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1(a)Medium4 marks

A student investigates the balancing of a metre ruler. Refer to Figure 1.1.

The student:

places a metre ruler with the 50.0 cm mark exactly above the pivot
places an object P with its centre on the metre ruler at the 10.0 cm mark
records, in Table 1.1, the distance $x$ = 40.0 cm between the centre of object P and the 50.0 cm mark
places an object Q on the metre ruler
adjusts the position of Q until the metre ruler is as close as possible to being balanced
records, in Table 1.1, the distance $y$ between the centre of object Q and the 50.0 cm mark.

The student repeats the steps above using distances of

x

= 35.0 cm, 30.0 cm, 25.0 cm and 20.0 cm. The values of

x

and

y

are recorded in Table 1.1.

Table 1.1

Plot a graph of

y

/ cm (

y

-axis) against

x

/ cm (

x

-axis). You do not need to start the axes at the origin (0, 0). Draw a best-fit straight line.

Draw with the mouse or a finger.

1(b)Medium3 marks

Determine the gradient

G

of the graph. Show clearly on the graph how you obtained the necessary information.

Your answer

1(c)Easy2 marks

The gradient

G

of the graph is equal to the ratio

\frac{W _{P}}{W _{Q}}

, where

W_{P}

is the weight of object P and

W_{Q}

is the weight of object Q.

W_{P}

= 2.0 N. Calculate

W_{Q}

. Show your working.

Your answer

1(d)Easy2 marks

Explain how to place the centre of object P on the 10.0 cm mark as accurately as possible. Draw a diagram to illustrate your answer.

Your answer

May/June 2026 Paper 61