IGCSE Cambridge
ENERGY RESOURCES AND ENENRGY TRANSFERS
3 (a) Name three different energy resources used to obtain energy directly from water
(not steam).
1. ........................................................................................................................................
2. .........................................................................................................................................
3. .........................................................................................................................................
[3]
(b) Choose one of the energy resources you have named in (a) and write a brief
description of how the energy is converted to electrical energy.
Which energy resource are you describing? ......................................................................
description ..........................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
[3]
[Total: 6]
4 A simple pendulum starts with its bob at position X, shown in Fig. 4.1. The bob is
pulled aside to Y and then released. It swings from Y to Z and back to Y.
Write suitable words in the gaps in the following sentences. Ignore air resistance.
In order to move the bob from X to Y, ................................. has to be done on it and
its ............................................... energy increases because it is raised further from the
ground. As it moves towards X, some of this energy is converted
into ........................................... energy. Throughout the swing from Y to Z and back to
Y, the total energy is ............................................. . Energy is measured in units
called ................................... .
[5]
[Total: 5]
5 Fig. 5.1 shows a model cable-car system. It is driven by an electric motor coupled to a
gear system.
The model cable-car has a mass of 5.0 kg and is lifted from the bottom pulley to the top
pulley in 40 s. It stops automatically at the top.
(a) Calculate
(i) the average speed of the cable-car,
average speed = ..........................................................
[2]
(ii) the gravitational potential energy gained by the cable-car,
gravitational potential energy gained = ..........................................................
[2]
(iii) the useful output power of the driving mechanism.
power = .........................................................
[2]
(b) How would the electrical power input to the motor compare with your answer to (a)
(iii)?
.............................................................................................................................................
[1]
[Total: 7]
2 A bob of mass of 0.15 kg is tied at the end of a cord to form a simple pendulum 0.70
m long. The upper end of the cord is fixed to a support and the pendulum hangs
vertically. A peg is fixed0.50 m vertically below the support, as shown in Fig. 2.1.
The mass is
the
position
resistance
pulled to the right, until it is in
shown in Fig. 2.1. Ignore air
throughout this question.
(a)
Calculate
of the bob,
bob is in the
the gravitational potential energy
relative to the ground, when the
position shown in Fig. 2.1.
gravitational potential energy = .........................................................
[2]
(b) The bob is released and swings to the left.
(i) Calculate the maximum kinetic energy of the bob.
kinetic energy = .........................................................
[4]
(ii) Calculate the maximum velocity of the bob.
velocity = .........................................................
[2]
(iii) As the pendulum swings to the left of vertical, state the maximum height above the
ground that is reached by the bob.
.....................................................................................................................................
[1]
(iv) On Fig. 2.1, use your ruler to draw carefully the pendulum when the bob is at its
maximum height on the left.
[3]
[Total: 12]
4 A solar panel is mounted on the roof of a house. Fig. 4.1 shows a section through part
of the solar panel.
A pump makes water circulate through the copper pipes. The water is heated by passing
through the solar panel.
(a) Suggest why
(i) the pipes are made of copper,
...........................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
[1]
(ii) the pipes and the metal backing sheet are painted black,
...........................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
[1]
(iii) an insulating material is attached to the metal backing sheet,
...........................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
[1]
(iv) the presence of the glass sheet increases the energy collected by the water.
...........................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
[1]
(b) During one day, 250 kg of water is pumped through the solar panel. The temperature
of this water rises from 16 C to 38 C.
The water absorbs 25% of the energy falling on the solar panel, and the specific heat
capacity of water is 4200 J / (kg C).
Calculate the energy falling on the solar panel during that day.
energy = .........................................................
[4]
[Total: 8]
5 (a) Define specific heat capacity.
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
[2]
(b) Solar energy is striking the steel deck of a ship.
(i) Describe how the colour of the deck affects the absorption of the solar energy.
...........................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
[1]
(ii) The solar energy strikes the deck at the rate of 1400 W on every square metre. The
steel plate of the deck is 0.010 m thick. Steel has a density of 7800 kg / m 3 and a
specific heat capacity of 450 J / (kg C). 13% of the solar energy striking the deck is
absorbed and the rest is reflected. Using these figures, calculate
1. how many joules of solar energy are absorbed by 1.0 m2 of the deck in 1.0 s,
number of joules = .........................................................
[1]
2. the mass of 1.0 m2 of deck,
mass = .........................................................
[2]
3. the rate of rise in temperature of the deck, stating the equation you use.
rate of rise = ................................................. C / s
[3]
[Total: 9]
6 A boy
drops a ball of mass 0.50 kg. The ball falls a distance of 1.1 m, as shown in Fig. 6.1.
Ignore air resistance throughout this question.
(a) Calculate the decrease in gravitational potential energy of the ball as it falls through
the 1.1 m.
decrease in potential energy = .........................................................
[2]
(b) The ball bounces and only rises to a height of 0.80 m.
(i) Calculate the energy lost during the bounce.
energy lost = .........................................................
[1]
(ii) Suggest one reason why energy is lost during the bounce.
...........................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
[1]
(c) On another occasion, the boy throws the ball down from a height of 1.1 m, giving it
an initial kinetic energy of 9.0 J.
Calculate the speed at which the ball hits the ground.
speed = .........................................................
[3]
[Total: 7]
