ZIMSEC O Level Physics Paper 1 November 2017

Question 1

Scalars and vectors

Which physical quantity is a scalar quantity?

Aforce
Bacceleration
Cweight
Dpressure

Question 2

Measurement

Which instrument is most suitable for measuring a length of 2.100 cm?

Amicrometer screw gauge
Bvernier calliper
Ctape measure
Druler

Question 3

Density

A red powder of volume 25 $\mathrm{cm^3}$ and density 0.200 $\mathrm{g/cm^3}$ and a green powder of volume 40 $\mathrm{cm^3}$ and density 0.125 $\mathrm{g/cm^3}$ were mixed to form a yellow powder.

What is the average density of the yellow powder?

A0.005 $\mathrm{g/cm^3}$
B0.154 $\mathrm{g/cm^3}$
C0.163 $\mathrm{g/cm^3}$
D0.325 $\mathrm{g/cm^3}$

Question 4

Motion

The graph represents the motion of a body.

The distance travelled in the last 10 seconds is

A200 m.
B300 m.
C400 m.
D600 m.

Question 5

Density

One hundred identical steel balls each of mass 270 g were immersed in a measuring cylinder containing 200 $\mathrm{cm^3}$ of water. The reading of the water level rose to 500 $\mathrm{cm^3}$ .

What is the density of one of the steel balls?

A0.11 $\mathrm{g/cm^3}$
B0.90 $\mathrm{g/cm^3}$
C90 $\mathrm{g/cm^3}$
D130 $\mathrm{g/cm^3}$

Question 6

Deformation

The extension-load graph shows the result of increasing the load on a spring.

Which point A, B, C or D is the limit of proportionality for the spring?

Question 7

Forces

Forces are acting at a point, O, as shown.

Which diagram can be used to find the resultant R of these two forces?

Question 8

Circular motion

A body moves in a circular path with a constant speed and a constant acceleration.

Which statement is not true?

ANo force is acting on the body.
BThe velocity of the body is changing.
CThe force acting on the body is perpendicular to the velocity.
DThe acceleration and the force are in the same direction.

Question 9

Moments

The diagram shows a beam resting in equilibrium and supported by two pivots.

Which statement is correct?

AAll forces are equal in magnitude.
BThe total upward force is twice the downward force.
CThe resultant force is zero and the resultant turning effect is zero.
DThe forces are in one direction and the turning effects are in opposite direction.

Question 10

Pressure

The atmospheric pressure at the top of a mountain is 73 cm using a mercury barometer.

What would be the same pressure reading on a water barometer?

(The densities of mercury and water are 13.6 $\mathrm{g/cm^3}$ and 1.0 $\mathrm{g/cm^3}$ respectively)

A5.4 cm
B73 cm
C730 cm
D993 cm

Question 11

Pressure

The diagram shows a manometer used to measure pressure of a liquid.

What is the pressure at point X?

(The density of the liquid in the manometer is 1 000 $\mathrm{kgm^{-3}}$ and $g = 10\ \mathrm{ms^{-2}}$ ).

A9 800 Pa
B9 500 Pa
C6 500 Pa
D3 000 Pa

Question 12

Pressure

Bubbles of a gas are escaping from the bottom of a septic tank as shown in the diagram.

The gas bubbles get larger as they rise because

Aatmospheric pressure on the bubbles decreases.
Batmospheric pressure on the bubbles increases.
Cfluid effluent pressure on the bubbles decreases.
Dfluid effluent pressure on the bubbles increases.

Question 13

Energy

Which form of energy is received directly from the sun?

Achemical
Bkinetic
Cnuclear
Dlight

Question 14

Energy

The diagram shows how the height of a bouncing tennis ball varies with time.

The height of each bounce decreases with time due to

Akinetic energy being converted into potential energy.
Bkinetic energy being converted into heat energy.
Cthe ball gaining kinetic energy on impact with the floor.
Dthe ball losing chemical energy and wearing out.

Question 15

Work, energy and power

A boy of weight 500 N runs up a flight of stairs 6.5 m high in 7 seconds.

How much power does he develop?

A0.93 W
B464.3 W
C538.4 W
D3 250 W

Question 16

Kinetic theory

How do particles move in Brownian motion?

Aat random
Bin circles
Cin the same direction
Dvibrate about fixed positions

Question 17

Thermal physics

Ice blocks at $-4\,^{\circ}$ C are heated at constant rate until they become liquid at $8\,^{\circ}$ C.

Which graph shows the variation of temperature with time?

Question 18

Thermal physics

Which one is a fixed point in the calibration of a thermometer?

Athe bottom end of the thermometer
Bthe top end of the thermometer
Cthe temperature of pure melting ice
Dthe temperature of pure distilled water

Question 19

Thermal physics

Which feature gives an advantage of a thermocouple thermometer over a liquid in glass thermometer?

Aa thermocouple thermometer has a hot and a cold junction
Ba thermocouple thermometer consists of different metals joined together
Ca thermocouple thermometer can measure rapidly changing temperatures
Da thermocouple thermometer uses a millivoltmeter to measure temperature

Question 20

Waves

Which is an example of a longitudinal wave?

Awater ripples
Bsound
Cradio
Dlight

Question 21

Waves

The diagram shows a wave.

How many wavelengths are shown between X and Y?

A $\frac{1}{3}$
B1
C $1\frac{1}{2}$
D3

Question 22

Light

The object is 6 m from a mirror. The distance between the object and its image is

A2 m.
B6 m.
C10 m.
D12 m.

Question 23

Light

Which characteristics describe the image formed by a plane mirror?

Areal and inverted
Bvirtual and upright
Creal and magnified
Dvirtual and diminished

Question 24

Light

The diagram shows an object placed between the optical centre, C and the principal focus, F.

Which description is correct for the image formed?

Asame, upright and virtual
Bsame, inverted and real
Cmagnified, upright and virtual
Dmagnified, inverted and real

Question 25

Electrostatics

When polythene is rubbed with a cloth it becomes negatively charged because it

Agains electrons.
Bloses electrons.
Cgains protons.
Dloses protons.

Question 26

Electricity

The diagram shows the I-V characteristics of a filament lamp.

Which statement is true?

Acurrent is inversely proportional to voltage
Bcurrent is directly proportional to voltage
Cthe resistance increases as current increases
Dthe resistance decreases as current increases

Question 27

Electricity

A current of 5 A flows through a flood lamp.

What charge passes through the lamp in 5 minutes?

A25 C
B60 C
C300 C
D1 500 C

Question 28

Electricity

Which graph correctly shows the variation of current,

I

and voltage,

V

, of an ohmic conductor?

Question 29

Electricity

The diagram shows two lamps P and Q connected to a power supply and two switches, $S_1$ and $S_2$ .

Which statement is correct?

AWhen $S_1$ and $S_2$ are closed P and Q are lit.
BWhen $S_1$ open and $S_2$ closed P and Q are lit.
CWhen $S_1$ open and $S_2$ closed only P is lit.
DWhen $S_1$ open and $S_2$ closed only Q is lit.

Question 30

Electricity

The diagram shows part of an electrical circuit.

What is the current in the 2 $\Omega$ resistor?

A0.24 A
B0.34 A
C0.60 A
D0.86 A

Question 31

Electricity

An electric hot plate is rated 240 V, 10 A.

What is the cost of using the hot plate for 2 hours when 1 kWh costs 20c?

A$96 000
B$960
C$96
D$0.96

Question 32

Electricity

The diagram shows an electric circuit.

What is the current passing through P?

A0.44 A
B0.59 A
C0.90 A
D1.8 A

Question 33

Electromagnetism

The diagram shows a current carrying wire passing through a magnet.

In which direction A, B, C or D is the force acting on the current carrying wire?

Question 34

Electromagnetism

An a.c. supply is connected to a wire PQ stretched between the poles of a magnet.

Which way will the wire move?

Aleft and right
Bright only
Cup and down
Dup only

Question 35

Magnetism

The diagram shows how four substances were tested for use as a core of an electromagnet. The current was switched on and off.

Which substance A, B, C or D, is the best for making the core of a transformer?

A8 paper clips held with current, 4 held when switched off
B6 paper clips held with current, 0 held when switched off
C5 paper clips held with current, 1 held when switched off
D4 paper clips held with current, 0 held when switched off

Question 36

Electromagnetism

The diagram shows the voltage output from a step down transformer.

Which diagram shows the input voltage?

Question 37

Electromagnetism

Why is electrical energy transmitted at high voltage?

ALittle energy is wasted in the transmission cables.
BCurrent in the transmission cables is large.
CResistance of the transmission cables is small.
DTransmission system does not require transformers.

Question 38

Electronics

In a cathode ray tube, the particles emitted by a heated cathode are

Aelectrons.
Bprotons.
Cneutrons.
Datoms.

Question 39

Atomic structure

For a neutral atom, the number of

Aneutrons equal the number of protons.
Bneutrons equal the number of electrons.
Cneucleons equal the number of neutrons.
Dprotons equal the number of electrons.

Question 40

Radioactivity

The diagram shows $\alpha$ -particles entering a uniform magnetic field at a right angle.

Which path A, B, C or D, would be followed by an alpha particle?

Physics Paper 1 November 2017

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The questions

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Question 6

Question 7

Question 8

Question 9

Question 10

Question 11

Question 12

Question 13

Question 14

Question 15

Question 16

Question 17

Question 18

Question 19

Question 20

Question 21

Question 22

Question 23

Question 24

Question 25

Question 26

Question 27

Question 28

Question 29

Question 30

Question 31

Question 32

Question 33

Question 34

Question 35

Question 36

Question 37

Question 38

Question 39

Question 40

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