A Level Physics (A2) chapter 6: Oscillations MCQs with answers
By Team Megalecture · Updated 4 Nov 2026
74 exam-style questions on Oscillations, each with the answer and a short explanation. Ten of them are below to try. The chapter test draws ten fresh questions each time and is marked the moment you finish, with your score by topic.
Damped and forced oscillations, resonance24 questions
Ten Oscillations questions with answers
Try each one, then open the answer. These ten stay the same; the test draws new ones every time.
1. The displacement of an oscillator, in metres, is x = 0.030 sin(20t), where t is in seconds. What is its maximum acceleration?
A
0.60 m s−2
B
12 m s−2
C
400 m s−2
D
470 m s−2
Show answer
Answer: B. ω = 20 rad s−1, so amax = ω2x0 = 400 × 0.030 = 12 m s−2. 0.60 is the maximum speed ωx0; 470 treats 20 as a frequency in Hz.
2. A simple harmonic oscillator is released from rest at maximum displacement at time t = 0. Its period is T. What fraction of its total energy is kinetic at time t = T/8?
A
0.13
B
0.29
C
0.50
D
0.71
Show answer
Answer: C. x = x0 cos(2πt/T) = x0 cos(π/4) = 0.71x0, so the potential energy is (0.71)2 = 0.50 of the total and the kinetic energy is the other 0.50. 0.13 assumes the energy changes linearly with time.
3. An oscillator has a frequency of 5.0 Hz. What are its period and its angular frequency?
A
period 0.20 s, angular frequency 1.3 rad s−1
B
period 0.20 s, angular frequency 31 rad s−1
C
period 1.3 s, angular frequency 31 rad s−1
D
period 0.20 s, angular frequency 5.0 rad s−1
Show answer
Answer: B. T = 1/f = 0.20 s and ω = 2πf = 2π/T = 31 rad s−1. The angular frequency is not equal to f, because one cycle is 2π rad.
4. The damping of an oscillating system is increased steadily from a very small value. In which order does the system pass through the types of damping?
A
critical, light, heavy
B
heavy, critical, light
C
light, heavy, critical
D
light, critical, heavy
Show answer
Answer: D. Small damping is light (many oscillations). Increasing it reaches critical damping, the smallest damping that just stops oscillation; anything more is heavy damping.
5. An oscillator has an angular frequency of 12 rad s−1. What is its period?
A
0.083 s
B
0.52 s
C
1.9 s
D
75 s
Show answer
Answer: B. T = 2π/ω = 2π/12 = 0.52 s. 0.083 s is 1/ω, and 1.9 s is ω/2π (the frequency in Hz).
6. For a body moving with simple harmonic motion, a graph is drawn of velocity v (y-axis) against displacement x (x-axis). Which describes the graph?
A
A straight line through the origin with negative gradient
B
A straight line through the origin with positive gradient
C
An ellipse centred on the origin
D
A sine curve crossing the origin
Show answer
Answer: C. v2 = ω2(x02 − x2) is the equation of an ellipse centred on the origin: v = ±ωx0 at x = 0 and v = 0 at x = ±x0. The straight line with negative gradient is the a–x graph.
7. A pendulum swinging in air gradually comes to rest. What happens to the energy it had at the start?
A
it is destroyed by the air resistance
B
it stays as kinetic energy of the bob, which now moves too slowly to see
C
it is stored as gravitational potential energy of the bob at its rest position
D
it is transferred to thermal energy of the pendulum and the surrounding air
Show answer
Answer: D. The resistive force does work against the motion in every part of each swing, so the oscillation energy is dissipated as internal (thermal) energy of the pendulum and the air. Energy is not destroyed.
8. A mass on a spring oscillates with simple harmonic motion. The mass is replaced by one four times as large, and the new mass is set oscillating with the same amplitude on the same spring. By what factor does the total energy change?
A
0.25
B
0.50
C
1
D
4
Show answer
Answer: C. E = ½mω2x02 = ½kx02. Quadrupling m halves ω, so mω2 = k is unchanged; with the same amplitude the energy is unchanged. 4 ignores the change in ω.
9. An oscillator of period T passes through its equilibrium position at t = 0, so that its velocity is v = v0 cos ωt. What is the earliest time at which its speed is half its maximum speed?
A
T/6
B
T/12
C
T/8
D
T/4
Show answer
Answer: A. cos ωt = ½ when ωt = π/3. Since ω = 2π/T, t = (π/3)/(2π/T) = T/6. T/12 comes from using sin instead of cos; at T/4 the speed has fallen to zero.
10. A mass hangs from a vertical spring and oscillates vertically with simple harmonic motion. Air resistance is negligible. Which statement is correct?
A
the elastic potential energy is zero as the mass passes through the equilibrium position
B
the kinetic energy is greatest at the lowest point of the motion
C
the gravitational potential energy stays constant during each oscillation
D
the sum of its kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy and elastic potential energy is constant
Show answer
Answer: D. Energy is interchanged between three stores, and their total stays constant. At the equilibrium position the spring is still stretched (it supports the weight), so its elastic energy is not zero; the kinetic energy is greatest at equilibrium, not at the lowest point.
74, each with the answer and a short explanation, across 3 topics: Simple harmonic oscillations, Energy in simple harmonic motion, Damped and forced oscillations, resonance. Every chapter test draws ten of them, so you can take it many times.
Is the A Level Physics (A2) chapter 6 test free?
Yes. The test, the answers and the explanations are free and need no sign-up. Sign in only if you want your scores kept across devices.
How is the chapter test marked?
The moment you press Finish: your score, the right answer and an explanation for every question, and the ones you got wrong saved in My mistakes to retry.
