Cambridge O Level · 5054 · Paper 1 · Multiple choice
Physics 5054/12 May/June 2026 past paper
Cambridge O Level Physics (5054) Paper 1 (Multiple choice), variant 2, May/June 2026: the question paper and its official mark scheme, 40 questions worth 40 marks. Free to open, no account needed.
- Questions
- 40
- Marks
- 40
File names: 5054_s26_qp_12 · 5054_s26_ms_12
Topics in this paper
Which syllabus chapters 5054/12 May/June 2026 tested, by marks. Each chapter links to every past-paper question on it.
Questions in 5054/12 May/June 2026
- Question 1
What is the most accurate method to determine the period of an oscillating pendulum? 1 Use a digital timer to measure the time for 1 period. Repeat this 10 times and calculate the average. A Count the number of complete …
- Question 2
Which feature of a graph represents total distance travelled? 2 the area under a distance–time graph A the area under a speed–time graph B the gradient of a distance–time graph C the gradient of a speed–time graph D
- Question 3
Which statement about mass is correct? 3 Mass is density divided by volume. A Mass is the volume of space occupied by a body. B Mass is weight multiplied by the gravitational field strength. C Mass resists a change in …
- Question 4
Which unit is a unit of weight? 4 Nm …
- Question 5
The diagram shows a block of wood at rest on a flat horizontal surface. 5 block of wood flat horizontal surface Which equation is used to calculate the density of the wood? density = mass of block × area of …
- Question 6
A stone of mass 400g is lowered into a measuring cylinder containing water. The water level rises from 300cm3 to 500cm3. What is the density of the stone? 6 2.0g/cm3 D 1.33g/cm3 C 0.80g/cm3 B 0.50g/cm3 …
- Question 7
A steel ball is suspended from the end of a length of string. A magnet is brought near to the steel ball. Three forces, X, Y and Z, act on the steel ball. …
- Question 8
A skydiver jumps from an aeroplane. After a few seconds, he reaches terminal velocity without opening his parachute. Why does he reach terminal velocity? 8 Air resistance becomes greater than his weight and slows him down. A Air resistance decreases …
- Question 9
The diagram shows a bottle containing air, water and sand. 9 air water sand …
- Question 10
What is the unit of impulse? 10 Ns …
- Question 11
An electric motor produces a force F to pull a trolley up a ramp. There is no friction or air resistance acting. 11 F trolley ramp electric motor Which quantity is equal to the work done by the force F? …
- Question 12
A heavy box of weight W slides down a frictionless slope. …
- Question 13
In a fossil fuel power station, chemical energy stored in the fossil fuel is used to generate electricity. Which stage is not involved in the generation of electricity in a nuclear power station? 13 Fuel is burned in a furnace. …
- Question 14
The diagrams show rectangular blocks. Each block rests on a flat surface. The weights and the dimensions of the blocks are shown. Which diagram shows the block that exerts the greatest pressure on the flat surface? …
- Question 15
It is dangerous for divers rising to the surface in a lake when the pressure decreases by more than 180000Pa in 1.0 minute. The density of water is 1000kg/m3. The gravitational field strength g is 9.8N/kg. What is the greatest …
- Question 16
Which terms describe the changes in state between a gas and a liquid? 16 boiling and condensing A boiling and freezing B condensing and freezing C evaporating and solidifying D
- Question 17
A substance consists of particles that are close together and moving past each other at random. The average speed of the particles is gradually increasing. What best describes the substance? 17 a gas being heated A a liquid being heated …
- Question 18
A helium balloon rises through the atmosphere. The temperature of the helium in the balloon remains constant, but the pressure of the helium decreases. Which row describes what happens to the helium atoms and to the density of the helium? …
- Question 19
A sample of liquid at 100 °C is allowed to cool to a room temperature of 20 °C. The diagram shows how the temperature changes with time during the cooling process. At which time does the sample become completely solid? …
- Question 20
A wave has a frequency of 2.0Hz. How many waves are produced in one minute? …
- Question 21
The frequency of a wave is 0.60MHz and the wavelength of the wave is 0.50km. What is the speed of this wave? …
- Question 22
Which list consists only of transverse waves? 22 electromagnetic waves, seismic S-waves, waves on the surface of water A seismic S-waves, sound waves, electromagnetic waves B sound waves, waves on the surface of water, seismic P-waves C waves on the …
- Question 23
The diagram shows the refraction of water waves as they cross a boundary in a ripple tank. 23 direction of wave motion boundary What causes this refraction? a change in frequency due to a change in depth A a change …
- Question 24
A woman stands in front of a plane mirror. She sees an image of herself in the mirror. 24 plane mirror The woman moves 1.0m further away from the mirror. What happens to the distance between the woman and her …
- Question 25
The refractive index of Perspex is 1.5. What is the critical angle for light incident on the boundary between Perspex and air? …
- Question 26
Which statement is correct? 26 Infrared radiation cannot travel in a vacuum. A Infrared radiation cannot travel in solids or in gases. B Infrared radiation can only travel in a vacuum. C Infrared radiation can travel in a vacuum and …
- Question 27
Ultraviolet waves and radio waves are both components of the electromagnetic spectrum. Why do ultraviolet waves cause skin cancer and cataracts while radio waves do not? 27 Ultraviolet waves have a greater speed in air than radio waves. A Ultraviolet …
- Question 28
A fishing boat emits a pulse of ultrasound. The pulse is reflected from some fish underneath the boat. The reflected pulse reaches the boat 0.32s after it is emitted. The speed of ultrasound in water is 1500m/s. What is the …
- Question 29
Two bars are each marked at one end with an X or a Y, as shown. 29 X bar 1 Y bar 2 End X of bar 1 is brought close to the N pole and then to the S …
- Question 30
The field outside a bar magnet is represented by magnetic field lines. Which row gives the direction of the arrows and the spacing of the field lines? 30 spacing of lines direction of arrows closer where field is stronger north …
- Question 31
Why are metals good electrical conductors? 31 Metals have electrons that are free to move. A Metals have isotopes that are radioactive. B Metals have nuclei that have a positive charge. C Metals have protons that are fixed in their …
- Question 32
The diagram shows a lamp, three resistors and three switches, X, Y and Z, connected to a battery. …
- Question 33
Which quantities are multiplied together to determine the power input to an electrical appliance? 33 potential difference, current and time A potential difference and current only B potential difference, resistance and time C potential difference and resistance only …
- Question 34
A current-carrying wire XY moves out of the page when placed perpendicular to the magnetic field shown. …
- Question 35
A simple transformer is shown. 35 X Part X is labelled. Which material is used to make part X? iron A plastic B copper C steel …
- Question 36
The table shows the number of protons, neutrons and electrons in four particles. Which row shows the overall charge on the particle? 36 overall charge number of electrons number of neutrons number of protons neutral …
- Question 37
In the alpha-particle scattering experiment, a beam of alpha-particles is aimed at a thin sheet of gold in a vacuum. A student writes three conclusions about this experiment. 37 1 The atom has a very small nucleus surrounded by mostly …
- Question 38
The Earth, the Moon and the Sun are objects in the Solar System. Which statement about the Earth, the Moon and the Sun is correct? 38 The Earth orbits the Moon once every 24 hours. A The Earth orbits the …
- Question 39
In which three regions of the electromagnetic spectrum does the Sun radiate most of its energy? 39 infrared, radio, visible A infrared, ultraviolet, visible B gamma, radio, visible C ultraviolet, visible, X-rays …
- Question 40
The Big Bang theory describes the expansion of the Universe. Three statements that relate to the Big Bang theory are listed. 40 1 Distant galaxies are receding faster than closer galaxies. 2 Redshift is an increase in the observed frequency …
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