AQA GCSE Physics Physics Paper 2 (Higher), June 2024: Question 5
9 marks · Standard Demand difficulty · Short Answer
Investigate the acceleration of a trolley varying with resultant force, including naming forces, control variables, calculating acceleration from distance and time, determining uncertainty, and analyzing the effect of raising the runway.
Practise this questionQuestion
Question text
05 A student investigated how the acceleration of a trolley varies with the resultant force
on the trolley.
Figure 10 shows some of the equipment used.
Figure 10
05.1 Figure 10 shows the force F which acts through the string.
What name is given to force F?
[1 mark]
05.2 Give one variable that should have been a control variable in this investigation.
[1 mark]
05.3 The student held the trolley stationary and then released it.
The trolley moved along the runway with a constant acceleration.
The student recorded the time taken for the trolley to travel a measured distance
along the runway.
Describe how the acceleration of the trolley can be calculated using the time taken
and distance travelled by the trolley.
[3 marks]
For one set of results, the force acting through the string was 2.0 N.
05.4 The student released the trolley three times and determined the following values
for acceleration:
1.36 m/s2 1.39 m/s2 1.33 m/s2
Calculate the uncertainty in the values of acceleration.
[2 marks]
23Uncertainty = ± 2
m/s
05.5 The runway was then raised at one end.
*22* The force acting through the string remained the same.
Figure 11 shows this.
Figure 11
Explain how the acceleration was affected by raising the end of the runway.
[2 marks]
Mark scheme
Show the mark scheme
Question 5
AO /
Question Answers Extra information Mark
Spec. Ref.
05.1 tension 1 AO2
4.5.1.2
AO /
Spec. Ref.
05.2 (combined) mass of trolley and allow mass / weight of trolley / 1 AO1
mass hanger hanger 4.5.6.2.2
RPA7
AO /
Spec. Ref.
05.3 allow speed for velocity AO3
throughout 4.5.6.1.5
4.5.6.1.2
divide distance travelled by time 1 4.5.6.2.2
taken to give (average / mean) RPA7
velocity
double mean velocity (to give 1
maximum velocity)
divide change in velocity by time allow divide maximum velocity 1
taken (to give acceleration) by time (to give acceleration)
allow use of v2= u2 + 2as
allow correct use of
s = ut + at
AO /
Spec. Ref.
05.4 (range =) 0.06 (m/s2) 1 AO3
or 4.5.6.2.2
(mean =) 1.36 (m/s2) RPA7
uncertainty = ±0.03 (m/s2) 1
– – –
AO /
Spec. Ref.
05.5 a component of the weight of 1 AO3
the trolley acts parallel to 4.5.6.2.215
runway
(so) resultant force increases so
acceleration increases
allow
work is done (by raising the
trolley) so the trolley gains
gravitational potential energy (1)
gravitational potential energy is
transferred to kinetic energy
increasing the final velocity and
the acceleration (1)
Total Question 5 9
How to answer it
Investigation of Acceleration and Newton's Second Law
What this question tests
This question assesses your understanding of required practical work (Forces / Newton's Second Law), identifying forces in strings (tension), experimental control variables, calculating acceleration from kinematic measurements, determining experimental uncertainty, and applying vector components to forces on a slope.
Naming the Force in a String
✅ Correct Answer
Tension
💡 Key Knowledge
- Forces transmitted through a stretched string, rope, or cable are always referred to as tension.
- This force pulls equally in both directions along the line of the string.
Identifying Control Variables
✅ Correct Answer
The (combined) mass of the trolley and mass hanger (or just mass of the trolley / mass of the system).
❌ Common Errors
Students often lose this mark by being too vague, writing just "mass" without specifying what mass is being kept constant in the system.
Calculating Acceleration from Distance and Time
✅ Correct Answer (3-step method)
- Divide distance travelled by time taken to find the mean velocity.
- Double the mean velocity to find the maximum (final) velocity (assuming it starts from rest).
- Divide the change in velocity by the time taken to find the acceleration.
📐 Alternative Kinematic Approach
You can also gain full marks by stating the SUVAT equation: s = ut + (1/2)at² (recognizing initial velocity u = 0 ) or rearranging v² = u² + 2as .
Calculating Experimental Uncertainty
📐 Step-by-Step Calculation
- Identify values: 1.36, 1.39, 1.33
- Find range: Maximum value minus minimum value = 1.39 - 1.33 = 0.06
- Calculate uncertainty: Half of the range = 0.06 / 2 = 0.03
Final Answer: Uncertainty = ± 0.03 m/s²
🧠 Exam Technique
Remember the golden rule for calculating half-range uncertainty from repeat readings: Uncertainty = ± (Range / 2). Always include the ± symbol and correct units.
Effect of Raising the Runway
✅ Correct Answer
- A component of the trolley's weight acts parallel down the runway.
- This increases the total resultant force acting on the trolley, therefore increasing its acceleration.
💡 Energy Alternative
Alternatively, full marks are awarded using energy: Raising the runway does work on the trolley, increasing its gravitational potential energy. This is transferred into more kinetic energy, increasing final velocity and acceleration.
Topics
Physics · Required Practicals · P5: Forces · Required Practicals
Question and mark scheme from the AQA GCSE Physics examination, Physics Paper 2 (Higher), June 2024. QuestionVault is an independent revision resource; questions remain the copyright of the awarding body.