Cambridge O Level · 5054 · Paper 1 · Multiple choice
Physics 5054/12 May/June 2025 past paper
Cambridge O Level Physics (5054) Paper 1 (Multiple choice), variant 2, May/June 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
- 28
File names: 5054_s25_qp_12 · 5054_s25_ms_12
Grade thresholds for 5054/12 May/June 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 23 | 17 | 15 | 14 |
Topics in this paper
Which syllabus chapters 5054/12 May/June 2025 tested, by marks. Each chapter links to every past-paper question on it.
Questions in 5054/12 May/June 2025
- Question 1
Which list contains only vector quantities? A mass, distance, weight B momentum, gravitational field strength, displacement C energy, force, velocity D acceleration, time, speed
- Question 2
The diagram shows the distance–time graph for a moving object. 0 0 distance time What is a description of the moving object? A a ball thrown vertically upwards and falling back to the thrower B a car starting from rest …
- Question 3
The speed–time graph for a falling skydiver is shown. As he falls, the skydiver spreads out his arms and legs and then opens his parachute. Which part of the graph shows the skydiver falling with terminal velocity? speed time …
- Question 4
A car driver travelling at constant speed in a straight line sees a hazard in the road ahead at time = 0. The speed–time graph shows how the speed of the car changes from time = 0. speed time …
- Question 5
The diagram shows a graph of load against extension for a material. At which point is the limit of proportionality? extension load …
- Question 6
There is no atmosphere on the Moon. Two metal spheres of identical volume but different mass are at rest at the same height above the ground on the Moon. The two spheres are dropped at the same time. How do …
- Question 7
A student determines the density of a small rock. The weight of the small rock is 1.2 N. She pours 100 cm3 of water into a measuring cylinder. She carefully submerges the rock in the 100 cm3 of water. The …
- Question 8
A rock of mass 20 kg is travelling in space at a speed of …
- Question 9
Which row shows an advantage and a disadvantage of using nuclear fuel to generate electrical power? advantage disadvantage A does not produce carbon dioxide produces radioactive waste B does not produce carbon dioxide only works in some weather conditions C …
- Question 10
Which row gives the definition of work done and the unit of work done? definition of work done unit of work done A the energy transferred per unit time J B the energy transferred per unit time …
- Question 11
A hammer hits a nail into a piece of wood. The weight of the nail is negligible. The hammer exerts a force FH and a pressure pH on the nail. The nail exerts a force FW and a pressure pw …
- Question 12
The pressure at a point beneath the surface of a liquid varies with the depth of the point and with the density of the liquid. Which changes both increase the pressure beneath the surface of a liquid? change in depth …
- Question 13
The diagram shows a cylinder containing air. The piston is free to move inside the cylinder and atmospheric pressure acts outside the cylinder. piston cylinder air thermal energy As the air inside the cylinder is heated, the piston moves to …
- Question 14
A fixed mass of air has a volume of 150 cm3 and a pressure of 120 kPa. The volume of the air is now changed to 100 cm3. The temperature of the air remains constant. What is the new pressure …
- Question 15
The diagram shows four changes of state, …
- Question 16
The diagram shows a metal pan on a hotplate. water metal pan hotplate The pan is heated by the hotplate. How is the thermal energy transferred from the hotplate to the metal pan? A conduction B convection C diffraction D …
- Question 17
A beaker of cold water is heated at its base. What happens to the heated water? density of heated water movement of heated water A decreases no movement B decreases upwards C increases no movement D increases upwards
- Question 18
The graph shows, at one instant, the pressure variation along a sound wave. atmospheric pressure distance …
- Question 19
A cork on the surface of water moves up and down as a wave passes across the surface. The diagram shows how the height of the cork above the average level of the surface varies with time. …
- Question 20
A water wave travels from deep water to shallow water in a ripple tank. What happens to the speed and to the wavelength of the wave? speed of wave wavelength A increases increases B increases decreases C decreases increases D …
- Question 21
The diagram shows a ray of light directed at a plane mirror. 40° mirror What are the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection? angle of incidence / ° angle of reflection …
- Question 22
A ray of light in glass is incident on the surface at an angle c. The angle c is the critical angle. Which diagram shows what happens to the light? air glass c A air glass …
- Question 23
An object O is placed between a converging lens and one principal focus F of the lens. …
- Question 24
Which statement about red light and violet light is correct? A A prism deviates red light more than it deviates violet light. B Red light has a lower frequency than violet light. C Red light has a shorter wavelength than …
- Question 25
Ultrasound is used to clean jewellery in a liquid. What is another use of ultrasound? A optical fibre communication B prenatal scanning C photography D telephone communications
- Question 26
A ship that is stationary on the surface of the sea sends pulses of sound vertically downwards towards the sea bed. Each pulse that reflects from the sea bed is received 1.0 s after it is sent out. A whale …
- Question 27
Which row describes ultrasound waves? type of wave frequency A longitudinal smaller than 20 kHz B longitudinal greater than 20 kHz C transverse smaller than 20 kHz D transverse greater than 20 kHz
- Question 28
A quantity is defined as the work done by a source in moving unit charge around a complete circuit. What is the quantity and what is its unit? quantity unit A electromotive force N B electromotive force V C potential …
- Question 29
A student connects the circuit shown. …
- Question 30
Two resistors connected in series act as a potential divider as shown. …
- Question 31
There is an electric current of 1.5 A in …
- Question 32
A square coil is placed in a horizontal uniform magnetic field. The plane of the coil is perpendicular to the magnetic field. P square coil magnetic field The coil is now rotated about an axis through P at a steady …
- Question 33
Three pieces of equipment made of magnetic materials are listed. 1 the core of a transformer 2 the needle of a compass 3 iron filings used to show a magnetic field pattern Which pieces of equipment act as temporary magnets …
- Question 34
Students are asked to suggest factors that affect the speed of rotation of a direct current (d.c.) motor. Three of their suggestions are listed. 1 the strength of the magnetic field 2 the current 3 the number of turns on …
- Question 35
A transformer is used to power a lamp. primary coil secondary coil iron core There are more turns on the secondary coil than on the primary coil. Which statement is correct? A There is an alternating current (a.c.) in the …
- Question 36
In an electric field, a beta ()-particle follows the path shown. Which path does an alpha ()-particle travelling at the same speed follow? …
- Question 37
Which row gives the sign of the charge on the nucleus of an atom and the sign of the charge of an electron? charge on nucleus charge on electron A negative positive B neutral negative C neutral positive D positive …
- Question 38
An isotope has a half-life of 6000 years. How much time passes before the count rate due to emissions from a sample of the isotope decreases to 16 1 of the initial value? A 6000 years …
- Question 39
What is the approximate time taken by light from the Sun to travel to the Earth? …
- Question 40
Where in the Solar System is the asteroid belt? A between the Sun and Mercury B between Venus and the Earth C between Mars and Jupiter D between Uranus and Neptune
Other Physics papers from May/June 2025
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