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Why physics?
Why physics?
Topics
1. Electricity
electrostatics, current, energy, power, transformers, electricity generation
4. Waves
nature of waves, erflection, refraction, Doppler effect, optics, sound
5. EM spectrum
nature of EM waves, properties, applications, dangers
6. Radioactivity
atomic structure, decay, ionising radiation, half-life, fission, fusion
Topic 1: Electricity
Four questions
1.1 1.4
Complete in four minutes
19 Which graph correctly shows how the resistance (R) varies with applied voltage (V) for a resistor
1.1
at constant temperature?
0
V
0
V
0
V
1.27
V=IxR
Volt = amps x ohms
P=IxV &W=Pxt
so W = I x t x V
watt per amp
E
so V = W /(I x t)
amp = coulomb per second
I x t = coulomb per second x
second
= coulomb
A cube has unit length sides. What is the length of a line joining a vertex to the midpoint of one
volt = Joule per coulomb
of the opposite faces (the dashed line in the diagram below)?
P=W/t
watt = joule per second
P = I x V so V = P / I
Volt = watts per amp
1.3
P is in series ammeter
Q is in parallel voltmeter
R is in parallel voltmeter
Closing the switch short circuits the righthand resistor, all of the current passes
through the closed switch (assume wires
have negligible resistance).
V = IR so p.d. measure by R decreases.
Batterys terminal p.d. now mainly sits
across the left-hand resistor, so Q
increases
Effective resistance of circuit has fallen so
the current in the circuit measured at
point P increases
1.4
General formula: P = I x V
= I2 x R
= V2 / R
P1 = I2 x R1 = V2 x R1 / (R1+ R2)2
Shortly after opening her parachute, a free-fall parachutist of mass 60kg experiences the forces
shown in the diagram.
2.1
weight = 600N
Which line in the table gives the size and direction of the acceleration of the parachutist at this
instance?
size of acceleration (m/s2)
direction of acceleration
5.0
downwards
10.0
downwards
5.0
upwards
10.0
upwards
0.0
22
2.2 27
A car of mass 800kg moves up an incline of 1 in 20 (1 in 20 means for every 20m along the road
the car gains 1m in height) at a constant speed of 20m/s. The frictional force opposing motion is
500N.
How much work has been done by the engine after the car has moved 50m?
A
20kJ
25kJ
27kJ
45kJ
65kJ
160kJ
2.5 m
ENDthrough
OF TEST a height of 2.5 m, so increasing its
1. Work is done to raise the car
GPE:
GPE = m x g x h = 800 kg x 10 N/kg x 2.5m = 20 000 J = 20 kJ
= 25 kJ
2.3
F=mxa
100 N = 5kg x a
a = 100 / 5 = 20 m/s2
V=IxR
100 V = I x 5W
I = 100 / 5 = 20 A
Ek = x m x v2
Ek = x0.4kgx100m2/s2
Ek = 20 J
v=fxl
0.2 m/s = 100 Hz x l
l = 0.2 / 100 = 0.002m
W =F x d
W = 0.2N x 100m
W = 20 J
23
2.4
What is the power of the pump (assuming 100% efficiency), and at what speed does the water
leave the nozzle?
Conservation of energy
(Take g to be 10N/kg)
power of pump / W
50
25
10
25
100
50
50
50
250
10
250
100
UCLES 2010
KE = 250 J = x 5 kg x v2
v2 = 500 / 5 = 100
v = 10 m/s
Each 5kg water has to have 250 J to reach the
observed height
So each second the pump output 250J
So power is 250 J/s, which is 250 W.
3.1
3.2
Which of the following properties of a fluid moving through a pipe would need to
change in order to alter the flow rate of the fluid?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Charge
Mass
Viscosity
Mass & viscosity
None of the above
Use logic:
Think of two fluids that have different flow rates,
e.g. water and custard.
Neither is charged so it is definitely not A
It is hard to know what mass means unless we are
given a specific volume, so it cannot be B or D.
Water has a low viscosity and flows quickly and
custard has a high viscosity and flows slowly, like
treacle, honey and other viscous substances.
The answer is C
3.3
Which of the following graphs shows the rate of heat transfer (with respect to
time) from boiling water in a saucepan to an egg dropped in having been
taken straight from the fridge?
Rate of transfer
D
Time
Rate of transfer
Time
Rate of transfer
Rate of transfer
Use logic:
Time
3.4
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
X, Y, Z
X, Z, Y
Y, X, Z
Y, Z, X
Z, X, Y
Topic 4: Waves
Four questions
4.1 4.4
Complete in four minutes
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Standing: 340 = f x l
Runner: 340 - v = 0.975f x l
l =
340/f = (340-v)/0.975f
340
340 x 0.975
v
= (340-v)/0.975
= 340 v
= 340(1 0.975)
= 8.5 m/s
displacement (mm)
27 The first graph shows the variation of the displacement of particles with distance along a wave at a
particular instant in time:
4.2
18
60
distance (m)
2l
l
= 60 m
= 30 m
-18
displacement (mm)
The second graph shows the variation with time of the displacement of a particular particle in this
wave:
18
0.6
time (s)
-18
30m/s
50m/s
90m/s
100m/s
150m/s
300m/s
3T
= 0.6 s
T
= 0.2s
f = 1/T = 1/0.2
= 5 Hz
v =fxl
= 5 Hz x 30 m
= 150 m/s
The depth of water in a particular tidal harbour varies with time as shown in the graph:
4.3
20
18
16
14
depth / metres
Tidal range = 6m
12
10
8
6
Period:
12 hours =
Period = 12 hours
4
2
0
0
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
time / hours
If the variation in depth caused by the effect of the tide is considered as a wave, what are the
amplitude and frequency of this wave?
amplitude / metres
frequency / hertz
1/(12 x 3600)
3600/12
1/(24 x 3600)
3600/24
1/(12 x 3600)
3600/12
16
1/(24 x 3600)
16
3600/24
12 hr
x 60 min/hr
x 60 s/min
= 12 x 3600 s
Frequency, f = 1 /T
= 1 / 12 x 3600
19
4.4
27 At the front of a long column of soldiers is a man regularly hitting a drum 50 times a minute. The
soldiers are told to place their left foot down on the ground when they hear the drum beat. The
column is so long that the soldiers at the back put down their left feet at the same time as the
soldiers in the front put down their right feet.
What is the minimum length of the column of soldiers?
[Speed of sound in air is 330m/s]
A
165m
198m
330m
396m
660m
792m
Left
Right
Left
Right
t = 0 min
t = 0.01 min
t = 0.02 min
t = 0.03 min
END OF TEST
=vxt
= 330 m/s x 0.6 s
= 198 m
50 bpm
so period, T = 1/50 = 0.02min
Left
Right
Left
Right
t=0
t = 0.01 min
t = 0.02 min
t = 0.03 min
t = 0.04 min
Topic 5: EM spectrum
Four questions
5.1 5.4
Complete in four minutes
5.1
15 The microwaves generated in a microwave oven travel through air at a speed of 3.0 x 108m/s,
with a wavelength of 12cm. They pass through plastic food containers, but at a reduced speed
of 2.0 x 108m/s.
5.2
What are the wavelength and frequency of these microwaves as they pass through a plastic
food container?
Wavelength (cm)
Frequency (Hz)
1.7 x 109
2.5 x 109
3.8 x 109
12
1.7 x 109
12
3.8 x 109
18
1.7 x 109
18
2.5 x 109
18
3.8 x 109
UCLES 2012
v
=fxl
3.0 x 108 m/s = f x 0.12 m
f
= 2.5 x 109 Hz
In plastic:
v
=fxl
2.0 x 108 m/s = 2.5 x 109 Hz x l
l = 0.08 m
= 8 cm
5.3
17
23 A ray of orange light travelling through air has a speed of 3.0 x 108m/s and a wavelength of
600nm. (1nm = 10-9m)
What could be the speed, frequency and wavelength of this orange light when travelling through
glass?
Speed/ms-1
Frequency/Hz
Wavelength/nm
2.0 x 108
3.3 x 1014
400
2.0 x 108
3.3 x 1014
600
2.0 x 108
5.0 x 1014
400
2.0 x 108
5.0 x 1014
600
3.0 x 108
3.3 x 1014
400
3.0 x 108
3.3 x 1014
600
3.0 x 108
5.0 x 1014
400
3.0 x 108
5.0 x 1014
600
Speed of light through glass is SLOWER than through air/vacuum, so 2.0 x 108 m/s
Frequency of light doesnt change in glass, but wavelength does.
Frequency of light in air v = f x l
8 /numbered
-91 to 6. One of=the
14but
24 I haveso
two six-sided
faces
from
dicexis10
fair,
f = v /dice,
l each
= 3with
x 10
600 x 10
5.0
Hzthe
other is not it will land on numbers 1 to 5 with equal probability, but lands on 6 with a different
probability.
So
in glass, l = v / f = 2.0 x 108 / 5.0 x 1014 = 4.0 x 10-7 = 400.0 x 10-9 = 400 nm
When I roll the dice the probability that I get a total of 12 is
1
.
18
What is the probability that I get a total of 2 when I roll the dice?
5.4
Topic 6: Radioactivity
Four questions
6.1 6.4
Complete in four minutes
6.1
7
The process of emission of a gamma ray from a nucleus is called nuclear fission.
The half life of a radioactive substance is half the time taken for its nuclei to decay.
The number of neutrons in a nucleus is its atomic number (proton number) minus its
mass number.
When a nucleus emits a beta particle, there is no change in the number of particles it
contains.
When a nucleus emits an alpha particle, one of its neutrons becomes a proton plus an
electron.
If you look at a clock and the time is 9.45, what is the angle between the hour and the minute
hands?
A
6.2
Source X:
Source Y:
= 320 x x x x x
= 320 x (1/2)5
= 10
= 480 x ( )3
= 60
Total count = 10 + 60 = 70
It is known that a radioactive source emits a single type of radiation. Detectors are placed in
the two positions shown. The graph shows how the readings change over time.
30cm
source
detector 1
detector 2
1m
240
220
detector 1
200
11
6.3
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
detector 2
Background count = 20
20
0
0
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
time (hours)
Which type of radiation does the source emit, and what is its half-life?
type of radiation
half-life (hours)
alpha
2.40
alpha
2.76
beta
2.40
beta
2.76
gamma
2.40
gamma
2.76
6.4
The table below describes how the mass of uranium-234 present in the sample varies with time
from the start of the experiment:
time / min
0.0
1.2
2.4
3.6
4.8
6.0
7.2
8.4
9.6
10.8
12.0
mass of u-234 / mg
0.0
8.0
12.0
14.0
15.0
15.5
15.7
15.9
15.9
16.0
16.0
16.0g
Using the information in the table, approximately what is the half-life of protactinium-234?
1.2 minutes
2.4 minutes
6.0 minutes
9.6 minutes
10.8 minutes
12.0 minutes
I have two containers with different capacities. Initially, the larger one is full of water and the
smaller one is empty. I pour water from the larger container into the smaller container until they
Bonus questions
speed (m/s)
30
20
10
0
0
time (min)
What is the best estimate of the distance travelled during the part of the journey shown?
A
100.00m
107.50m
115.00m
6.00km
6.45km
6.90km
speed (m/s)
30
20
10
0
0
time (min)
What is the best estimate of the distance travelled during the part of the journey shown?
A
100.00m
107.50m
115.00m
6.00km
6.45km
6.90km
19 An object of mass 5kg falls from rest and hits the ground at a speed of 20m/s. Air resistance is
negligible.
From what height has the object fallen?
Take g to be 10m/s2
A
10m
20m
50m
100m
200m
1000m
19 An object of mass 5kg falls from rest and hits the ground at a speed of 20m/s. Air resistance is
negligible.
From what height has the object fallen?
Take g to be 10m/s2
A
10m
20m
50m
100m
200m
1000m
9
11 When radioactive isotopes decay, they sometimes have to go through a succession of
disintegrations to reach a stable isotope. These are called decay chains, and involve the
successive emission of numerous and/or particles.
One such isotope is radon-219 ( 219
86 Rn), which goes through a chain in which three particles
and two particles are emitted before reaching a stable isotope.
What are the atomic and mass numbers of the resulting stable isotope?
atomic number
mass number
80
207
80
211
82
207
82
215
85
211
85
219
86
215
86
219
9
11 When radioactive isotopes decay, they sometimes have to go through a succession of
disintegrations to reach a stable isotope. These are called decay chains, and involve the
successive emission of numerous and/or particles.
One such isotope is radon-219 ( 219
86 Rn), which goes through a chain in which three particles
and two particles are emitted before reaching a stable isotope.
What are the atomic and mass numbers of the resulting stable isotope?
atomic number
mass number
80
207
80
211
82
207
82
215
85
211
85
219
86
215
86
219
15 The circuit shows five identical filament bulbs designed to work at 12V connected in a circuit
with two switches. Switch P is initially open and switch Q is initially closed.
12V
switch P
bulb X
bulb Y
switch Q
Switch P is then closed and switch Q is opened.
Compared with their brightness before these changes were made, how has the brightness of
bulbs X and Y changed?
bulb X
bulb Y
brighter
brighter
brighter
dimmer
dimmer
brighter
dimmer
dimmer
unchanged
brighter
brighter
unchanged
15 The circuit shows five identical filament bulbs designed to work at 12V connected in a circuit
with two switches. Switch P is initially open and switch Q is initially closed.
12V
switch P
bulb X
bulb Y
switch Q
Switch P is then closed and switch Q is opened.
Compared with their brightness before these changes were made, how has the brightness of
bulbs X and Y changed?
bulb X
bulb Y
brighter
brighter
brighter
dimmer
dimmer
brighter
dimmer
dimmer
unchanged
brighter
brighter
unchanged
19 The diagrams below show velocity-time or distance-time graphs for 4 different objects, P, Q, R
and S.
velocity / m/s
velocity / m/s
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
4
8 12 16 20 24 28 32
P only
Q only
R only
S only
P and Q
Q and R
P and S
12
16
20
24
175
150
125
100
75
50
25
0
60
120
180
time / s
time / s
time / s
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0
time / s
distance / m
distance / m
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
240
19 The diagrams below show velocity-time or distance-time graphs for 4 different objects, P, Q, R
and S.
velocity / m/s
velocity / m/s
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
4
8 12 16 20 24 28 32
P only
Q only
R only
S only
P and Q
Q and R
P and S
12
16
20
24
175
150
125
100
75
50
25
0
60
120
180
time / s
time / s
time / s
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0
time / s
distance / m
distance / m
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
240