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ZIMSEC A Level · J2004

Physics Paper 1 June 2004

Questions
40
Time allowed
60 min

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Questions
40
Pass mark
24
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Answer every question in the printed order, get marked at the end, then see the answers.

The questions

Question 1

units and dimensions
Which set is made of units that are not identical?
  1. AT and Wb/m2^2
  2. BPa and N/m2^2
  3. CNC−1^{-1} and Vm−1^{-1}
  4. DJC and V

Question 2

graphs and exponentials
If xx and yy are related by the equation y=exp⁡(−c/x)y = \exp(-c/x), where c is a constant, which graph represents a straight line?
  1. Ayy against xx
  2. Blog⁡ey\log_e y against log⁡ex\log_e x
  3. Clog⁡ey\log_e y against xx
  4. Dlog⁡ey\log_e y against x−1x^{-1}

Question 3

kinematics
A tennis ball is dropped from a particular height h. The motion of the ball is monitored over three bounces. Which graph shows how the velocity (V) is varying with time (t)?
  1. AConstant positive velocity
  2. BSquare-wave alternating velocity
  3. CSawtooth velocity with decreasing peaks (linear increase then jumps)
  4. DSquare-wave with decreasing magnitude

Question 4

kinematics
Which distance-time (t, s) graph best represents a free falling body in a vacuum?
  1. AStraight line through origin
  2. BCurve rising with decreasing gradient
  3. CCurve rising with increasing gradient
  4. DCurve falling with decreasing gradient

Question 5

kinematics
A stone is thrown vertically upwards from the top of a tower at 12 m/s. The velocity-time graph of its motion is shown in the diagram. What is the displacement of the stone after 3.1s?
  1. A− 17.1 m
  2. B− 9.9 m
  3. C7.2 m
  4. D24.3 m

Question 6

kinematics
The stopping distance of a car depends on the driver's reaction time (T) and the constant speed (v) of the car before brakes are applied. If the average deceleration of the car is a, which expression gives the stopping distance of the car?
  1. AvT+aT22vT + \dfrac{aT^2}{2}
  2. BvT+v2avT + \dfrac{v^2}{a}
  3. CvT+v22avT + \dfrac{v^2}{2a}
  4. DvT2a+v22a\dfrac{vT}{2a} + \dfrac{v^2}{2a}

Question 7

projectile motion
Two projectiles A and B are launched horizontally one after another with initial velocities of v and 2v respectively from the top of a cliff as shown. The horizontal distances reached from the base of the cliff are x1x_1 and x2x_2 respectively. What is the ratio x1/x2x_1/x_2 if air resistance is negligible?
  1. A14\dfrac{1}{4}
  2. B12\dfrac{1}{2}
  3. C2
  4. D4

Question 8

momentum
A bullet of mass m is fired horizontally from a gun of mass M. What is the recoil velocity of the gun if the velocity of the bullet is v?
  1. A−v-v
  2. Bvv
  3. CMvm\dfrac{Mv}{m}
  4. DmvM\dfrac{mv}{M}

Question 9

dynamics
A body, initially at rest, experiences a resultant force F as shown below. Which graph corresponds to the displacement of the body with time?
  1. AConstant horizontal displacement
  2. BCurve rising with increasing gradient (parabolic)
  3. CCurve rising with decreasing gradient
  4. DStraight line through origin

Question 10

dynamics on inclines
A 2 tonne truck moves with a constant velocity up an inclined surface which has friction of 700 N. The incline is at 30°. What is the forward force (F) generated by the engine?
  1. A700 N
  2. B9810 N
  3. C10 510 N
  4. D17 690 N

Question 11

circular motion
The diagram shows a marble released from the top of a straight section of a loop track of radius r. If the marble just remains in the loop at point A, what is the correct expression for its speed at this point?
  1. Arg2rg\sqrt{2}
  2. Brg\sqrt{rg}
  3. C2rg2\sqrt{rg}
  4. D2rg\sqrt{2rg}

Question 12

gravitation
For a satellite orbiting the Earth, which graph best represents the variations of its kinetic energy (K) and the potential energy (U) with radius (r) of its orbit?
  1. AK positive decreasing, U negative below axis
  2. BK positive decreasing, U positive decreasing above axis
  3. CU positive decreasing above, K negative below axis
  4. DK and U both negative below axis increasing toward zero

Question 13

energy and SHM
The diagram below shows how the potential energy (Ep_p) of a system depends on its distance (x) from an equilibrium position O. What does the graph show?
  1. Aan atom in a solid oscillating about a fixed point
  2. Ban oscillating mass attached to a spring that obeys Hooke's law
  3. Can oscillating simple pendulum
  4. Da mass attached to a spring that does not obey Hooke's law

Question 14

refraction
The diagram shows the passage of light through two media, A and B with parallel sides. Their refractive indices are n1_1 and n2_2 respectively and the speeds of light through them are C1_1 and C2_2. Which statement is correct?
  1. An2>n1n_2 > n_1
  2. Bn2<n1n_2 < n_1
  3. CC2>C1C_2 > C_1
  4. DC1=C2C_1 = C_2

Question 15

waves and polarisation
Which waves cannot be plane polarised?
  1. Amicrowaves
  2. Bradio waves
  3. Csound waves
  4. Dtransverse waves

Question 16

X-rays
The graph shows relative intensity against wavelength for X-rays produced when 35 keV electrons strike a target metal. What does λmin\lambda_{min} represent?
  1. Awavelength of X-rays with the most energy
  2. Bwavelength of X-rays with minimum speed
  3. Cwavelength of X-rays with minimum energy
  4. Dwavelength of X-rays with minimum frequency

Question 17

diffraction grating
What is the maximum number of orders possible when monochromatic light of wavelength 5.4×10−75.4 \times 10^{-7} m is incident normally on a grating with 5.0×1055.0 \times 10^{5} lines per metre?
  1. A2
  2. B3
  3. C4
  4. D5

Question 18

charged particles in fields
An ion of charge q and mass m is accelerated by a potential difference V. It enters a uniform magnetic field B and it is deflected into a circular path of radius R. Which of the following is equal to qm\dfrac{q}{m}?
  1. A2VBR2\dfrac{2V}{BR^2}
  2. BVBR\dfrac{V}{BR}
  3. CVB2R2\dfrac{V}{B^2R^2}
  4. D2VB2R2\dfrac{2V}{B^2R^2}

Question 19

semiconductor devices
Which graph shows the correct current-voltage characteristics for a light emitting diode (LED)?
  1. ARising then saturating curve
  2. BRising curve with decreasing gradient
  3. CStraight line through origin
  4. DVertical line (sudden conduction at threshold voltage)

Question 20

resistance
A copper wire has a resistance R. A second copper wire is half as long and has twice the diameter. What is the resistance of the second wire?
  1. AR16\dfrac{R}{16}
  2. BR8\dfrac{R}{8}
  3. CR2\dfrac{R}{2}
  4. D2R

Question 21

emf and internal resistance
When a solar cell is connected across a 600 Ω resistor, the p.d. across the resistor is 0.12 V and when connected across a 1200 Ω resistor the p.d. is 0.18 V. What is the internal resistance of the cell?
  1. A2 Ω
  2. B170 Ω
  3. C600 Ω
  4. D1 200 Ω

Question 22

electric circuits
The purpose of the circuit below is to provide the load with energy. When the e.m.f. of the generator is 17 V, the accumulator begins to charge. What is the efficiency of the system when the charging current is zero?
  1. A42 %
  2. B50 %
  3. C71 %
  4. D83 %

Question 23

potential divider sensors
The resistance of the thermistor used in the following circuits decreases as temperature increases. Which circuit shows an output voltage (Vout_{out}) that increases as the temperature increases?
  1. ACircuit A
  2. BCircuit B
  3. CCircuit C
  4. DCircuit D

Question 24

electric fields
The diagram shows a uniform electric field of strength 4.0×1034.0 \times 10^{3} NC−1^{-1}. A charged particle with a charge of −2.0 μC is moved from point A to point B and then to point C. The line AB is perpendicular to the field. What is the work done in moving the charge from A to B and then to C?
  1. A0.40 mJ
  2. B0.96 mJ
  3. C1.04 mJ
  4. D2.00 mJ

Question 25

electric fields and forces
The diagram shows a negative charge X and positive charges Y and Z. In what direction is the resultant force on Y?
  1. ADirection A
  2. BDirection B
  3. CDirection C
  4. DDirection D

Question 26

capacitor charging
A 10 V power source is connected in series with a 100 kΩ resistor, a microammeter and a 3 500 μF capacitor. If the power source and the microammeter have negligible internal resistance, what is the p.d. across the capacitor when the current through the microammeter is 61 μA?
  1. A0.0 V
  2. B3.9 V
  3. C6.1 V
  4. D10.0 V

Question 27

transformers
In an ideal transformer, which quantity is the same in both the primary and secondary circuits?
  1. Avoltage
  2. Bcurrent
  3. Cpower
  4. Dmagnetic field

Question 28

operational amplifiers
What is the effect of negative feedback on bandwidth and gain of an operational amplifier?
  1. Abandwidth increases, gain increases
  2. Bbandwidth increases, gain decreases
  3. Cbandwidth decreases, gain decreases
  4. Dbandwidth decreases, gain increases

Question 29

electromagnetic induction
The diagram shows alternating current applied to the primary coil of a transformer. Which graph correctly shows the e.m.f. (E) induced in the secondary coil at time (t)?
  1. AGraph A
  2. BGraph B
  3. CGraph C
  4. DGraph D

Question 30

states of matter
In which state(s) of matter do molecules vibrate with a particular set of nearest neighbours for only a short time?
  1. Agas only
  2. Bliquid only
  3. Csolid only
  4. Dsolid and liquid only

Question 31

kinetic theory
Which statement is not an assumption for the kinetic theory of gases?
  1. ANo appreciable forces act on gas molecules except during collision.
  2. BAny number of molecules more than one is acceptable.
  3. CThe molecules are in constant random motion.
  4. DCollisions are elastic and are of negligible duration.

Question 32

thermodynamics
The diagram represents a closed loop in sequence of events for a gas. In which process does internal energy increase?
  1. AProcess A
  2. BProcess B
  3. CProcess C
  4. DProcess D

Question 33

atomic energy levels
The diagram below shows some of the main energy levels and possible transitions in a hydrogen atom. Which transition produces radiation with the largest wavelength?
  1. ATransition A
  2. BTransition B
  3. CTransition C
  4. DTransition D

Question 34

wave-particle duality
Which of the following provides evidence for wave nature of electromagnetic radiations?
  1. Aphotoelectric effect
  2. Bthermionic emission
  3. Cdiffraction
  4. Ddeflection

Question 35

photoelectric effect
Why are electrons emitted with varying kinetic energies when a metal surface is illuminated with radiation of a fixed frequency?
  1. AThey are extracted from different energy levels of atoms.
  2. BMany of the electrons are involved in collisions on their way out of the surface.
  3. CThe metallic bonds between positive lattice ions and an electron differ from electron to electron.
  4. DThe intensity of the incident radiation varies.

Question 36

photon momentum
What is the possible momentum of an X-ray photon of wavelength 1.0×10−111.0 \times 10^{-11} m?
  1. A6.6×10−386.6 \times 10^{-38} kgms−1^{-1}
  2. B6.6×10−286.6 \times 10^{-28} kgms−1^{-1}
  3. C6.6×10−236.6 \times 10^{-23} kgms−1^{-1}
  4. D6.6×10−196.6 \times 10^{-19} kgms−1^{-1}

Question 37

nuclear physics
Which of the following statements is true?
  1. ANuclear fusion results in reduced stability of daughter nuclei.
  2. BBoth nuclear fusion and fission produce more stable nuclei.
  3. CBoth nuclear fission and fusion have no effect on stability of the nuclei formed.
  4. DNuclear fusion has no effect on stability whilst nuclear fission produces more stable nuclei.

Question 38

binding energy
The masses of a proton and neutron are mpm_p and mnm_n respectively. Which expression gives the energy needed to remove a nucleon with speed (C) from the nucleus of an atom with nuclear mass (M), mass number (A), proton number (Z) and neutron number (N)?
  1. A(Zmp+Nmn−M)AC2\dfrac{(Zm_p + Nm_n - M)}{A}C^2
  2. BMC2A\dfrac{MC^2}{A}
  3. C(M−(Zmp+Nmn))AC2\dfrac{(M - (Zm_p + Nm_n))}{A}C^2
  4. D(Zmp+Nmn)AC2\dfrac{(Zm_p + Nm_n)}{A}C^2

Question 39

nuclear physics
The neutron is a useful projectile for nuclear fission experiments. What is the reason for the choice of the neutron?
  1. AIt is heavier than the proton and the electron.
  2. BIt is easier to produce.
  3. CIt is not repelled by the nucleus.
  4. DIt does combine with a proton but the electron does.

Question 40

radioactive decay
Thorium-232 decays to produce radium-228 which in turn decays to give actinium-228. In one particular thorium sample which initially had no radium, the number of radium-228 grew steadily until it became constant. What could have been the reason?
  1. AThorium atoms were used up.
  2. BThe rate of decay of thorium-232 was now negligible.
  3. CThorium and radium were now decaying at the same rate.
  4. DThe half-life of radium is too short compared to that for thorium.

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