Density: past paper questions
Real questions on density
The newest 20 of 23 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.
- 0972/32 · May/June 2026 · Q3c[3]
(c) The scientist's measurements are shown. mass of pebble = 120g volume of pebble = 52cm? Calculate the density of the pebble. density pebble .......... g/cm? [3]
See it on the paper → - 0972/41 · May/June 2026 · Q2a[3]
(a) The mass of the metal sphere is 87g. Calculate the density of the metal. State the unit. density .......... Unit [3]
See it on the paper → - 0972/41 · May/June 2026 · Q2b[6]
Describe how a student determines the volume of the sphere using a measuring cylinder.
See it on the paper → - 0972/42 · May/June 2026 · Q3a(i)[2]
The water flows through the shower at a rate of 0.0045 m°/min. Show that the mass of water that leaves the shower in 4.0 min is 18kg.
See it on the paper → - 0972/31 · October/November 2025 · Q2b[2]
A scientist places a piece of plastic in some water in a measuring cylinder. Fig. 2.2 shows the result. cm 3 piece of plastic 200 100 water Fig. 2.2 Compare the density of the plastic with the density of the water in Fig. 2.2. State the evidence that supports your answer. density of the plastic is
See it on the paper → - 0972/31 · October/November 2025 · Q5a[3]
Describe the arrangement, separation and motion of the metal particles.
See it on the paper → - 0972/41 · October/November 2025 · Q2b(ii)[2]
Calculate the volume of Mars. volume =
See it on the paper → - 0972/42 · May/June 2025 · Q2c(ii)[2]
Calculate the density of the wood of the metre ruler. density =
See it on the paper → - 0972/61 · May/June 2025 · Q1d[3]
Calculate the density ρ of the ball using the equation: m B ρ = V. Give your answer to a suitable number of significant figures for this experiment. Include the unit. ρ =
See it on the paper → - 0972/31 · October/November 2024 · Q3a[4]
Describe how the student can find the volume of the piece of metal. In your answer you may refer to some or all of the equipment shown in Fig. 3.1.
See it on the paper → - 0972/31 · October/November 2024 · Q3b[3]
The mass of another piece of the metal is 350 g. The volume of this piece of metal is 18 cm 3 . Calculate the density of the metal. density = g / cm 3
See it on the paper → - 0972/31 · October/November 2023 · Q2a[4]
Calculate the density of the metal. Include the unit. density =
See it on the paper → - 0972/32 · May/June 2023 · Q1b[3]
The mass of some steel balls is 54 g and the total volume of these steel balls is 6.9 cm 3 . Calculate the density of the steel. density of steel = g / cm 3
See it on the paper → - 0972/42 · May/June 2023 · Q5a(i)[2]
Show that the mass of air in the room is 79 kg.
See it on the paper → - 0972/41 · May/June 2022 · Q2c[2]
The water flows to the turbine through a pipe of constant cross-sectional area. Explain why the kinetic energy of the water in the pipe remains constant as it flows through the pipe.
See it on the paper → - 0972/61 · October/November 2021 · Q1a(i)[1]
Write down the scale readings in mm from the metre rule at the top and bottom of the spring, as shown in Fig. 1.1. top reading = mm
See it on the paper → - 0972/31 · May/June 2021 · Q2a(ii)[3]
The 12 g of mercury has a volume of 0.88 cm 3 . Calculate the density of mercury. density of mercury = g / cm 3
See it on the paper → - 0972/31 · October/November 2020 · Q2a[1]
Using the information in Fig. 2.1, determine the mass of the liquid in the beaker. mass = g
See it on the paper → - 0972/31 · October/November 2020 · Q2b[3]
The beaker contains 750 cm 3 of liquid. Calculate the density of the liquid. density = g / cm 3
See it on the paper → - 0972/31 · May/June 2020 · Q1b[3]
The volume of the wire in the coil is 16.6 cm 3 and its mass is 148 g. Calculate the density of the metal used for the wire in the coil. density = g / cm 3
See it on the paper →
What examiners said
The majority of candidates knew the formula for density. The determination of the volume of the metre ruler was more challenging. The dimensions for the width of the ruler and its thickness were given in metres to assist with this calculation. When the units in calculations were left as kg and m, answers were usually correct and scored full credit. Conversions to other units often led to errors. A...
— Examiner report, May/June 2025, 0972/42 Q2(c)(ii) (Cambridge)
Candidates were expected to give the answer to two or three significant figures with the unit g / cm3.
— Examiner report, May/June 2025, 0972/61 Q1(d) (Cambridge)
The vast majority of candidates gained full credit for an answer of 7.7 g / cm3. The most common error was to give an incorrect or no unit. Another common error was to recall an incorrect rearrangement of the equation for density.
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 0972/31 Q2(a) (Cambridge)
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