ZIMSEC A Level Physics Paper 2 November 2004

Question 101

[1 marks]momentum; photon wavelength and momentum

State the definition of linear momentum.

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Question 102

[1 marks]momentum; photon wavelength and momentum

State the SI unit of linear momentum.

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Question 103

[1 marks]momentum; photon wavelength and momentum

Which of the following is a plausible order-of-magnitude estimate for the wavelength of a gamma-ray photon?

A1x10^-3 m
B1x10^-12 m
C1x10^2 m
D1x10^-6 m

Question 104

[2 marks]momentum; photon wavelength and momentum

A gamma-ray photon has wavelength

1.0\times10^{-12}

m. Using

p = h/\lambda

with

h = 6.63\times10^{-34}

J s, calculate its momentum.

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Question 201

[1 marks]Newton's laws; impulse and inertia

State the definition of force in terms of momentum.

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Question 202

[1 marks]Newton's laws; impulse and inertia

Momentum has base units kg m s^-1. Using force = rate of change of momentum, find the base SI units of force.

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Question 203

[2 marks]Newton's laws; impulse and inertia

A massive body hangs from the ceiling by cord A above it, with an identical cord B hanging from the underside of the body. If cord B is pulled gently and steadily downwards until something breaks, which cord breaks, and why?

ACord A: gravity pulls harder on A
BNeither: the forces stay balanced
CCord B: the pulling force acts there
DCord A: it carries more tension

Question 204

[2 marks]Newton's laws; impulse and inertia

In the same setup, cord A above the body and cord B hanging from its underside, if cord B is instead jerked sharply downwards, which cord breaks, and why?

ACord A: the jerk instantly reaches it
BCord B: its material becomes brittle
CCord B: body's inertia delays the pull
DCord A: jerking pulls it upward harder

Question 301

[2 marks]simple harmonic motion; torsional oscillation

State the two conditions on acceleration that define simple harmonic motion, in terms of displacement from equilibrium.

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Question 302

[1 marks]simple harmonic motion; torsional oscillation

Define the period of an oscillation.

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Question 303

[1 marks]simple harmonic motion; torsional oscillation

Define angular frequency

\omega

in terms of frequency

f

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Question 304

[1 marks]simple harmonic motion; torsional oscillation

A folded net hanging from a ceiling performs torsional (twisting) oscillations with a period of 21 s. Calculate the frequency of the oscillations.

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Question 305

[1 marks]simple harmonic motion; torsional oscillation

For the same torsional oscillations, period 21 s, calculate the angular frequency in rad/s.

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Question 306

[1 marks]simple harmonic motion; torsional oscillation

A point P on the rotating net has an instantaneous angular speed

\omega_1

at any moment during the torsional oscillation. How does the angular frequency of the oscillation relate to

\omega_1

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Question 401

[1 marks]Kirchhoff's laws; circuit analysis

State Kirchhoff's current law.

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Question 402

[1 marks]Kirchhoff's laws; circuit analysis

State Kirchhoff's voltage law.

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Question 403

[1 marks]Kirchhoff's laws; circuit analysis

In a circuit, current

I

flows through one branch and splits at a junction into currents

I_1

and

I_2

through two other branches. Write the Kirchhoff current law equation relating

I

I_1

and

I_2

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Question 404

[3 marks]Kirchhoff's laws; circuit analysis

Three cells of e.m.f.

E_1=12

E_2=10

V and

E_3=8

V, each with internal resistance

r = 1\,\Omega

, together with a resistor

R_2 = 3\,\Omega

, satisfy the loop equation

E_1+E_2+E_3 = I_2 + 1.06 + I_2 + I_2 + 3I_2

(from Kirchhoff's laws with

I_1 = 1.06

A and

I = I_1+I_2

). Calculate

I_2

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Question 501

[2 marks]line spectra; electron diffraction; photoelectric effect

How does an emission line spectrum appear, and how is it formed?

ADark lines, from gas absorption
BContinuous band, from a hot solid
CBright lines, from ejected electrons
DBright lines, from an excited gas

Question 502

[2 marks]line spectra; electron diffraction; photoelectric effect

How does an absorption line spectrum appear, and how is it formed?

ADark lines, from gas absorption
BBright lines, from gas emission
CContinuous spectrum, no lines at all
DDark lines, but from solid sources

Question 503

[2 marks]line spectra; electron diffraction; photoelectric effect

What does electron diffraction demonstrate about the nature of particles such as electrons?

ADiffraction shows electrons as waves
BDiffraction shows electrons are light
CPattern proves electrons are uncharged
DElectrons travel in straight lines

Question 504

[2 marks]line spectra; electron diffraction; photoelectric effect

The photoelectric effect provides evidence for the particle nature of light. Which observation best supports this?

AEmission begins after a time delay
BIntensity doesn't raise electron energy
CEach electron absorbs several photons
DHigher intensity raises electron energy

Question 601

[1 marks]electromagnetic induction; a.c. generator

A single loop of area

A

has its plane perpendicular to a uniform magnetic field of flux density

B

(i.e. the field points along the loop's normal). State the expression for the magnetic flux

\Phi

through the loop.

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Question 602

[1 marks]electromagnetic induction; a.c. generator

A coil's plane makes angle

\theta

with the direction of a uniform magnetic field

B

. State the component of

B

that is perpendicular to the plane of the coil (i.e. along the coil's normal).

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Question 603

[2 marks]electromagnetic induction; a.c. generator

A coil of

N

turns and area

A

rotates in a uniform field of flux density

B

, so the flux linking it is

\Phi = BAN\sin(\omega t)

, with

\theta = \omega t

. Using Faraday's law

E = -d\Phi/dt

, derive the expression for the induced e.m.f.

E

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Question 604

[1 marks]electromagnetic induction; a.c. generator

State one way the magnitude of the e.m.f. induced in a rotating coil (a.c. generator) can be increased.

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Question 605

[1 marks]electromagnetic induction; a.c. generator

State a second way, different from increasing the number of turns, that the induced e.m.f. can be increased.

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Question 606

[1 marks]electromagnetic induction; a.c. generator

State a third way, different from increasing the turns or the field strength, that the induced e.m.f. can be increased.

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Question 701

[1 marks]refraction; critical angle; total internal reflection

Define the critical angle for a ray travelling from glass into air.

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Question 702

[2 marks]refraction; critical angle; total internal reflection

What is total internal reflection, and when does it occur at a glass-air boundary?

AAll light reflects past critical angle
BSome light reflects past critical angle
CAll light reflects below critical angle
DLight absorbs past critical angle

Question 703

[1 marks]refraction; critical angle; total internal reflection

Fig. 7.1 shows a ray AB in one medium striking boundary PQ at 55° to the normal and refracting into ray BC in the other medium at 35° to the normal. Using the figure, state whether the glass lies above or below the line PQ.

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Question 704

[2 marks]refraction; critical angle; total internal reflection

A ray of light in air strikes a glass surface at 55° to the normal and refracts into the glass at 35° to the normal. Calculate the refractive index for light travelling from glass to air, using

n = \sin35°/\sin55°

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Question 705

[2 marks]refraction; critical angle; total internal reflection

The refractive index for light travelling from glass to air at a boundary is 0.70. Calculate the critical angle

c

for this boundary, using

\sin c = 0.70

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Question 706

[1 marks]refraction; critical angle; total internal reflection

The refractive index for light travelling from glass to air is 0.70, and the speed of light in air is

3.0\times10^8

m/s. Calculate the speed of light in the glass, using

v_{glass}/v_{air} = 0.70

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Question 801

[1 marks]radioactive decay; alpha-scattering; half-life

In a table of radioactive emissions, alpha-particles have approximate mass 4 units and are deflected by an electric field. State the charge of an alpha-particle.

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Question 802

[1 marks]radioactive decay; alpha-scattering; half-life

Beta-particles carry charge -1e and are deflected by an electric field. State their approximate mass, relative to a proton or neutron of mass 1 unit.

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Question 803

[1 marks]radioactive decay; alpha-scattering; half-life

Beta-particles have charge -1e and negligible mass. State whether they are deflected by an electric field.

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Question 804

[1 marks]radioactive decay; alpha-scattering; half-life

Gamma-rays have approximate mass 0 units and are not deflected by an electric field. State their charge.

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Question 805

[2 marks]radioactive decay; alpha-scattering; half-life

What model of atomic structure did Rutherford's alpha-scattering results establish?

ANeutron nucleus, electrons in a shell
BSolid, indivisible atomic spheres
CSmall dense nucleus, electrons orbit
DUniform sphere, embedded electrons

Question 806

[1 marks]radioactive decay; alpha-scattering; half-life

In the nuclear model of the atom established by Rutherford's alpha-scattering experiment, where is essentially all of the atom's mass concentrated?

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Question 807

[2 marks]radioactive decay; alpha-scattering; half-life

A radioactive sample contains 3 g of an isotope with a half-life of 42 s. Using

M = M_0 e^{-\lambda t}

with

\lambda = \ln2/42

, calculate the mass remaining after 60 s.

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Physics Paper 2 November 2004

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The questions

Question 101

Question 102

Question 103

Question 104

Question 201

Question 202

Question 203

Question 204

Question 301

Question 302

Question 303

Question 304

Question 305

Question 306

Question 401

Question 402

Question 403

Question 404

Question 501

Question 502

Question 503

Question 504

Question 601

Question 602

Question 603

Question 604

Question 605

Question 606

Question 701

Question 702

Question 703

Question 704

Question 705

Question 706

Question 801

Question 802

Question 803

Question 804

Question 805

Question 806

Question 807

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The answers, and why they are the answers

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