ZIMSEC A Level Physics Paper 3 Past Papers

Topics in this paper

Kinematics and Dynamics Waves and Interference Nuclear Physics and Radioactivity Current Electricityelectrostatics and electric circuitskinetic theory of gaseswaves and simple harmonic motioncapacitorselectric fields and Millikan's experimentelectromagnetic induction

Explained questions

What is meant by linear momentum?
State the principle of conservation of linear momentum, assuming no external force acts on a system of colliding bodies.
How is the principle of conservation of momentum linked to Newton's third law?
Sphere A (mass m) moving at speed 4u collides elastically with sphere B (mass 2m) moving at speed u in the same direction. What is meant by an elastic collision?
Fig. 2.1 shows a snapshot of a water wave's waveform, with particle A at 0.60 m from the origin O. Using the graph, determine the wavelength.
In terms of nuclear constituents, what is meant by atomic number?
In terms of nuclear constituents, what is meant by mass number?
In terms of nuclear constituents, what is meant by isotopes?
A body moves in a circle at constant speed. Which statement correctly explains why it is still accelerating?
A pendulum bob of mass 72.0 g is rotated at a constant speed of 4.5 m/s in a vertical circle of radius 50.0 cm. Calculate the centripetal force on the bob.
For the bob of mass 72.0 g moving at 4.5 m/s in a vertical circle of radius 50.0 cm, the centripetal force is 2.92 N. Calculate the tension in the string when the bob is at the lowest point of the circle (directly below the centre).
The north pole of a magnet is pulled out of a solenoid connected to a galvanometer. Points A, B, C and D lie on the wire, with the induced current flowing from B to A through the external circuit. Which points does the current flow between in the external circuit?
State the law relating the angle of incidence i and angle of refraction r for light passing between two given media.
What is meant by the critical angle, for light travelling from a denser medium towards a less dense one?
Which statement correctly distinguishes distance from displacement?
A ball is projected from a cliff 96 m high and lands 7.0 s later, a net 96 m below the launch point (air resistance negligible, $g = 9.81$ m s $^{-2}$ ). Using $s = ut - \frac{1}{2}gt^2$ with $s = -96$ m and $t = 7.0$ s (taking upward as positive), calculate the initial vertical velocity $u$ of the ball.
The ball's initial vertical velocity is $u \approx 20.6$ m s $^{-1}$ upward and $g = 9.81$ m s $^{-2}$ . Calculate the time taken to reach the greatest height, where the vertical velocity is momentarily zero.
Which is a correct SI base quantity-unit pairing?
Which factor can make a dimensionally correct equation physically wrong?
Poiseuille's law for fluid flux Φ through a pipe is $\Phi = \frac{\pi}{8}\frac{\rho}{\eta}(P_1-P_2)\frac{R^4}{L}$ , where ρ is density, η is viscosity (units Pa s), $P_1-P_2$ is a pressure difference, R is the pipe's internal radius and L is its length. Determine the base SI units of Φ.
Define work done by a force.
Starting from W = Fx, with F = ma and v^2 = u^2 + 2ax for a body accelerated from rest (u = 0), what equation for kinetic energy Ek does this derivation give, in terms of mass m and speed v?
A cyclist and bicycle of total mass 69.0 kg move at 5.5 m/s at the top of a rise. Calculate the cyclist's kinetic energy at the top of the rise.
The same cyclist and bicycle (total mass 69.0 kg, kinetic energy 1.04x10^3 J at the top) roll down without pedalling to level ground 4.6 m below the top. Taking g = 9.81 m/s^2, calculate the kinetic energy at the bottom of the rise.
A student repeats a measurement many times using an instrument that has not been checked for a zero error. Which statement correctly describes how random and systematic errors affect the set of readings obtained?
A ball has a diameter of about 2.15 mm. Name the laboratory instrument that should be used to measure this diameter to the nearest 0.01 mm.

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