Physics Problems: A Workbook
These Physics Problems are suitable for any student looking to stretch beyond their school syllabus – whether that is the A Level Syllabus or equivalent. They would be helpful for any student preparing for university interviews in physics, engineering, natural sciences, materials science, or similar, where physics problems are likely to crop up.
There are four sections which each contain 11-14 questions of varying difficulty. Each section of questions is followed by their solutions. If you would like to sit these in timed conditions, we suggest 80 minutes or one hour for an additional challenge. Marks are indicated for each question for a guide on difficulty and time to allocate.
Remember to visibly develop each idea as you go! Even if the final answer is correct, full marks are rarely awarded if the working is lacking. Of course, the solutions here are given as guidance – alternate paths and proofs are always accepted if they are valid and explained in a coherent fashion. These problems are yours to use and think through, but if you are doing these in timed conditions, then some rubric: answers should be given to 2 significant figures unless indicated otherwise; use 𝑔 = 10 𝑚/𝑠 2 throughout, unless otherwise indicated in the question; no tables or formula sheets may be used; basic, suitable calculators may be used.
If you are practising for interviews, then we suggest speaking through your working as you go through. Good luck!
Personal Statement Guidebook: Examples and Advice for Top University Entry
Unlock your path to university success with our “Personal Statement Guidebook: Examples and Advice for Top University Entry.” This comprehensive guide offers expert advice, detailed sections, and real examples to help you craft a compelling personal statement that stands out to top universities.
Learn the dos and don’ts of personal statement writing, explore step-by-step guidance, and gain insights from admissions professionals. Whether you’re aiming for medical and life sciences, physical and mathematical sciences, social sciences, languages and literature, humanities, or the arts, our guidebook has you covered. Download your free copy now and start your journey to academic excellence.
For many (though not all) subjects at both Oxford and Cambridge, you will have to take an admissions test as part of your application, and your score will contribute to your chances of success.
In general, Oxford interviews fewer people than Cambridge, so the admissions tests are more important in shortlisting candidates to invite to interview. On the other hand, Cambridge, maintaining its high interview rate, seems to put less emphasis on the admissions test scores prior to interview (however, the ENGAA (Engineering Admissions Assessment) and the TSAC (Thinking Skills Assessment Chemistry) seem to be exceptions to this ). This means that by and large, if you are applying to Oxford, it’s especially important that you aim for top marks in your admissions test.
Below, we’ve illustrated how two different faculties use their admissions test to shortlist candidates:
The pre-interview shortlist score is a combination of the HAT (History Aptitude Test) score and your contextualised GCSE score, with the HAT weighted at 70%. The aim is that each college should interview three candidates for every place, so the pre-interview shortlisting process is intended to achieve this number. The History faculty advises colleges not to invite for interview candidates scoring below a designated cutoff score, which varies from year to year. However, colleges may “rescue” candidates from below the cutoff score if they have Access or Widening Participation flags, or for extenuating circumstances stated on their UCAS application.
Applicants for English will take the ELAT (English Literature Aptitude Test), with each candidate receiving a score out of 60 and being sorted into four bands on the basis of this score. The score is used in pre-interview ranking and can also be used for deciding between candidates.
Band one identifies those candidates who should definitely be called for interview unless other indicators strongly suggest otherwise, whereas band four identifies candidates who are unlikely to be invited, unless other factors outweigh the test result. In pre-interview ranking, the ELAT score is weighted at 40% of the overall deciding factors.
Along with admissions test scores, GCSE grades are a major element of the pre-interview selection process, and the importance of GCSEs should not be underestimated. This is especially the case under the new A-level system whereby most applicants will not have taken AS exams, meaning that GCSEs are the only concrete qualifications that the average applicant will have when they apply. This also means that if you have slightly weaker GCSE grades but you already have achieved strong A-level results – for example if you are applying after a gap year – these may help compensate.
Some faculties, such as the Oxford History faculty, choose not to consider A-levels or predictions in their official pre-interview shortlist score, because they only use criteria that apply to all applicants. However, the faculty-wide shortlist score does not determine whether you are offered a place as the decision is made by the individual colleges which will take into account many aspects of your application, including A-levels. The purpose of the ranking is rather to give Admissions Tutors an idea of where the applicants to their college fall within the context of all the History applicants that year.
An example of a faculty that does take predicted and achieved A-levels into account for pre-interview assessment is Chemistry at Oxford, which gives each candidate a mark from one to five based on A-levels or equivalent (achieved/predicted), AS (if applicable), GCSEs or equivalent, and the teacher reference.
On average Cambridge makes higher offers than Oxford, requiring more A*s at A-level. As they are less selective than Oxford pre-interview, the high offers allow them to whittle down their numerous candidates post-interview. They also tend to make more personalised offers than Oxford, meaning that for some subjects you cannot be entirely sure until you receive your offer what grades will be required at A-level. This is something to bear in mind if your A-level grades or predicted grades are strong but not outstanding.
Note: some schools do not predict A*s as a matter of policy. If this is the case with your school, make sure that it is mentioned in the teacher reference.
For some subjects, especially if there is no admissions test, you will be required to submit written work as part of your application. Although written work is often overlooked by candidates, it is a vital piece of the application for many subjects. In the Oxford English faculty for example, the written work score makes up 40% of the pre-interview assessment, whilst GCSEs make up only 17.5%.
Written work should take the form of school or college work written as part of your course, and should be marked by a teacher. Rules may vary between faculties but the Oxford university guidelines state that each piece should be around 2,000 words long, and should not be re-written or corrected after it has been marked. In Cambridge not all colleges require written work for a particular subject, so check the requirements for your first choice college.
Written work may be officially assessed according to a number of criteria if it is used in pre-interview shortlisting. The assessment criteria for written work in the Oxford English faculty include:
literary sensibility
sensitivity to creative use of language
evidence of careful and critical reading
coherence of argument
originality
Since written work is a tutor’s opportunity to see how you structure arguments and what kind of work you might be submitting at university, it is important to submit pieces that show you at your best. As the submitted pieces must be taken from your school work, make sure you work hard on your A-level essays and aim to get high marks so you have a strong selection to choose from.
As you put together your university application, the UCAS personal statement is one of the main things you will be focusing on. In terms of pre-interview selection, faculties which operate a pre-interview score and ranking system tend not to include the personal statement in this ranking. However, as we have already seen, such rankings do not make or break an application, and college Admissions Tutors are free to take all factors into account.
The personal statement, as the name suggests, is the only truly personal element of your application; it is your opportunity to make an impression on Admissions Tutors as an individual and to convey your passion for the subject. Remember that tutors aren’t just looking for applicants with good grades, but applicants with a demonstrable interest in and aptitude for the subject who will make engaging students – the UCAS statement is your chance pre-interview to show that you are such an applicant.
The good news is that whilst GCSE grades cannot be changed and admissions test scores depend on your performance in one exam, the personal statement can be tweaked and worked on as often as you like before you submit it, and you can ask for feedback from others. If your grades aren’t as high as they could be, make sure you put extra effort into your personal statement so you stand out and make admissions tutors want to interview you.
Your ELAT score can make the difference between whether you reach your Oxford interview or not. Though this is intimidating, as with all exams, practice and preparation can make a real difference to your performance.
General information about the ELAT can be found on the homepage here. You can get a few practice papers from the University here. However, we’ve summarised everything you need to know below.
The ELAT is a 1 1/2 hour test, which requires candidates to write one essay.
Candidates are given six poems or passages from drama and/or prose (fiction or non-fiction), and are asked to carry out this single task:
Select two or three of the passages (a) to (f) and compare and contrast them in any ways that seem interesting to you, paying particular attention to distinctive features of structure, language and style. In your introduction, indicate briefly what you intend to explore or illustrate through close reading of your chosen passages.
Oxford applicants for the following subjects:
Cambridge Applicants for English
Depending on the selected course, an additional admissions test may need to be taken, e.g. CAT or MLAT
15th October – last date for entries
5th November – date of ELAT (9am in schools)
Don’t forget that you need to register to sit the ELAT through your school or test centre. Make sure you check that your school is on top of this – or find a test centre through Cambridge Assessment.
Generally, you need to get 53 or above out of 60 to be invited to interview, although you can see the precise breakdown of bands here.
Your MAT score can make the difference between whether you reach your Oxford interview or not. Though this is intimidating, as with all exams, practice and preparation can make a real difference to your performance.
General information about the MAT can be found on the MAT homepage here. However, we’ve summarised everything you need to know below.
The MAT is a 2¼ hour test.
It includes some questions to test your mathematical ability, and, if applicable, questions to test your aptitude for Computer Science. The questions you need to answer depend on the university and course you are applying for.
No calculators, formula sheets or dictionaries are permitted during the test.
Oxford applicants only for the following subjects:
You will sit the test in either your school or a local test centre. Any school can register to become a test centre, following the instructions on the Admissions Testing Service website.
Test results are not published automatically. Candidates may request their test results as part of the usual feedback processes for the University of Oxford.
The majority of Oxford courses, and an increasing number of Cambridge courses, now require applicants to sit an admissions test as part of their application. Admissions test results can often determine whether or not an applicant is invited to interview, with the proportion of students being invited to interview having steadily decreased over the past three years.
As a result, achieving a high score on the admissions test can make or break an application.
See our factfile below for key information about each admissions test, and a teaser of the kind of questions you might be faced with.
Where? 3 UK universities: University of Oxford, Imperial College London, University of Warwick.
Subjects? Computer Science, Computer Science and Philosophy, Mathematics, Mathematics and Computer Science, Mathematics and Philosophy, Mathematics and Statistics.
What is it? A 2-hour 30-minute paper. No calculators are permitted. The first question is multiple choice, but the following ones are longer.
Test date: 4 November 2020.
Sample question: Draw a graph of y=1/x and y=1/root(x). Integrate both functions between 0 and 1. Explain the difference between the graphs.
Where? Oxford only
Subjects? Materials Science, Physics, Engineering Science, Physics and Philosophy.
What is it? A 2-hour calculator paper, with questions on Physics and Mathematics for Physics
Test date: 5 November 2020.
Sample question: In the equation x = sq +1/2 aq2 the term sq represents what? A) a speed, B) an acceleration, C) a displacement, D) an impulse.
Where? 8 UK universities: University of Cambridge – Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Oxford
Imperial College London, Keele University (international applicants only), University College London, University of Leeds, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Lancaster University – Medicine and Surgery, and University of Manchester.
Subjects? Biomedical Sciences (Oxford), Medicine (Oxford and Cambridge), Veterinary Medicine (Cambridge).
What is it? A 2-hour, predominantly multiple choice test, divided into three sections. The sections involve problem solving and questions requiring students to apply their science knowledge.
Test date: 4 November 2020.
Sample question: The mass of an atom of uranium is 4 × 10-25 kg. What is the mass, in milligrams, of 8 million atoms of uranium?
Where? Oxford and Cambridge.
Subjects? English, English and Modern Languages (with MLAT), English and Classics (with CAT).
What is it? A 90-minute close reading based essay. Candidates are required to compare two passages.
Test date: 4 November 2020.
Sample question: The following extracts are all linked by the theme of violence in nature. Compare and contrast them in any ways that seem interesting to you.
Where? Oxford only.
Subjects? History, Ancient and Modern History, History and Economics (with TSA 1), History and Modern Languages (with MLAT), and History and Politics
What is it? A one-hour exam in which candidates answer one question based on an extract from a primary source.
Test date: 5 November 2020.
Sample question: Assess the importance of the decolonisation in determining the character of any one historical event.
Where? Cambridge
Subjects? Land Economy
What is it? A 90-minute, multiple-choice test of 50
questions, divided into 25 problem solving and 25 critical thinking questions. It tests numerical and spatial reasoning, logical thinking, and comprehension of arguments.
Test date: 5th November 2020.
Example question: A car leaves Canterbury at 7.12am and travels 180 miles to Birmingham, arriving at 10.57 am. What was its average speed in miles per hour?
Where? Oxford only.
Subjects? Economics and Management, Experimental Psychology, Human Sciences , Philosophy and Linguistics, Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE), and Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics (PPL).
Candidates applying to study History and Economics (LV11) will be required to take Thinking Skills Assessment: Section 1 (TSA S1)
What is it? The test helps to standardise the assessment of candidates with a wide range of course choices at A Level. The assessment is divided into a 90-minute multiple-choice section, followed by a 30-minute essay question from a choice of four.
Test date: 5 November 2020.
Example question: Dates may be written in an eight digit form. For instance, 19 January 2005 may be written 19-01-2005. In what year will the next date occur for which all eight digits are different?
Where? Cambridge (most Colleges).
Subjects? Law.
What is it? This test is taken by Law applicants when they are in Cambridge for their interview. It lasts for one hour, in which time applicants are expected to answer one long-form essay question, from a series of three selected by the interviewing College.
Test date: During the interview period (mid-November onwards).
Example question: Should people be regarded as having fundamental moral rights, quite independently of law? If so, how should we decide what those rights are? Give reasons for your answer.
Where? UK universities.
Subjects? Law (Jurisprudence) (Oxford), Law with Law Studies in Europe (Oxford).
What is it? A two-part exam designed to test an applicant’s ability to follow and understand complex arguments. The test is divided into two sections: 42 multiple-choice questions, followed by a second section consisting of one extended essay.
Test date: On or before 20th October.
Example question: Would you agree that travel and tourism exploit poorer nations and benefit only the richer ones?
Where? Oxford only.
Subjects? Classics and Modern Languages, English and Modern Languages, European and Middle Eastern Languages, History and Modern Languages, Modern Languages, Modern Languages and Linguistics, Philosophy and Modern Languages.
What is it? A compilation of language-specific papers from which candidates select a maximum of two. The test focuses on translation to and from English, and questions are a mix of open-ended and multiple-choice word selection. Linguistics test section is no longer required for 2021 entry.
Test date: 4th November 2020.
Example question: Select which word you most closely associate with kloz: attire, nearby, stick, giant, relatives.
In addition to the above, students at Oxford applying for the following courses will need to sit a separate admissions test:
Students studying Hard Sciences courses may need to take the Physics Aptitude Test (PAT) or the Mathematics Aptitude Test (MAT). For those successful in their application for Maths at Cambridge, the STEP test is also required.
Cambridge has introduced a suite of new admissions tests. Check your course page on the official Cambridge and Oxford websites to see the admissions test requirement for your course.
Subjects? Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic
Colleges: Hughes Hall and Wolfson only.
What is it? The exam format will be different at each college.
Test date: During the interview period (mid-November onwards).
Subjects? Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
What is it? The exam format will be different at each college.
Test date: During the interview period (mid-November onwards).
Subjects? Economics.
What is it? A two-part exam: a 60-minute Maths/Advanced Maths problem-solving and a 60-minute essay in response to an extract
Test date: 4th November 2020 (some colleges, like Gonville & Caius, may also require an at-interview assessment).
Subjects? Engineering and Chemical Engineering via Engineering (H810).
What is it? A two-part exam: an 60-minute multiple choice Maths/Physics test and a 60-minute multiple choice Advanced Physics paper.
Test date: 5 November 2020
Subjects? Geography.
Colleges: Hughes Hall, St Edmund’s, and Wolfson only.
What is it? The exam format will be different at each college.
Test date: During the interview period (mid-November onwards).
Subjects? History, History and Modern Languages (with MML assessment), and History and Politics
Colleges: Clare, Christ’s, Emmanuel, Fitzwilliam, Gonville & Caius, Hughes Hall, Jesus, Lucy Cavendish, Magdalene, Murray Edwards, Newnham, Peterhouse, Queens’, Robinson, St Catharine’s, St John’s, Sidney Sussex, Trinity Hall.
What is it? A one hour critical response to text(s).
Test date: During the interview period (mid-November onwards).
Subjects? Psychological and Behavioural Sciences
Colleges: Fitzwilliam, Gonville & Caius, Homerton, Hughes Hall, Murray Edwards, Newnham, Selwyn, and Wolfson only.
What is it? The exam format will be different at each college.
Test date: During the interview period (mid-November onwards).
Subjects? Human, Social, and Political Sciences.
Colleges: Hughes Hall, King’s, Murray Edwards, Newnham, Peterhouse, Robinson, St Edmund’s, Wolfson
What is it? The exam format will be different at each college.
Test date: During the interview period (mid-November onwards).
Below you will find the answers to the different questions from Chapter 6 “The Admissions Tests” in our book ‘So you want to go to Oxbridge? Tell me about a banana.’
The answers below will not just tell you which one is correct. The answers will look at why the other choices would not be correct and explain in more detail. This is to allow you to get a better idea of how to answer admissions test questions better.
Answer: A
An assumption is something which is not stated in the argument, but which is taken for granted in order to draw the conclusion. So, first of all you should work out what the conclusion of the argument is. Then look for the reasoning the author gives to support this conclusion, and think about any important point which is not actually stated. You are trying to spot the missing link, the reason that should be stated but has been left out.
The conclusion here is the final sentence. Answer b) is too definitive and is not necessary for the conclusion to make logical sense. c) is incorrect, the quantities of people with chemical imbalances are irrelevant to the conclusion. d) is basically a restatement of the last two sentences of the extract and therefore can’t be an unstated assumption. e) is entirely irrelevant to the conclusion. Option a) is correct as it is necessary for the argument to make logical sense.
Answer: D
An inference is something that the reader can conclude based on the information given in the passage. In order to answer this you need to evaluate which of the five statements could legitimately be a conclusion following on from the information given and no other information. In other words, if one of these statements relies on some other fact to be true or some other information then it is less likely to be an inference directly from the information given.
There is nothing in the text about the profitability of pepper so the answer’s not a). b) represents an alternative explanation for the discrepancy between production and sales but contradicts the explanation given in the text (i.e. not increased consumption but reduced production). c) could be inferred if weather was the only given reason for low production but it’s also blamed on pepper growers switching to cocoa. We know the price of pepper went up but we don’t know anything about profitability so it’s not e). d) can be inferred because we know that demand for pepper has been outstripping supply for the past three years and therefore the surplus must have been reduced.
The notable thing about this question is how broad the statement is. This is both a good thing and a bad thing – good because it allows you to be really creative but bad because it becomes very hard to write a concise, to the point, structured essay. I decided to focus on inequality in the UK in the present day but could have equally written an essay about the problems facing women globally or even about the campaign for women’s suffrage. In the introduction I try to indicate to the reader that I have considered these other possibilities and have made a purposeful decision to focus the essay in a particular direction.
Structure is all important in the LNAT. The time pressure means that it is very easy to wander off point or write in a ‘stream of consciousness’ style. Have a clear introduction which tells the reader where you’re going, sets any parameters that you’d like to impose on the essay and defines any ambiguous terms used in the question. The body of the essay should contain your argument and if possible you should try to deal with one or two counter arguments. Make sure your conclusion reiterates the main thrust of your argument without simply repeating itself.
I used the Wimbledon prize money debate to back up one of my arguments. Using an example from real life really enhances an LNAT essay. It shows the reader that you have an awareness of the world around you, it breaks up your argument which is likely to be quite abstract and it helps you make your point.
Don’t forget to tell us what your answer would be over at our Facebook page, or tweet us directly @ApplytoOxbridge.
A cyclist averages 7.5 miles an hour on level ground but only 4.5 miles an hour when going uphill. If the ratio between flat ground and hills were 1:3, what was the cyclist’s average mph over 60 miles?
a) 6mph
b) 5mph
c) 5.25 mph
d) 4.75 mph
e) 6.3 mph
…could you answer 48 more like this in 90 mins? The trick with the TSA is always timing, and the only way to get timing right is to practise. Try our mini mock next…
Speed = Distance/Time
Time = Distance/Speed
Time 1 = Distance 1/Speed 1
Time 2 = Distance 2/Speed 2
Put in an example distance of 8 miles (could be any distance)
Level ground = 1
Distance 1 = 2 miles (1/4 of 8)
Speed 1 = 7.5 mph
Time 1 = 2/7.5 (and then times by 60 to put in minutes form) = 16 minutes
Uphill = 2
Distance 2 = 6 miles (3/4 of 8)
Speed 2 = 4.5 mph
Time 2 = 6/4.5 (and then times by 60 to put in minutes form) = 80 minutes
Total time = 96 minutes
Speed = Distance/Time
Speed = 8/96 (then times by 60 to get from hours to minutes)
(8/96) x 60 = 5mph
A daisy wheel printer prints 20 characters a second and is 4 times as fast as the average printer. If the average printer is 5 times as fast as an electric typwriter, how many characters can an electric typewriter print?
a) 3.5
b) 4
c) 5
d) 1
e) 2.5
Daisy wheel printer = 20 = 4 x average printer
-> Average printer = 20/4 = 5
Average printer = 5 = 5 x electric type writer
-> Electric type writer = 5/5 = 1
All Staphylococci are Bacteria and all Bacteria are Prokaryotes. No Staphylococci are Archaea. Which of the following must be true?
a) some Bacteria are Archaea
b) Every Staphyloccos is a Prokaryote
c) All Prokaryotes are Archaea
d) No Archaea are Staphylococci
…and could you answer 26 more questions in just 30 minutes? A big part of the BMAT is timing, and the key to timing is practice. Try our mini-mock next…
Think of it like a hierarchy:
“All Staphylococci are Bacteria”. Therefore
Bacteria
Staphylococci
“All Bacteria are Prokaryotes”. Therefore
Prokaryotes
Bacteria
Staphyloccoci
“No Staphylococci are Archaea”
This doesn’t give us enough information to place Archaea in our hierarchy, except that it guarantees that it cannot follow the hierarchy the way the other elements do.
a) ‘some bacteria are Archaea’ – we do not have enough information for this. They may be, but all we know is what Archaea are not.
b) ‘Every Staphyloccos is a Prokaryote’ – if you look at our hierarchy, this must be true, because the question says ‘All’. If all Staphyloccoci are a subset of bacteria, and all Bacteria are a subset of Prokaryotes, all Staphyloccoci must be a subset of Prokaryotes, once removed (at least).
c) ‘All Prokayotes are Archaea’ – again, we do not have enough information for this.
d) ‘No Archaea are Staphylococci’ – this is the tricky one because we know that no Staphylococci are Archaea, so our instinct is to think this is the case the other way round too. However, we do not have enough information to prove this.
Five students sit a biology test. Oliver gains a lower score than Connor, who gains a lower score than Natalie. Emma gains a higher score than Connor, but a lower score than Wendy. Wendy’s score must be higher than:
a) Connor, but not necessarily higher than Oliver or Natalie
b) Natalie, but not necessarily higher than Connor or Oliver
c) Connor and Oliver, but not necessarily higher than Natlie
d) Oliver and Natalie, but not necessarily higher than Connor
e) Connor only
Perhaps the easiest way to handle this question is to place the characters in order as you read each sentence, from highest marks to lowest marks:
“Oliver gains a lower score than Connor”, therefore:
Connor – Oliver
“…who gains a lower score than Natalie”, therefore:
Natalie – Connor – Oliver.
“Emma gains a higher score than Connor”. In this case we do not have enough information to see whether Emma gains a higher or lower score than Natalie, so we must be aware that there is a gap in our information there:
Natalie – – – Emma
Connor
Oliver
“…but a lower score than Wendy”, therefore
– – – Wendy
Natalie – – – Emma (remembering here that we don’t know how Emma or Wendy’s score compare to Natalie’s)
Connor
Oliver
Thus, obviously discounting Emma as we know this, Wendy’s score must be higher than Connor and Oliver, but not necessarily Natalie, as Natalie may have scored higher than everyone else.
TSA Cambridge Practice Question 1Mr Johnson averages 7.5 miles an hour on level ground, 4.5 miles an hour when going uphill and never travels downhill. If the cyclist’s journey is one quarter level ground and three quarters uphill by distance, what is his average speed?
a) 3.75 mph
b) 4.5 mph
c) 4.89 mph
d) 5 mph
e) 7.5 mph
ANSWER: D) 5 mph
Speed = Distance/Time
Time = Distance/Speed
Time 1 = Distance 1/Speed 1
Time 2 = Distance 2/Speed 2
Put in an example distance of 8 miles (could be any distance)
Level ground = 1
Distance 1 = 2 miles (1/4 of 8)
Speed 1 = 7.5 mph
Time 1 = 2/7.5 (and then times by 60 to put in minutes form) = 16 minutes
Uphill = 2
Distance 2 = 6 miles (3/4 of 8)
Speed 2 = 4.5 mph
Time 2 = 6/4.5 (and then times by 60 to put in minutes form) = 80 minutes
Total time = 96 minutes
Speed = Distance/Time
Speed = 8/96 (then times by 60 to get from hours to minutes)
(8/96) x 60 = 5mph
TSA Cambridge Practice Question 2Nearly three in 10 parents failed to agree to their children receiving a new cervical cancer vaccine during a trial. The jab, being rolled out in the UK this year, has proved controversial as it works by making girls immune to a sexually transmitted infection. There had been concerns that parents would not give their consent to the jab because they felt it could encourage early sexual activity, or because it prevented a potential illness many years in the future, rather than addressing a present threat.
The vaccine works by making girls immune to two key strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually-transmitted infection. Together, the two strains are known to cause approximately 70% of all cervical cancer cases in the UK. It is suggested that vaccinating most teenage girls could save hundreds of lives a year – although the benefits would not be seen until those receiving the vaccine enter middle age.
Therefore…
Parents are concerned that girls who have the vaccine may stop using contraception as a means of protecting against sexually transmitted diseases.
a) True
b) False
c) Can’t Tell
ANSWER: B) False
1) The first worry of the parents was that HPV could encourage early sexual activity (this does not necessarily mean without contraception)
2) The second worry of the parents was that it didn’t address a present threat, rather a potential future threat (again, it is possible that this is from unprotected sex, but not necessarily)
3) The fact that two answers are given that do not relate to girls stopping using contraception eliminates the ‘can’t tell’ option
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