About this A-Level Physics practice test

AQA, Edexcel, and OCR physics exams reward the same procedural discipline every year: state the formula, substitute correctly, keep the units. This set covers Mechanics, Fields, and Nuclear Physics with that discipline in mind, and every worked solution shows exactly how to lay out an answer for maximum credit, not just the final number.

A-Level Physics Practice Test sample questions

These starter questions help you launch a physics mock test quickly. Swap them with your own worksheet, notebook, or textbook questions any time.

1. 1. A car accelerates uniformly along a straight road from 8.0 m/s to 22 m/s in 6.0 s. Calculate (a) its acceleration and (b) the distance it travels in this time.

2. 2. A ball is kicked horizontally off a cliff of height 20 m with an initial horizontal speed of 12 m/s. Taking g = 9.8 m/s², find (a) the time taken to reach the ground and (b) the horizontal distance travelled.

3. 3. A 5.0 kg block on a horizontal surface is pushed by a horizontal force of 30 N. The coefficient of kinetic friction between block and surface is 0.25. Taking g = 9.8 m/s², calculate the block's acceleration.

4. 4. A 0.50 kg trolley moving at 4.0 m/s collides with a stationary 1.5 kg trolley and they stick together. Calculate (a) their common velocity after the collision and (b) the kinetic energy lost in the collision.

5. 5. A 1200 kg car travelling at 25 m/s brakes to rest over a distance of 50 m. Using the work–energy principle, calculate the average braking force.

6. 6. A 0.30 kg ball is attached by a string to a fixed point on a smooth horizontal table and moves in a horizontal circle of radius 0.80 m at a constant speed of 4.0 m/s. Calculate the tension in the string.

7. 7. A car travels at a constant 18 m/s around an unbanked circular bend of radius 45 m. Taking g = 9.8 m/s², calculate (a) the centripetal acceleration and (b) the minimum coefficient of friction needed between tyres and road to prevent skidding.

8. 8. A nichrome wire of length 2.5 m and cross-sectional area 0.50 mm² has resistivity 1.10 × 10⁻⁶ Ω m. Calculate its resistance.

9. 9. A battery of EMF 9.0 V and internal resistance 0.50 Ω is connected to an external resistor of 4.0 Ω. Calculate (a) the current in the circuit and (b) the terminal potential difference of the battery.

10. 10. A potential divider consists of a 12 V supply connected across two resistors in series, R1 = 2.0 kΩ and R2 = 4.0 kΩ. Calculate the voltage across R2.

11. 11. A 220 μF capacitor is charged through a 4.7 kΩ resistor. Calculate the time constant of the charging circuit.

12. 12. A 470 μF capacitor is connected across a 6.0 V supply. Calculate (a) the charge stored and (b) the energy stored in the capacitor.

13. 13. A straight wire of length 0.15 m carries a current of 3.0 A and lies perpendicular to a uniform magnetic field of flux density 0.40 T. Calculate the force on the wire.

14. 14. A coil of 200 turns and cross-sectional area 0.020 m² lies with its plane perpendicular to a magnetic field that decreases uniformly from 0.50 T to 0.10 T in 0.40 s. Calculate the magnitude of the EMF induced in the coil.

15. 15. A transverse wave travels along a stretched string at 24 m/s with a wavelength of 0.60 m. Calculate (a) the frequency and (b) the period of the wave.

16. 16. A string of length 1.2 m is fixed at both ends and vibrates in its third harmonic. Calculate the wavelength of the standing wave.

17. 17. In a double-slit interference experiment, the slit separation is 0.25 mm, the screen is 2.4 m from the slits, and the fringe spacing measured on the screen is 5.6 mm. Calculate the wavelength of the light used.

18. 18. Monochromatic light is incident normally on a diffraction grating with 500 lines per mm. The first-order maximum is observed at an angle of 20° to the normal. Calculate the wavelength of the light.

19. 19. Light travels inside a glass block of refractive index 1.50 towards the glass–air boundary. Calculate the critical angle for this boundary.

20. 20. A ray of light in air is incident on the surface of water (refractive index 1.33) at an angle of 35° to the normal. Calculate the angle of refraction in the water.

21. 21. Calculate the energy required to heat 2.5 kg of water from 15 °C to 85 °C. (Specific heat capacity of water = 4200 J kg⁻¹ °C⁻¹.)

22. 22. Calculate the energy required to melt 0.40 kg of ice already at 0 °C. (Specific latent heat of fusion of ice = 3.34 × 10⁵ J kg⁻¹.)

23. 23. A fixed mass of gas has an initial pressure of 1.0 × 10⁵ Pa, volume 2.0 × 10⁻³ m³, and temperature 290 K. It is compressed to a volume of 0.50 × 10⁻³ m³ and heated to 350 K. Calculate the new pressure.

24. 24. A container of volume 0.020 m³ holds 3.0 × 10²³ gas molecules, each of mass 5.0 × 10⁻²⁶ kg, at a pressure of 1.5 × 10⁵ Pa. Using the kinetic theory equation pV = ⅓Nm⟨c²⟩, calculate the root-mean-square speed of the molecules.

25. 25. Calculate the average translational kinetic energy of a gas molecule at a temperature of 400 K. (Boltzmann constant k = 1.38 × 10⁻²³ J K⁻¹.)

26. 26. A radioactive sample has an initial activity of 800 Bq and a half-life of 5.0 days. Calculate its activity after 15 days.

27. 27. A radioactive isotope has a half-life of 8.0 days. Calculate its decay constant, in s⁻¹.

28. 28. The nucleus of helium-4 has a mass of 4.001506 u. Given the mass of a proton is 1.007276 u and the mass of a neutron is 1.008665 u, and using 1 u = 931.5 MeV/c², calculate the binding energy per nucleon of helium-4.

29. 29. A metal surface has a work function of 2.3 eV. Light of wavelength 400 nm is incident on the surface. Calculate the maximum kinetic energy of the emitted photoelectrons, in both eV and joules. (h = 6.63 × 10⁻³⁴ J s, c = 3.00 × 10⁸ m/s, 1 eV = 1.60 × 10⁻¹⁹ J.)

30. 30. In beta-minus decay, a free neutron decays according to n → p + e⁻ + X. Identify particle X and show that charge and lepton number are conserved in this decay.

Answer key & quick explanations

Short answers for the sample questions above. Use this to self-check before generating a fresh AI-built mock test.

1. 1. Uniform acceleration of a car

   a = 2.33 m/s², s = 90 m

   Using a = (v − u)/t = (22 − 8)/6.0 = 2.33 m/s². Distance uses s = ((u+v)/2) × t = (30/2) × 6.0 = 90 m, since acceleration is uniform so average velocity applies.

2. 2. Projectile kicked horizontally off a cliff

   t = 2.0 s, x = 24 m

   Vertically, h = ½gt² gives t = √(2h/g) = √(40/9.8) = 2.02 s. Horizontally there is no acceleration, so x = ut = 12 × 2.02 ≈ 24 m; the horizontal and vertical motions are independent.

3. 3. Block pushed against friction

   a = 3.55 m/s² (≈3.6 m/s²)

   Friction force f = μmg = 0.25 × 5.0 × 9.8 = 12.25 N. Net force = 30 − 12.25 = 17.75 N, so a = F_net/m = 17.75/5.0 = 3.55 m/s² by Newton's second law.

4. 4. Perfectly inelastic trolley collision

   v = 1.0 m/s, KE lost = 3.0 J

   Conservation of momentum: m1u1 = (m1+m2)v → 0.50×4.0 = 2.0×v, so v = 1.0 m/s. KE before = ½×0.50×4.0² = 4.0 J, KE after = ½×2.0×1.0² = 1.0 J, so 3.0 J is lost to heat/sound/deformation.

5. 5. Braking force from work–energy theorem

   F = 7500 N

   Initial KE = ½mv² = ½ × 1200 × 25² = 375,000 J, which is entirely removed by the braking work Fd. So F = 375,000/50 = 7500 N.

6. 6. Tension in a horizontal circular motion problem

   T = 6.0 N

   The table's normal force balances weight, so the string tension provides the entire centripetal force. a_c = v²/r = 4.0²/0.80 = 20 m/s², so T = ma_c = 0.30 × 20 = 6.0 N.

7. 7. Car rounding an unbanked bend

   a = 7.2 m/s², μ_min = 0.73

   Centripetal acceleration a = v²/r = 18²/45 = 7.2 m/s². Friction supplies this: μmg = mv²/r, so μ_min = a/g = 7.2/9.8 = 0.73 (2 s.f.).

8. 8. Resistance of a nichrome wire

   R = 5.5 Ω

   R = ρL/A = (1.10×10⁻⁶ × 2.5)/(0.50×10⁻⁶). The numerator gives 2.75×10⁻⁶, and dividing by the area 0.50×10⁻⁶ m² gives R = 5.5 Ω.

9. 9. EMF, internal resistance and terminal p.d.

   I = 2.0 A, terminal p.d. = 8.0 V

   Total circuit resistance = R + r = 4.0 + 0.50 = 4.5 Ω, so I = EMF/(R+r) = 9.0/4.5 = 2.0 A. Terminal p.d. = EMF − Ir = 9.0 − (2.0×0.50) = 8.0 V, equal to IR = 2.0×4.0 = 8.0 V.

10. 10. Potential divider voltage across R2

    V(R2) = 8.0 V

    In a series potential divider the voltage splits in proportion to resistance: V(R2) = Vs × R2/(R1+R2) = 12 × 4.0/6.0 = 8.0 V, since the same current flows through both resistors.

11. 11. Capacitor charging time constant

    τ ≈ 1.0 s

    The time constant of an RC charging circuit is τ = RC = 4700 Ω × 220×10⁻⁶ F = 1.034 s ≈ 1.0 s, the time for the charge (or voltage) to reach about 63% of its final value.

12. 12. Charge and energy stored in a capacitor

    Q = 2.82 mC, E = 8.46 mJ

    Charge Q = CV = 470×10⁻⁶ × 6.0 = 2.82×10⁻³ C. Energy stored E = ½CV² = ½ × 470×10⁻⁶ × 6.0² = 8.46×10⁻³ J.

13. 13. Force on a current-carrying wire in a field

    F = 0.18 N

    For a wire perpendicular to the field, F = BIL = 0.40 × 3.0 × 0.15 = 0.18 N, directed according to Fleming's left-hand rule.

14. 14. EMF induced by a changing magnetic field

    EMF = 4.0 V

    Flux linkage change per turn is ΔΦ = AΔB = 0.020 × (0.50−0.10) = 8.0×10⁻³ Wb. By Faraday's law, EMF = NΔΦ/Δt = 200 × 8.0×10⁻³/0.40 = 4.0 V.

15. 15. Wave frequency and period

    f = 40 Hz, T = 0.025 s

    Using v = fλ, f = v/λ = 24/0.60 = 40 Hz. Period is the reciprocal of frequency, T = 1/f = 1/40 = 0.025 s.

16. 16. Wavelength of the third harmonic on a string

    λ = 0.80 m

    For a string fixed at both ends vibrating in its nth harmonic, L = nλ/2, so λ = 2L/n = (2×1.2)/3 = 0.80 m, since the third harmonic has three half-wavelengths along the string.

17. 17. Wavelength from double-slit fringe spacing

    λ ≈ 583 nm

    Fringe spacing w = λD/a, so λ = wa/D = (5.6×10⁻³ × 0.25×10⁻³)/2.4 = 5.83×10⁻⁷ m = 583 nm, in the visible (green-yellow) range as expected.

18. 18. Wavelength from a diffraction grating

    λ ≈ 684 nm

    Grating spacing d = 1/N = 1/(500 lines mm⁻¹) = 2.0×10⁻⁶ m. Using d sinθ = nλ with n = 1, λ = d sinθ = 2.0×10⁻⁶ × sin20° = 6.84×10⁻⁷ m ≈ 684 nm (red light).

19. 19. Critical angle at a glass–air boundary

    θc ≈ 41.8°

    At the critical angle the refracted ray grazes the boundary at 90°, so sinθc = 1/n = 1/1.50 = 0.667. Taking the inverse sine gives θc = 41.8°.

20. 20. Refraction angle from air into water

    θ₂ ≈ 25.5°

    Using Snell's law n1sinθ1 = n2sinθ2 with n_air = 1.00 and n_water = 1.33: sinθ₂ = sin35°/1.33 = 0.5736/1.33 = 0.431, so θ₂ = 25.5°, bending towards the normal as expected entering a denser medium.

21. 21. Heating water using specific heat capacity

    Q = 735 kJ

    Using Q = mcΔT with ΔT = 85−15 = 70 °C: Q = 2.5 × 4200 × 70 = 735,000 J = 735 kJ. This assumes no heat loss to the surroundings.

22. 22. Latent heat to melt ice

    Q ≈ 134 kJ

    Since the ice is already at 0 °C, all the energy goes into the phase change: Q = mL = 0.40 × 3.34×10⁵ = 1.336×10⁵ J ≈ 134 kJ, with no temperature rise during melting.

23. 23. Combined gas law after compression and heating

    P2 ≈ 4.8 × 10⁵ Pa

    For a fixed mass of gas, P1V1/T1 = P2V2/T2, so P2 = P1V1T2/(T1V2) = (1.0×10⁵ × 2.0×10⁻³ × 350)/(290 × 0.50×10⁻³) = 70,000/0.145 ≈ 4.8×10⁵ Pa.

24. 24. RMS speed from kinetic theory

    c_rms ≈ 775 m/s

    From pV = ⅓Nm⟨c²⟩, ⟨c²⟩ = 3pV/(Nm) = (3×1.5×10⁵×0.020)/(3.0×10²³×5.0×10⁻²⁶) = 9000/0.015 = 6.0×10⁵ m²/s². Taking the square root gives c_rms = √(6.0×10⁵) ≈ 775 m/s.

25. 25. Average kinetic energy of a gas molecule

    KE ≈ 8.28 × 10⁻²¹ J

    The kinetic theory relates mean molecular KE to absolute temperature via KE = ³⁄₂kT. Substituting, KE = 1.5 × 1.38×10⁻²³ × 400 = 8.28×10⁻²¹ J, independent of the type of gas.

26. 26. Activity after several half-lives

    A = 100 Bq

    15 days corresponds to 15/5.0 = 3 half-lives. Activity halves each half-life, so A = A0(½)ⁿ = 800 × (½)³ = 800/8 = 100 Bq.

27. 27. Decay constant from half-life

    λ ≈ 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ s⁻¹

    The half-life relates to the decay constant via t½ = ln2/λ. Converting 8.0 days to seconds (8.0×86,400 = 691,200 s) gives λ = ln2/t½ = 0.693/691,200 ≈ 1.0×10⁻⁶ s⁻¹.

28. 28. Binding energy per nucleon of helium-4

    BE/nucleon ≈ 7.07 MeV

    Mass defect Δm = (2m_p + 2m_n) − M(He-4) = (2×1.007276 + 2×1.008665) − 4.001506 = 4.031882 − 4.001506 = 0.030376 u. Total binding energy = 0.030376 × 931.5 = 28.30 MeV, so per nucleon this is 28.30/4 ≈ 7.07 MeV, close to the accepted textbook value for helium-4.

29. 29. Maximum kinetic energy in the photoelectric effect

    KE_max ≈ 0.81 eV ≈ 1.3 × 10⁻¹⁹ J

    Photon energy E = hc/λ = (6.63×10⁻³⁴ × 3.00×10⁸)/(4.00×10⁻⁷) = 4.97×10⁻¹⁹ J = 3.11 eV. By Einstein's photoelectric equation, KE_max = E − φ = 3.11 − 2.3 = 0.81 eV, equivalent to 0.81 × 1.60×10⁻¹⁹ ≈ 1.3×10⁻¹⁹ J.

30. 30. Identifying the particle in beta-minus decay

    X is an electron antineutrino, ν̄e

    Charge conservation: 0 (neutron) = (+1) + (−1) + 0, so X must be uncharged. Lepton number conservation: 0 (neutron, baryon only) = 0 (proton) + (+1, electron) + L(X), so L(X) = −1, meaning X carries lepton number −1 — this identifies it as an electron antineutrino, not a neutrino.

Curriculum Mapping & Learning Guide

Use this breakdown to identify which skills each question tests and guide post-test review.

A-Level Physics units covered

1. Chapter 1: Mechanics: kinematics, forces, momentum, energy, circular motion
2. Chapter 2: Electricity: circuits, resistance, capacitance, electromagnetism
3. Chapter 3: Waves: properties, superposition, diffraction, optics
4. Chapter 4: Thermal Physics: specific heat, latent heat, ideal gas laws, kinetic theory
5. Chapter 5: Nuclear & Particle Physics: radioactivity, binding energy, standard model, photoelectric effect

Physics practice tests for other exams and classes

Continue the same physics thread across nearby exams and school classes for year-on-year revision.