Physical quantities and measurement techniques
1.1What the syllabus asks of you
- Describe how to measure a variety of lengths with appropriate precision using tapes, rulers and micrometers (including reading the scale on an analogue micrometer)
- Describe how to use a measuring cylinder to measure the volume of a liquid and to determine the volume of a solid by displacement
- Describe how to measure a variety of time intervals using clocks and digital timers
- Determine an average value for a small distance and for a short interval of time by measuring multiples (including the period of oscillation of a pendulum)
- Understand that a scalar quantity has magnitude (size) only and that a vector quantity has magnitude and direction
- Know that the following quantities are scalars: distance, speed, time, mass, energy and temperature
- Know that the following quantities are vectors: displacement, force, weight, velocity, acceleration, momentum, electric field strength and gravitational field strength
- Determine, by calculation or graphically, the resultant of two vectors at right angles
Read the notes first
Chapter 1: Physical quantities and measurement techniques
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Every question on Physical quantities and measurement techniques, untimed, marked as you go.
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65 questions
1May / June 2026 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Aacceleration
Bscalar
Cspeed
Dvector
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2May / June 2026 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
AUse a digital timer to measure the time for 1 period. Repeat this 10 times and calculate the average.
BCount the number of complete oscillations in 10 seconds. Divide by 10.
CUse a digital timer to measure the time for 1 period.
DUse a digital timer to measure the time for 10 complete oscillations. Divide by 10.
Mark scheme
3Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
A0.9 cm
B1.1 cm
C1.3 cm
D1.5 cm
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4Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Adisplacement, force, temperature | distance, weight, mass
Bdisplacement, mass, force | distance, weight, temperature
Cdistance, force, weight | displacement, mass, temperature
Ddistance, mass, temperature | displacement, force, weight
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5Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
A7.25 mm
B7.75 mm
C10.25 mm
D25.77 mm
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6Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 12 · Q2Show mark scheme →
A0.50 N
B2.5 N
C3.0 N
D3.5 N
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7Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 12 · Q7Show mark scheme →
A32.5 / 22.0
B32.5 / 54.5
C35.0 / 24.0
D35.0 / 59.0
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8May / June 2025 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Amass, scalar
Bmass, vector
Cweight, scalar
Dweight, vector
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9May / June 2025 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Amass, distance, weight
Bmomentum, gravitational field strength, displacement
Cenergy, force, velocity
Dacceleration, time, speed
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10Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
AMass is a scalar and its unit is the kilogram.
BMass is a scalar and its unit is the newton.
CMass is a vector and its unit is the kilogram.
DMass is a vector and its unit is the newton.
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11Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 11 · Q3Show mark scheme →
A15°
B30°
C45°
D60°
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12Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Aa tape
Ba metre rule
Ca micrometer
Da measuring cylinder
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13Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 12 · Q2Also set in May / June 2016 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Aacceleration, displacement, velocity
Bchemical energy, mass, power
Cextension, force, gravitational potential energy
Dweight, kinetic energy, work
Mark scheme
14May / June 2024 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Amass 10 g, volume 7 cm³
Bmass 10 g, volume 34 cm³
Cmass 34 g, volume 10 cm³
Dmass 34 g, volume 17 cm³
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15May / June 2024 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Adistance
Bforce
Cmass
Dspeed
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16May / June 2024 · Paper 12 · Q1Also set in May / June 2020 Paper 11, May / June 2020 Paper 12Show mark scheme →
Aarea
Bcurrent
Clength
Dmass
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17Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
AIt has a direction only.
BIt has direction and unit only.
CIt has direction, magnitude and unit.
DIt has magnitude and unit only.
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18Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
A20.4 cm$^3$
B24.0 cm$^3$
C24.5 cm$^3$
D25.0 cm$^3$
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19May / June 2023 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Aa clock only
Ba measuring tape only
Ca micrometer only
Da ruler only
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20May / June 2023 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Aacceleration = \frac{change\ in\ velocity}{time\ taken}
Baverage\ speed = \frac{distance\ travelled}{time\ taken}
Cdensity = \frac{mass}{volume}
Dvolume = length \times width \times height
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21May / June 2023 · Paper 11 · Q3Show mark scheme →
ADiagram A: 6.0 N upward and 8.0 N to the right, with resultant R pointing up-right along the diagonal.
BDiagram B: 6.0 N upward and 8.0 N to the right, with resultant R pointing down-right along the diagonal.
CDiagram C: 6.0 N upward and 8.0 N to the right, with resultant R pointing up-right along the diagonal.
DDiagram D: 6.0 N upward and 8.0 N to the right, with resultant R pointing down-right along the diagonal.
Mark scheme
22May / June 2023 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Ametre rule
Bmicrometer
Cstop-watch
Dtape measure
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23May / June 2023 · Paper 12 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Ascalar scalar vector scalar
Bscalar vector scalar vector
Cvector scalar vector vector
Dvector vector scalar scalar
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24May / June 2023 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
A1.0 N
B3.5 N
C5.0 N
D7.0 N
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25Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
A0
B1
C2
D3
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26Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 12 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Aa 30 cm ruler
Ba caliper
Ca micrometer
Da tape
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27Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
A0.0001 cm
B0.001 cm
C0.01 cm
D0.1 cm
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28May / June 2022 · Paper 12 · Q2Also set in May / June 2022 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Ametre rule / metre rule
Bmetre rule / micrometer
Ccalipers / metre rule
Dcalipers / micrometer
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29Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Aspeed
Bforce
Cmass
Ddistance
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30Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Aarrow pointing up-right
Barrow pointing down-right
Carrow pointing down-left
Darrow pointing up-left
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31Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
A3.0 m
B4.0 m
C5.0 m
D7.0 m
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32Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 12 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Athe diameter of the ball
Bthe gravitational force on the ball
Cthe distance from which the ball is dropped
Dthe speed at which the ball hits the ground
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33May / June 2021 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
A2
B3
C4
D5
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34May / June 2021 · Paper 12 · Q1Also set in May / June 2021 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Acalipers
Bmicrometer
Crule
Dtape
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35May / June 2020 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Aacceleration
Bdistance
Cspeed
Dtime
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36May / June 2020 · Paper 12 · Q2Also set in May / June 2020 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
A4.0 N
B5.0 N
C6.0 N
D7.0 N
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37May / June 2020 · Paper 12 · Q4Show mark scheme →
A0.4608 s
B6.08 s
C46.08 s
D608 s
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38Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Aacceleration
Bforce
Cmass
Dvelocity
Mark scheme
39Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Adensity
Bdisplacement
Cenergy
Dspeed
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40Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 12 · Q2Also set in Oct / Nov 2019 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
A1.0 N
B3.5 N
C5.0 N
D7.0 N
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41Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 12 · Q3Also set in Oct / Nov 2019 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Aelectromotive force (e.m.f.) — N
Blatent heat — J
Cpressure — kg / m3
Dweight — kg
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42Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 12 · Q4Also set in Oct / Nov 2019 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Amicrometer and rule
Bmicrometer and calipers
Crule and tape
Dtape and calipers
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43May / June 2019 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Aacceleration and length
Bdistance and velocity
Clength and distance
Dvelocity and acceleration
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44May / June 2019 · Paper 11 · Q4Show mark scheme →
A1 mC → 1 MC → 1 kC
B1 MC → 1 mC → 1 kC
C1 MC → 1 kC → 1 mC
D1 kC → 1 mC → 1 MC
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45May / June 2019 · Paper 12 · Q1Also set in May / June 2019 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
A3.3 cm
B3.31 cm
C3.310 cm
D3.312 cm
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46Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
A4.4 cm
B5.2 cm
C8.8 cm
D10.2 cm
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47Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 12 · Q9Show mark scheme →
Atotal displacement 0 m, total distance travelled 0 m
Btotal displacement 0 m, total distance travelled 30 m
Ctotal displacement 30 m, total distance travelled 0 m
Dtotal displacement 30 m, total distance travelled 30 m
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48Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 12 · Q10Also set in Oct / Nov 2018 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
A5.0 N, 4.0 N, 3.0 N diagram A
B5.0 N, 4.0 N, 3.0 N diagram B
C5.0 N, 4.0 N, 3.0 N diagram C
D5.0 N, 4.0 N, 3.0 N diagram D
Mark scheme
49May / June 2018 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Acalipers
Ba measuring tape
Ca micrometer
Da ruler
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50May / June 2018 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Aa mass of 2.0 kg
Ba temperature of –10 °C
Ca weight of 15 N
Dan average speed of 20 m / s
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51May / June 2018 · Paper 12 · Q2Also set in May / June 2018 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Ascale diagram with 2.0 N and 4.0 N at an acute angle
Bscale diagram with 2.0 N and 4.0 N at an obtuse angle
Cscale diagram with 2.0 N and 4.0 N at right angles
Dscale diagram with 2.0 N and 4.0 N in opposite directions
Mark scheme
52May / June 2018 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
Amegawatt 10⁻³ W
Bmegawatt 10⁶ W
Cmilliwatt 10⁻³ W
Dmilliwatt 10⁶ W
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53May / June 2018 · Paper 12 · Q4Show mark scheme →
A0.15 mm — micrometer
B0.50 mm — metre rule
C0.15 m — tape
D0.50 m — calipers
Mark scheme
54Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 12 · Q1Also set in Oct / Nov 2017 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Aacceleration, displacement, velocity
Bdistance, force, speed
Cforce, length, time
Dlength, mass, speed
Mark scheme
55Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 12 · Q2Also set in Oct / Nov 2017 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Ametre rule, micrometer, calipers
Bmetre rule, calipers, micrometer
Cmicrometer, metre rule, calipers
Dcalipers, micrometer, metre rule
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56May / June 2017 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
A1
B2
C3
D4
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57May / June 2017 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Aa displacement of 40 m
Ba time of 4.0 s
Ca velocity of 20 m / s
Dan acceleration of 5.0 m / s²
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58May / June 2017 · Paper 12 · Q2Also set in May / June 2017 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
A4.0 N
B5.0 N
C6.0 N
D7.0 N
Mark scheme
59May / June 2017 · Paper 12 · Q3Also set in May / June 2017 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
AMake the micrometer horizontal and then use the scales to find the reading.
BSubtract the fixed-scale reading from the rotating-scale reading.
CSubtract the rotating-scale reading from the fixed-scale reading.
DUse the scales to find the reading and add or subtract any zero error.
Mark scheme
60Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 11 · Q7Show mark scheme →
AR pointing down-right
BR pointing down-left
CR pointing up-right
DR pointing up-left
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61Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 12 · Q1Also set in Oct / Nov 2016 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Arule / calipers
Brule / micrometer
Ctape / calipers
Dtape / micrometer
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62Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 12 · Q10Show mark scheme →
Aforce Z
Bforce Z
Cforce Z
Dforce Z
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63May / June 2016 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
A
B
C
D
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64May / June 2016 · Paper 12 · Q1Also set in May / June 2016 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Acalipers
Bmicrometer
Crule
Dtape
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65May / June 2016 · Paper 12 · Q7Show mark scheme →
Aenergy
Bforce
Cspeed
Dtime
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