displacement, mass, …
- Question 3
The diagram shows the speed–time graphs for two objects moving with uniform acceleration. …
- Question 4
Which speed–time graph represents the motion of a railway train making a short stop at a station? speed time speed time speed time speed 0 0 time …
- Question 5
The diagram shows an athlete doing press-ups on a floor. The athlete is using both hands. The area of contact of each hand with the floor is S. The athlete’s toes act as a pivot during each press-up. S W …
- Question 6
A parachutist falls towards the ground at constant speed with a fully open parachute. Which statement is correct? A There are no forces acting on the parachutist. B The upward force on the parachute is equal to the weight of …
- Question 7
A student measures the density of an irregularly shaped stone. Which items of equipment are needed? A a balance and a measuring cylinder containing water B a balance and a ruler C a ruler and a measuring cylinder containing water …
- Question 8
The table shows how the extension of a spring varies with load. load …
- Question 9
A man stands at rest on the surface of the Earth. Earth weight The weight of the man is the gravitational force that acts on him. According to Newton’s third law, the weight of the man is one force in …
- Question 10
The pressure and volume of a sample of gas at constant temperature are measured and plotted on a graph. …
- Question 11
The diagram shows a solid metal block. Which equation is used to calculate the density of the metal from which the block is made? A density = mass volume B density = volume mass C density = area weight …
- Question 12
A student balances a non-uniform object on a pivot. To do this, a weight is suspended near the left-hand end of the object, as shown. Where is the centre of gravity of the object? …
- Question 13
Seven energy sources are listed. fossil fuel hydroelectric solar nuclear geothermal wind tides How many of these energy sources are renewable energy sources? …
- Question 14
A student heats a substance in which the particles are in fixed positions and vibrate. After a short period of heating, the particles start to flow past each other, but the forces between the particles remain strong. What has happened …
- Question 15
A student investigates how changing the temperature of a gas affects the volume of the gas. The gas is kept at a constant pressure. Which graph shows the relationship between the temperature and the volume of a sample of gas …
- Question 16
A sample of a solid melts and becomes a liquid. Which statement about the sample during the process of melting is correct? A Its temperature changes from a negative to a positive value. B Its temperature is constant. C The …
- Question 17
Four metal cans are identical except for the colour and the texture of their outer surfaces. 100 cm3 of water at 70 °C is poured into each can. Which can cools the most rapidly? description of outer surface: A black, …
- Question 18
The sentences describe sound waves. Three words have been omitted. Sound waves are longitudinal waves that consist of regions of higher pressure called 1 and regions of lower pressure called 2 . An echo occurs when a sound wave is …
- Question 19
A ray of light strikes a plane mirror at an angle of incidence of 20°. The angle of incidence is then increased by 5°. What is the new angle between the incident ray and the reflected ray? …
- Question 20
The following lists show colours of the spectrum. Which list shows these colours in order of increasing frequency? A blue violet red orange yellow green B green blue violet red orange …
- Question 21
An object O is placed near to a thin converging lens. The diagram shows three rays of light from the object passing through the lens. …
- Question 22
In which diagram is the path of the light ray not correct? air water …
- Question 23
A ray of light travels from X to Y along an optical fibre. The angle of incidence at Y is greater than the critical angle. In which direction does the ray of light travel after reaching point …
- Question 24
A firework is launched vertically from the ground. When the firework reaches a height of 360 m, the firework explodes, producing coloured light. A student on the ground below the firework incorrectly measures the time between seeing the coloured light …
- Question 25
A loudspeaker produces a sound wave of frequency 50 Hz. The amplitude of the sound wave is increased. What is heard? A a louder sound of a higher pitch B a louder sound of the same pitch C a sound …
- Question 26
A bar magnet is placed on a sheet of paper. The diagram shows the field lines due to the magnet. bar magnet paper …
- Question 27
Which material is an electrical conductor at room temperature? A aluminium B glass C plastic D rubber
- Question 28
A student investigates electrostatic charge using a balloon and a cloth. The balloon and cloth are initially uncharged. The student rubs the balloon with the cloth. The balloon gains a negative charge of magnitude Q. The cloth becomes charged and …
- Question 29
A student connects four circuits using two identical cells, two identical resistors and a motor. In which circuit does the coil of the motor rotate the fastest? …
- Question 30
The diagram shows a lightning strike. Charge flows between the cloud and objects on the ground. not to scale cloud lightning ground During the lightning strike, there is a current of …
- Question 31
Two current-carrying conductors are placed next to each other. The current in the conductors is in the same direction. direction of current current-carrying conductors Which statement about the forces experienced by the conductors is correct? A The forces are in …
- Question 32
Which component is not needed to make a simple d.c. motor work? A battery B brushes C diode D split-ring commutator
- Question 33
Which component is used in an electric circuit to detect changes in temperature? …
- Question 34
A kettle of power 2.0 kW is powered by the 230 V mains supply. What is the appropriate rating for the fuse in the circuit? …
- Question 35
A student uses a simple iron-cored transformer. The primary coil has 250 turns. The secondary coil has 200 turns. The input voltage to the primary coil is 12 V. What is the output voltage? …
- Question 36
Four statements about an atom are listed. 1 The atom has a nucleus surrounded by positively charged electrons. 2 Most of the atom is empty space. 3 The nucleus is positively charged. 4 The nucleus is very large compared with …
- Question 37
A smoke alarm contains a radioactive source, S. The useful emissions from S are blocked by a few centimetres of air. What is the useful radioactive radiation emitted by S? A alpha and gamma B alpha only C beta and …
- Question 38
The planets in the Solar System orbit the Sun. Which statement is correct? A There is a force on each planet away from the Sun. B There is a force on each planet in the direction in which it travels. …
- Question 39
A star is a distance of 4.2 light-years from the Earth. What is 4.2 light-years in metres? …
- Question 40
What is a protostar? A a cloud of gas that is collapsing and decreasing in temperature B a cloud of gas that is collapsing and increasing in temperature C a star that is expanding and decreasing in temperature D a …
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