Unit 1: Space, Time and Motion
Topic 1.3: Work, Energy and Power Questions
Practice 20 exam-style questions for IB Physics SL Topic 1.3. Review the question stems below, then unlock the full Question Bank to access markschemes, model answers, and AI grading.
1Calculate1 mark
2026
A tractor pulls a plough at a steady 1.5 m s−1, doing work at a rate of 24 kW.
Calculate the pulling force.
Calculate the pulling force.
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2026
A winch drags a boat up a slipway at a steady 0.60 m s−1. The winch does work on the boat at a rate of 1.5 kW.
Calculate the tension in the winch cable.
Calculate the tension in the winch cable.
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A 1.5 kg watering can is lifted from the ground onto a shelf 1.2 m high.
Taking g = 9.8 N kg−1, calculate the gravitational potential energy it gains.
Taking g = 9.8 N kg−1, calculate the gravitational potential energy it gains.
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State the SI unit of power and express it in terms of the joule and the second.
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2025
A glider is pulled along a runway by a cable. A graph shows how the tension in the cable varies with the distance the glider has moved.
State what is represented by the area under the graph.
State what is represented by the area under the graph.
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2026
A 2.0 kg ball falls 5.0 m. Take g = 9.81 m s−2.
Calculate the loss in gravitational potential energy.
Calculate the loss in gravitational potential energy.
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A coin falls from rest off the edge of a table.
Air resistance is negligible.
State the quantity that stays constant as the coin falls.
Air resistance is negligible.
State the quantity that stays constant as the coin falls.
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2026
State what is meant by the elastic potential energy of a stretched spring.
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Sketch a force–distance graph for a constant 10 N force acting over a distance of 4.0 m, and indicate on your sketch how the work done is found from the graph.
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2026
Two liquid fuels release the same energy per kilogram. Fuel P is denser than fuel Q (more kilograms in each cubic metre).
Which statement is correct?
Which statement is correct?
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State the principle of conservation of energy, and identify the form into which most of the energy wasted by a real machine is transferred.
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2026
The energy density of a fuel is 3.0 × 1010 J m−3.
What does this tell you?
What does this tell you?
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State what is meant by the kinetic energy of an object.
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2026
A car of mass 1200 kg travels at 20 m s−1.
Calculate its kinetic energy.
Calculate its kinetic energy.
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2026
A 0.30 kg pendulum bob hangs on a string 1.2 m long. It is pulled aside until the string makes 40° with the vertical. g = 9.8 N kg−1.
Show that the bob gains about 0.8 J of gravitational potential energy.
Show that the bob gains about 0.8 J of gravitational potential energy.
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State what the area under a force–extension graph for a spring represents.
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2026
Which quantity is measured in J kg−1?
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2026
A force-distance graph is a horizontal line at 20 N from 0 to 5 m.
Calculate the work done.
Calculate the work done.
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2026
A 70 kg skier stands at the top of a straight slope 50 m long that makes 12° with the horizontal. g = 9.8 N kg−1.
Show that her gravitational potential energy relative to the bottom of the slope is about 7 kJ.
Show that her gravitational potential energy relative to the bottom of the slope is about 7 kJ.
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2026
A toy cart of mass 2.0 kg rests at the upper end of a straight 3.0 m track that rises at 20° to the horizontal. g = 9.8 N kg−1.
Show that, measured from the lower end, the cart stores about 20 J of gravitational potential energy.
Show that, measured from the lower end, the cart stores about 20 J of gravitational potential energy.
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