PHYSICS PAPER 2 2026 PRACTICE TEST
QUESTIONS WITH EXEMPLAR ANSWERS
◉ What are the properties of vector quantities? Answer: They have
magnitude and an associated direction
◉ How can you represent a vector quantity using a symbol? Answer:
With an arrow where the length of the arrow represents the
magnitude, and the direction of the arrow the direction of the vector
quantity
◉ What is a force? Answer: A push or pull that acts on an object due
the interaction of another object
◉ What is a contact force? Answer: A force that acts between two
objects that are physically touching each other
◉ Name four contact forces Answer: Friction, air resistance, tension
and normal
◉ What is Newton's Third Law of motion? Answer: When a contact
force acts between two objects, both objects experience the same
size force, but in opposite directions
,◉ What is a non-contact force? Answer: Non-contact forces are
forces that act between two objects that are not physically touching
each other
◉ Name three non-contact forces Answer: Gravitational force,
electrostatic force and magnetic force
◉ What is weight? Answer: The force acting on an object due to
gravity
◉ What does the weight of an object depend on? Answer: The
gravitational field strength at the point where the object is
◉ What is the equation that links weight, mass and gravitational
field strength? Answer: Weight = mass x gravitational field strength
if [W=mg]
◉ What is the relationship between the mass of an object and its
gravitational field? Answer: The more mass an object has the greater
its gravitational field
◉ What is the unit of gravitational field strength? Answer: Newtons
per kg [N/kg]
,◉ What is the unit of weight? Answer: Newtons (N)
◉ What is the unit of mass? Answer: Kilograms (kg)
◉ What is the 'centre of mass' of an object? Answer: A single point in
an object where the weight may be considered to act
◉ How do you measure weight? Answer: Using a calibrated spring-
balance (a newtonmeter)
◉ What's the relationship between the weight and the mass of an
object? Answer: They are directly proportional
◉ What is a resultant force? Answer: A single force that replaces a
number of forces acting on an object that has the same effect as all of
the original forces acting together
◉ When does a force do work on an object? Answer: When the force
causes a displacement of the object
◉ What is the equation that links work done, force and distance?
Answer: work done = force × distance [W=Fs]
◉ What is the unit of work done? Answer: Joules (J)
, ◉ When is one joule of work done? Answer: When a force of one
newton causes a displacement of one metre; 1 joule = 1 newton-
metre
◉ When work is done against the frictional forces acting on an
object what does it cause? Answer: An increase in temperature of
the object
◉ What must be acting to change the shape of a stationary object?
Answer: More than one force
◉ What is deformation? Answer: A change in shape
◉ What is elastic deformation? Answer: When the force is removed
the deformation is reversed
◉ What is inelastic deformation? Answer: When the force is
removed the deformation is not fully reversed; the change in shape
is permanent
◉ When does extension happen in an object? Answer: When an
object increases in length
QUESTIONS WITH EXEMPLAR ANSWERS
◉ What are the properties of vector quantities? Answer: They have
magnitude and an associated direction
◉ How can you represent a vector quantity using a symbol? Answer:
With an arrow where the length of the arrow represents the
magnitude, and the direction of the arrow the direction of the vector
quantity
◉ What is a force? Answer: A push or pull that acts on an object due
the interaction of another object
◉ What is a contact force? Answer: A force that acts between two
objects that are physically touching each other
◉ Name four contact forces Answer: Friction, air resistance, tension
and normal
◉ What is Newton's Third Law of motion? Answer: When a contact
force acts between two objects, both objects experience the same
size force, but in opposite directions
,◉ What is a non-contact force? Answer: Non-contact forces are
forces that act between two objects that are not physically touching
each other
◉ Name three non-contact forces Answer: Gravitational force,
electrostatic force and magnetic force
◉ What is weight? Answer: The force acting on an object due to
gravity
◉ What does the weight of an object depend on? Answer: The
gravitational field strength at the point where the object is
◉ What is the equation that links weight, mass and gravitational
field strength? Answer: Weight = mass x gravitational field strength
if [W=mg]
◉ What is the relationship between the mass of an object and its
gravitational field? Answer: The more mass an object has the greater
its gravitational field
◉ What is the unit of gravitational field strength? Answer: Newtons
per kg [N/kg]
,◉ What is the unit of weight? Answer: Newtons (N)
◉ What is the unit of mass? Answer: Kilograms (kg)
◉ What is the 'centre of mass' of an object? Answer: A single point in
an object where the weight may be considered to act
◉ How do you measure weight? Answer: Using a calibrated spring-
balance (a newtonmeter)
◉ What's the relationship between the weight and the mass of an
object? Answer: They are directly proportional
◉ What is a resultant force? Answer: A single force that replaces a
number of forces acting on an object that has the same effect as all of
the original forces acting together
◉ When does a force do work on an object? Answer: When the force
causes a displacement of the object
◉ What is the equation that links work done, force and distance?
Answer: work done = force × distance [W=Fs]
◉ What is the unit of work done? Answer: Joules (J)
, ◉ When is one joule of work done? Answer: When a force of one
newton causes a displacement of one metre; 1 joule = 1 newton-
metre
◉ When work is done against the frictional forces acting on an
object what does it cause? Answer: An increase in temperature of
the object
◉ What must be acting to change the shape of a stationary object?
Answer: More than one force
◉ What is deformation? Answer: A change in shape
◉ What is elastic deformation? Answer: When the force is removed
the deformation is reversed
◉ What is inelastic deformation? Answer: When the force is
removed the deformation is not fully reversed; the change in shape
is permanent
◉ When does extension happen in an object? Answer: When an
object increases in length
