Oct/Nov 2019

A student determines the volume of a small stone with an irregular shape. Which piece of apparatus has to be used?

Physical quantities and measurement techniques

Which one does not transfer useful energy?

Energy, work and power

The electrical power produced by solar panels is measured each day over the course of a month. The graph displays the measured output. Which conclusion can be made from this graph?

Energy, work and power

A drawing pin (thumb tack) has a sharp point at one end and a flat surface at the other. The pin is pressed into a wooden board. How do the pressure and the force at the sharp point compare with those at the flat surface?

Pressure

The table lists four forces. Each force acts on a separate surface. Which row gives the smallest pressure?

Pressure

A test tube holds $1.0\,\text{cm}^3$ of liquid water at $100^\circ\text{C}$. The liquid water changes into $1600\,\text{cm}^3$ of steam. What causes the large rise in volume?

Kinetic particle model of matter

Which statement concerning the evaporation of a liquid is correct?

Kinetic particle model of matter

Which result is produced by thermal expansion?

Thermal properties and temperature

A liquid-in-glass thermometer measures temperature by relying on a change in one property of a liquid. Which property is this?

Thermal properties and temperature

The diagram shows four labelled changes of state between solid, liquid and gas. Which changes require an input of energy?

Thermal properties and temperature

A glass test-tube filled with water is heated at its upper end. The water at the top boils, yet the water at the bottom stays cold. Which row gives the explanation for why the water at the bottom of the test-tube stays cold?

Transfer of thermal energy

The graph illustrates the variation of an object’s speed with time. What distance does the object cover in $10\,\text{s}$?

Motion

In places where the climate is usually hot, houses are often painted white. Why is this done?

Transfer of thermal energy

The diagram shows wavefronts on the surface of water, seen from above. Which row gives the correct description for the wavefronts travelling from region 1 to region 2?

General properties of waves

Plane water waves are travelling towards a narrow opening in a barrier. Which diagram shows the diffraction pattern that would be produced?

General properties of waves

The diagram depicts the reflection of a clock in a plane mirror. What is the true time?

Light

Total internal reflection can happen when light arrives at an air-glass boundary. Under what conditions is light totally internally reflected?

Light

The diagram illustrates the electromagnetic spectrum. One word has been omitted from the label below the spectrum. Which word is missing?

Electromagnetic spectrum

A man notices a puff of smoke from a starting pistol, and then hears the pistol fire $1.5$ seconds later. The smoke and the sound are produced at the same instant. The starting pistol is $450$ metres from the man. From this observation, what is the calculated speed of sound?

Sound

A student has a bar magnet. He moves the magnet near an object. The magnet and the object push away from each other. What must the object be?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

Two soft-iron rods are arranged end-to-end inside a coil. The coil is linked to a battery. The battery-to-coil connections are then swapped over. What occurs to the soft-iron rods in each situation?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

A plastic rod is rubbed using a dry cloth. The rod ends up positively charged. Why has the rod become positively charged?

Electrical quantities

A car moves with an average speed of $60\,\text{km h}^{-1}$ over $15\,\text{minutes}$. What distance does the car cover in $15\,\text{minutes}$?

Motion

A teacher puts this question to her class: “Which quantity is measured in volts?” Student 1 replies, “The potential difference across a resistor”. Student 2 replies, “The rating of a fuse”. Student 3 replies, “The electromotive force of a battery”. Which students are correct?

Electrical quantities

The diagram shows two lamps connected to a d.c. supply. The same lamps and power supply are then arranged in different configurations, as illustrated. In which circuits will the lamps have the same brightness as in the original circuit?

Electric circuits

Identical resistors are joined to make arrangements X, Y and Z. What is the correct order of the resistances of the arrangements, from greatest to smallest?

Electric circuits

In a circuit, a student employs $100\,\text{cm}$ of resistance wire XY to form a potential divider. He varies the length of wire $l$ by moving the sliding contact along the resistance wire. Which graph indicates how the voltmeter reading varies as the length of wire $l$ is increased from zero to $100\,\text{cm}$?

Electric circuits

At what position should a fuse be connected in a mains electric circuit?

Electrical safety

A student examines the voltage induced across a coil of wire by a bar magnet. At what point will the induced voltage be at its largest?

Electromagnetic effects

A wire carries an electric current. The current is directed out of the page. Which diagram shows the magnetic field pattern that is produced?

Electromagnetic effects

Which diagram represents a possible structure for a neutral atom?

The nuclear model of the atom

A cobalt nuclide has 27 protons and 32 neutrons. Which symbol shows this nuclide?

The nuclear model of the atom

A radon isotope is radioactive. It undergoes decay by releasing an $\alpha$-particle. What change occurs to the nucleus of a radon atom when the $\alpha$-particle is emitted?

Radioactivity

Which quantity is a force resulting from a gravitational field?

Mass and weight

What is the reason that some radioactive sources are kept in boxes made from lead?

Radioactivity

Air has a density of $1.2\,\text{kg m}^{-3}$. The dimensions of a room are $5.0\,\text{m} \times 4.0\,\text{m} \times 3.0\,\text{m}$. What is the mass of air in the room?

Density

A student records the length of a spring. She then hangs different weights on the spring. For each weight, she measures the spring’s length. Her results are shown in the table. What is the extension of the spring when a weight of $3.0\,\text{N}$ is attached to it?

Forces

Which statement provides a full description of any object that is in equilibrium?

Forces

The diagram illustrates a lamp. Altering which feature would increase the lamp's stability?

Forces

Brakes help a moving car reduce its speed. As the car slows, most of its kinetic energy is transformed into what type of energy?

Energy, work and power

A measuring cylinder holds $10\,\text{cm}^3$ of water. A piece of steel is placed into the measuring cylinder until it is completely under the water. The reading on the cylinder rises to $12\,\text{cm}^3$. A second piece of steel is then placed into the measuring cylinder and it is also completely submerged. The reading rises to $15\,\text{cm}^3$. Which row gives the volumes of the two pieces of steel?

Physical quantities and measurement techniques

Which unit is used for thermal energy?

Thermal properties and temperature

Which energy source cannot be renewed?

Energy, work and power

A drawing pin (thumb tack) has a sharp tip at one end and a flat face at the other. The pin is pressed into a wooden board. How do the pressure and the force at the sharp tip compare with the pressure and the force on the flat face?

Pressure

A metal block with weight $W$ is resting on a table. To work out the pressure the block applies to the table, one more quantity must be known. What is the other quantity?

Pressure

Which row shows how the molecules in a gas are arranged and how they move?

Kinetic particle model of matter

A car driver checks the pressure of the air in the tyres. After a long journey, he checks the pressure again. The reading is higher. Which row shows what has happened to the speed of the air molecules and the temperature of the air in the tyres?

Kinetic particle model of matter

When some water in a glass flask is heated gently, why does the water level in the glass tube increase during the heating?

Thermal properties and temperature

How large is the temperature gap between the fixed points on the $^{\circ}\text{C}$ temperature scale?

Thermal properties and temperature

The diagram illustrates four labelled changes of state between solid, liquid and gas. Which changes require an input of energy?

Thermal properties and temperature

What method of thermal transfer happens when the density of part of a liquid falls and the liquid rises upwards?

Transfer of thermal energy

The graph depicts the motion of a car over a 5-second interval. Which row is correct?

Motion

The diagram illustrates a tent constructed from a new material. Which kind of material should the tent be made from so that it reflects radiant energy from the Sun?

Transfer of thermal energy

Which row gives the correct description of the vibrations in a transverse wave and also names a correct example of a transverse wave?

General properties of waves

Plane water waves travel towards a narrow gap in a barrier. Which diagram illustrates the diffraction pattern that would result?

General properties of waves

A beam of light strikes a plane mirror. A student records the angle of incidence $i$ and the angle of reflection $r$. The student changes the angle of incidence and then draws a graph of $r$ versus $i$. What will the graph be like?

Light

The diagram illustrates the route taken by a ray of green light as it passes through a glass prism. The angle of deviation is the angle between the incident ray and the ray emerging from the prism. If white light is incident on the prism, it is split into the colours of the visible spectrum. What is the name of this effect, and which colour of light has the smallest angle of deviation?

Light

The diagram represents the electromagnetic spectrum. One word is missing from the label beneath the spectrum. Which word has been omitted?

Electromagnetic spectrum

A man notices a puff of smoke from a starting pistol and then hears the shot $1.5$ seconds later. The smoke and the sound are produced simultaneously. The starting pistol is $450$ metres from the man. What speed of sound is obtained from this observation?

Sound

A bar magnet is gradually brought closer to an unmagnetised metal object X. Once it is only a few centimetres away, the object starts to move towards the magnet. Why does this occur?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

Two soft-iron rods are arranged in a line, end to end, within a coil. The coil is attached to a battery. The battery connections to the coil are then swapped over. What occurs to the soft-iron rods in each situation?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

A plastic rod is rubbed using a dry cloth, and the rod then becomes positively charged. Why did the rod end up positively charged?

Electrical quantities

A car moves at an average speed of $60\,\text{km h}^{-1}$ for $15\,$minutes. What distance does the car cover in $15\,$minutes?

Motion

Which quantity is measured in the same unit as potential difference (p.d.)?

Electrical quantities

To determine the resistance of an electric lamp, a student measures the current through the lamp and the potential difference (p.d.) across it. Which circuit did he use?

Electric circuits

Identical resistors are linked together to make arrangements X, Y and Z. Which is the correct sequence of the resistances of the arrangements, from greatest to least?

Electric circuits

The diagram shows a wire WX attached to a cell. The potential difference (p.d.) across W and X is $1.5\,\text{V}$. What reading does the voltmeter show?

Electric circuits

At what point must a fuse be connected in a mains electric circuit?

Electrical safety

A magnet’s N-pole is pushed into a coil of wire that is connected to a galvanometer. The galvanometer needle deflects. Which situation would definitely produce a smaller galvanometer reading?

Electromagnetic effects

The diagram depicts a conductor with current flowing out of the plane of the page. Which group of arrows shows the direction of the magnetic field produced by this current?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

The diagrams illustrate the simple atomic structure of two neutral atoms, X and Y, belonging to different elements. Which row is correct?

The nuclear model of the atom

A chlorine nuclide is shown by the symbol $^{35}_{17}\text{Cl}$. What is the nucleon number of this chlorine nuclide?

The nuclear model of the atom

What type of radiation can be blocked by a sheet of paper?

Radioactivity

A box rests on the floor. An upward force of $15\,\text{N}$ is required to raise the box at constant speed. Which row gives the correct description of the box?

Mass and weight

Why are some radioactive sources kept inside boxes made of lead?

Radioactivity

The table lists the mass and the volume of three objects $P$, $Q$ and $R$. Which of these objects would float in a liquid with density $0.85\,\text{g cm}^{-3}$?

Density

A student measures the length of a spring. She then hangs different weights on the spring. For each weight, she records the spring’s length. The table gives her results. What is the extension of the spring when a weight of $3.0\,\text{N}$ is attached to it?

Forces

What unit is used for the moment of a force?

Forces

The diagrams depict a wooden block resting on a frictionless surface. In each diagram, two forces act on opposite sides of the block. Which diagrams indicate that the block is in equilibrium?

Forces

Brakes are used to reduce the speed of a moving car. As the car slows down, into what type of energy is most of the kinetic energy changed?

Energy, work and power

A student uses a ruler to determine the volume of water in a tank. She measures lengths EF and FG. Which other length does she need to measure?

Physical quantities and measurement techniques

Three situations are shown. In which of these situations is work being done?

Energy, work and power

A boy picks up a brick from the ground and sets it at rest on a higher shelf. He does $30\,\text{J}$ of work against gravity. Which row correctly describes the brick’s final energies?

Energy, work and power

A drawing pin (thumb tack) has a sharp tip at one end and a flat face at the other end. The pin is pressed into a wooden board. How do the pressure and the force at the sharp tip compare with the pressure and the force on the flat face?

Pressure

Pressure is connected to force and area. Which situation cannot be accounted for by this relationship?

Pressure

Which row compares how a hot gas and a cool liquid are separated and how their molecules move? (Both the gas and the liquid are at the same pressure.)

Kinetic particle model of matter

A fixed amount of gas is enclosed in a container. The gas is heated, while its volume remains unchanged. How is the kinetic energy of the molecules and the pressure on the container walls affected?

Kinetic particle model of matter

The diagram displays a liquid-in-glass thermometer. As the thermometer’s temperature increases, the resulting changes make the liquid column shift to the right. Why does this occur when the thermometer’s temperature increases?

Thermal properties and temperature

A liquid-in-glass thermometer operates over a temperature interval from $-10^{\circ}\text{C}$ to $110^{\circ}\text{C}$. Which fixed-point temperatures are used when this thermometer is calibrated in $^{\circ}\text{C}$?

Thermal properties and temperature

The diagram illustrates four labelled changes of state between solid, liquid and gas. Which of these changes require an input of energy?

Thermal properties and temperature

A beaker holds some cold water. A purple crystal is placed at the bottom of the beaker. The beaker is then gently heated underneath the crystal. The crystal dissolves in the water. As shown in the diagram, the colour spreads. Three students each make a statement about the experiment. Which students are correct?

Transfer of thermal energy

An object is released and falls near Earth’s surface. Ignore air resistance. Which statement correctly describes the object’s acceleration?

Motion

Why do houses in very hot countries often have their exterior walls painted white?

Transfer of thermal energy

What kind of wave is not an example of a transverse wave?

General properties of waves

Plane water waves move towards a narrow opening in a barrier. Which diagram would show the diffraction pattern produced?

General properties of waves

A person is positioned $1.0\,\text{m}$ in front of a plane mirror. The mirror is then pulled away from the person at a speed of $1.0\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. Which statement is correct?

Light

Which diagram illustrates total internal reflection of light in a glass prism?

Light

The diagram illustrates the electromagnetic spectrum. One word has been left out of the label beneath the spectrum: increasing ................. . Which word should go in the gap?

Electromagnetic spectrum

A man notices a puff of smoke from a starting pistol and then hears the pistol fire $1.5\,\text{s}$ later. The sound and the smoke are produced at the same instant. The starting pistol is $450\,\text{m}$ from the man. What is the speed of sound calculated from this observation?

Sound

The diagram shows a magnetic field. Its strength becomes greater from left to right. A small compass is positioned at P. In which direction will the compass needle point?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

Two soft-iron rods are positioned end-to-end within a coil. The coil is attached to a battery. The leads from the battery to the coil are then swapped over. What occurs to the soft-iron rods in each situation?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

A plastic rod is rubbed using a dry cloth, and it ends up positively charged. Why has the rod become positively charged?

Electrical quantities

A car moves at an average speed of $60\,\text{km h}^{-1}$ for 15 minutes. What distance does the car cover in 15 minutes?

Motion

A resistor is attached to a battery, and a current flows through the resistor. What is the principal energy transformation?

Electric circuits

Lamps X and Y are intended to give normal brightness when each is connected to a $3.0\,\text{V}$ supply. Lamp Z is intended to give normal brightness when it is connected to a $6.0\,\text{V}$ supply. In which circuit do all three lamps run at normal brightness?

Electric circuits

Three identical resistors are joined to make arrangements X, Y and Z. Which order correctly gives the resistances of the arrangements, from greatest to least?

Electric circuits

Which circuit diagram includes a variable resistor that controls the lamp’s brightness?

Electric circuits

In a mains electric circuit, where should a fuse be connected?

Electrical safety

A step-up transformer gives a $60\,\text{V}$ a.c. output when the a.c. input is $12\,\text{V}$. The secondary coil has $50$ turns. How many turns are on the primary coil?

Electromagnetic effects

A student uses a balance, a magnet and a power supply to find the force acting on a wire in a magnetic field. The wire is positioned between the poles of the magnet. The student turns on the power supply. The diagrams display the balance readings when there is no current in the wire and when there is a current in the wire. The student then reverses the current in the wire. The size of the current stays the same. What is the new reading on the balance?

Electromagnetic effects

The diagram shows a neutral atom. Which row correctly names each type of particle in the diagram?

The nuclear model of the atom

An iron nuclide is shown by the symbol $^{56}_{26}\text{Fe}$. Which of the following statements about the nucleus of this iron nuclide are correct?

The nuclear model of the atom

The three kinds of radiation that may produce ionisation are $\alpha$-, $\beta$- and $\gamma$-radiation. Which row shows the least ionising and the most ionising of these radiations?

Radioactivity

Which equation gives the link between an object's weight $W$ and its mass $m$?

Mass and weight

For what reason are some radioactive sources kept in containers made of lead?

Radioactivity

The four hollow glass spheres P, Q, R and S each have a mass of 72 g. Their volumes are shown in the table. Which spheres will sink in a liquid with density $0.9\,\text{g cm}^{-3}$?

Density

A student measures the length of a spring. She then hangs different weights on the spring. For each weight, she records the spring’s length. Her results are shown in the table. What is the extension of the spring when a weight of $3.0\,\text{N}$ is attached to it?

Forces

The diagram depicts a uniform metre rule. It is pivoted at its mid-point. A downward force of $4.0\,\text{N}$ acts on the rule at the 5 cm mark. A string supports the rule at the 30 cm mark. The rule is balanced and in equilibrium. How large is the upward force produced by the string on the rule?

Forces

The diagrams depict the only two forces acting on an object. Which object could be travelling to the right at constant speed?

Forces

Brakes are used to reduce the speed of a car in motion. Into which form of energy does most of the kinetic energy change as the car slows down?

Energy, work and power