Marking Scheme

Trial STPM 2014

Physics 960/1
Section A
Question
1
2
3
4
5

Answer
B
B
C
C
C

Question
6
7
8
9
10

Answer
B
C
C
A
B

Question
11
12
13
14
15

Answer
B
D
D
D
A

Section B
16. The period of oscillation of a pendulum is given by the equation
l
g
where l is the length of the pendulum and g is the acceleration of free fall.
T 2

To determine g, a student obtained the following data :

Period of oscillation = (0.910 0.005) s
Length of pendulum = (20.6 0.1) cm
(a) Determine the percentage uncertainty in g
l
g

T 2

4 2 l
T
g
2

4 2 l
T2

. (1)

g l
T

2
(1)
g
l
T
0.1
0.005
2
0.0158 ..(1)
20.6
0.910
Percentage uncertainty = 1.6 % or 2 % ( accept only these answers) (1)

(b) Express g together its assosciated uncertainty.

4 2 l 4 2 0.206
9.821 ms-2 (accept 2 or more sig fig here) .(1)
=
2
0.91
T
g = (0.0158)(0.9821) = 0.2 ms-2 ( accept only this answer) ..(1)
g

g = (9.8 0.2) ms-2 ..(1)

17. (a) State three assumptions of an ideal gas.

i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)

[3 marks]

A gas consists of a large number of molecules.

The gas molecules are in constant random motion.
The gas molecules collide elastically with each other and with the walls of
the container.
The volume of the gas molecules is negligible compared with the volume
of the gas.
The forces between gas molecules is negligible except during collision.
The time of collision is negligible compared to the time between collisions.

Any three (3)

(b) State in words how the temperature of an ideal gas is related to the energy of the
molecules of the gas.
[1 mark]
The mean kinetic energy of the molecules is directly proportional to its thermodynamic
temperature. (1)
(c) A plasma is a mixture of gas atoms, gas ions and electrons, all in thermal equilibrium.
In a certain hydrogen plasma, the hydrogen atoms, hydrogen ions (protons) and electrons
can be assumed to behave like the molecules of a mixture of three ideal gases. The r.m.s.
4
speed of the hydrogen ions in the plasma is found to be 6.0 x 10 ms-1.
(i)

Determine the r.m.s. speed of the hydrogen atoms and electrons in the plasma.
[3 marks]
Since all three are in thermal equilibrium,

1
1
mH c H2 mH cH2 (1) ( 1 mark for either only)
2
2
Since mH+ mH , the r.m.s. speed of hydrogen atom 6.0 x 104 ms-1 (1)
1
1
mH c H2 me ce2
2
2

1.67 10 6.0 10 9.11 10 c

4 2

27

ce2 2.6 10 6

31

2
e

ms-1 ..(1)

(ii) Determine the temperature of the plasma.

1
3
mH cH2 kT
2
2

..(1)

1
1.67 10 27 6.0 10 4
2

3
1.38 10 23 T
2

T = 1.5 x 105 K ..(1)

Alternative method.
T can also be calculated using the mass and respective rms speed of hydrogen atoms or
electrons.
Section C
18. (a) What do you understand by
(i) the mass of a body
(ii) the weight of a body
Give an example
(iii) of an object that has no mass
(iv) a situation where object that has mass but has no weight.

[4 marks]

The mass is the amount of matter in a given body. (1)

The weight of a given body is the gravitational force exerted on it when it is placed in a
gravitational field set up by another body..(1)
Light is an object that is known to have no mass (accept also other particles like neutrino,
Higgs boson)
...(1)
When any object is isolated (situated far away from other other objects) , it experiences
no weight. ..(1)

(b) A toy rocket consists of a plastic bottle which is partially filled with water. The space
above the water contains compressed air, as shown in the diagram below.
Compressed air
Water

Nozzle

At one instant during the flight of the rocket, water of density is forced through the
nozzle of radius r at speed v relative to the nozzle. Determine in terms of , r and v,
(i)
(ii)

the mass of water ejected per unit time from the nozzle.
The rate of change of momentum of water.

Hence show that the accelerating force F acting on the rocket is given by the expression

F r 2 v 2 mg
where m is the mass of the rocket and its contents at the instant considered.
[6 marks]
dV
b (i) Volume of water ejected per unit time,
r 2 v (1)
dt
dm
Mass of water ejected per unit time,
r 2 v .(1)
dt
dp
dm
(iii)
Rate of change of momentum of water,
v
r 2 v 2 .(1)
dt
dt
According to Newtons Third Law,
Upward thrust on rocket generated due to escaping water
= downward force exerted on water(1)
= rate of change of momentum of water .(1)
r 2 v2
The accelerating force F = Net upward force r 2 v 2 - mg ....(1)

(c) The toy manufacturer recommends that the rocket should contain about 550 cm3
5
of water before take-off. If the initial air pressure is 1.6 x 10 Pa , all of this water
will be expelled and the pressure is just reduced to atmospheric pressure as the last of
the water is expelled. However , on one flight, the initial volume of water was 750
5
cm3 but the initial air pressure in the rocket was still 1.6 x 10 Pa. State , without
calculation but with a reason, the effect of this increased volume of water on
(i) the initial thrust
(ii) the initial resultant accelerating force
(iii) the initial acceleration
(iv) the final mass of the rocket and its contents,
(v)
the maximum height reached.
[5 marks]
(i) There is no change in the initial thrust as the rate of change of momentum of the
water forced through the nozzle remains the same as the initial pressure difference is the
same. .(1) answer and reason
(ii) The initial resultant accelerating force is smaller as the mass, m is larger and the
initial thrust remains the same. ..(1) answer and reason
(iii) The initial acceleration is smaller as the mass is larger and the initial resultant
accelerating force is smaller.(1) answer and reason
(iv) The final mass of the rocket and its content will be larger as not all the water will be
expelled by the time the air pressure equalizes the external atmospheric pressure.
.(1) answer and reason
(v) The maximum height reached will be lower as the rocket has a larger mass.
(1) answer and reason
19.(a) (i) Define stress and strain for a wire. How are these quantities related to the
Youngs Modulus of the wire.
(ii) Two wires are made from the same material. If one wire is longer and have a
smaller diameter than the other, what can you deduce about the Youngs modulus of the
wires.
[4 marks]
(i)
Longitudinal force
..(1)
Stress =
Cross sec tional Area

Extension
..(1)
Original Length
Stress
(1)
Youngs Modulus =
Strain
Strain =

(ii) They have the same Youngs Modulus .(1)

(b) (i) Explain the term plastic deformation of a wire. How is it used to differentiate
materials that are ductile or brittle.
[3 marks]
Plastic deformation in a material occurs when the atomic planes slide over each other due
to the movements of dislocations in the atomic plane. ..(1)
Materials that are ductile undergoes plastic deformation after maximum stress before
breaking.
.(1)
Materials that are brittle does not show any plastic deformation after maximum stress.
.(1)
(ii) Polymeric materials such as rubber and polythene have rather different behavior
under stress. Sketch the stress-strain graph for rubber and polythene and explain their
behaviors on elasticity.
[4 marks]

Stress

Stress

Rubber

Strain

(1)

Strain

Polythene
(1)

Rubber departs from Hookes Law but behaves elastically regaining their initial length
when the stress are removed. ...(1)
Polythene behaves in a plastic manner producing permanent deformation. (1)
-7

(c) A load of 35.0 N applied to a wire of cross-sectional area 1.50 x 10 m2 and length
2.00 m causes an extension of 1.00 mm.
Calculate

(i) the stress on the wire

(ii) the strain of the wire
(iii) the energy stored per unit volume

[4 marks]

(i) Stress =

Force
35.0

2.33 10 8 Nm-2.(1)
7
Cross sec tional area 1.50 10

(ii) Strain =

Extension
1.00 10 3

5 10 4 ..(1)
Original Length
2.00

(iii) Energy stored per unit volume

1
stress strain .(1)
2
1
= 2.33 108 5 10 4
2
= 58 280 J
= 58 300 J..(1)

20.(a) The simple microscopic model of an ideal gas may be used to derive the relation

1
c 2 . By comparing this equation with the ideal gas equation pVm RT ,
3

Find an expression for the temperature of a gas in terms of the average kinetic energy of
the molecules and the Boltzmann constant.
[6 marks]
1
c2
3
pVm RT

If m is the mass of one molecule,

Total mass of molecules in 1 mole = mNA
Density

N m
mass
A ..(1)
volume
Vm

1 N m
p A c 2
3 Vm
1
pVm N A m c 2
3
1
RT N A m c 2 ..(1)
3
2
1

RT N A m c 2 (1) The term KE appears

3
2

N
2 A 1
2
T
mc
3 R 2

2 1

k m c 2
3 2

where Boltzmann constant k

R 1 NA
.(1)
,
NA k
R

1
2
m c is the average kinetic energy of the molecules..(1)
2

2
T
average kinetic energy .(1)
3k
(b) (i)What is meant by a degree of freedom.

[1 mark]

Degrees of freedom refer to the number of independent ways a molecule is able to move
(or acquire kinetic energy.) (1)
(ii) Explain why different types of molecules have differing degrees of freedom at room
temperature.
[4 marks]
Monoatomic molecules have 3 degrees of freedom translational kinetic energy (in the 3
independent direction)
Diatomic molecules have 5 degrees of freedom 3 translational kinetic energy( in the 3
independent direction) and 2 rotational kinetic energy (in 2 independent direction.)
Polyatomic molecules have 6 degrees of freedom 3 translational kinetic energy (in the 3
independent direction) and 3 rotational energy (in the 3 independent direction.)

3 types of molecules ..(1)

Each explanation (1) x 3 = (3)
(iii) State the Principle of Equipartition of Energy

[1 mark]

The principle of equipartition of energy states that the total energy of a gas molecule is
(1)
equally distributed amongst the degrees of freedom.

(c) It is known that the ratio of the principle molar heat capacities of a gas, , is related
to the degrees of freedom by the relation

2
where f is the degrees of freedom.
f

The value of g for a certain diatomic gas is 1.40 at 300K , but at 50K it is 1.67. Calculate
the number of degree of freedom at these temperatures. Suggest an explanation for the
difference.
[4 marks]
At 300K, 1

At 50K, 1

2
1.4
f
f = 5 (1)
2
1.67
f
f = 3 ..(1)

At 50K where the temperature is low, there are no rotational kinetic energy resulting in
only 3 translational kinetic energy. Hence f = 3 (1)
As the temperature increases there is now 2 rotational kinetic energy and 3 translational
kinetic energy. Hence f = 5 (1)