IB Physics End of year exam practice

questions [43 marks]

1. SPM.1A.SL.TZ0.1

A car has an initial speed of 16 m s−1. It decelerates at 4.0 m s−2 until it

stops.

What is the distance travelled by the car?

A. 4 m

B. 16 m

C. 32 m

D. 64 m

[1]

2. SPM.1A.SL.TZ0.2

A block of mass 2.0 kg accelerates from a speed of 15 m s −1 to a speed

of 20 m s−1 without changing its direction.

What impulse acts on the block?

A. 2.5 N s

B. 5.0 N s

C. 10 N s

D. 17.5 N s

[1]
3. SPM.1A.SL.TZ0.3

A net force of 8.0 N accelerates a 4.0 kg body from rest to a speed of

5.0 m s−1.

What is the work done by the force?

A. 50 J

B. 40 J

C. 32 J

D. 20 J

[1]

4. SPM.1A.SL.TZ0.4

A person stands in an elevator (lift). The total mass of the person and
the elevator is 800 kg. The elevator accelerates upward at 2.0 m s−2.

What is the tension in the cable?

A. 1.6 kN

B. 6.4 kN

C. 8.0 kN

D. 9.6 kN

[1]
5. SPM.1A.SL.TZ0.6

A bird of weight W sits on a thin rope at its midpoint. The rope is almost
horizontal and has negligible mass.

The tension in the rope is

W
A. less than
2
W
B. equal to
2
W
C. between and W
2

D. greater than W

[1]

6. SPM.1A.SL.TZ0.8

The black-body radiation curve of an object at 600 K is shown. The

intensity units are arbitrary.

What is the radiation curve of the same object at 450 K?

The original curve is shown with a dashed line.

 [1]

7. SPM.1A.SL.TZ0.13

An electromagnetic wave has a wavelength that is about the size of the

diameter of an atom.

What region of the electromagnetic spectrum does the wave belong to?

A. Infrared

B. Visible light

C. Ultraviolet

D. X-ray

[1]

8. SPM.1A.SL.TZ0.15

Diagram 1 shows the variation with position of the displacement of a

standing wave formed on a string.

Diagram 2 shows the variation with position of the displacement of a

travelling wave moving to the right along a string.
 Points P, Q, R and S are points on the string.

What is the phase difference between P and Q and the phase difference
between R and S?

[1]

9. EXE.1A.SL.TZ0.2

A body of height 40 cm and uniform cross-sectional area floats in water.

10 cm of the height of the body remains
above the water line.

The density of water is ρ . What is the

density of the body?

1
A. ρ
4
1
B. ρ
3
2
C. ρ
3
 3
D. ρ
4

[1]

10. EXE.1A.SL.TZ0.4

An object is submerged in a fluid. Three quantities relating to this

situation are

I. the density of the object

II. the density of the fluid
III. the gravitational field strength

On which quantities does the buoyancy force acting on the object

depend?

A. I and II

B. I and III

C. II and III

D. I, II and II

[1]

11. EXE.1A.SL.TZ0.8

Two ideally lagged bars have the same length and are made from the
same metal. The diameters of the bars are different. One end of each
bar is held at 100 °C and the other end is held at 0 °C.

For each bar

A. the rate of energy transfer is the same

B. the temperature gradient is the same

C. the temperature gradient is non-linear

1
D. the temperature gradient ∝ 2
bar diameter

[1]

12. 24M.1A.SL.TZ1.5
 An object is released from rest and slides down a frictionless ramp. The
object then leaves the ramp and slides along a rough horizontal surface.
The object stops in a distance s along
the ramp.

The coefficient of dynamic friction between the object and the rough
horizontal surface is μ.

What is the height of the ramp?

A. μgs
s
B.
2 gμ
s
C.
μ

D. μs

[1]

13. 24M.1A.SL.TZ1.8

An object of mass m is accelerated from rest by a constant resultant

force F .

The final velocity of the object is v . What energy is transferred to the

object during the acceleration?

Fv
A.
2
 B. Fv
2
mv
C.
2

D. m v 2

[1]

14. 24M.1A.SL.TZ1.9

An object of mass 0.30 kg is travelling in a straight line. An impulse

acting on the object changes its velocity from 25 cm s −1 to 5.0 cm s−1.

What is the magnitude of the impulse?

A. 0.06 N s

B. 0.09 N s

C. 6.0 N s

D. 9.0 N s

[1]

15. 24M.1A.SL.TZ1.12

A solar panel transfers energy at a rate of 2.4 kW to a liquid passing

through it. The liquid has a specific heat capacity 4000 J kg −1 K−1. The
temperature of the liquid increases by 6.0 K when it flows through the
solar panel.

What is the flow rate of the liquid through the panel?

A. 0.1 g s−1

B. 0.1 kg s−1

C. 10 kg s−1

D. 100 kg s−1

[1]

16. 24M.1A.SL.TZ1.14

A simple harmonic oscillation has a time period T.

 What is the variation with time t of the total energy ET of the oscillation?

[1]

17. 24M.1A.SL.TZ1.22

An object of mass m is attached to the end of a rope. The object is

rotated in a horizontal circle at the end of the rope with an increasing
speed. The rope breaks when the angular velocity ω is reached.

At what other combination of mass and angular velocity will this rope
break?

[1]

18. 24M.1A.SL.TZ1.23

Planet X has a mass M and radius R with gravitational field strength g at

its surface. Planet Y has mass 3M and radius 2R.
 What is the gravitational field strength at the surface of planet Y?

2g
A.
3
3g
B.
4
4g
C.
3
3g
D.
2

[1]

19. 24M.1A.SL.TZ2.3

Jim runs with a constant velocity v past Sally who is at rest. At this
instant, Sally begins to chase Jim with constant acceleration a .

Which expression gives the time Sally will catch Jim?

v
A.
2a
v
B.
a
2v
C.
a
4v
D.
a

[1]

20. 24M.1A.SL.TZ2.4

A block X of weight 10 N is stacked on a block Y of weight 20 N. Block X

is fixed to a wall with a light string. The coefficients of static friction
between the blocks and between block Y and the ground are both 0.2.
 What is the value of the minimum force F required to move block Y and
what is the tension T in the string immediately before block Y begins to
move?

[1]

21. 24M.1A.SL.TZ2.5

A ball is thrown from an aircraft in

flight.

Which of the following shows the correct free-body diagram for the
forces acting on the ball when terminal velocity is reached?
 [1]

22. 24M.1A.SL.TZ2.6

An object is held in position by a light string on an incline plane such

that the angle θ to the horizontal is slowly increased from zero.

Which statement is correct about the forces acting on the object as the
angle θ is increased?

A. The tension in the string remains constant.

B. The normal force decreases.

C. The weight component parallel to the slope remains constant.

D. The weight decreases.

 [1]

23. 24M.1A.SL.TZ2.7

A mass of 4.0 kg moving with a velocity of 1.0 m s −1 is acted on by a net

force which varies with distance as shown.

What is the maximum speed of the mass?

A. √ 35 m s−1
B. 6 m s−1

C. √ 71 m s−1
D. 12 m s−1

[1]

24. 24M.1A.SL.TZ2.8

A student of mass m initially at rest takes t seconds to run up stairs of

height h. At the top of the stairs the student has a velocity v .

What is the average power supplied by the

student during the climb?
mg h
A.
t

B. ( 1
m g h+ v 2
2 )
t

C. ( 1
m g h− v 2
2 )
t

D. mgv

[1]
25. 24M.1A.SL.TZ2.9

A cart of mass 1 kg moving at 4 m s−1 collides with a stationary cart of

mass 3 kg.

After the collision the carts stick together.

kinetic energy after t h e collision
What is ?
kine tic energy before t h e collision
1
A.
16
1
B.
8
1
C.
4
1
D.
2

[1]

26. 24M.1A.SL.TZ2.13

The graph shows the variation of displacement d with distance x along a

transverse wave. At time t = 0 a point P has a displacement d = 0.

Which of the graphs shows the variation with time t of the displacement
d of P?
 [1]

27. 24M.1A.SL.TZ2.16

The equilibrium positions of six particles in a medium are separated by a

distance of 2 cm as shown.

The positions of these particles, when a longitudinal wave is transmitted

through the medium, are now shown.

What is the wavelength of the wave?

A. 2 cm

B. 4 cm

C. 6 cm

D. 8 cm

[1]

28. 24M.1A.SL.TZ2.23

An old-fashioned bicycle is moving with a constant speed v. The front

wheel has a radius 3 times that of the rear wheel. Points X and Y are
positioned on the front and rear wheel as shown.
 [Source: Clu, n.d. Penny farthing bicycle. [image online] Available at: https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/illustration/penny-

farthing-bicycle-first-exercise-royalty-free-illustration/1179950344 [Accessed 16 May 2023]. Source adapted.]

acceleration of X
What is ?
acceleration of Y

1
A.
9
1
B.
3

C. 3

D. 9

[1]

29. 24M.1A.SL.TZ2.30

An engine provides a thrust force F to move a vehicle at constant

velocity v . The engine has an efficiency e and consumes fuel with an
energy density η .

Which expression gives the rate at which the volume of fuel is being
consumed by the engine?
Fv
A.
eη
Fvη
B.
e
 eFv
C.
η
eη
D.
Fv

[1]

30. 23N.1A.SL.TZ1.1

The resistive force F that acts on an object moving through a fluid at

speed v is given by F = kv where k is a constant. What is the unit of k?

A. N s−¿1

B. N m s−¿1

C. kg m2 s−¿3

D. kg s−¿1

[1]

31. 23N.1A.SL.TZ1.2

A pendulum is displaced by angle θ and released from rest.

What is the initial acceleration of the pendulum?

A. zero

B. g sin θ

C. g cos θ

D. g

[1]

32. 23N.1A.SL.TZ1.3
 Particle X moves in a circle with a constant speed v. The net force on X
is FX. Particle Y moves with a constant velocity, the magnitude of the
velocity is v. The net force on Y is FY . Which of the following is correct?

A. FX¿FY

B. FX¿FY ≠ 0

C. FX < FY

D. FX¿FY¿0

[1]

33. 23N.1A.SL.TZ1.4

A projectile is launched with an initial kinetic energy E . The initial

horizontal and vertical components of velocity are equal. Air resistance
is negligible. What is the kinetic energy of the projectile at the highest
point of the motion?

A. zero
E
B.
4
E
C.
2

D. E

[1]

34. 23N.1A.SL.TZ1.5

An object falls from rest in vacuum. R is the rate of the change of

kinetic energy with time t. How does R vary with t?
 [1]

35. 23N.1A.SL.TZ1.6

The velocity of an object changes from +¿ 2 m s−¿1 to v. What is the

value of v for which the magnitude of the impulse acting on the object is
greatest?

A. −¿4 m s−¿1

B. −¿2 m s−¿1

C. +¿ 2 m s−¿1

D. +¿ 4 m s−¿1

[1]

36. 23N.1A.SL.TZ1.7

X has a mass that is twice the mass of Y . The kinetic energy of X is four
times that of Y .
momentum of X
What is the value of ?
momentum of Y

A. √2
B. 2

C. 2 √ 2

D. 4

[1]

37. 23N.1A.SL.TZ1.8

A ball X moving with speed v collides with an identical ball Y that is

initially at rest. The collision is perfectly elastic.
 Which of the following are correct for the speed of X and the speed of Y
after the collision?

[1]

38. 23N.1A.SL.TZ1.9

Energy is supplied at a constant rate to a fixed mass of a substance. The

graph shows the variation of the temperature of the substance with
time.
 Which statement about the substance is correct?

A. Specific latent heat of vaporization¿specific latent heat of fusion

B. Specific latent heat of fusion¿specific latent heat of vaporization

C. Specific heat capacity of solid¿specific heat capacity of liquid

D. Specific heat capacity of vapour¿specific heat capacity of liquid

[1]

39. 23N.1A.SL.TZ1.10

Scientists observe that materials that are good conductors of electricity

are also good conductors of thermal energy. What is the most
reasonable conclusion that scientists can reach about the nature of the
conduction mechanism in both cases and the nature of electricity and
thermal energy?
 [1]

40. 23N.1A.SL.TZ1.14

A wave is travelling on a string. The graphs show the variation of the

displacement of the string with distance and the variation of the
displacement of a particle on the string with time.
 What is the speed of the wave?

A. 2.0 cm s−¿1

B. 2.5 cm s−¿1

C. 8.0 cm s−¿1

D. 10 cm s−¿1

[1]

41. 23N.1A.SL.TZ1.22

A disk of radius R rotates about its axis with angular speed ω . Point X is
R
at a distance of from the centre and point Y is on the circumference.
2
What are the ratios of the linear speeds and the centripetal acceleration
of X to Y?

The linear speed of X is vX and its acceleration is aX; the linear speed of
Y is vY and its acceleration is aY.
 [1]

42. 23N.1A.SL.TZ1.23

The mass of a planet X is 300 times larger than the mass of the Earth
and its radius is 10 times larger than the radius of the Earth. What is the
gravitational field strength on the surface of planet X in terms of the
gravitational field strength g on the surface of Earth?
g
A.
30
g
B.
3

C. 3 g

D. 30 g

[1]

43. 23N.1A.SL.TZ1.30

A black body at temperature T (kelvin) has a peak wavelength λ . What is

the peak wavelength when the temperature increases by 33 %?
λ
A.
3
3
B. λ
4
4
C. λ
3

D. 3 λ

[1]

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