Combined Science (A) J250,12 Higher November 2021, OCR GCSE Past Papers with Mark Schemes

1. Forces and Motion – Effects of seat belts on deceleration and force, factors affecting thinking and braking distances, and conservation of momentum in collisions.

2. Waves and Energy Transfer – Differences between transverse and longitudinal waves, electromagnetic wave properties, and energy changes in falling and impacting objects.

3. Radioactivity and Half-Life – Isotopic decay processes, differences between alpha and beta decay, radiation penetration through materials, and nuclear contamination vs. irradiation.

4. Electricity and Circuits – Charge and energy transfer calculations, efficiency of electrical power transmission, and dangers of electrical sockets near water.

5. Practical Physics and Experimental Techniques – Measuring reaction time using a ruler drop method, wave speed calculations from dripping tap experiments, and energy conservation in moving objects.

6. Renewable Energy and Power Generation – Wind vs. tidal energy comparisons, efficiency of turbines, and kinetic energy calculations for moving air and water masses.