Multiple choice questions
Multiple choice questions are perhaps the easiest to complete - you simply put a cross in a box. However, the questions often have two answers that could, at first glance, be correct. Don't make the mistake of reading the first answer and thinking this is correct without checking all the others.
If it says 'Tick one box', you must tick one box. If you leave it blank or tick two or more boxes, you will get zero marks. These multiple choice questions will not start with command words like 'describe' or 'explain'. They will be written in the form of a question like 'What…?' or 'Why…?'.
There will be more multiple choice questions on the Foundation paper.
Edexcel questions courtesy of Pearson Education Ltd.
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Sample question 1 - Foundation
Question
An endoscope uses glass fibres to enable doctors to see inside a person.
Rays of light travel along the glass fibres by… [1 mark]
| A | total internal correction | |
| B | total internal diffraction | |
| C | total internal reflection | |
| D | total internal refraction |
| A |
|---|
| total internal correction |
| B |
|---|
| total internal diffraction |
| C |
|---|
| total internal reflection |
| D |
|---|
| total internal refraction |
| A | total internal correction | |
| B | total internal diffraction | |
| C | total internal reflection | âś” |
| D | total internal refraction |
| A |
|---|
| total internal correction |
| B |
|---|
| total internal diffraction |
| C |
|---|
| total internal reflection |
| âś” |
| D |
|---|
| total internal refraction |
Sample question 2 - Foundation
Question
Which of these colours appears in a pure spectrum of visible light? [1 mark]
| A | Black | |
| B | Brown | |
| C | White | |
| D | Yellow |
| A |
|---|
| Black |
| B |
|---|
| Brown |
| C |
|---|
| White |
| D |
|---|
| Yellow |
| A | Black | |
| B | Brown | |
| C | White | |
| D | Yellow | âś” |
| A |
|---|
| Black |
| B |
|---|
| Brown |
| C |
|---|
| White |
| D |
|---|
| Yellow |
| âś” |
Yellow is the only one of these colours to appear in the spectrum of visible light – often called the rainbow.
Sample question 3 - Higher
Question
Lenses are used in spectacles to treat some vision defects. The two main lens types are converging lenses and diverging lenses. Diverging lenses always produce virtual, diminished images.
Which row of the table describes the images produced by a converging lens? [1 mark]
| Type of image | Size of image | ||
| A | Only real | Only magnified | |
| B | Either real or virtual | Either magnified or diminished | |
| C | Either real or virtual | Only magnified | |
| D | Only virtual | Only diminished |
| A | |
|---|---|
| Type of image | Only real |
| Size of image | Only magnified |
| B | |
|---|---|
| Type of image | Either real or virtual |
| Size of image | Either magnified or diminished |
| C | |
|---|---|
| Type of image | Either real or virtual |
| Size of image | Only magnified |
| D | |
|---|---|
| Type of image | Only virtual |
| Size of image | Only diminished |
| Type of image | Size of image | ||
| A | Only real | Only magnified | |
| B | Either real or virtual | Either magnified or diminished | âś” |
| C | Either real or virtual | Only magnified | |
| D | Only virtual | Only diminished |
| A | |
|---|---|
| Type of image | Only real |
| Size of image | Only magnified |
| B | |
|---|---|
| Type of image | Either real or virtual |
| Size of image | Either magnified or diminished |
| âś” | |
| C | |
|---|---|
| Type of image | Either real or virtual |
| Size of image | Only magnified |
| D | |
|---|---|
| Type of image | Only virtual |
| Size of image | Only diminished |
A converging lens can produce a real or virtual image that can be magnified or diminished: for example, the lens in a camera produces a real image, which is diminished, and a magnifying glass lens produces a virtual image, which is magnified.
Sample question 4 - Higher
Question
A specific electromagnetic wave has a frequency greater than visible light. The wavelength of this wave is longer than that of X-rays.
This electromagnetic wave is… [1 mark]
| A | a gamma wave | |
| B | an infrared wave | |
| C | a microwave | |
| D | an ultraviolet wave |
| A |
|---|
| a gamma wave |
| B |
|---|
| an infrared wave |
| C |
|---|
| a microwave |
| D |
|---|
| an ultraviolet wave |
| A | a gamma wave | |
| B | an infrared wave | |
| C | a microwave | |
| D | an ultraviolet wave | âś” |
| A |
|---|
| a gamma wave |
| B |
|---|
| an infrared wave |
| C |
|---|
| a microwave |
| D |
|---|
| an ultraviolet wave |
| âś” |
The wavelength is longer than the wavelength of X-rays, therefore it can't be gamma waves as these have a shorter wavelength. It has a frequency greater than visible so it must be ultraviolet.