Feb/March 2021

A student is given a measuring cylinder that contains water, together with a balance. Which of these could she use to determine the volume of a small metal sphere? She has no other apparatus.

Physical quantities and measurement techniques

A horizontal force drags a box across a level surface. The box gains $30\,\text{J}$ of kinetic energy and friction between the box and the surface generates $10\,\text{J}$ of thermal energy. How much work is done by the force?

Energy, work and power

The table gives the work done and the time spent by four machines. Which machine is the most powerful?

Energy, work and power

The illustration shows a manometer linked to a gas supply. What pressure does the gas supply have?

Pressure

The diagram represents a box with dimensions $6.0\ \text{cm} \times 8.0\ \text{cm} \times 4.0\ \text{cm}$. The box is placed on a level horizontal surface. On which face should the box be placed so that it produces the smallest pressure?

Pressure

Air inside a sealed syringe is compressed gradually by pushing the piston in. Its temperature remains unchanged. Which statement about the air is correct?

Kinetic particle model of matter

In an experiment, smoke particles are held in air and observed using a microscope. The smoke particles move with brief random motions. Which of the following statements is correct?

Kinetic particle model of matter

A beaker containing a liquid is heated gradually until the liquid evaporates. While evaporation is happening, from which part of the liquid do the molecules with the greatest energy escape?

Kinetic particle model of matter

Four samples of materials with identical dimensions are tested. Which material shows the greatest rate of thermal conduction?

Transfer of thermal energy

The diagram illustrates a basic thermometer. The roller is placed on a horizontal surface, and the steel bar sits above the roller. As the temperature changes, the pointer turns. Which physical property is used to measure temperature?

Thermal properties and temperature

In a laboratory, there is a lump of ice that is melting at $0^\circ\text{C}$ and a beaker containing boiling water. The laboratory temperature is $20^\circ\text{C}$. What happens to the temperature of the melting ice, and what happens to the temperature of the boiling water?

Kinetic particle model of matter

At the same instant, two rockets are fired from the surface of the Earth. The graph illustrates how the speeds of the rockets vary with time. Which statement about the rockets is correct?

Motion

Four metal mugs with lids are each filled with the same volume of hot water at the same temperature. The mugs are made from the same metal and have the same shape and size, but the outside of each mug is painted with a different mix of texture and colour. Which mug radiates thermal energy at the greatest rate?

Transfer of thermal energy

The diagram presents a wave. Which measurements are used to describe the properties of the wave?

General properties of waves

What makes light change direction as it moves from air into glass?

Light

A torch beam falls onto a plane mirror. The angle of incidence is $38^{\circ}$. What is the angle of reflection?

Light

A thin converging lens is used to form a sharp image of a candle. Different sharp images are seen on the screen when the lens and the screen are moved backwards and forwards. Which statement must always be correct?

Light

Thermal radiation forms one part of the electromagnetic spectrum. What is this region of the spectrum called?

Electromagnetic spectrum

Which process makes a sound wave produce an echo?

Sound

A loudspeaker emits a quiet sound. The pitch of the sound stays unchanged, but its loudness is made greater. Which property of the sound wave has increased?

Sound

A soft-iron bar has not been magnetised. It is brought near the N pole of a magnet and then moved near the S pole of that same magnet. What is the outcome?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

Rod X, which is charged, is set on a balance and a second rod Y is then moved nearby, as shown. Which pair of charges would produce the change in the balance reading that is illustrated?

Electrical quantities

A train sets off from a station and covers $60\,\text{km}$ in $20\,\text{minutes}$. What is the train’s average speed?

Motion

Three metal cores, P, Q and R, each of a different metal, are put inside identical wire coils. At least one of the metals is non-magnetic. The cores are suspended above some iron nails. The three diagrams illustrate what happens when current flows in the coils. The three diagrams below illustrate what happens after the current is switched off. Which core metals are magnetic?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

A piece of metal wire is acting as a resistor in a circuit. Which alteration to the wire would cause the current in the circuit to increase?

Electric circuits

The diagram represents a circuit made up of a power supply, a lamp and a motor. Three ammeters are used to measure the current at different positions in the circuit. The ammeter readings are $I_1$, $I_2$ and $I_3$. Which statement about the ammeter readings is correct?

Electric circuits

A student sets up a circuit to act as a dimmer switch for a lamp. What occurs to the lamp’s brightness and the potential difference (p.d.) across the lamp when the slider is moved from X to Y?

Electric circuits

Which electrical component is placed in series with an electric circuit to prevent damage from a very large current?

Electrical safety

The diagram illustrates an electromagnet positioned close to a coil of wire that is connected to a voltmeter. The voltmeter reading is zero. The switch is then closed. The electromagnet becomes magnetised rapidly. What happens to the voltmeter reading?

Electromagnetic effects

Which diagram shows the voltage output from a simple a.c. generator?

Electromagnetic effects

Three students are describing the arrangement of particles in an atom. student 1: Every positively charged particle is found in the nucleus. student 2: The nucleus contains positive electrons. student 3: Negative electrons move around the nucleus. Which students have made a correct statement?

The nuclear model of the atom

The symbol shown below represents a nuclide. $^{9}_{4}\text{Be}$ Which row is correct?

The nuclear model of the atom

The diagram illustrates a radioactivity experiment. If a sheet of paper is placed in as the absorber, the count rate falls to the background count rate. Which radiation is being emitted by the source?

Radioactivity

What does weight mean?

Mass and weight

The graph illustrates how the count rate from a radioactive sample varies over time. What is the half-life of this sample?

Radioactivity

The diagram depicts a bird flying through the air. The bird is moving horizontally to the right. In which direction does air resistance act on the bird?

Forces

When the bottle is empty, its mass is $20\,\text{g}$. The volume of the bottle is $10\,\text{cm}^3$. If it is filled with liquid, the combined mass becomes $150\,\text{g}$. Calculate the density of the liquid.

Density

A rocket is moving vertically upwards. Three vertical forces act on it. The thrust acts upwards and is equal to $100\,000\,\text{N}$. The weight acts downwards and is equal to $80\,000\,\text{N}$. What is the force of air resistance on the rocket when it is moving upwards at constant speed?

Forces

Which energy source is used to heat water until it boils and produces steam in power stations?

Energy, work and power

Two people $X$ and $Y$ are seated on a see-saw, as illustrated. $X$ has a weight of $400\,\text{N}$ and is positioned $1.5\,\text{m}$ from the pivot. The see-saw itself weighs $300\,\text{N}$ and its weight acts through the pivot. With the see-saw in balance, the pivot exerts an upward force of $900\,\text{N}$ on the see-saw. Determine the weight of person $Y$ and the distance from the pivot at which he is seated?

Forces

A student has a measuring cylinder partly filled with water and a balance. Which of these could she use to determine the volume of a small metal sphere? She has no other apparatus.

Physical quantities and measurement techniques

A box is pulled along a horizontal surface by a horizontal force. The box gains $30\,\text{J}$ of kinetic energy, and friction between the box and the surface generates $10\,\text{J}$ of thermal energy. How much work is done by the force?

Energy, work and power

A crane is used to lift loads in the vertical direction. The crane's output power for lifting a car is $P$. The crane then lifts a lorry, which has $3.0$ times the weight of the car, through $0.25$ of the distance in $0.50$ of the time. What is the output power of the crane now?

Energy, work and power

The diagram depicts a manometer attached to a gas supply. What is the gas supply pressure?

Pressure

The diagram depicts a box with dimensions $6.0\ \text{cm} \times 8.0\ \text{cm} \times 4.0\ \text{cm}$. The box is resting on a level horizontal surface. On which face should the box be placed so that it exerts the smallest pressure?

Pressure

Air in a syringe that is sealed is compressed gradually by pushing the piston in. The air temperature remains unchanged. Which statement about the air is correct?

Kinetic particle model of matter

In an experiment, smoke particles are held in air and observed using a microscope. The smoke particles make short, random movements. Which of the following statements is correct?

Kinetic particle model of matter

The graph illustrates the way the internal energy of $1.0\ \text{kg}$ of a metal varies with temperature. What is the rise in internal energy of a block made of the same metal with mass $0.25\ \text{kg}$ when its temperature increases from $40\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ to $50\,^{\circ}\text{C}$?

Thermal properties and temperature

A lump of ice that is melting at $0\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ and a beaker containing boiling water are each placed in a laboratory. The laboratory temperature is $20\,^{\circ}\text{C}$. What is happening to the temperature of the melting ice, and what is happening to the temperature of the boiling water?

Thermal properties and temperature

One end of a copper rod is heated. By what one process is thermal energy passed through the copper rod?

Transfer of thermal energy

Which alteration would lead to a reduction in the rate at which an object emits radiation?

Transfer of thermal energy

A ball strikes a bat at a velocity of $30\,\text{m s}^{-1}$, then rebounds from the bat at a velocity of $20\,\text{m s}^{-1}$ in the opposite direction. The ball remains in contact with the bat for $0.10\,\text{s}$. Calculate the magnitude of the ball’s acceleration while it is in contact with the bat.

Motion

What is the approximate wavelength in air of the sound with the highest frequency that a normal healthy person can hear?

Sound

What makes light change direction as it passes from air into glass?

Light

A torch beam is directed at a plane mirror. The angle of incidence is $38^{\circ}$. What is the angle of reflection?

Light

Two rays, each with an angle of incidence of $60^{\circ}$, enter dilute and concentrated sugar-water solutions. The refracted paths are shown. Which row is correct?

Light

A thin converging lens is used to form a sharp image of a candle. Sharp images are obtained on the screen by moving the lens and the screen backwards and forwards. Which statement is always true?

Light

Which row shows the approximate speeds at which ultraviolet waves move through air and through a vacuum?

Electromagnetic spectrum

The diagram shows a sound wave. What are the names of the sections of the sound wave marked X and Y?

Sound

The speed of sound is not the same in different states of matter. In liquid water, the speed of sound is $1500\ \text{m s}^{-1}$. Which row gives the correct comparison between the speed of sound in ice and the speed of sound in water vapour, compared with the speed of sound in water?

Sound

Three possible ways of demagnetising a magnet are proposed. The magnet is aligned in an east-west direction. Which of these methods will demagnetise the magnet?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

Three cores made from different metals P, Q and R are placed inside identical wire coils. At least one of the metals is non-magnetic. The cores are suspended above some iron nails. The diagrams show the result when current flows through the coils and when the current is then switched off. Which core metals are magnetic?

Simple phenomena of magnetism

A train sets off from a station and covers $60\,\text{km}$ in a time of $20\,\text{minutes}$. What is the train's average speed?

Motion

Two uncharged metal spheres X and Y are placed on insulating stands so that they are in contact. A negatively charged plastic rod is then brought close to sphere X. While keeping them on an insulating stand, sphere Y is separated from sphere X. What signs do the charges induced on X and Y have, and how do their magnitudes compare?

Electrical quantities

Which two alterations to a metal wire would both lower its resistance?

Electrical quantities

A resistor with resistance $R$ carries a current $I$ for a time $t$. The potential difference across the resistor is $V$. Which equation gives the energy $E$ transferred by the resistor?

Electric circuits

A resistor $R$ is arranged in parallel with an $8.0\,\Omega$ resistor. The combined resistance of the two is $4.0\,\Omega$. What resistance does resistor $R$ have?

Electric circuits

A student sets up a circuit to act as a dimmer switch for a lamp. What happens to the lamp’s brightness and to the potential difference (p.d.) across the lamp when the slider is moved from $X$ to $Y$?

Electric circuits

The circuit diagram shown has two gates. Which truth table represents how the circuit works?

Electric circuits

The diagram shows an electromagnet placed close to a coil of wire that is connected to a voltmeter. The voltmeter reads zero. The switch is then closed. The electromagnet becomes magnetised rapidly. What happens to the voltmeter reading?

Electromagnetic effects

Which graph represents the voltage output of an a.c. generator with the peaks and zeros labelled correctly?

Electromagnetic effects

Three students are talking about atomic structure. student 1: Every positively charged particle is found in the nucleus. student 2: Positive electrons are located in the nucleus. student 3: Negative electrons move around the nucleus. Which of these students has made a correct statement?

The nuclear model of the atom

When alpha particles are directed at a thin metal foil, the majority travel through without being deflected. What does this observation show about the structure of the atom?

The nuclear model of the atom

Which of the following statements about mass is correct?

Mass and weight

A laboratory technician measures the count rate from a radioactive source and enters the readings in a table. The average background radiation in the laboratory is $8$ counts per second. What is the source's half-life?

Radioactivity

An empty small bottle has a mass of $20\,\text{g}$. The bottle’s volume is $10\,\text{cm}^3$. If the bottle is filled with liquid, its total mass becomes $150\,\text{g}$. What is the density of the liquid?

Density

A body of mass $0.80\,\text{kg}$ moves along a straight path with a velocity of $2.0\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. A force acts on the body, in the same direction as its motion, for $1.0\,\text{minute}$, and its velocity then increases to $6.0\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. What force is exerted on the object?

Momentum

An object travels at constant speed along the circular path shown. Which statement about the object's acceleration when it is at point P is correct?

Motion

An object can turn about point P. A student fastens one end of a string to a peg on the object. He then pulls on the string with a force $F$. What is the moment of the force $F$ about point P?

Forces

A gas molecule collides with the inside surface of a container. It bounces back at the same speed. What occurs to the kinetic energy, and what occurs to the momentum, of the molecule?

Momentum

Fig. 1.1 depicts a box of supplies being dropped from an aeroplane, with a parachute attached to it. The parachute opens at 6.0 s. The labels shown in Fig. 1.1 are: parachute; box containing supplies. Fig. 1.2 presents the graph of the box’s vertical speed as it falls. In Fig. 1.2, the vertical axis is labelled "speed / m s$^{-1}$" and the horizontal axis is labelled "time / s".

Motion

A student is using a laptop computer. The student sees that the cable linking the laptop power adapter to the mains electricity supply is damaged, as shown in Fig. 10.1.

Electrical safety

Carbon-12 is a stable isotope belonging to carbon. Its nuclide notation is shown in Fig. 11.1. Carbon-14 is an unstable isotope belonging to carbon. Its nuclide notation is shown in Fig. 11.2. Fig. 11.1 shows $^{12}_{6}\text{C}$. Fig. 11.2 shows $^{14}_{6}\text{C}$.

Radioactivity

Fig. 2.1 shows a measuring cylinder partly filled with water. Fig. 2.2 shows that same measuring cylinder after a stone has been lowered into it. In Fig. 2.2, the object is labelled stone. On both cylinders, the scale is marked in cm$^3$.

Density

Fig. 3.1 represents the forces acting on a uniform beam that is balanced. The beam has its pivot at the centre. Fig. 3.1 shows: a pivot at the centre; a downward force of 5.2 N applied 6.0 cm to the left of the pivot; a downward force of 8.1 N applied 2.0 cm to the right of the pivot; an upward force P applied 2.0 cm to the left of the pivot.

Forces

Fig. 4.1 presents a simple diagram of the principal components in a geothermal power station used to produce electricity. Several components on the station are labelled. The labels shown include: steam; electrical energy; cooling station; production well; injection well; hot water/steam; hot rocks; water.

Energy, work and power

Fig. 5.1 presents a metal block resting on a level surface. Fig. 5.1 labels: metal block; base dimensions 6.0 cm by 3.0 cm.

Pressure

Fig. 6.1 traces the route of a red-light ray through a glass block in air. For the red light passing from glass into air, the critical angle is 43^{\circ}. The labels on Fig. 6.1 are: air; glass block; ray of red light; points A, B, C; a dashed normal line at A; an angle of 62^{\circ} at B; angle P.

Light

Fig. 7.1 shows a transverse wave. In Fig. 7.1, arrows P, Q, R, S and T indicate distances measured on the wave.

General properties of waves

Fig. 8.1 illustrates the magnetic field arrangement around a bar magnet. Fig. 8.1 depicts a bar magnet with poles marked S and N, together with magnetic field lines showing arrows. Fig. 8.2 illustrates two bar magnets producing a uniform magnetic field. The labels shown are: bar magnet; separation of poles; uniform magnetic field; current-carrying wire; poles N and S.

Electromagnetic effects

Fig. 9.1 displays an electric circuit. The labelled components are: buzzer; ammeter (A); voltmeter (V); thermistor.

Electric circuits

Calculate the weight of the glass piece.

Pressure

State the proton number, nucleon number and charge of an $\alpha$-particle.

Radioactivity

State what the moment of a force about a point means.

Forces

A power station uses waste matter from farm crops to produce electricity.

Energy, work and power

Using the momentum of molecules, explain how a gas produces pressure on the walls of its container.

Kinetic particle model of matter

State the term used for the reflection of a sound wave or ultrasound wave.

Sound

On Fig. 6.1, Draw two rays from point O on the object to locate the image position. Label the image IJ. Measure the image length.

Light

Fig. 7.1 illustrates a horizontal conducting wire XY positioned between two opposite magnetic poles. The wire XY makes a circuit with an ammeter.

Electromagnetic effects

Define electromotive force (e.m.f.) in words.

Electric circuits

Give the truth table for an OR gate.

Electric circuits