Mark Scheme

Full
Name
Class FH
Class Teacher

Y10 GCSE, COMBINED SCIENCE: PHYSICS

Exam week 1 (December 2023) Time allowed 1 hour 30 minutes

Materials
For Examiner’s Use
For this paper you must have:
• a ruler Total
• a scientific calculator
• the formula sheet (enclosed) Percentage

Instructions
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
• Fill in the boxes at the top of this page.
• Answer all questions in the spaces provided.
• Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
• In all calculations, show clearly how you work out your answer.

Information
• There are 89 marks available on this paper.
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
• You are expected to use a calculator where appropriate.
• You are reminded of the need for good English and clear presentation in your answers.

Page 1 of 9
Mark schemes

Q1.
(a) the arrows have different lengths
allow forces can have different sizes
1

the arrows point in different directions

allow forces can have different directions
1

(b) D
1

(c) B
1

(d) both variables are continuous

1

(e) it is moving at a constant velocity

1

(f) 24.5 (m/s2)

1

(g) 5 g = 49 (m/s2)
1

49 m/s2 > 24.5 m/s2

1

so the ride is safe

allow ecf from (f) (ie if their answer to (f) was greater than
49, then the ride is unsafe)
1

(h) force = 58 × 24.5

allow ecf from (f)
1

force = 1421
1

Newtons
allow N
1
[13]

Q2.
(a)

Page 2 of 9
 arrow pointing vertically upwards
1
arrow pointing vertically downwards
1

(b) Gravitational force

if more than two boxes ticked apply list principle
1

Tension force
1

(c) 0 (N)
1

(d) weight = 70 × 9.8 (= 686)

1

weight = 690 (N)

1
allow 690 (N) with no working shown for 2 marks
allow 686 (N) with no working shown for 1 mark

(e) 34 (N) / 30 (N)

allow ecf from 05.4 correctly calculated
1
[8]

Q3.
(a) the Earth has a magnetic field
1

(b) steel
1

(c) the field is strongest at the ends of the coil

1

(d) all arrows in the correct direction

Page 3 of 9
 allow 1 mark for 2 or 3 arrows in the correct direction
2

(e) any two from:

• increase the current
allow increase potential difference

• insert an iron core

• increase the number of turns
allow turns closer together
2
[7]

Q4.
(a) (i) friction
1

(ii) air resistance

accept drag
friction is insufficient
1

(iii) Marks awarded for this answer will be determined by the Quality of
Written Communication (QWC) as well as the standard of the scientific
response. Examiners should also refer to the information on page 5, and
apply a ‘best-fit’ approach to the marking.

0 marks
No relevant content.

Level 1 (1–2 marks)

There is an attempt to explain in terms of forces A and B why the
velocity of the cyclist changes between any two points
or
a description of how the velocity changes between any two points.

Level 2 (3–4 marks)

There is an explanation in terms of forces A and B of how the velocity
changes between X and Y and between Y and Z
or
a complete description of how the velocity changes from X to Z.

Page 4 of 9
 or
an explanation and description of velocity change for either X to Y or Y
to Z

Level 3 (5–6 marks)

There is a clear explanation in terms of forces A and B of how the
velocity changes between X and Z
and
a description of the change in velocity between X and Z.

examples of the points made in the response

extra information
X to Y
• at X force A is greater than force B
• cyclist accelerates
• and velocity increases
• as cyclist moves toward Y, force B (air resistance)
increases (with increasing velocity)
• resultant force decreases
• cyclist continues to accelerate but at a smaller value
• so velocity continues to increase but at a lower rate
Y to Z
• from Y to Z force B (air resistance) increases
• acceleration decreases
• force B becomes equal to force A
• resultant force is now zero
• acceleration becomes zero
• velocity increases until…
• cyclist travels at constant / terminal velocity
accept speed for velocity throughout
6
[8]

Q5.
(a) cell and bulb / light correctly labelled
for 1 mark each
2

(b) ordinary cell has higher voltage (normally / at start)

for 1 mark

or
ordinary cell 1.3V nicad 1.2V (normally / at start)

voltage of ordinary cell falls more slowly (accept lasts longer)

gains 1 mark

but
as above with relevant quantification e.g. falls to zero in 60 seconds
compared to 6 seconds e.g. falls to zero in 70 seconds compared to
16 seconds – from time zero
or
nicad falls to zero 10 times as fast
gains 2 marks
3

Page 5 of 9
 (c) (i) answer in range 32-34 (seconds) (inclusive)
gains 1 mark

but
answer in range 22-24 (seconds) (inclusive)
gains 2 marks

(ii) 12 (seconds)
gains 1 mark

but
2 (seconds)
units not required in (c)
gains 2 marks
4
[9]

Q6.
(a) (i) 16 000
allow 1 mark for correct substitution ie 3200 × 5
2

(ii) 16 000 or their (a)(i)

1

(iii) less than

1
[4]

Q7.
(a) (i) Constant speed
2

(ii) Accelerates to higher constant speed

1

(b) (i) Points correct (allow one major or two minor mistakes)
Line correct (for their points)
2

(ii) 5 m/s
or 5
gets 2 marks

or correct unit
gets 1 mark mark
3

(c) (i) 50 s or 50
gets 2 marks

or t = d/v
gets 1 mark
3

Page 6 of 9
 (ii) Line correct (of gradient 4 and spans 30 consecutive seconds)
1

(d) (i) 0.04 or 6/15

gets 2 marks

or a = v/t
gets 1 mark
3
[15]

Q8.
(a) distance
1

speed
1

(b) (both have magnitude) only a vector has direction

allow scalar does not have a direction
1

(c) any two from:

• mass
allow weight

• velocity
allow speed or direction

• friction
allow air resistance or drag

• power of the motor

2

(d) total momentum is zero after the collision (because the bumper cars are
stationary)
1

because the momentum of each car before the collision was equal (in
magnitude) and opposite (in direction)
1

so the total momentum of the bumper cars was zero before the collision
1

and momentum is conserved

OR

total momentum is zero after the collision (because the bumper cars are
stationary) (1)

because the momentum of each car before the collision was equal (in
magnitude) and opposite (in direction) (1)

Page 7 of 9
 both cars exert an equal and opposite force on each other (for equal periods
of time) (1)

so the cars accelerate (in opposite directions) (1)

[9]

Q9.
(a) 7.5
correct answer with no working = 3 if incorrect allow 1 mark
for (change in velocity from graph =) 15

1 mark for

2 marks for

N.B. correct answer from the incorrectly recalled relationship

= 2 marks
3

(b) (4 – 5 seconds) the bungee jumper slows down (decelerates)

1

(the rubber cord) stops the fall

1

(5 – 6 seconds) the bungee jumper starts moving (accelerating) upwards

(in the opposite direction)
max 2 marks if no correct indication of time
1
[6]

Q10.
(a) the forces are equal in size and act in opposite directions
1

(b) (i) forwards / to the right / in the direction of the 300 N force
answers in either order
1

accelerating
1

(ii) constant velocity to the right

1

(iii) resultant force is zero

accept forces are equal / balanced
1

so boat continues in the same direction at the same speed

1

Page 8 of 9
(iv) parallelogram or triangle is correctly drawn with resultant

value of resultant in the range 545 N – 595 N

parallelogram drawn without resultant gains 1 mark
If no triangle or parallelogram drawn:
drawn resultant line is between the two 300 N forces gains 1
mark
drawn resultant line is between and longer than the two 300
N forces gains 2 marks
1
[10]

Page 9 of 9