Multiple choice questions
Multiple choice questions will appear throughout both exam papers (Breadth and Depth) and at both Foundation Tier and Higher Tier.
These questions provide you with a number of answers, from which you must select the answer or answers that you think are correct.
A multiple choice question may require you to:
- tick one or more boxes next to the correct statements in a list
- tick ‘true’ or ‘false’ next to each statement in a list
- draw a ring around the correct answer in a list
- select the correct answer or answers from 'talking heads' speech bubbles
- join the boxes by drawing lines between two linked statements or between questions and correct answers
- select the correct word from a list to complete one or more sentences
- re-order statements into the correct sequence
The question may tell you in bold type how many ticks, rings or lines to draw. If you draw less than this, or more than this, you will not get full marks. Make sure that you draw straight lines, rather than complex wavy lines.
There will usually be more options than correct answers. Read each option carefully and decide whether it is right or wrong.
The number of marks for the question will not always match the number of ticks, rings or lines required - read the question carefully to make sure you understand what you have to do.
Sample question 1 - Foundation
Question
The demand for energy in the home keeps increasing.
What does the amount of energy transferred electrically by an appliance depend on?
Put ticks in the boxes next to the two correct statements. [2 marks]
| A | Its power rating |
| B | The frequency of the mains supply |
| C | How much it costs to buy |
| D | The cost of one unit of energy |
| E | How long it is used for |
| A |
|---|
| Its power rating |
| B |
|---|
| The frequency of the mains supply |
| C |
|---|
| How much it costs to buy |
| D |
|---|
| The cost of one unit of energy |
| E |
|---|
| How long it is used for |
OCR 21st Century Science, GCE Physics, Paper J259, 2016.
| A | Its power rating | ✔ |
| B | The frequency of the mains supply | |
| C | How much it costs to buy | |
| D | The cost of one unit of energy | |
| E | How long it is used for | ✔ |
| A |
|---|
| Its power rating |
| ✔ |
| B |
|---|
| The frequency of the mains supply |
| C |
|---|
| How much it costs to buy |
| D |
|---|
| The cost of one unit of energy |
| E |
|---|
| How long it is used for |
| ✔ |
When answering multiple choice questions, the key is to carefully read the question and all the answers. The question will embolden any key information, like in this question, the fact that you need to tick two boxes.
You must go back to the equation for energy transferred to answer this question correctly:
energy transferred = power × time
Sample question 2 - Foundation
Question
a) Place one tick next to the correct voltage for the UK mains supply. [1 mark]
| A | 110 V | |
| B | 230 V | |
| C | 360 V |
| A |
|---|
| 110 V |
| B |
|---|
| 230 V |
| C |
|---|
| 360 V |
b) Place one tick next to the correct frequency for the UK mains supply. [1 mark]
| A | 30 Hz | |
| B | 40 Hz | |
| C | 50 Hz |
| A |
|---|
| 30 Hz |
| B |
|---|
| 40 Hz |
| C |
|---|
| 50 Hz |
OCR 21st Century Science, GCE Physics, Paper J259, 2016.
a)
| A | 110 V | |
| B | 230 V | ✔ |
| C | 360 V |
| A |
|---|
| 110 V |
| B |
|---|
| 230 V |
| ✔ |
| C |
|---|
| 360 V |
b)
| A | 30 Hz | |
| B | 40 Hz | |
| C | 50 Hz | ✔ |
| A |
|---|
| 30 Hz |
| B |
|---|
| 40 Hz |
| C |
|---|
| 50 Hz |
| ✔ |
This is straight recall from the specification. Mains electricity is ac at 50 Hz and 230 V. Read the question carefully, the key point that you need to tick one answer is emboldened.