AS & A Level Information Technology 9626 · Topic 20

Animation: past paper questions

25 real questionsasked in 7 of the last 10 exam series2019–2025usually: Describe, Explain, Compare, Suggest

Real questions on animation

The newest 20 of 25 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.

9626/33 · October/November 2025 · Q8[6]
In computer animation, objects can be made to appear to move at different speeds. Describe how an animator can control the speed at which objects appear to move.
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9626/32 · May/June 2025 · Q8a[2]
Describe how inbetweening (tweening) can be used to create the illusion of smooth movement of an object.
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9626/32 · May/June 2025 · Q8b[4]
Morphing can be used to smoothly change a shape into another shape. Describe how animation software uses pixel mapping to morph one shape into another.
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9626/32 · February/March 2025 · Q4a[2]
Describe what is meant by a frame in a computer animation.
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9626/32 · February/March 2025 · Q4b[4]
Explain how changes in the frame rate can affect how objects appear to move.
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9626/32 · October/November 2024 · Q9a(i)[2]
stop motion
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9626/32 · October/November 2024 · Q9a(ii)[3]
key frame
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9626/32 · October/November 2024 · Q9b[1]
Describe one property of an object that can be affected by altering its timings in an animated sequence.
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9626/33 · October/November 2024 · Q10a[2]
Describe what is meant by CGI in animation.
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9626/33 · October/November 2024 · Q10b(i)[2]
Describe cel animation.
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9626/33 · October/November 2024 · Q10b(ii)[2]
Cel animation is rarely used to create animations. Explain why computer software has replaced cel animation.
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9626/31 · May/June 2024 · Q2[6]
Describe how stroke and fill settings can be used to change the appearance of text in a computer animation.
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9626/32 · May/June 2024 · Q3[6]
Describe the differences between 2D and 3D computer animation.
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9626/33 · May/June 2024 · Q2[6]
Describe how stroke and fill settings can be used to change the appearance of text in a computer animation. ,
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9626/32 · February/March 2024 · Q5a[3]
Orientation
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9626/32 · October/November 2023 · Q2a[2]
Explain why key frames are used in computer animations.
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9626/32 · October/November 2023 · Q2b[4]
Describe how property key frames are used in computer animation.
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9626/31 · May/June 2022 · Q7a[4]
cell animation
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9626/31 · May/June 2022 · Q7b[4]
stop motion
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9626/33 · May/June 2022 · Q7a[4]
cell animation
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What examiners said

A good answer should have referenced that frames contain objects and their parameters and are part of a sequence. A common mistake was to describe the creation of an animation by an animator.
— Examiner report, February/March 2025, 9626/32 Q4(a) (Cambridge)

A common mistake was to refer to the speed of a whole animation and not to the movements of objects within an animation. Good answers should have referenced the effects of increases and decreases in the frame rate on how an object appears to move in the animation.
— Examiner report, February/March 2025, 9626/32 Q4(b) (Cambridge)

Good answers referred to start and end points of object/element movements and to the timings of these movements within an animation. A common mistake was to omit a reason or expansion to the response – the question asked for explanations - e.g., key frames specify the timing of the movement using the position of the key frame in a sequence of frames.
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 9626/32 Q2(a) (Cambridge)

Practise this topic

Answer these questions online and get each one marked against the official mark scheme, with what you missed and how to fix it.

Practise animation

In the syllabus

20.1 Animation

Using software tools for the creation and editing of computer animations, including: – creating an animation (stop motion and key frame) that meets the requirements of its intended application and audience – configuring the stage/frame/canvas for an animation, including setting: ○ colour ○ size ○ the aspect ratio using rulers, guides and grid settings ○ snapping options – importing and creating vector objects, including: ○ tracing bitmaps ○ adding text – controlling object properties, including: ○ stroke and fill settings ○ size position and orientation ○ transparency – setting paths – using layers – applying masks – controlling animations by: ○ adjusting frame rates ○ looping or stopping animations
The basic principles of animation, including: – frames – key frames – property key frames – timings – coordinates – inbetweening (‘tweening’) tools to change: ○ motion ○ shape ○ size ○ colour – morphing and the effect it creates
Different animation types and methods, including: – cel animation – stop motion – time lapse – flip book – CGI – 2D – 3D
Components of an animation: – the primary, for example, the main focus of the animation, such as main characters – the secondary, for example: ○ sound ○ background – other components of animation
The use of animation variables when creating animations, including: – to control the position of an animated object or parts of an animated object
Advantages and disadvantages of different animation types

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