Name: Class: Exam Index No.

Anglo-Chinese School
(Barker Road)
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION 2020

SECONDARY FOUR EXPRESS

PHYSICS 6091

PRACTICAL

1 HOUR 50 MINUTES

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES:
Write your name, class and exam index number on all the work you hand in.
Write in dark blue or black pen on both sides of the paper.
You may use a soft pencil for any diagrams or graphs.
Do not use staples, paper clips, highlighters, glue or correction fluid.
Read the instructions carefully.

For Examiner’s Use

Q1
Q2
Q3

Total
 Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)

The number of marks is given in the brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part
question.

This question paper consists of ​14​ printed pages.

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Physics 6091 Paper 3
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1 In this experiment you will investigate the oscillation of a mass and rod attached to a spring.

You have been provided with

● a stand,
● two bosses and two clamps,
● a stopwatch,
● a 30 cm ruler

You are also provided with a spring, a wooden rod and two pieces of modelling clay, assembled
as shown in Fig. 1.1

Fig. 1.1

(a) (i) Measure the distance ​l between the centre of the spring and the end of the wooden
rod.

l​ = ………………………………[1]

(ii) Explain one difficulty in obtaining an accurate value for ​l​.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………….…[1]

(b) Set up the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1.2.

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Fig. 1.2

Adjust the bosses so that the distance between the clamps is 20.0 cm.

Rotate the wooden rod horizontally through 90°​.

Release the rod so that it oscillates freely about the vertical axis.

Determine a value for the period ​T​ of the oscillating rod.

T​ = ……………..………..[2]

(c) Plan

A suggested relationship between ​T​ and ​l​ ​is

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where ​a​ and ​b​ are constants.

Using the same apparatus as in Fig. 1.2 plan an experiment to investigate this relationship.

Your plan should include

● the quantities that you should keep constant,

● a detailed description of how you will perform the experiment,

● a suitable table in which to display your measurements and calculated values (you
do ​not​ need to enter any data into the table),

● a statement of the graph that you would plot to test the relationship,

● a sketch of the graph that you would obtain if the suggested relationship is correct,

● an explanation of how you would obtain a value of the constant ​b​ from your graph.

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2 In this experiment, you will investigate the speed of a glass ball rolling down an inclined track.

You have been provided with

● a support,
● two metre rules,
● a glass ball,
● a stopwatch,
● Blu-Tack,
● a 30 cm ruler,
● a piece of cloth to act as a stop.

Set up the apparatus, as shown in Fig. 2.1.

Fig. 2.1

Place the support on the bench with the side marked ​A facing the stop. Place the two
metre rules on the support. Use a small piece of Blu-Tack for each metre rule to prevent
them from moving on the support.

The metre rules should be placed on the support at the 3 cm marks and 5 mm apart.

Ensure that the gap between the metre rules is 5 mm along the length of the metre rules.
Fix the metre rules to the bench at the 100 cm ends with Blu-Tack.

(a) Measure the height ​h of the lower surface of the metre rules above the bench at the 0 cm
mark, as shown in Fig. 2.2.

Fig. 2.2

h​ = ………………………………

(b) Place the centre of the glass ball at the 1 cm mark on the metre rules.
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Release the ball and start the stopwatch.

Stop the stopwatch when the ball hits the stop at the end of the track.
The reading on the stopwatch is ​t0​​ .

(i) Record your value for ​t0​​ .

t0​​ = ………………………………[1]

(ii) Replace the ball at the 1 cm mark.

Reset the stopwatch to zero.
Release the ball and start the stopwatch.
Stop the stopwatch when the ball passes the 51.0 cm mark on the track.
The reading on the stopwatch is ​t1​​ .

Record your value for ​t1​​ .

t1​​ = ………………………………[1]

(c) The average speed of the ball is calculated using the formula shown.

(i) In ​(b)(i)​ the ball travels 99.0 cm.

Calculate the average speed ​v0​​ of the ball for this distance.

v0​​ = ………………………………[2]

(ii) In ​(b)(ii)​ the ball travels 50.0 cm.

Calculate the average speed ​v1​​ of the ball for this distance.

v1​​ = ………………………………[1]

(d) Calculate the acceleration ​a​ of the ball along the track using the equation shown.

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a​ = ………………………………[2]

(e) A student suggests that the acceleration of the ball down the slope is given by

a​ = g sin​θ

where the acceleration of free fall g = 10 m/s​2​ and ​θ​ is the angle shown in Fig. 2.3.

Fig. 2.3

(i) Use your value of ​h​ from ​(a)​ to calculate the acceleration ​a​ using the equation in ​(e)​.

a​ = ………………………………[1]

(ii) Explain whether your value for ​a in ​(d) supports the suggestion made by the student
in ​(e)​.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………….…[2]

3 In this experiment, you will investigate an electrical circuit containing a light-dependent resistor
(LDR).

You are provided with

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 Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)

● a lamp,
● a light-dependent resistor (LDR),
● a power supply,
● a fixed resistor of resistance 470 Ω,
● a ruler,
● a wooden rod,
● a stand and boss,
● Blu-Tack,
● a switch,
● a voltmeter and two connecting leads,
● eight connecting leads.

Set up the circuit as shown in Fig. 3.1

Fig. 3.1

Set up the light-dependent resistor (LDR) and lamp as shown in Fig. 3.2. Secure the LDR to the
wooden rod using Blue-Tack. The rod can be moved up and down to change the distance
between the LDR and the lamp.

Fig. 3.2

Adjust the position of the wooden rod so that the LDR is directly above the lamp and the
distance ​d​ is zero.

(a) (i) Connect the voltmeter across the terminals of the power supply.
Close the switch.
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Record the voltmeter reading ​VS​​ .

VS​​ = ………………… [1]

(ii) Open the switch.

Disconnect the voltmeter from the power supply.
Connect the voltmeter across points A and B.
Close the switch.

​ .
Record the voltmeter reading ​VAB​

​ = ………………… [1]
VAB​

(b) Open the switch.

The current ​I ​in the fixed resistor is given by the equation

Where ​R​ = 470​ Ω.

Calculate ​I​.

I​ ………………….. [1]

(c) Calculate the resistance ​R​L​ of the LDR using the equation

where the potential difference (p.d) ​V​L​ across the LDR is given by ​VL​​ (​VS​​ – ​VAB​
​ ).

R​L​ ………………….. [1]

(d) (i) Adjust the position of the wooden rod so that the distance between the LDR and the
top of the lamp is 1.0 cm.

Close the switch.

​ .
Record the new voltmeter reading ​VAB​

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​ = ………………….. [1]
VAB​

(ii) Open the switch.

Repeat ​(b) and ​(c) to calculate the new current ​I in the resistor and the new
resistance ​RL​​ of the LDR. Use your value of V
​ S​​ from ​(a)(i)​.

I​ = ……………………..

R​L​ = …………………..…
[2]

(e) Repeat ​(d)​ for further values of ​d.​

Record your results for ​d​, V ​ , ​V​L​, ​I​ and ​R​L​. Include all of your results.
​ AB​

[6]

(f) On the grid plot a graph of ​RL​ against ​d.​ [4]

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(g) (i) Determine the change in resistance ​RL​​ between ​d​ = 1.0 cm and ​d​ = 4.0 cm

change in resistance = …………………….[1]

(ii) Calculate the average change in resistance per cm of the LDR between ​d = 1.0 cm
and ​d​ = 4.0 cm.

average change in resistance per cm = …………………….[1]

(iii) Explain how the graph shows that the average change in resistance per cm
decreases as ​d​ increases.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………….…[1]

(h) A student has a voltmeter that gives readings to 0.1 V.

Explain why the values for the change in resistance ​RL​ obtained when d is large would ​not
be accurate using the voltmeter.

………………………………………………………………………….……………………………...

……….………………………………………………………………………………………………...

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….…...

………………………………………………………………………………………………………[1]

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