Motion
1.2What the syllabus asks of you
- Define speed as distance travelled per unit time and define velocity as change in displacement per unit time
- Recall and use the equation speed = distance / time v = s / t
- Recall and use the equation average speed = total distance travelled / total time taken
- Define acceleration as change in velocity per unit time; recall and use the equation acceleration = change in velocity / time taken a = ∆v / ∆t
- State what is meant by, and describe examples of, uniform acceleration and non-uniform acceleration
- Know that a deceleration is a negative acceleration and use this in calculations
- Sketch, plot and interpret distance–time and speed–time graphs
- Determine from the shape of a distance–time graph when an object is: (a) at rest (b) moving with constant speed (c) accelerating (d) decelerating
- Determine from the shape of a speed–time graph when an object is: (a) at rest (b) moving with constant speed (c) moving with constant acceleration (d) moving with changing acceleration
- State that the acceleration of free fall g for an object near to the surface of the Earth is approximately constant and is approximately 9.8 m / s2
- Calculate speed from the gradient of a distance–time graph
- Calculate the area under a speed–time graph to determine the distance travelled for motion with constant speed or constant acceleration
- Calculate acceleration from the gradient of a speed–time graph
Read the notes first
Chapter 1: Motion
Drill this topic
Every question on Motion, untimed, marked as you go.
Make a worksheet
Choose the years and how many questions, then print it with the answers on separate pages.
50 questions
1May / June 2026 · Paper 11 · Q3Show mark scheme →
AThe cyclist is at rest.
BThe cyclist is moving with constant speed.
CThe cyclist is accelerating.
DThe cyclist is decelerating.
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2May / June 2026 · Paper 11 · Q4Show mark scheme →
AP, Q and R
BP and Q only
CP and R only
DQ and R only
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3May / June 2026 · Paper 12 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Athe area under a distance–time graph
Bthe area under a speed–time graph
Cthe gradient of a distance–time graph
Dthe gradient of a speed–time graph
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4Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 11 · Q3Show mark scheme →
Aneither 1 nor 2
B1 only
C2 only
Dboth 1 and 2
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5Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 11 · Q4Show mark scheme →
Agraph A
Bgraph B
Cgraph C
Dgraph D
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6Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
A\frac{\text{change in distance}}{\text{time taken}}
B\frac{\text{change in distance in a fixed direction}}{\text{time taken}}
C\frac{\text{change in speed}}{\text{time taken}}
D\frac{\text{change in velocity}}{\text{time taken}}
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7May / June 2025 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
A20 m
B25 m
C30 m
D40 m
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8May / June 2025 · Paper 12 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Aa ball thrown vertically upwards and falling back to the thrower
Ba car starting from rest and speeding up as it moves away from a traffic signal
Ca rock dropped from a high cliff and falling into the sea below
Da train braking to a halt as it stops at a station
Mark scheme
9May / June 2025 · Paper 12 · Q6Show mark scheme →
AThe sphere with the larger mass has a smaller acceleration.
BThe sphere with the larger mass hits the ground first.
CThe sphere with the smaller mass has a smaller acceleration.
DThe two spheres hit the ground together.
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10Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 11 · Q4Show mark scheme →
A2.4 km / h
B3.4 km / h
C3.5 km / h
D5.0 km / h
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11Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 11 · Q5Show mark scheme →
Ax-axis: distance, y-axis: time
Bx-axis: speed, y-axis: time
Cx-axis: time, y-axis: distance
Dx-axis: time, y-axis: speed
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12Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 11 · Q6Show mark scheme →
A
B
C
D
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13Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
A2.0 m / s
B2.3 m / s
C2.4 m / s
D2.5 m / s
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14Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 12 · Q4Show mark scheme →
AP and Q
BP and R
CP only
DR only
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15May / June 2024 · Paper 11 · Q3Show mark scheme →
Amoving with constant speed from 0–4 s, followed by non-uniform acceleration
Bmoving with constant speed from 0–4 s, then uniform acceleration
Cat rest from 0–4 s, then non-uniform acceleration
Dat rest from 0–4 s, then uniform acceleration
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16May / June 2024 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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17May / June 2024 · Paper 12 · Q4Show mark scheme →
Aacceleration
Baverage speed
Caverage velocity
Dpower
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18May / June 2024 · Paper 12 · Q14Show mark scheme →
A2.9 m
B10 m
C20 m
D40 m
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19Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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20Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 11 · Q4Show mark scheme →
ABoth the acceleration and the velocity change.
BOnly the acceleration changes.
COnly the velocity changes.
DNeither the acceleration nor the velocity changes.
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21Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Aacceleration
Bdisplacement
Cgravitational potential energy
Dkinetic energy
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22Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
Aarea under the distance–time graph; area under the speed–time graph
Barea under the distance–time graph; gradient of the speed–time graph
Cgradient of the distance–time graph; area under the speed–time graph
Dgradient of the distance–time graph; gradient of the speed–time graph
Mark scheme
23May / June 2023 · Paper 11 · Q4Show mark scheme →
A[graph: distance–time curve increasing with decreasing gradient]
B[graph: distance–time curve increasing with increasing gradient]
C[graph: distance–time curve increasing then horizontal]
D[graph: distance–time curve increasing with increasing gradient then horizontal]
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24May / June 2023 · Paper 12 · Q4Show mark scheme →
A0.3 m / s
B0.6 m / s
C1.7 m / s
D3.3 m / s
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25Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 11 · Q4Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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26Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 11 · Q5Show mark scheme →
Aspeed–time graph showing a straight line through the origin with positive constant gradient
Bspeed–time graph showing a horizontal line (constant speed)
Cspeed–time graph showing a curve with increasing gradient
Dspeed–time graph showing a curve with decreasing gradient
Mark scheme
27Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 12 · Q5Show mark scheme →
Aspeed-time graph: speed increases from zero then becomes constant
Bspeed-time graph: speed constant then decreases to zero
Cspeed-time graph: speed increases then drops sharply to zero
Dspeed-time graph: speed increases then gradually decreases
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28Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
A2.2 m / s²
B4.3 m / s²
C8.0 m / s²
D13.0 m / s²
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29May / June 2021 · Paper 11 · Q3Show mark scheme →
AIts speed is decreasing and it is moving away from the station.
BIts speed is decreasing and it is moving towards the station.
CIts speed is increasing and it is moving away from the station.
DIts speed is increasing and it is moving towards the station.
Mark scheme
30Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 12 · Q2Also set in Oct / Nov 2020 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
ABoth the acceleration and the velocity change.
BOnly the acceleration changes.
COnly the velocity changes.
DNeither the acceleration nor the velocity changes.
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31Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
A
B
C
D
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32May / June 2020 · Paper 11 · Q3Show mark scheme →
A1 m / s
B2 m / s
C3 m / s
D4 m / s
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33May / June 2020 · Paper 11 · Q17Show mark scheme →
A4.5 m / s
B6.3 m / s
C20 m / s
D40 m / s
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34May / June 2020 · Paper 12 · Q5Show mark scheme →
Aaverage acceleration of the vehicle
Baverage speed of the vehicle
Cmaximum acceleration of the vehicle
Dmaximum speed of the vehicle
Mark scheme
35Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 11 · Q10Show mark scheme →
AThe sphere with the larger mass has a smaller acceleration.
BThe sphere with the larger mass hits the ground first.
CThe sphere with the smaller mass has a smaller acceleration.
DThe two spheres hit the ground together.
Mark scheme
36Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 12 · Q5Show mark scheme →
ABoth runners started at the same moment.
BRunner 1 has a greater acceleration than runner 2.
CRunner 1 is moving faster than runner 2.
DThe distance between the two runners stays constant.
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37Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 12 · Q6Also set in Oct / Nov 2019 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
AThe acceleration decreases.
BThe acceleration increases.
CThe acceleration is constant, but not zero.
DThe acceleration is zero.
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38May / June 2019 · Paper 12 · Q2Show mark scheme →
A0.060 km / minute
B0.080 km / minute
C0.090 km / minute
D0.130 km / minute
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39May / June 2019 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
A\frac{6}{12-8}
B\frac{8}{12-6}
C\frac{12-6}{8}
D\frac{12-8}{6}
Mark scheme
40May / June 2019 · Paper 12 · Q4Show mark scheme →
Aa ball thrown vertically upwards and falling back to the thrower
Ba car, starting from rest, speeding up as it moves away from a traffic signal
Ca rock dropped from a high cliff, falling into the sea below
Da train braking to a halt as it stops at a station
Mark scheme
41Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 11 · Q4Show mark scheme →
A1.0 m / s
B1.2 m / s
C1.5 m / s
D2.0 m / s
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42Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 12 · Q2Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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43May / June 2018 · Paper 11 · Q4Show mark scheme →
Aspeed-time graph A
Bspeed-time graph B
Cspeed-time graph C
Dspeed-time graph D
Mark scheme
44Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 11 · Q4Show mark scheme →
A300 m
B350 m
C400 m
D450 m
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45Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 12 · Q3Also set in Oct / Nov 2017 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Adistance-time graph: curve starting at origin, increasing with increasing gradient
Bdistance-time graph: curve starting at origin, increasing with decreasing gradient
Cdistance-time graph: straight line from origin with constant positive gradient
Ddistance-time graph: horizontal line (constant distance)
Mark scheme
46May / June 2017 · Paper 12 · Q4Also set in May / June 2017 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Aacceleration
Bgravitational potential energy
Ckinetic energy
Dresultant force
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47May / June 2017 · Paper 12 · Q5Show mark scheme →
A0.67 m
B1.5 m
C12 m
D24 m
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48Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 11 · Q4Show mark scheme →
Adistance / time
Bspeed / time
Ctime / distance
Dtime / speed
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49Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 12 · Q4Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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50May / June 2016 · Paper 11 · Q4Show mark scheme →
AThe acceleration decreases.
BThe acceleration increases.
CThe acceleration is constant, but not zero.
DThe acceleration is zero.
Mark scheme