IGCSE Physics Quiz: Force, Motion, and Measurement

A student measures the time period of a pendulum as 2.1 seconds. What would be the best way to improve the accuracy of this measurement?

• Measure a single swing more carefully
• Use a digital stopwatch instead of analog
• Time 10 complete swings and divide by 10
• Reduce the length of the pendulum

When measuring the volume of an irregular rock using water displacement, why is it important to ensure the rock is fully submerged but not touching the sides of the measuring cylinder?

• To prevent water splashing out
• To ensure accurate volume measurement
• To maintain water temperature
• To prevent the rock from breaking

A car accelerates from rest to 20 m/s in 5 seconds. What is the car's acceleration, assuming it's uniform?

• 4 m/s²
• 0.25 m/s²
• 100 m/s²
• 2.5 m/s²

On a distance-time graph, what does a horizontal line represent?

• Increasing velocity
• Zero velocity
• Constant acceleration
• Negative acceleration

Why does an object's mass remain constant on the Moon while its weight changes?

• Mass is affected by gravity while weight isn't
• Weight depends on gravitational field strength while mass doesn't
• The Moon has no atmosphere
• Mass and weight are the same thing

A cube has sides of 2 cm and mass 24 g. What is its density in g/cm³?

• 12 g/cm³
• 6 g/cm³
• 3 g/cm³
• 8 g/cm³

Which combination of changes would definitely indicate acceleration?

• Constant speed, changing direction
• Changing speed, constant direction
• Constant speed, constant direction
• No change in velocity

When applying Newton's Second Law, why must force and acceleration be measured in compatible units?

• To make calculations easier
• Because acceleration affects mass
• To ensure the equation F=ma gives correct results
• Because force and acceleration are the same thing

A cyclist travels 500 meters east, then 300 meters north. Why can't we simply add these distances to find total distance traveled?

• Because the speeds might be different
• Because they're vector quantities in different directions
• Because one distance is longer
• Because cycling north is harder than east

What makes air resistance different from typical surface friction?

• It only affects moving objects
• It increases with speed
• It doesn't cause heating
• It works in opposite direction to motion