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ZIMSEC A Level · N2010

Physics Paper 1 November 2010

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
The relationship between α\alpha, p, q and t is given by α=q+pt\alpha = q + pt where t is time in seconds. If p has units of ms−1ms^{-1} what are the units of q?
  1. Ams−1ms^{-1}
  2. Bms−2ms^{-2}
  3. Cms
  4. Dm

Question 2

vectors and scalars
Which of the following is a vector?
  1. Acharge
  2. Belectric current
  3. Cpotential difference
  4. Dresistance

Question 3

measurement and errors
Which statement is true?
  1. AA measurement is most accurate if the percentage error is smallest.
  2. BA measurement is most accurate if the reading is obtained from digital meters.
  3. CA measurement is most precise if repeated readings show greater deviation.
  4. DA measurement is most precise if repeated readings are taken with various instruments.

Question 4

kinematics
Which acceleration-time graph represents a ball falling from the top of a very tall building in still air?
  1. AGraph A: acceleration rises then levels off
  2. BGraph B: acceleration increases linearly
  3. CGraph C: constant acceleration
  4. DGraph D: acceleration decreases exponentially

Question 5

momentum and energy
Two toy cars of mass 2 kg and 4 kg were travelling in the same direction with speeds 4 ms−14\,ms^{-1} and 1 ms−11\,ms^{-1} respectively. They move off together after impact. What is the amount of kinetic energy lost?
  1. A4 J
  2. B6 J
  3. C12 J
  4. D18 J

Question 6

momentum and impulse
When a constant force, F, acts on a truck over a distance, s, for a time, t. The momentum gained by the truck is given by
  1. AF×sF \times s
  2. B12F×s\frac{1}{2}F \times s
  3. CF×tF \times t
  4. DF×t×sF \times t \times s

Question 7

dynamics
What can be said about the resultant force acting on a body moving with uniform velocity?
  1. Ait is zero
  2. Bit is constant
  3. Cit increases uniformly with time
  4. Dit decreases uniformly with time

Question 8

moments and equilibrium
A uniform bar RV of weight 15 N is held horizontal by vertical forces as shown in the diagram. The points R, S, T, U and V are at equal intervals along the bar. (N.B. forces not drawn to scale). A 10 N upward force acts at R and a 10 N downward force acts at U. At which point must an upward force of 15 N act to keep the bar in equilibrium?
  1. AR
  2. BS
  3. CT
  4. DV

Question 9

work and energy
A force of 60 N acts horizontally on a stationary mass of 20 kg for 40 s. The kinetic energy gained by the mass is
  1. A1200 J
  2. B48 J
  3. C72 kJ
  4. D144 kJ

Question 10

circular motion
A body of mass, m, moves at a constant angular speed, ω\omega, in a horizontal circle of radius, r. What is the work done on the body in one revolution?
  1. A2πmr2ω22\pi mr^2\omega^2
  2. Bmω2r2m\omega^2 r^2
  3. C12mr2ω2\frac{1}{2}mr^2\omega^2
  4. Dzero

Question 11

gravitation
Two satellites R and S describe circular orbits of radii 6 000 km and 7 000 km respectively about the centre of the earth. If R and S complete one full orbit of the earth in times TRT_R and TST_S respectively, then the ratio TR/TST_R/T_S is
  1. A(7/6)3/2(7/6)^{3/2}
  2. B(6/7)2/3(6/7)^{2/3}
  3. C(6/7)3/2(6/7)^{3/2}
  4. D(7/6)2/3(7/6)^{2/3}

Question 12

simple harmonic motion
A body in simple harmonic motion makes n complete oscillations per second. What is the angular frequency of this motion?
  1. Ann rads−1^{-1}
  2. B2πn\frac{2\pi}{n} rads−1^{-1}
  3. C2πn2\pi n rads−1^{-1}
  4. D1n\frac{1}{n} rads−1^{-1}

Question 13

electromagnetic spectrum
Which electromagnetic waves have the lowest frequency?
  1. AX-rays
  2. Bultra-violet
  3. Cinfrared
  4. Dmicrowaves

Question 14

interference
A white source of light is used in the Young's two slit experiment. Which statement is correct?
  1. AThe fringes on the screen are all white.
  2. BThe blue fringes are further apart than red fringes.
  3. CThe central fringe of the system is white.
  4. DNo fringes are produced.

Question 15

resistance
Which statement explains the increase in the resistance of copper with temperature?
  1. AThe positive ion impedes the electrons more effectively at higher temperatures.
  2. BElectrons are most likely to be captured by positive ions at higher temperatures.
  3. CElectrons move further between collisions at higher temperatures.
  4. DPositive ions begin to move randomly at higher temperatures.

Question 16

resistance
Why is it difficult to quote a value for the resistance of a filament lamp?
  1. Acurrent used may be alternating or direct
  2. Bcurrent through the filament is not always r.m.s
  3. Cfilament is always of negligible resistance
  4. Dresistance varies with temperature

Question 17

electric circuits
The diagram shows a circuit with two identical lamps X and Y and a resistor. Lamp X is in series with the supply, and lamp Y is in parallel with the resistor. How does an increase in the resistance of the resistor affect the brightness of the lamps?
  1. Alamp X dimmer, lamp Y dimmer
  2. Blamp X dimmer, lamp Y brighter
  3. Clamp X brighter, lamp Y dimmer
  4. Dlamp X brighter, lamp Y brighter

Question 18

Kirchhoff's laws
What quantities are conserved in Kirchhoff's laws?
  1. Alaw 1: energy, law 2: power
  2. Blaw 1: energy, law 2: charge
  3. Claw 1: charge, law 2: energy
  4. Dlaw 1: current, law 2: charge

Question 19

electric fields
Which statement is correct about a uniform electric field?
  1. AAll charged particles experience the same force.
  2. BAll electric field lines are parallel.
  3. CAll charged particles move with the same velocity.
  4. DAll electric field lines are directed towards positive charges.

Question 20

capacitors
The diagram shows capacitors in series: a 6 V supply connected to a 3 μF and a 6 μF capacitor in series. Which statement about the circuit is not correct?
  1. AThe combined capacitance is 2 μF.
  2. BThe total energy stored is 36 μJ.
  3. CThe p.d across the 3 μF capacitor is twice the p.d across the 6 μF capacitor.
  4. DThe 6 μF capacitor stores twice the charge that the 3 μF capacitor stores.

Question 21

electromagnetic induction
The diagram shows a copper disc rotating steadily about its centre in a uniform magnetic field perpendicular to the plane of the disc. Which graph shows the variation of the induced emf, E, between the axle and a point R on the rim of the disc with time, t?
  1. AGraph A: constant non-zero emf
  2. BGraph B: square wave alternating
  3. CGraph C: emf increasing linearly
  4. DGraph D: sinusoidal emf

Question 22

electromagnetic induction
Which combination correctly matches a law of electromagnetic induction and its implication?
  1. AFaraday's — conservation of energy
  2. BLenz's — conservation of energy
  3. CFaraday's — conservation of mass
  4. DLenz's — conservation of mass

Question 23

alternating current
The diagram shows an alternating voltage displayed on the screen of a C.R.O. with the Y amplitude control at 6 V/cm. What is the peak voltage?
  1. A6 V
  2. B9 V
  3. C12 V
  4. D24 V

Question 24

rectification
A sinusoidal voltage is applied to a circuit with two diodes (bridge-type/full-wave arrangement) and a resistor as shown below. Which graph shows the voltage across the resistor?
  1. AGraph A: half-wave, gaps between pulses
  2. BGraph B: full-wave rectified positive pulses
  3. CGraph C: half-wave with negative pulses
  4. DGraph D: full sinusoidal (unrectified)

Question 25

operational amplifiers
What is the effect of negative feedback on the gain of an operational amplifier?
  1. AThe gain increases.
  2. BThe gain decreases.
  3. CThe gain remains unchanged.
  4. DThe gain increases and decreases.

Question 26

logic gates
What logic gate is equivalent to the network of gates shown below? (A network of NAND gates with inputs A and B producing output Q.)
  1. AAND
  2. BEX-OR
  3. CEX-NOR
  4. DNAND

Question 27

material properties
Which phenomenon is a consequence of applying cyclic stress insufficient to cause immediate failure to a material?
  1. Afatigue
  2. Bcreep
  3. Celastic deformation
  4. Dplastic deformation

Question 28

material properties
What does the area under a force-extension graph represent?
  1. Astress
  2. Bstrain
  3. Cwork done
  4. DYoung Modulus

Question 29

thermometry
Liquid-in-glass thermometers have limited use because
  1. Aglass expands and contracts just taking many hours to reach correct size.
  2. Bthe accuracy of calibration depends upon whether or not the thermometer is upright.
  3. Cthey can not follow rapidly changing temperature.
  4. Dnon-uniform above limits the accuracy to about 1°C.

Question 30

thermodynamics
For an expanding ideal gas, the first law of thermodynamics can be written as ΔQ=ΔU+ΔW\Delta Q = \Delta U + \Delta W. Which statement is correct?
  1. AΔW\Delta W is work being done on the gas.
  2. BΔU\Delta U is zero when no heat leaves or enters the gas.
  3. CΔW\Delta W is work being done by the gas.
  4. DΔQ=−ΔW\Delta Q = -\Delta W when temperature increases slowly.

Question 31

kinetic theory
Which statement is not a correct assumption of the kinetic theory of ideal gases?
  1. AThe duration of a collision is negligible compared with the interval between collisions.
  2. BThe volume of the molecules is negligible compared with the volume in which they move.
  3. CThere is negligible attraction between molecules in a system.
  4. DThere is negligible momentum change on collision between molecules and container walls.

Question 32

fluid dynamics
When watering using a hose pipe, squeezing the end of the pipe squirts the water and makes the jet of water travel a long distance from the end of the pipe. This is because
  1. Arate of water flow has increased.
  2. Bspeed with which the water leaves the pipe has increased.
  3. Cpressure with which the water leaves the pipe has increased.
  4. Drate of water flow has decreased.

Question 33

heat transfer
The element of a geyser is at the bottom and not at the top to allow
  1. Aconduction.
  2. Bconvection.
  3. Cradiation.
  4. Devaporation.

Question 34

fields
The diagram shows the motion of a particle Q moving in a uniform field (field lines pointing downward, particle Q enters moving to the right and curves downward). Which conditions could apply to the particle?
  1. Aparticle: electron, field: electric
  2. Bparticle: electron, field: gravitational
  3. Cparticle: proton, field: electric
  4. Dparticle: proton, field: gravitational

Question 35

magnetic fields
Which statement explains why a charged particle in a magnetic field may not experience a force?
  1. AThe particle is moving at a high speed.
  2. BThe particle is moving parallel to the magnetic field lines.
  3. CThe particle is moving at a low speed.
  4. DThe particle is moving perpendicular to the magnetic field lines.

Question 36

photoelectric effect
In photo electricity, threshold wavelength of a metal surface
  1. Ais given by hc/W0hc/W_0, where W0W_0 is work function.
  2. Bincreases with the frequency of incident light.
  3. Cdecreases with the intensity of the incident light.
  4. Dis given by hW0/chW_0/c, where W0W_0 is work function.

Question 37

photoelectric effect
Einstein's equation for the photoelectric effect is
  1. Ahf=hf0+eVshf = hf_0 + eV_s
  2. Bhf0=hf+12mvmax2hf_0 = hf + \frac{1}{2}mv^2_{max}
  3. C12mv2=ϕ+hf\frac{1}{2}mv^2 = \phi + hf
  4. Dϕ=12mvmax2−hf\phi = \frac{1}{2}mv^2_{max} - hf

Question 38

nuclear physics
Isotopes are atoms with different
  1. Aproton numbers.
  2. Bneutron numbers.
  3. Celectron numbers.
  4. Datomic numbers.

Question 39

radioactivity
A piece of a radioactive element has initially N0N_0 atoms. Each atom decays to form a more stable daughter. The half life of the radioactive element is 2 days. The number of daughters formed in 6 days is
  1. AN0/2N_0/2
  2. BN0/4N_0/4
  3. CN0/8N_0/8
  4. D7N0/87N_0/8

Question 40

radioactivity
Which of the following has the highest ionising ability?
  1. Aα\alpha particle
  2. Bβ\beta particle
  3. Cγ\gamma-ray
  4. DX-ray

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