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IGCSE Co-ordinated Sciences (9–1) 0973 · Physics · 40

0654.P1.7.01 — Describe how pressure varies with force and area in the context of everyday examples: past paper questions

5 real questionsasked in 3 of the last 10 exam series2020–2025usually: Explain, Calculate

Real questions on 0654.p1.7.01 — describe how pressure varies with force and area in the context of everyday examples

The newest 5 of 5 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.

  1. 0973/31 · May/June 2025 · Q10c(ii)[2]

    Fig. 10.2 shows the tyre in contact with the road. road tyre Fig. 10.2 The area in contact with the road is 180 cm 2 . The tyre exerts a pressure of 20 N / cm 2 on the road. Calculate the force exerted by the tyre on the road. force = N

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  2. 0973/31 · May/June 2023 · Q3a(i)[2]

    Fig. 3.1 shows a skier standing on the snow. ski Fig. 3.1 When she stands on the snow without her skis, she sinks into the snow. When she wears her skis, she can stand on the snow without sinking. Explain these observations.

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  3. 0973/31 · October/November 2022 · Q12b[2]

    The person stands with both feet on some very soft sand on the beach. When one foot is lifted off the sand, the other foot sinks deeper into the sand. Explain why this happens.

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  4. 0973/31 · May/June 2021 · Q3b(iii)[2]

    The Sun also heats up the air in the bicycle tyres. This causes the pressure of the air in the tyres to increase. Describe, in terms of the motion of the air molecules, why the pressure of the air in the tyres increases as the temperature of the air increases.

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  5. 0973/41 · October/November 2020 · Q6c[2]

    The tractor has very wide tyres as shown in Fig. 6.2. Fig. 6.2 The tractor sinks into the soil if the pressure acting on the ground is too large. Explain why having wider tyres reduces the pressure of the tractor on the ground.

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What examiners said

Some candidates divided the area by the pressure, showing some confusion and resulting in incorrect answers. Those that knew the relationship successfully completed the calculation.

— Examiner report, May/June 2025, 0973/31 Q10(c)(ii) (Cambridge)

Many candidates referred to the greater surface area of the skis but fewer were able to explain that this reduced the pressure. Many candidates vaguely referred to spreading the weight.

— Examiner report, May/June 2023, 0973/31 Q3(a)(i) (Cambridge)

Some candidates gained full marks. A common misconception was to suggest that molecules expand.

— Examiner report, May/June 2021, 0973/31 Q3(b)(iii) (Cambridge)

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0654.P1.7.01 — Describe how pressure varies with force and area in the context of everyday examples — IGCSE Co-ordinated Sciences (9–1) 0973 past paper questions | AssessPro