October 2025 Daily Physics questions
Free AS and A2 Daily MCQs from PhysicsUK. Questions appear here after a 7-day delay so pupils can practise with the answer and explanation available.
Kinematics — linear motion with g=9.81 (M3)
In a lab drop test, two identical steel balls are released from a balcony 20 m above the ground. Ball 1 is dropped from rest; Ball 2 is given a small downward push so it starts at 2.0 m s^-1 downward. Air resistance is...
SHM: energy interchange (M5)
A small glider on an air track is attached to a horizontal spring and oscillates with amplitude 0.10 m in simple harmonic motion. Ignoring friction, when its displacement is 0.050 m from equilibrium, what percentage of...
Mechanics & Materials (M3)
A lab demo uses two identical toy parachutes with the same canopy area and shape. Parachute B carries a payload twice the mass of parachute A. In this speed range, air resistance on each canopy is roughly proportional...
Work, energy & power (M3)
A warehouse hoist lifts the same 80 kg crate vertically at constant speed. When it raises the crate at 0.40 m/s, the electrical input power is 1.6 kW. The load and the machine’s efficiency stay the same. If the lifting...
Foundations of Physics (M2)
In a lab, a student drops two rubber balls of identical size but different masses from the same height. Take g = 9.81 m s−2 and ignore air resistance. Which statement must be true just before they reach the floor?
Thermal physics I: heating curves (qual.)
In a lab, a pure solid in an insulated beaker is heated at constant power. The heating curve shows a flat plateau at its melting point that lasts 6.0 minutes with a 50 W heater. If the same setup is repeated with a 100...
High level GCSE physics — Kinematics (M3)
A runner completes the same 1.2 km lap on two days. On day 2 their average speed is 50% greater than on day 1. Compared with day 1, what happens to the time to complete the lap on day 2?
Archimedes principle
A 2.0 kg wooden block of volume 4.0×10^−3 m^3 is held fully submerged in fresh water by a light vertical string attached to the tank floor. The string is cut and the block rises, then settles floating partially...
Linear motion under gravity (M3)
In a drop test, a small steel sphere is released from rest directly above a light gate. The gate is first placed a vertical distance d below the release point, then moved to 4d below. Air resistance is negligible and...
Mechanics & Materials (M3)
In a lab, a trolley starts from rest on a smooth, level track and is pulled by a constant force so it accelerates uniformly. If the pulling time is doubled, what happens to the distance travelled during the pull?
Foundations of Physics (M2)
A lab bench is 1.25 m high. A student launches two identical steel balls horizontally from the same edge: Ball 1 at 2.0 m/s and Ball 2 at 4.0 m/s. Air resistance is negligible. Which statement must be true?
Specific heat capacity problems
In a lab, a 500 W immersion heater warms 0.50 kg of water held in a 0.50 kg aluminium calorimeter. The heater runs for 2.0 minutes. Take c(water) = 4200 J kg⁻¹ °C⁻¹ and c(aluminium) = 900 J kg⁻¹ °C⁻¹. Assuming...
Mechanics & Materials (M3)
On level ground in still air, a student launches the same ball twice from the same point with the same speed but at two angles above the horizontal: θ and 90° − θ. Neglect air resistance. Which statement must be true?
High level GCSE physics
A student runs a 400 m lap in 80 s at constant pace. On the next lap they cover the same distance but their average speed is 25% higher. What is their new lap time?
Foundations of Physics (M2)
In a lab, a trolley is released from rest and rolls down the same shallow ramp with the same constant acceleration. In one trial it travels 0.80 m in 0.80 s from release. In a second trial it is allowed to roll for 1.6...
Kinematics (M3.1)
An e-scooter is braked so that its deceleration is constant until it comes to rest. If the rider starts at twice the original speed on the same stretch with identical braking, what happens to the stopping distance?
Mechanics & Materials (M3)
Two identical balls are released simultaneously from a balcony 10 m above level ground. Ball A is thrown straight down at 5.0 m/s; Ball B is thrown straight up at 5.0 m/s from the same point. Air resistance is...
Thermal Physics & Gases (M5)
A small office is approximately 5 m × 4 m × 2.5 m, sealed and well-insulated. A computer setup dissipates 100 W continuously for 1 hour with no other heat sources or sinks. Take air density ≈ 1.2 kg/m^3 and specific...
Kinematics: Projectile motion (Module 3)
In a lab demo, a ball is launched from floor level with speed u at an angle θ to the horizontal (0° < θ < 90°). A second launch uses a different speed at the shallower angle θ/2 but is adjusted so that the maximum...
Kinematics — linear motion with g=9.81 (Module 3.1 Motion)
In a lab drop test, a small steel ball is released from rest from a platform 19.6 m above the floor and falls freely (air resistance negligible). Taking g = 9.81 m s−2, which statement about the times to fall the first...
Kinematics: suvat problems (Module 3.1.2)
A student throws a tennis ball straight up from hand level with speed u. In a second trial, they throw it straight up from the same height with speed 2u. Ignore air resistance. Compared with the first throw, what...
Mechanics & Materials (M3)
A dynamics trolley on a smooth track is brought to rest by a magnetic brake that provides a constant deceleration. In one test it starts at 1.5 m/s and stops in 0.75 s. If the same brake is used but the trolley starts...
Mechanics & Materials (M3)
Two identical balls are thrown from the same height at the same angle to the horizontal. Ball B is thrown at twice the launch speed of ball A. Air resistance is negligible, and both land back at the launch height....
Kinematics (M3), Dynamics (M3)
A small trolley starts from rest and rolls a fixed distance L down a smooth ramp. If the ramp angle to the horizontal is doubled from 30° to 60°, which statement must be true about the time to reach the end? Neglect...
Foundations of Physics (M2)
An object moves in a straight line. The displacement s from a fixed origin (in metres) is plotted against time t (in seconds). From t = 0 to 5.0 s, the graph is a straight line from s = +2.0 m at t = 0 to s = −3.0 m at...
Mechanics & Materials (M3)
A small steel ball is released from rest and falls through air. Ignoring buoyancy, which statement best describes the resultant force on the ball from the moment of release until it reaches terminal velocity?
Mechanics & Materials (M3)
Two identical balls are released from a balcony 5.0 m above level ground at the same instant. Ball P is dropped from rest. Ball Q is projected horizontally at 8.0 m/s. Air resistance is negligible. Which statement must...
Foundations of Physics (M2)
In a lab, students measure the stopping potential for photoelectrons from a clean zinc plate using ultraviolet light of frequency 1.20×10^15 Hz. The stopping potential is about 0.67 V. Zinc’s work function is 4.3 eV....
Forces and Motion (M3): Kinematics and projectile motion
A small ball is rolled horizontally off a lab bench at speed u. Air resistance is negligible and the bench height is unchanged. If the launch speed is doubled to 2u, which statement about (i) the time to hit the floor...
Basic algebra, Kinematics (M3.1.1)
During a 20 s interval, a student jogs 120 m. In a later 20 s interval at the same duration, they cover 180 m. Compared with the first interval, how does their average speed change?
Projectile motion and suvat (Module 3.1)
A ball is launched from ground level at 20 m/s in still air. Launch X uses an angle of 30° to the horizontal; Launch Y uses 60°. Both land back at the launch height. Without quoting equations by name, use component...
Thermal physics I: internal energy; specific heat; energy changes; heating curves (qual.)
Two 1.0 kg samples, one aluminium and one water, start at the same temperature. Each is heated by an identical 200 W heater for 100 s. The specific heat capacity of water is four times that of aluminium. Which...
Dynamics: forces, Newton’s laws; friction & drag (AS Module 3)
A skydiver is falling at terminal speed with a small parachute, so the drag equals their weight W. They instantly switch to a larger canopy that, at the same speed, produces a drag force of 2.5 W. Which statement must...
Physical quantities & SI (M2), Scalars vs vectors (M2), Kinematics: displacement–time (M3)
A walker moves along a straight path. From t = 0 to 5 s, the displacement–time graph is a straight line with gradient +3.0 m s⁻¹. From 5 s to 10 s, the line has gradient −1.0 m s⁻¹. Over the 0–10 s interval, how does...
Thermal physics II: gas laws; kinetic theory model; pV = nRT; assumptions & limits
A rigid 2.0 L steel cylinder contains dry air sealed at 300 K and 100 kPa. It is warmed uniformly to 360 K with no leaks, and the cylinder’s volume is unchanged. According to the kinetic theory model of an ideal gas,...
Kinematics (Module 3.1.1)
Two balls are launched from level ground at the same speed u: P at 30° and Q at 60° to the horizontal. Air resistance is negligible. Which statement must be true?
Thermal physics I: internal energy; specific heat; energy changes; heating curves (qual.)
Two identical electric heaters supply the same power for 4.0 minutes to equal masses (200 g) of liquids A and B in well-insulated cups, both starting at 20 °C. After 4.0 minutes, A is at 40 °C while B is at 30 °C....
Forces and Motion (Module 3.1 — Motion)
Two identical balls are thrown at the same instant from a balcony with the same speed: one straight up and the other straight down. Air resistance is negligible. Which statement must be true when they reach the ground?