IB
Physics (New Syllabus)
Question Bank
Free International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Exam Style Questions
Enhance your grasp of the new syllabus (2025) for International Baccalaureate Physics with our free past paper questions and answers. Perfect for practice and review, these questions cover essential concepts to support your preparation for the first examinations in 2025 for IB Physics.
Question 1
A gun is fired upwards with initial velocity of 30 ms-1, what is the maximum height the bullet will reach (ignore air resistance)?
[ 1 ]
A.
9.8 m
B.
45.9 m
C.
91.8 m
D.
30.0 m
Rationale
Identifying initial velocity to be 30 ms-1
Identifying final velocity at maximum height to be 0 ms-1
Identifying the equation of motion; u2=2gs
Substituting and changing the subject to displacement to obtain 45.9 ms-2
Question 2
An example of a one directional motion is
[ 1 ]
A.
Motion of $O_2$ molecules
B.
Motion of International Space Station
C.
Motion of a ferris wheel
D.
Motion of a car running on a straight road
Rationale
Straight road suggests uni-directional motion!
Question 3
A person runs from point A to B at 10 $ms^{-1}$ and from point B to A at 8 $ms^{-1}$. Calculate the average speed of his journey.
[ 1 ]
A.
$\frac{40}{9}$ $ms^{-1}$.
B.
$\frac{9}{80}$ $ms^{-1}$.
C.
$\frac{9}{40}$ $ms^{-1}$.
D.
$\frac{80}{9}$ $ms^{-1}$.
Rationale
Total time taken by the person to travel from A to B and then from B to A,
$t_A+t_B$ = $\frac{AB}{10} + \frac{BA}{8}$ = $\frac{9AB}{40}$ s
Total distance covered = AB + BA = 2AB
Average speed = $\frac{2AB}{(t_A+t_B)}$ = $\frac{80}{9}$ $ms^{-1}$.
Question 4
The average speed of a wave board between location A and B is 30 m/s, between B and C is 20 m/s, between C and D is 5 m/s. Calculate the average speed between A and D, if the time taken in the sections is 15s, 5s and 1s respectively?
[ 1 ]
A.
26.43 $ms^{-1}$.
B.
2.62 $ms^{-1}$.
C.
30.00 $ms^{-1}$.
D.
18.33 $ms^{-1}$.
Rationale
Average speed is the total distance divided by total time taken.
Total displacement (d = vt) = $30 \times 15 + 20 \times 5 + 5 \times 1$ = 555 m.
Total time = 15 + 5 + 1 = 21 s.
Therefore, average speed = 555/21 = 26.43 $ms^{-1}$.
Question 5
A truck travelling at the rate of 60 km/h sees a red light and stops are within 4 seconds using its brakes. What is the distance travelled from the point it hit the break?
[ 1 ]
A.
240 m
B.
$\frac{100}{3}$ m
C.
$\frac{200}{3}$ m
D.
60 m
Rationale
Let x be the uniform retardation in m/s2 to the motion of the truck due to application of brakes.
By question, the truck stopped by its brakes in 4 seconds, hence, the final velocity of the truck after 4 seconds = 0.
Therefore, using the formula v = u – xt we get,
0 = $\frac{60 \times 1000}{3600}$ - 4x
x = $\frac{25}{6}$
Let the truck go through a distance y m from the point at which the brakes are first applied.
Then using the formula y = ut – $\frac{1}{2}xt^2$ we get,
s = $\frac{60 \times 1000 \times 4}{3600}$ - $\frac{1}{2} \times \frac{25}{6} \times 4^2$
= $\frac{100}{3}$
Therefore, the required distance described by the truck= $\frac{100}{3}$ m.
Question 6
A ball is thrown from point X and follows path XYZ. Air resistance is negligible. At which point is the vertical velocity of the ball equal to zero?
[ 1 ]
[© Abaccus Ltd 2022]
A.
X
B.
Y
C.
Z
D.
All of the above
Question 7
A car moves from X to Y along a semicircular path. The radius of the path is 250 m and the time taken to complete the trip is 50 s. Which of the following correctly shows the magnitude of the displacement and the magnitude of the average speed?
| Displacement | Average speed | |
|---|---|---|
| A. | 785 m | 10 ms-1 |
| B. | 785 m | 16 ms-1 |
| C. | 500 m | 10 ms-1 |
| D. | 500 m | 16 ms-1 |
[ 1 ]
[© Abaccus Ltd 2022]
A.
A
B.
B
C.
C
D.
D
Question 8
Which figure below represents the effect of air resistance on projectile motion?
[ 1 ]
[© Abaccus Ltd 2022]
A.
A
B.
B
C.
C
D.
D
Rationale
Air resistance acts against the movement of an object. Therefore it tends to reduce the velocity, whether is is vertical or horizontal. The higher the velocity, the higher the air resistance experienced by the object. Air resistance increases proportionally to the square of the velocity. It is also a function of other parameters, such as the drag coefficient of the object and density of the air.
Question NaN
A gun is fired upwards with initial velocity of 30 ms-1, what is the maximum height the bullet will reach (ignore air resistance)?
[ 1 ]
A.
9.8 m
B.
45.9 m
C.
91.8 m
D.
30.0 m
Rationale
Identifying initial velocity to be 30 ms-1
Identifying final velocity at maximum height to be 0 ms-1
Identifying the equation of motion; u2=2gs
Substituting and changing the subject to displacement to obtain 45.9 ms-2
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