Post on 24-Sep-2019
STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
2008
Higher School Certificate
Preliminary Examination
Physics
General Instructions
Reading time – 5 minutes
Working time – 2 hours
Board approved calculators may be
used
Write using black or blue pen
A data sheet, formulae sheet’s and
periodic table are provided
Draw diagrams using pencil
A protractor and ruler are required
Write your student number and/or
name at the top of every page
Total marks - 75
Section I – Pages 2–8 Total marks (15)
Attempt Questions 1–15
Allow 25 minutes for this section
Section II – Pages 9–18 Total marks (60)
Attempt Questions 16–30
Allow 1 hour and 35 minutes for this section
This paper MUST NOT be removed from the examination room
STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 2
Section I
Total marks (15)
Attempt questions 1 – 15
Allow about 25 minutes for this section
Select the alternative A, B, C or D that best answers the question and indicate your choice
with a cross (X) in the appropriate space on the grid below.
A B C D
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 3
1. This question refers to the wave below. The wave has been drawn life-size.
Which of the following gives values for the period, amplitude and frequency of this
wave?
Period (s) Amplitude (mm) Frequency (Hz)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
3.0 × 10-3
6.0 × 10-3
6.0 × 10-3
12.0 × 10-3
15
15
15
30
6 × 10-3
66.7
167
167
2. Which of the following has the lowest wavelength?
(A) Infra red light
(B) Radio waves
(C) X-rays
(D) Ultra violet light
3. When white light passes through a glass prism a spectrum is formed.
Knowing that the refractive index of the air/glass boundary is constant, why does this
happen?
(A) The distance the light travels through the prism varies.
(B) The light at the blue end of the spectrum travels faster than light at the red end.
(C) Lower frequencies of light are refracted more than higher frequencies.
(D) Shorter wavelength light travels slower through the glass than longer wavelength light.
Displacement
(mm) Time (x 310 s)
3 6 9 12 15
prism white light red light
violet light
spectrum observed here
STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 4
4. Which of the following contains only devices that use data in digital format?
(A) Computers, CD players and home telephones
(B) DVD players, cathode ray tube televisions and mobile phones
(C) Home telephones, mobile phones and GPS devices
(D) CD players, DVD players and MP3 players
5. Consider the following electrical circuit which contains three identical resistors, two
ammeters and a power source. Two points, X and Y, are shown.
Which statement about this circuit is correct?
(A) The reading on A1 will be twice the reading on A2.
(B) The potential difference across each resistor will be the same.
(C) The potential at point X will be higher than the potential at point Y.
(D) If the potential of the power supply is 12 V, then the reading on the voltmeter V1
will also be 12 V.
6. Which of the following describes the effect of increasing temperature on the resistance
of a conductor?
(A) The resistance increases because current electrons lose more energy when they
collide with other particles in the conductor.
(B) The resistance increases because more collisions occur between lattice particles.
(C) The resistance decreases because the current electrons can move through the
conductor more quickly.
(D) The resistance decreases because the heat energy causes more electrons to be
released by atoms.
A1
V1
A2
R1 R2
R3
X
Y
Power supply
STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 5
7. The diagrams represent three sets of parallel plates, X, Y and Z, which have the same
potential difference across them. The top plate is the positive potential plate in all three.
Which statement about X, Y and Z is correct?
(A) Only X has been drawn correctly.
(B) The high potential plate in Y is the bottom plate.
(C) The field between the plates in Z is not uniform.
(D) The electric field between the plates in X is stronger than the field between the
plates in Y.
8. The diagram shows two bar magnets near each other.
Which alternative best predicts the direction of the magnetic field at point P?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
X Y Z
+ + + + + + + + + + + +
- - - - - - - - - - - -
S N N S
P
STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 6
Use the following information to answer Questions 9 and 10.
9. What is the time taken by the car to cover 100 m from the start?
(A) 9.0 s
(B) 4.2 s
(C) 90.0 s
(D) 0.42 s
10. Which of the following graphs shows the motion described above?
(A) (B) (C) (D)
11. Which of the following justifies the application of the Law of Conservation of
Momentum to the collision of two objects?
(A) The Law of Conservation of Energy must be obeyed.
(B) Action and reaction are identical forces.
(C) There are no forces acting on the two colliding objects.
(D) Only equal and opposite forces are acting on the two objects.
In a ‘drag race’ the cars accelerate over a distance of 100 m, starting from
zero velocity. One car travels 100 m with a constant acceleration
of 9 ms-2
.
Dis
pla
cem
ent
Dis
pla
cem
ent
Dis
pla
cem
ent
Dis
pla
cem
ent
Time Time Time Time
STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 7
12. A car is driving north at 60 km/h. The car turns right at a corner and continues east at
60 km/h.
If north is towards the top of the page, which vector diagram correctly shows the
change in velocity, VR of the car?
(A) (B) (C) (D)
13. Which of the following statements provides basic evidence for the expansion of the
Universe?
(A) Einstein’s statement postulating the equivalence of mass and energy
(B) The Law of Gravitation
(C) The comparison of spectra of nearby and faraway stars
(D) The amount of dark matter in the Universe
VR VR VR
VR
STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 8
Use the following information to answer Questions 14 and 15.
By studying the spectra of stars, early astronomers realised that stars had individual
“personalities”, but could be grouped according to their spectra. The table summarises the
characteristics of each group.
Spectral
Class
Temperature
Range, K Spectral features Example
O Above 25,000 Strong lines of ionised helium. Lines of
doubly ionised oxygen, nitrogen and carbon Delta Cephei
B 25,000 - 11,000 Lines of neutral helium are most prominent.
Hydrogen lines stronger than in O class. Rigel, Spica
A 11,000 – 7,500
Hydrogen lines are most prominent. Singly
charged ionised magnesium, silicon, iron,
calcium and titanium appear.
Sirius, Vega
F 7,500 – 6,000
Hydrogen lines are weaker than in A class
and neutral metal lines (e.g. calcium) are
stronger.
Procyon
G 6,000 – 5,000
Lines of ionised calcium are most dominant
and hydrogen lines are weak. Lines of many
neutral and singly charged metals are visible.
Sun, Capella
K 5,000 – 3,500 Neutral metal lines are most prominent.
Molecular bands appear. Arcturus
M Below 3,500 Molecular bands are the most common
feature with strong titanium oxide bands.
Antares,
Betelgeuse
14. Which star is most likely to be a red giant?
(A) Delta Cephei
(B) Rigel
(C) Sirius
(D) Antares
15. Which of the following would help to determine if a white star is a main sequence star
or a white dwarf?
(A) Diameter of the star, energy source, luminosity
(B) Diameter of the star, luminosity, distance from Earth
(C) Diameter of the star, energy source, distance from Earth
(D) Energy source, distance from Earth, luminosity
STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 9
Section II
Total marks (60)
Attempt Questions 16 – 29
Allow about 1 hour and 35 minutes for this section
Answer the questions in the spaces provided.
Show all relevant working in question involving calculations.
Question 16 (3 marks) Marks
(a) Compare particle motion in transverse and longitudinal mechanical waves. 2 3
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(b) Account for the lack of requirement of a medium for propagation of electromagnetic
waves. .................................................................................................................................. 1
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Question 17 (4 marks)
Outline the energy transformations that occur in ONE of the following devices: 4
mobile telephone
fax/modem
radio
television
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STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 10
Question 18 (3 marks) Marks
Describe ONE application of a concave reflecting surface.
Include a sketch to illustrate your answer. 3 3
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Question 19 (3 marks)
Particle X, carrying a charge of +1 coulomb is placed near particle Y, which carries a charge of
+2 coulombs.
Complete the diagram to show the shape of the electric field between the two charges X and Y
and indicate a null point in the electric field. 3 3
X Y
+1C +2C
STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 11
Question 20 (5 marks) Marks
The diagram shows a ray of light entering a glass slab. The refractive index of the glass is 1.25. 3
(a) Measure the angle of incidence of the ray onto the glass. 1 3
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(b) Calculating the angles, complete the path of the ray of light through, and out the other
side, of the slab. 4 3
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Glass slab, refractive index = 1.25
STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 12
Question 21 (5 marks) Marks
A charge of + 1.6 × 10-19
C is placed at point X in an electric field as shown. X is 10 mm from
the bottom plate. The potential between the two parallel plates is 100 volts and the distance
between them is 25 mm.
A second charge of - 3.2 × 10-19
C is placed at point Y in the same electric field. Y is 5 mm
from the top plate.
(a) Compare the magnitude of the force on the charge at X, due to the field, with that on
the charge at Y. Justify your answer. 2
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(b) Describe what will happen to the charge at X because of this force. 2
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(c) Explain the statement:
“The potential difference between the two parallel plates is 100 volts”. 1
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X
Y
Z
0 mm
5 mm
10 mm
15 mm
20 mm
25 mm
100 V
STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 13
Question 22 (3 marks) Marks
(a) Draw a circuit diagram to show how an ammeter is connected into a circuit to measure
the current flowing through a resistor. 1
(b) Describe and account for the internal resistance of an ammeter. 2
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Question 23 (4 marks)
Describe an experiment you have done in the laboratory to investigate the relationship
between current, voltage and power for a heating coil.
In your answer outline how the results were analysed. 4
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STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 14
Question 24 (4 marks) Marks
Describe TWO technologies involved in the avoidance or reduction of motor vehicle
collisions AND assess their benefits. 4
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Question 25 (4 marks)
(a) State Newton’s First Law of Motion. 1
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(b) Identify the reason why Newton’s First Law is NOT apparent in many real world
situations. 1
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(c) A lightweight ball is resting on the back seat of a car as it turns a corner. Compare
motion of the ball, observed by a person in the car versus a person outside the car. 2
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STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 15
Question 26 (4 marks) Marks
A truck of mass 5000 kg is moving at 20 ms-1
as it passes point X. As it passes point Y, 50 m
away from X, the truck is moving at 25 ms-1
.
(a) Calculate acceleration of the truck. 1
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(b) Calculate the change in force that the truck’s engine exerts if it is to move up an incline
of 30° (shown above) at a constant speed of 25 ms-1
. 3
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30o
X Y
STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 16
Question 27 (3 marks) Marks
The diagram shows car A, mass 1500 kg and car B, mass 2500 kg, just before they collide.
The driver in car A moving at 40 ms-1
, collides with the back of car B, moving in the same
direction at 35 ms-1
. A witness states that car A bounces off the back of car B after the
collision, initially moving backwards at about 10 ms-1
.
(a) Using the witness statement, calculate velocity of car B immediately after the collision. 2
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(b) A policewoman investigating the collision suggests the witness statement is inaccurate.
Justify the policewoman’s opinion, based on kinetic energy calculations. 1
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Car A
40 ms-1
Car B
35 ms-1
STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 17
Question 28 (6 marks) Marks
Using the work of Aristotle, Kepler and ONE other astronomer, show how the model of the
Universe has changed AND propose reasons for the acceptance OR rejection of the various
models. 6
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STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..
Page 18
Question 29 (5 marks) Marks
(a) Two stars are identified as RR Lyrae stars which have the same luminosity. Star 1 is at
a distance of 5 parsecs away from the Earth and is observed to be three times as bright
as Star 2.
Calculate the distance of Star 2 from the Earth in parsecs. 1
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(b) Describe the characteristic common to all Main Sequence stars. 1
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(c) Assess effects of sunspot activity on the Earth. 3
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Question 30 (4 marks)
Outline stages of the accretion of matter into galaxies and stars. 4 3
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End of Paper