# 9702/12 October/November 2017

> 9702/12 October/November 2017: 40 questions, 40 marks. Difficulty 0.29, deviation 0.12, algebraic 0.21, text density 0.29. CIE IAL Physics 9702 P1.

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CIE IAL · Physics · 2017 October/November

This Physics 9702 Paper 1 (Multiple Choice) paper contains 40 questions worth 40 marks. The profile below reports five mark-weighted difficulty and complexity measures, and every question row repeats them. Full question text and mark scheme open in the Interactive Practice Hub.

- CIE IAL
- 9702 P1
- 40 questions
- 40 marks
- Free paper
- [Practise this paper](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501)
- [All 9702 P1 papers](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/)

Core finding

**9702/12 October/November 2017 is a past paper for CIE IAL Physics 9702 Paper 1 (Multiple Choice), with 40 questions worth 40 marks.** Its mark-weighted Difficulty Measure is 0.29 on a 0.20–0.75 scale, with a Difficulty Deviation of 0.12 and a mark split of 62.5% Easy, 37.5% Medium and 0.0% Hard. Algebraic complexity averages 0.21; text density and modelling average 0.29. All five measures use 40 part-level tags, not candidate results. Every question row below repeats them and opens the Interactive Practice Hub for that question.

## Difficulty & complexity profile

All five measures are mark-weighted and calculated from 40 parts carrying 40 part marks. Difficulty tags cover 40 parts, algebraic tags 40 and text-density tags 40. Tags are internal metadata, not official exam-board ratings.

- **Difficulty Measure**: 0.29 — 0.20–0.75 · nearer Easy
- **Difficulty Deviation**: 0.12 — 0 = uniform; higher = more mixed
- **Difficulty Ratio**: 62.5 / 37.5 / 0.0 — % Easy / Medium / Hard
- **Algebraic Complexity Measure**: 0.21 — 0.20–0.75 · nearer Low
- **Text Density and Modelling Measure**: 0.29 — 0.20–0.75 · nearer Low

Scale: Easy 0.20 · Medium 0.45 · Hard 0.75, and Low 0.20 · Medium 0.45 · High 0.75 for the two complexity measures. [How each band is defined and how the values are calculated →](https://www.examsci.com/guides/difficulty-and-complexity-measures/)

### Definitions and calculation

| Measure | Paper value | Formula |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Difficulty Measure** | 0.29 | Σ(d_i × w_i) / Σw_i, with d = 0.20 / 0.45 / 0.75 |
| **Difficulty Deviation** | 0.12 | √(Σw_i(d_i − μ)^2 / Σw_i) |
| **Difficulty Ratio** | 62.5% Easy / 37.5% Medium / 0.0% Hard | marks in band / all tagged marks |
| **Algebraic Complexity Measure** | 0.21 | Σ(c_i × marks_i) / Σmarks_i, with c = 0.20 / 0.45 / 0.75 |
| **Text Density and Modelling Measure** | 0.29 | Σ(t_i × marks_i) / Σmarks_i, with t = 0.20 / 0.45 / 0.75 |

w_i equals the part marks, except for a Hard part worth 4 or more marks, where w_i = marks^0.75 to offset the accessible starter steps inside long structured questions.

## Question list

Each measure is recalculated from the parts of that question and uses the same weights as the paper profile.

| Question | Topic | Marks | Difficulty Measure | Algebraic Complexity Measure | Text Density and Modelling Measure | Practice |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Q1** FRQ | [1.2 SI units](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/si-units/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=18d601e7-5c72-4c82-84a8-f289f8dfec6e&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q2** FRQ | [1.4 Scalars and vectors](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/scalars-and-vectors/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=47d24db7-de36-46e7-a02b-237d43297e51&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q3** FRQ | [1.2 SI units](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/si-units/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=45282d52-7ab3-496c-a615-4e9675f07ed8&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q4** FRQ | [2.2 Errors and uncertainties](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/errors-and-uncertainties/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=733b4a04-df95-49ae-914f-5dab3172ea06&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q5** FRQ | [2.1 Measurements](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=a11a7903-541e-4945-aeb9-4452f5a79550&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q6** FRQ | [3.1 Equations of motion](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/equations-of-motion/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=f77ec647-069f-4b19-9f14-a473d94dcd62&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q7** FRQ | [3.1 Equations of motion](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/equations-of-motion/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=9289ca69-220d-4c87-bab2-547585e38643&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q8** FRQ | [4.2 Non-uniform motion](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/non-uniform-motion/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=fb734690-7728-4471-b5fe-fc7bda4f67f4&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q9** FRQ | [4.3 Linear momentum and its conservation](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/linear-momentum-and-its-conservation/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=3d294ed7-71b8-419a-bebe-fa495f540561&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q10** FRQ | [4.1 Momentum and Newton’s laws of motion](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/momentum-and-newton-s-laws-of-motion/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=a3fbf7c7-ef87-41c9-bcc1-f2ed439bf842&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q11** FRQ | [5.1 Types of force](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=f0f58570-126c-49de-877a-2beec95ef218&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q12** FRQ | [5.2 Turning effects of forces](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/turning-effects-of-forces/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=011fde10-712e-4c65-81f6-c49708058350&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q13** FRQ | [5.3 Equilibrium of forces](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/equilibrium-of-forces/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=b43edf8c-ae27-4604-86f2-5488d3b17dc4&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q14** FRQ | [5.3 Equilibrium of forces](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/equilibrium-of-forces/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=41e1d66b-f028-4a62-b244-a3bef09593dc&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q15** FRQ | [5.4 Density and pressure](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/density-and-pressure/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=b4e9d642-fe32-4081-b17e-95fc65f4e911&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q16** FRQ | [6.2 Work and efficiency](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=26fc58e7-ba8a-4ebf-ab9f-fa0df0f62292&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q17** FRQ | [6.2 Work and efficiency](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=c451544c-2db4-4953-9df1-5ce68624709e&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q18** FRQ | [6.3 Potential energy and kinetic energy](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=e4dde445-f42a-4d0a-90b9-67bff952d195&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q19** FRQ | [6.4 Power](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=fb591eee-2e35-41be-b4ff-7957ab11b7db&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q20** FRQ | [9.1 Stress and strain](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/stress-and-strain/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=5d614d04-52a8-4f3b-bb43-b596ae1c1e3b&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q21** FRQ | [9.1 Stress and strain](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/stress-and-strain/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=2cd51b14-de6d-4b68-a0c3-21b446bae607&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q22** FRQ | [14.1 Progressive waves](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/progressive-waves/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=8c4ef30a-b3b2-4819-ba06-3da1fd242875&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q23** FRQ | [14.2 Transverse and longitudinal waves](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/transverse-and-longitudinal-waves/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=bcc81e52-792e-4fca-b84c-966c07745ffd&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q24** FRQ | [14.1 Progressive waves](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/progressive-waves/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=956ac51f-4d41-4f13-9d56-b5e9fab631bb&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q25** FRQ | [14.4 Doppler effect](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=c3e5dd4c-e791-4c7e-8624-f5936b840d7d&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q26** FRQ | [14.1 Progressive waves](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/progressive-waves/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=22deeba9-6514-4d9e-9745-05538a43f3ce&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q27** FRQ | [15.1 Stationary waves](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/stationary-waves/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=12fadcaf-4fa3-4149-9435-9b8bca3d0e00&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q28** FRQ | [15.2 Diffraction](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/diffraction/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=c2e87e7d-c190-4f7e-a6ea-1b8addb60396&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q29** FRQ | [14.5 Electromagnetic spectrum](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/electromagnetic-spectrum/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=21640565-e0e6-4ac6-9aa3-fad35962977d&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q30** FRQ | [15.3 Interference, two-source interference](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=c7824b9f-25f9-48c0-9ad1-8f96347fa35e&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q31** FRQ | [17.2 Uniform electric fields](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=09aa81db-effe-42d0-96ce-e5d77a9b55fa&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q32** FRQ | [17.2 Uniform electric fields](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=964200df-7b14-43b2-8f61-c30e1b5c8d89&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q33** FRQ | [19.1 Electric current](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/electric-current/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=64da98b0-8b14-4946-b854-900027a39a17&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q34** FRQ | [19.2 Potential difference and power](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/potential-difference-and-power/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=4d08b974-9017-4ed7-af3d-8bba4c326e89&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q35** FRQ | [19.3 Resistance and resistivity](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/resistance-and-resistivity/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=e952321d-7e6e-4f5e-b1f8-2c6a1f1c3b44&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q36** FRQ | [20.1 Practical circuits](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/practical-circuits/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=d69af4b6-9db6-46c0-b776-46b84db86bb0&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q37** FRQ | [20.2 Kirchhoff’s laws](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/kirchhoff-s-laws/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.45 Medium | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=a78c63d2-2c4b-4978-9c1a-5e3926d76f47&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q38** FRQ | [20.3 Potential dividers](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/potential-dividers/) | 1 | 0.45 Medium | 0.20 Low | 0.45 Medium | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=cf529897-6a8b-4cb1-81c8-45758bdd3593&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q39** FRQ | [26.1 Atoms, nuclei and radiation](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/atoms-nuclei-and-radiation/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=e6961201-9383-4f7a-abd4-8aa887bf37d1&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |
| **Q40** FRQ | [26.2 Fundamental particles](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/fundamental-particles/) | 1 | 0.20 Easy | 0.20 Low | 0.20 Low | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=16ba4434-b9ab-4f50-81d6-3f5a0c27e501&question_id=23f611cf-fbc5-4aac-9fa8-685038f4cbf7&source_detail=9702%2F12+October%2FNovember+2017) |

## Topics in this paper

- [1.2 SI units](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/si-units/)
- [1.4 Scalars and vectors](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/scalars-and-vectors/)
- [2.2 Errors and uncertainties](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/errors-and-uncertainties/)
- [2.1 Measurements](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/)
- [3.1 Equations of motion](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/equations-of-motion/)
- [4.2 Non-uniform motion](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/non-uniform-motion/)
- [4.3 Linear momentum and its conservation](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/linear-momentum-and-its-conservation/)
- [4.1 Momentum and Newton’s laws of motion](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/momentum-and-newton-s-laws-of-motion/)
- [5.1 Types of force](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/)
- [5.2 Turning effects of forces](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/turning-effects-of-forces/)
- [5.3 Equilibrium of forces](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/equilibrium-of-forces/)
- [5.4 Density and pressure](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-1/density-and-pressure/)

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## Paper FAQ

**How are the difficulty and complexity measures calculated?**

Each part is weighted by its official marks. Difficulty uses Easy 0.20, Medium 0.45 and Hard 0.75; algebraic complexity and text density and modelling use Low 0.20, Medium 0.45 and High 0.75. A Hard part worth 4 or more marks is down-weighted to marks^0.75, so the accessible starter steps inside a long structured question do not inflate the difficulty result. This paper's Difficulty Measure is 0.29 from 40 parts.

**What does the Difficulty Deviation show?**

It is the mark-weighted standard deviation of the part difficulty values around the paper mean. A value of 0 would mean every tagged part has the same difficulty; this paper's deviation is 0.12, so its parts are more mixed than a single-level paper.

**Is the Difficulty Ratio based on question counts or marks?**

It is based on official marks, not question counts. This paper's shares are 62.5% Easy, 37.5% Medium and 0.0% Hard; the three shares sum to 100% before rounding.

**Are these official difficulty ratings?**

No. They are derived from the platform's part-level difficulty and static-question-profile tags. They are not exam-board grade boundaries and are not calculated from candidate outcomes. Use them to compare the demand profile of papers, not to predict a grade.

**Why does each question row show its own measures?**

Each row recalculates the same mark-weighted formula from that question's parts. A single-part MCQ therefore shows the tag value directly, while a multi-part structured question blends the tags of its parts using the same Hard-part decay as the paper profile.

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