Friction
1.5.2What the syllabus asks of you
- Describe friction as a force that may impede motion and produce heating
- Understand the motion of objects acted on by a constant weight or driving force, with and without drag (including air resistance or resistance in a liquid)
- Explain how an object reaches terminal velocity
- Define the thinking distance, braking distance and stopping distance of a moving vehicle
- Explain the factors that affect thinking and braking distance including speed, tiredness, alcohol, drugs, load, tyre surface and road conditions
Read the notes first
Chapter 1: Friction
Drill this topic
Every question on Friction, untimed, marked as you go.
Make a worksheet
Choose the years and how many questions, then print it with the answers on separate pages.
31 questions
1May / June 2026 · Paper 11 · Q7Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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2May / June 2026 · Paper 12 · Q8Show mark scheme →
AAir resistance becomes greater than his weight and slows him down.
BAir resistance decreases and he speeds up.
CAir resistance increases and balances his weight so that his acceleration is zero.
DHis weight decreases and balances the air resistance.
Mark scheme
3Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 11 · Q6Show mark scheme →
AThere are no forces acting on the parachutist.
BThe upward force on the parachute is equal to the weight of the parachutist.
CThe upward force on the parachute is greater than the weight of the parachutist.
DThe upward force on the parachute is less than the weight of the parachutist.
Mark scheme
4May / June 2025 · Paper 11 · Q3Show mark scheme →
AThe coin has not hit the ground.
BThe weight of the coin equals the air resistance.
CThe weight of the coin increases as the air resistance increases.
DThe weight of the coin is always more than the air resistance.
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5May / June 2025 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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6May / June 2025 · Paper 12 · Q4Show mark scheme →
A1 and 2
B1 and 3
C1 only
D2 only
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7Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 11 · Q10Show mark scheme →
Afriction
Bmass
Cthrust
Dweight
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8May / June 2024 · Paper 11 · Q6Show mark scheme →
Abraking distance + stopping distance; load carried
Bbraking distance + stopping distance; speed of car
Cstopping distance – braking distance; load carried
Dstopping distance – braking distance; speed of car
Mark scheme
9Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 11 · Q3Show mark scheme →
AThe frictional force increases as the block moves at constant speed.
BThe frictional force is equal and opposite to the pushing force.
CThe frictional force is greater than the pushing force.
DThe frictional force is less than the pushing force.
Mark scheme
10Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q6Show mark scheme →
Avelocity decreases, acceleration decreases
Bvelocity decreases, acceleration increases
Cvelocity increases, acceleration decreases
Dvelocity increases, acceleration increases
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11Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q7Show mark scheme →
AW and X
BX and Y
CX and Z
DY and Z
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12May / June 2023 · Paper 12 · Q9Show mark scheme →
Aspeed of car ✓, tiredness of driver ✗, condition of road ✗
Bspeed of car ✓, tiredness of driver ✓, condition of road ✓
Cspeed of car ✓, tiredness of driver ✗, condition of road ✓
Dspeed of car ✗, tiredness of driver ✓, condition of road ✓
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13Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 11 · Q6Show mark scheme →
Ausing a lighter bicycle
Btravelling at greater speed
Ca smoother tyre surface
Da road surface covered in oil
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14Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 11 · Q7Show mark scheme →
Abraking distance + thinking distance
Bbraking distance – thinking distance
Cbraking distance × thinking distance
Dbraking distance ÷ thinking distance
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15Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 12 · Q7Show mark scheme →
Ano change | increases | increases
Bno change | no change | no change
Cincreases | increases | increases
Dincreases | no change | increases
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16May / June 2022 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Amotion through the thinking distance: deceleration, motion through the braking distance: deceleration
Bmotion through the thinking distance: deceleration, motion through the braking distance: uniform velocity
Cmotion through the thinking distance: uniform velocity, motion through the braking distance: deceleration
Dmotion through the thinking distance: uniform velocity, motion through the braking distance: uniform velocity
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17May / June 2022 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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18Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 11 · Q3Show mark scheme →
Adecreasing | constant
Bconstant | constant
Cincreasing | decreasing
Dincreasing | increasing
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19May / June 2021 · Paper 12 · Q2Also set in May / June 2021 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Adecreases, increases
Bdecreases, decreases
Cincreases, decreases
Dincreases, increases
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20May / June 2021 · Paper 12 · Q4Show mark scheme →
A1 and 2
B1 and 3
C1 only
D3 only
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21Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 12 · Q4Show mark scheme →
Abackwards on the tyres
Bforwards on the tyres
Cupwards on the tyres
Ddownwards on the road
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22May / June 2020 · Paper 11 · Q6Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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23Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 12 · Q7Show mark scheme →
Aa bungee jumper leaping from a bridge
Ba feather falling in a vertical tube that contains a vacuum
Ca hailstone travelling to Earth at terminal velocity
Da sky-diver dropping from an aircraft towards the ground
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24May / June 2019 · Paper 12 · Q7Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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25Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 11 · Q3Show mark scheme →
Aacceleration of the skydiver: downwards; velocity of the skydiver: constant
Bacceleration of the skydiver: downwards; velocity of the skydiver: zero
Cacceleration of the skydiver: zero; velocity of the skydiver: constant
Dacceleration of the skydiver: zero; velocity of the skydiver: zero
Mark scheme
26May / June 2018 · Paper 11 · Q5Show mark scheme →
Abraking distance decreases, frictional force decreases
Bbraking distance decreases, frictional force increases
Cbraking distance increases, frictional force decreases
Dbraking distance increases, frictional force increases
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27May / June 2018 · Paper 12 · Q6Show mark scheme →
Aair resistance and weight
Bair resistance only
Cweight only
Dno forces act
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28Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 11 · Q5Show mark scheme →
Aresultant force: downwards; acceleration: downwards
Bresultant force: downwards; acceleration: upwards
Cresultant force: upwards; acceleration: downwards
Dresultant force: upwards; acceleration: upwards
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29Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 12 · Q4Show mark scheme →
Adownward force decreases; upward force decreases; resultant force stays the same
Bdownward force increases; upward force stays the same; resultant force decreases
Cdownward force stays the same; upward force increases; resultant force decreases
Ddownward force stays the same; upward force increases; resultant force increases
Mark scheme
30May / June 2017 · Paper 11 · Q6Show mark scheme →
AAir resistance becomes greater than his weight and slows him down.
BAir resistance decreases and he speeds up.
CAir resistance increases and balances his weight so that his acceleration is zero.
DHis weight decreases and balances the air resistance.
Mark scheme
31Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 12 · Q2Also set in Oct / Nov 2016 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Aconstant at 0 m / s²
Bconstant at 10 m / s²
Cstarting at 0 m / s² and increasing to 10 m / s²
Dstarting at 10 m / s² and decreasing to 0 m / s²
Mark scheme