Oct/Nov 2020

A pendulum is shown in the diagram. The pendulum bob moves back and forth repeatedly between M and N. A student begins timing with a stop-watch when the bob arrives at M. He records each reversal of direction and switches off the watch at the tenth reversal. The watch reads 12.0 seconds. What is the period of the pendulum?

Motion

The arrows give a simplified sequence of the processes in an oil-fired power station. oil is burnt $\rightarrow$ turns turbine $\rightarrow$ turns generator $\rightarrow$ output transformer What are the energy transfer processes between the turbine and the generator, and between the generator and the output transformer?

Energy, work and power

To determine the power generated by a force, the magnitude of the force must be known. What other quantity must be known to determine the power?

Energy, work and power

A marble block in the shape of a rectangular prism has dimensions $1\,\text{m}$ by $1\,\text{m}$ by $5\,\text{m}$ and a weight of $125\,000\,\text{N}$. It is kept with its long side touching the ground, as shown in diagram 1. What is the difference in the pressure exerted on the ground by the block when it is stored as in diagram 2 compared with diagram 1?

Pressure

The diagram illustrates a mercury barometer. Which height is taken as the measurement of atmospheric pressure?

Pressure

During a warm day, a driver measures the air pressure in a car tyre. Later, when night falls and the temperature falls, the pressure of the air inside the tyre falls as well. The tyre has no air leaks. Why does the pressure fall?

Kinetic particle model of matter

The diagram illustrates the faster-moving water molecules leaving the surface of liquid water. What is the name of this process?

Kinetic particle model of matter

During the construction of a bridge, a space is left between every concrete slab. What is the reason for leaving these spaces?

Thermal properties and temperature

The table gives the melting point and boiling point of four different substances. Which substance changes into a liquid when it is placed in a beaker of boiling water?

Thermal properties and temperature

The diagram illustrates four rods. Each one is formed from a different metal. Wax is used to secure small metal balls to the rod ends P, Q, R and S. All four rods are the same size. They are heated evenly by a Bunsen burner at point X. As the rods become hotter, the wax melts and the balls drop off. Why does the ball on the silver rod drop off first?

Transfer of thermal energy

The diagram depicts a pan of water undergoing heating. Soon afterwards, the entire volume of water in the pan starts to boil. What is the principal process by which thermal energy is transferred through the water?

Transfer of thermal energy

The speed-time graph shows a journey. How does the graph indicate that the distance travelled in section X of the journey is greater than the distance travelled in section Y?

Motion

Which row gives the correct description of light waves?

Light

The diagram depicts two pieces of wood floating in shallow water of uniform depth. As shown, straight wavefronts that are parallel to one another are moving towards the pieces of wood. The space between the pieces of wood is $2.0\ \text{cm}$ wide. The wavefronts are $3.0\ \text{cm}$ apart. What will the wavefronts look like after they travel through the gap?

General properties of waves

A man notices a stone resting at the base of a pool of water. Which route could light travel from the stone to the man?

Light

Which statement is correct about a thin converging lens?

Light

The diagram shows a beam of white light travelling through a triangular prism. A spectrum is formed. Which row correctly identifies a wave property involved in creating the colours at X and Y?

Light

The diagram illustrates the electromagnetic spectrum. Which wave types are E, F and G?

Electromagnetic spectrum

A police car is standing still in congested traffic with its siren on. A pedestrian observes that, even though the loudness of the sound does not alter, the pitch changes. Which row gives the amplitude and the frequency of the sound?

Sound

Two soft-iron pins hang from the S pole of a bar magnet. Which diagram shows the way the pins are deflected?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

A student uses three small plotting compasses to study the magnetic field surrounding a bar magnet. Which diagram indicates the directions that the compass needles point in?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

What does electric current mean in a metal wire?

Electrical quantities

A boy launches a ball straight up at speed $v$. Which row gives the ball's speed and acceleration of the ball at point X while it is moving upwards?

Motion

There are four wires, and each one is made from the same metal. Which wire will have the largest resistance?

Electrical quantities

A student uses four ammeters P, Q, R and S to measure the current at different points in the circuit shown. Which two ammeters show the greatest current?

Electric circuits

Circuit X is arranged using two identical lamps. Circuit Y is then arranged, with the meter positions altered. Which meters show different readings?

Electric circuits

An electrical appliance runs from a mains supply. During normal operation, the appliance takes a current of $3\,\text{A}$, although this current momentarily increases to $4\,\text{A}$ when the appliance is first switched on. The cable connected to the appliance is made to handle currents of up to $6\,\text{A}$. A fuse is fitted to protect the circuit. What rating should the fuse have?

Electrical safety

An electromagnet is placed near a coil of wire. The electromagnet is switched on, stays on for a brief period, and is then switched off. Three claims about the galvanometer pointer during this process are given. Which claims are correct?

Electromagnetic effects

A transformer is required to change a supply of $240\,\text{V a.c.}$ to $4800\,\text{V a.c.}$. Which pair of coils would be suitable for this transformer?

Electromagnetic effects

The diagrams each depict a current-carrying wire, with an arrow indicating the direction of the current. Which diagram illustrates the magnetic field created by the current?

Electromagnetic effects

Which statement about the nucleus of any atom is correct?

The nuclear model of the atom

The nucleus of atom X is shown using the notation below. $^P_Q X$ How many protons are present in this nucleus, and how many neutrons does it contain?

The nuclear model of the atom

A radiation detector shows a small reading even when there is no radioactive source nearby. This happens because of background radiation. Which of the following does not add to this background radiation?

Radioactivity

A student compares the weights of several different objects. Which apparatus does he use?

Mass and weight

The graph presents the radioactive decay curve for a substance. State the half-life of this substance.

Radioactivity

What type of quantity is weight an example of?

Mass and weight

A metal ball is fixed to a cork and lowered into a measuring cylinder, causing the cork to be drawn down into the water, as illustrated. The mass of the cork is $4.8\,\text{g}$. What is the density of the cork?

Density

A uniform plank is supported by a pivot at its middle. Two children P and Q are seated on the plank at the positions indicated. Child P has a mass of $25\,\text{kg}$. The plank is in equilibrium. What is the mass of child Q?

Forces

An object is in equilibrium on Earth. Which statement is correct?

Forces

A man leaps out of a balloon that is not moving. After descending for several hundred metres, he deploys his parachute. At which point is his kinetic energy largest?

Energy, work and power

A student measures the volumes of three liquids with three separate measuring cylinders. The table displays the volumes noted down by the student. Which measurements have been recorded correctly?

Physical quantities and measurement techniques

Work has been done. Which physical quantity is being transferred?

Energy, work and power

To work out the power generated by a force, the magnitude of the force must be known. What other quantity is needed to work out the power?

Energy, work and power

The diagram depicts a mercury barometer. Which height is taken as the measure of atmospheric pressure?

Pressure

A man with a weight of $540\,\text{N}$ is standing on the ground using both feet. The contact area of one foot with the ground is $0.015\,\text{m}^2$. What pressure does the man exert on the floor?

Pressure

On a hot day, a driver measures the air pressure inside a car tyre. Later, when the temperature falls at night, the tyre’s air pressure also falls. The tyre has no air leaks. Why does the pressure fall?

Thermal properties and temperature

Wet clothes are hung on a line so that the water in them can evaporate. Which kind of weather would make the water evaporate the fastest?

Transfer of thermal energy

A bimetallic strip is used to regulate the temperature of electrical appliances. It consists of two different metals joined firmly together. The diagram illustrates the shape of the bimetallic strip before heating and after heating. Which statement is correct?

Thermal properties and temperature

Four different substances are each heated one after another using the same heater, for the same length of time and under identical conditions. The table shows the temperature rise for each sample. Which sample has the greatest thermal capacity?

Thermal properties and temperature

Thermal energy is delivered at an equal rate to four bars made from different materials. After a few minutes, a temperature difference exists between X and Y for each bar. Which statement identifies the bar with the largest temperature difference between points X and Y, and states the correct reason?

Transfer of thermal energy

A scientist records the air temperature at several heights above the cave floor. The findings are shown in the table. Why does changing the height change the temperature of the air?

Thermal properties and temperature

A car driver records how long it takes to finish four different journeys. For which journey does the driver have the greatest average speed?

Motion

Which row gives the correct description of light waves?

Light

Waves move across the surface of water. What does the amplitude of a wave mean?

General properties of waves

Which diagram correctly shows the image formed by reflection?

Light

A man notices a stone lying at the base of a pool of water. Which route could light travel from the stone to the man?

Light

White light can be broken up into different colours by being passed through a prism. What is this process called?

Light

What type of radiation is used by a remote controller to transmit its instructions to a TV set?

Electromagnetic spectrum

A police car, with its siren on, is motionless in heavy traffic. A pedestrian notices that, although the loudness of the sound stays the same, the pitch changes. Which row describes the amplitude and the frequency of the sound?

Sound

A student carries out four experiments with bar magnets and other metal objects. The N and S poles of the bar magnets are shown as N and S. Which pairs attract one another?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

A student uses three small plotting compasses to explore the magnetic field surrounding a bar magnet. Which diagram shows the directions the compass needles point in?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

A polythene rod is given a negative charge by rubbing it with a cloth. Which statement accounts for how the rod became charged?

Electrical quantities

The graph illustrates how an object’s speed changes over time. Which row gives the object’s motion at times P and Q?

Motion

A current flows through a variable resistor when a potential difference (p.d.) is applied across it. In which situation does the current increase?

Electric circuits

The circuit diagram contains a battery, three lamps X, Y and Z, and three switches $S_1$, $S_2$ and $S_3$. Lamp X is not lit, while lamps Y and Z are illuminated. Which switches are closed?

Electric circuits

A student uses four ammeters P, Q, R and S to measure the current in different sections of the circuit shown. Which two ammeters show the greatest current?

Electric circuits

An electrical appliance is supplied by a mains supply. The appliance usually draws a current of $3\,\text{A}$, although this current momentarily increases to $4\,\text{A}$ when the appliance is turned on. The cable connected to the appliance is intended to carry currents up to $6\,\text{A}$. A fuse is fitted to protect the circuit. What rating should the fuse have?

Electrical safety

A student carries out an investigation into electromagnetic induction. She brings the N pole of a magnet quickly nearer to a coil of wire. The galvanometer shows a reading. What can she do to obtain a larger reading on the galvanometer?

Electromagnetic effects

A transformer is required to change a supply of $240\ \text{V a.c.}$ to $4800\ \text{V a.c.}$. Which pair of coils would be appropriate for use in this transformer?

Electromagnetic effects

The diagram indicates a wire with a current flowing in the direction shown. The wire is positioned between the poles of a magnet. A force acts on the wire out of the page. The wire and magnet are then arranged in three different ways, X, Y and Z. In each case, the arrow indicates the direction of the current. For which arrangements is the force on the wire out of the page?

Electromagnetic effects

Which statement about the nucleus of any atom is correct?

The nuclear model of the atom

The symbol shows a zinc nucleus, $^{68}_{30}\mathrm{Zn}$. Which row shows the numbers of protons and neutrons in this nucleus?

The nuclear model of the atom

The three forms of radiation are $\alpha$-radiation, $\beta$-radiation and $\gamma$-radiation. Which of the following statements is correct?

Radioactivity

A stone weighs $4.1\,\text{N}$. What is its mass?

Mass and weight

The graph illustrates the radioactive decay curve for a substance. What half-life does this substance have?

Radioactivity

What type of quantity is weight an example of?

Mass and weight

A metal block with a rectangular shape has a length of $20\,\text{cm}$. Its cross-sectional area is $25\,\text{cm}^2$. The block has a mass of $4000\,\text{g}$. What is the density of the metal?

Density

A force of $4.0\,\text{N}$ is applied to a beam as illustrated. The line of action of the force is at a distance $x$ from a pivot. The moment produced by this force about the pivot is $8.0\,\text{N cm}$. What is the distance $x$?

Forces

The diagram depicts a stand. The stand supports a heavy mass above the bench. Which two alterations would certainly make the stand more stable?

Forces

Two wind farms provide electrical energy to consumers in different ways. Wind farm 1 sends energy straight to consumers and, for each $1000\,\text{J}$ of energy taken from the wind, $360\,\text{J}$ is delivered to consumers as electrical energy. Wind farm 2 keeps electrical energy in batteries and then supplies energy from the batteries to the consumer. For each $1000\,\text{J}$ of energy taken from the wind, $270\,\text{J}$ is delivered to consumers as electrical energy. Which statement about the two wind farms is correct?

Energy, work and power

A student measures the length of a sheet of paper using a metre rule. Which reading is recorded to the nearest millimetre?

Physical quantities and measurement techniques

Which statement accurately compares generating electricity by means of wind with generating electricity by means of nuclear fission?

Energy, work and power

To work out the power developed by a force, the magnitude of the force must be known. What other quantity is required to work out the power?

Energy, work and power

The diagram depicts a mercury barometer. Which height is taken to represent atmospheric pressure?

Pressure

A large box exerts a weight of $700\,\text{N}$. It is resting on the floor. What pressure does the box produce on the floor?

Pressure

On a hot day, a driver measures the air pressure inside a car tyre. During the night, the temperature falls and the pressure in the tyre goes down. No air is leaking from the tyre. Why does the pressure go down?

Kinetic particle model of matter

A textbook defines a thermal process as ‘molecules with greater energy leave from the surface of a liquid, making the liquid cooler’. Which process is being described?

Kinetic particle model of matter

When temperature is measured using a liquid-in-glass thermometer, which physical property alters?

Thermal properties and temperature

Two separate pure substances X and Y are heated. At the start, both substance X and substance Y are in the solid state. The graph shows how the temperature of each substance varies with time. What does the graph show about the substances?

Thermal properties and temperature

The diagram shows the appearance of a room that is warmed by a radiator. The line with arrows from X to Y represents the route taken by the convection current in the air. Which row gives the correct air temperature and air density at X and at Y?

Transfer of thermal energy

Which thermal process is able to transfer energy across a vacuum?

Transfer of thermal energy

The diagram illustrates the distance-time graph for the movement of an object. How could the object’s motion be described?

Motion

Which row gives the correct description of light waves?

Light

The diagram illustrates a wave. It is not drawn to scale. What are the amplitude and the wavelength of this wave?

General properties of waves

A boy is undergoing an eyesight test. A letter is printed on a card held above his head. He views the card in a plane mirror mounted on the room’s far wall. In the mirror, he sees the letter $\text{R}$. What is the letter’s orientation on the card?

Light

A man notices a stone lying on the bottom of a pool of water. Which route could light travel from the stone to the man?

Light

The diagram shows the image produced by a converging lens. Which statement describes the image that is formed?

Light

The diagram presents three types of electromagnetic radiation arranged in a specific sequence. The electromagnetic radiation is moving through a vacuum. Which quantities increase in magnitude from left to right along the list?

Electromagnetic spectrum

A police car with its siren sounding is at rest in heavy traffic. A pedestrian observes that, even though the loudness of the sound produced remains unchanged, the pitch changes. Which row describes the amplitude and the frequency of the sound?

Sound

Diagrams 1, 2 and 3 show an experiment used to compare magnets 1 and 2. Which row accounts for the balance readings?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

A student uses three small plotting compasses to explore the magnetic field around a bar magnet. Which diagram shows the directions in which the compass needles point?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

Which of the following statements about how an insulator is charged is correct?

Electrical quantities

An athlete covers $300\,\text{m}$ up a hill in $100\,\text{s}$. She then goes back down the same hill in $50\,\text{s}$. What is her average speed for the entire run?

Motion

Each diagram displays a section of a circuit. The circle stands for an instrument used to measure the potential difference (p.d.) across the resistor. Which row is correct?

Electric circuits

A student uses four ammeters P, Q, R and S to measure the current at different points in the circuit shown. Which two ammeters show the greatest current?

Electric circuits

Three statements about a relay are given. Which of these statements are correct?

Electromagnetic effects

An electrical appliance is supplied by a mains supply. During normal operation, the appliance takes a current of $3\ \text{A}$, although at the moment it is switched on the current momentarily increases to $4\ \text{A}$. The cable connected to the appliance is intended to carry currents up to $6\ \text{A}$. A fuse is fitted to protect the circuit. What should the fuse rating be?

Electrical safety

As a metal wire is moved upwards through a magnetic field and cuts the field lines, an electromotive force (e.m.f.) is induced across the wire. Which alteration changes the size of the induced e.m.f.?

Electromagnetic effects

A transformer is required to change a $240\ \text{V a.c.}$ supply into $4800\ \text{V a.c.}$. Which pair of coils would be appropriate for this transformer?

Electromagnetic effects

The diagram represents a wire with a current flowing in the direction indicated. A magnetic field acts from left to right. The wire is subject to a force directed out of the page. The current is then reversed. In which direction does the force on the wire act now?

Electromagnetic effects

Which statement is true about the nucleus of any atom?

The nuclear model of the atom

How many protons and how many neutrons are present in a nucleus of $^{234}_{90}\text{Th}$?

The nuclear model of the atom

A radiation detector in a laboratory is being used to measure background radiation. Which row gives the readings and the reason for them?

Radioactivity

The diagram depicts an object placed on a balance, and the balance reading is displayed. Which quantity does this represent?

Mass and weight

The graph illustrates the radioactive decay curve for a substance. Determine the half-life of this substance.

Radioactivity

Weight is an example of which type of quantity?

Mass and weight

A student is told to predict whether a solid will float in a liquid. What information does the student need?

Density

The diagram represents a car travelling on a road. The engine provides a force of $1500\,\text{N}$ and the total drag force is $200\,\text{N}$. What is the motion of the car?

Forces

Students X and Y are seated on a seesaw. Student X weighs $400\,\text{N}$ and student Y weighs $600\,\text{N}$. The seesaw is balanced in equilibrium. Which statement gives the correct reason why the seesaw is in equilibrium?

Forces

The diagram illustrates a frictionless pendulum. The pendulum bob moves from point P via point Q to point R and then returns to P. At which point is the energy of the pendulum bob greatest?

Energy, work and power