Structured questions
Simple recall questions are usually worth one mark. They often have command words like give, state, name or identify. Some questions may ask you to state two things, rather than just one, and will be worth two marks.
Structured questions, with command words such as describe or explain, will be worth two or more marks:
- if you are asked to describe something, you need to give an account but no reason
- if you are asked to explain something, you must give reasons or explanations
More complex structured questions will be worth three to five marks. They include questions with complex descriptions and explanations, questions in which you need to compare and contrast two different things, or calculations with several stages.
The mark schemes given here may show answers as bullet points. This is to show clearly how a mark can be obtained. However, it is important that your answer is written in a logical, linked way.
Learn about command words with Dr Alex Lathbridge
Listen to the full series on BBC Sounds.
Understanding the different command words in your science GCSE exams.
Sample question 1 - Foundation
Question
A crowd makes a Mexican wave.
A Mexican wave starts with people lifting and lowering their arms.
The Mexican wave continues by people, next to them, lifting and lowering their arms.
Why is a Mexican wave an example of a transverse wave? [1 mark]
OCR Gateway Science, GCE Physics, Paper J249, 2016.
Arms move at 90° / right angles / perpendicular to wave direction .
Sample question 2 - Foundation
Question
Ultrasound scans are used to produce images of tissues inside the body.
Ultrasound waves are emitted.
They reflect from layers of tissue inside the body.
Explain how the reflections are used to produce an image of the tissues. [3 marks]
OCR Gateway Science, GCE Physics, Paper J249, 2016.
Reflections return at different times / speed of ultrasound is known.
Times indicate depth of tissue boundaries.
Depth can be calculated by speed × time.
Sample question 3 - Higher
Question
Ultrasound and X-rays are used to scan patients in hospitals.
Complete the table to show a medical use, benefits and risk of using these waves to scan patients.
| Wave | Medical use | Example of a benefit | Risk |
| X-rays | Shows up hard tissues inside the body. | Takes images of broken bones. | Damages living cells by causing… |
| Ultrasound | None |
| Wave | X-rays |
|---|---|
| Medical use | Shows up hard tissues inside the body. |
| Example of a benefit | Takes images of broken bones. |
| Risk | Damages living cells by causing… |
| Wave | Ultrasound |
|---|---|
| Medical use | |
| Example of a benefit | |
| Risk | None |
OCR Gateway Science, GCE Physics, Paper J249, 2016.
| Wave | Medical use | Example of a benefit | Risk |
| X-rays | Shows up hard tissues inside the body. | Takes images of broken bones. | Damages living cells by causing… mutations / damage to DNA |
| Ultrasound | Shows up soft tissues | Pregnancy scans | None |
| Wave | X-rays |
|---|---|
| Medical use | Shows up hard tissues inside the body. |
| Example of a benefit | Takes images of broken bones. |
| Risk | Damages living cells by causing… mutations / damage to DNA |
| Wave | Ultrasound |
|---|---|
| Medical use | Shows up soft tissues |
| Example of a benefit | Pregnancy scans |
| Risk | None |
Sample question 4 - Higher
Question
Two types of waves are longitudinal and transverse.
The particles in these waves move in different ways.
Compare the movement of particles in longitudinal and transverse waves.
You may use labelled diagrams in your answer. [3 marks]
OCR Gateway Science, GCE Physics, Paper B752, June 2014 - Higher.
Simple comparison of movement, eg one moves up and down and the other moves side to side.
Longitudinal waves - (particles or vibrations) move in the same direction as wave movement.
Transverse waves - (particles or vibrations) move at right angles to the direction of movement of the wave.
