Grade 11 Physical Sciences · Mechanics · Paper 1 (Physics)

Forces Grade 11

Real Forces past paper questions and answers from 2022 to 2025, with each memo split into the ticks examiners give. Try one, mark yourself, and see exactly which skill cost you marks.

past paper questions: 108 past paper questions
skills: 3 skills
videos: 3 videos

Try a Forces exam question

No sign-up. Takes 3 minutes.

Question 2.1 · November 2025 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 2 marks

A block of mass

5

kg is at rest on a rough horizontal surface. When a constant force F of magnitude

18

N acts on the block at an angle

θ

to the horizontal, the block experiences maximum static friction. See the diagram below. Diagram for this question

2.1 State Newton's Second Law of Motion in words.(2)

Work it out on paper first. Then mark yourself with the official memo, one tick at a time.

Forces skills

Each skill is one thing a memo gives a tick for. Tap one for its own questions, notes and videos.

More Forces Grade 11 questions and answers

Try each one on paper before you open the memo.

4. Question 7.2.3 · May/June 2025 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 5 marks
7.2 Sphere S is attached to the ceiling at point P by a light inextensible string. When sphere R, on an insulated stand, is brought close to sphere S they repel and sphere S comes to rest with the horizontal distance between the centres of the spheres equal to $0, 03$ m.

Sphere R is directly below point P. The string makes an angle θ with the vertical, as shown in the diagram below.

Answer the questions that follow.
Sphere R has a charge of $+ 6$ nC. Sphere S has a charge $+ 3$ nC and a mass of $0, 15$ g.
7.2.3 Calculate angle θ.(5)
Show the memo (5 ticks)Memo
1. ✓
  Formula $F = \frac{k Q _{1} Q _{2}}{r ^{2}}$
  1 mark · Apply Coulomb's law
2. ✓
  Substitution $F = \frac{( 9 \times 1 0 ^{9} ) ( 6 \times 1 0 ^{- 9} ) ( 3 \times 1 0 ^{- 9} )}{( 0 , 03 ) ^{2}}$
  $= 1, 8 \times 1 0^{- 4}$ N
  1 mark · Apply Coulomb's law
3. ✓
  Weight of S $w = m g = (1, 5 \times 1 0^{- 4}) (9, 8) = 1, 47 \times 1 0^{- 3}$ N
  1 mark · Calculate weight
4. ✓
  Trig ratio $tan θ = \frac{F _{E}}{m g} = \frac{1 , 8 \times 1 0 ^{- 4}}{1 , 47 \times 1 0 ^{- 3}}$
  1 mark · Find resultant of perpendicular vectors
5. ✓
  Answer $θ = 6, 98°$
  1 mark · Find resultant of perpendicular vectors
5. Question 2.1 · May/June 2024 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 2 marks
Block A of mass $4, 1$ kg is connected to block B of mass $2, 3$ kg by a light inextensible string passing over a frictionless pulley. Block A is at rest on a rough horizontal table and block B hangs vertically, as shown in the diagram below.

A force F of magnitude $49$ N is applied on block A at an angle of $50°$ to the horizontal, causing block A to accelerate TO THE LEFT from rest along the table.

The coefficient of kinetic friction between the surface of the table and block A is $0, 35$ .
2.1 State Newton's Second Law of Motion in words.(2)
Show the memo (1 tick)Memo
1. ✓
  Newton's Second Law in wordsWhen a resultant/net force acts on an object, the object will accelerate in the direction of the force. The acceleration is directly proportional to the resultant/net force and inversely proportional to the mass of the object.
  
  OR
  
  The resultant/net force acting on an object is equal to the rate of change of momentum of the object in the direction of the resultant/net force.
  2 marks · State Newton's laws and force terms
6. Question 1.2 · November 2023 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 2 marks
Various options are provided as possible answers to the following questions. Each question has only ONE correct answer.
1.2 A crate of mass m is stationary on a plane inclined at an angle $θ$ with the horizontal, as shown below.

Which ONE of the following statements regarding the magnitude of the frictional force acting on the crate is CORRECT?

The magnitude of the frictional force acting on the crate is ...(2)
1. A equal to the component of the weight of the crate which is parallel to the plane.
2. B larger than the component of the weight of the crate which is parallel to the plane.
3. C equal to the component of the weight of the crate which is perpendicular to the plane.
4. D larger than the component of the weight of the crate which is perpendicular to the plane.
Show the memo (1 tick)Memo
1. ✓
  Correct optionThe crate is at rest, so the net force along the plane is zero. The only forces along the plane are static friction (up the plane) and the parallel component of the weight, $m g sin θ$ (down the plane). So $f_{s} = m g sin θ$ . Friction cannot be larger (B), because then the crate would accelerate up the plane.
  
  Answer: A
  2 marks · Calculate and explain frictional force
7. Question 2.1 · November 2023 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 2 marks
Two blocks, $A$ , of mass $4$ kg, and $B$ , of mass $9$ kg, are connected by a light inextensible string. The blocks are held at rest on a plane which is inclined at an angle of $35°$ with the horizontal.

A constant force, $F$ , acting parallel to the plane, is applied to block $B$ , as shown in the diagram below. The blocks now accelerate up the plane at $2$ m·s $^{- 2}$ .
2.1 State Newton's Second Law of Motion in words.(2)
Show the memo (1 tick)Memo
1. ✓
  Newton's Second LawWhen a resultant/net force acts on an object, the object will accelerate in the direction of the force. The acceleration is directly proportional to the resultant/net force and inversely proportional to the mass of the object.
  
  OR
  
  The resultant/net force acting on an object is equal to the rate of change of momentum of the object in the direction of the resultant/net force.
  2 marks · State Newton's laws and force terms
8. Question 1.1 · May/June 2023 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 2 marks
Various options are provided as possible answers to the following questions. Each question has only ONE correct answer.
1.1 Which ONE of the following quantities is the tendency of an object to resist a change to its state of motion?(2)
1. A Inertia
2. B Impulse
3. C Momentum
4. D Acceleration
Show the memo (1 tick)Memo
1. ✓
  Correct optionInertia is defined as the property (tendency) of an object to resist any change in its state of motion. Impulse is the product of net force and contact time, momentum is mass times velocity and acceleration is the rate of change of velocity: none of these is a tendency to resist change.
  
  Answer: A
  2 marks · State Newton's laws and force terms
9. Question 2.3 · May/June 2023 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 2 marks
Block A of mass m is connected to block B of mass $7, 5$ kg by a light inextensible rope passing over a frictionless pulley. Block B is initially held at a height of $1, 5$ m above the ground, while block A is initially stationary on the ground, as shown in the diagram below.

When block B is released, it moves vertically downwards and strikes the ground with a velocity of $3, 41$ m·s $^{- 1}$ .

Ignore the effects of friction.
2.3 State Newton's Second Law of Motion in words.(2)
Show the memo (1 tick)Memo
1. ✓
  Newton's Second LawWhen a resultant/net force acts on an object, the object will accelerate in the direction of the force with an acceleration that is directly proportional to the force and inversely proportional to the mass of the object.
  
  OR
  
  The resultant/net force acting on an object is equal to the rate of change of momentum of the object in the direction of the resultant/net force.
  2 marks · State Newton's laws and force terms
10. Question 2.1 · November 2022 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 2 marks
Crate P of mass $1, 25$ kg is connected to another crate, Q, of mass $2$ kg by a light inextensible string. The two crates are placed on a rough horizontal surface. A constant force F of magnitude $7, 5$ N, acting at angle $θ$ to the horizontal, is applied on crate Q, as shown in the diagram below.

The crates accelerate at $0, 1$ m·s $^{- 2}$ to the right.

Crate P experiences a constant frictional force of $1, 8$ N and crate Q experiences a constant frictional force of $2, 2$ N.
2.1 State Newton's Second Law of Motion in words.(2)
Show the memo (1 tick)Memo
1. ✓
  Newton's second lawWhen a resultant/net force acts on an object, the object will accelerate in the direction of the force. The acceleration is directly proportional to the resultant/net force and inversely proportional to the mass of the object.
  
  OR
  
  The resultant/net force acting on an object is equal to the rate of change of momentum of the object. (2 or 0)
  2 marks · State Newton's laws and force terms

Forces Grade 11 videos

Short lessons from South African teachers first. Videos load only when you tap play, to save your data.

Grade 11 Newton Laws: Newtons 1stKevinmathscience

Grade 11 and 12 Forces: Weight and components of WeightMiss Martins Maths and Science

Grade 11 Newton Laws: FrictionKevinmathscience

Free on Android

Know exactly which skill is costing you marks.

Mark past papers tick by tick in the NavyBlue app. It remembers every mark you lose, shows you the skills to fix first, and picks your next questions.

The NavyBlue app showing a learner's weak skills