| Date | May 2012 | Marks available | 1 | Reference code | 12M.1.SL.TZ2.8 |
| Level | Standard level | Paper | Paper 1 | Time zone | Time zone 2 |
| Command term | Question number | 8 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
A pendulum bob is attached to a light string and is swinging in a vertical plane.
At the lowest point of the motion, the magnitude of the tension in the string is
A. less than the weight of the mass of the pendulum bob.
B. zero.
C. greater than the weight of the mass of the pendulum bob.
D. equal to the weight of the mass of the pendulum bob.
Markscheme
C
Examiners report
As many teachers pointed out the question should have referred to the tension in the string rather than the centripetal force. This clearly also confused many of the candidates and the question was discounted.
