Data

acceleration of free fall g = 9.81 m s–2

speed of light in free space c = 3.00 × 108 m s–1

elementary charge e = 1.60 × 10–19 C

unified atomic mass unit 1 u = 1.66 × 10–27 kg

rest mass of proton mp = 1.67 × 10–27 kg

rest mass of electron me = 9.11 × 10–31 kg

Avogadro constant NA = 6.02 × 1023 mol–1

molar gas constant R = 8.31 J K–1 mol–1

Boltzmann constant k = 1.38 × 10–23 J K–1

gravitational constant G = 6.67 × 10–11 N m2 kg–2

permittivity of free space ε0 = 8.85 × 10–12 F m–1

1
( = 8.99 × 109 m F–1)
4rf0

Planck constant h = 6.63 × 10–34 J s

Stefan–Boltzmann constant σ = 5.67 × 10–8 W m–2 K–4

Formulae

uniformly accelerated motion s = ut + 12 at 2

v 2 = u 2 + 2as

hydrostatic pressure ∆p = ρg∆h

upthrust F = ρgV

fs v
Doppler effect for sound waves fo = v!v
s

electric current I = Anvq

resistors in series R = R1 + R2 + ...

1 1 1
resistors in parallel = + + ...
R R1 R2
1 (a) In the following list, underline all units that are SI base units.

ampere degree Celsius kilogram newton [1]

(b) Fig. 1.1 shows a horizontal beam clamped at one end with a block attached to the other end.

block
direction
of oscillations
clamp beam

Fig. 1.1

The block is made to oscillate vertically.

The Young modulus E of the material of the beam is given by

kM
E=
T2
where M is the mass of the block,
T is the period of the oscillations
and k is a constant.

A student determines the values and percentage uncertainties of k, M and T.

Table 1.1 lists the percentage uncertainties.

Table 1.1

percentage
quantity
uncertainty
k ± 2.1%

M ± 0.6%

T ± 1.5%

The student uses the values of k, M and T to calculate the value of E as 8.245 × 109 Pa.

(i) Calculate the percentage uncertainty in the value of E.

percentage uncertainty = ..................................................... % [2]

(ii) Use your answer in (b)(i) to determine the value of E, with its absolute uncertainty, to an
appropriate number of significant figures.

E = (..................................... ± .....................................) × 109 Pa [2]

[Total: 5]
2 A sphere is attached by a metal wire to the horizontal surface at the bottom of a river, as shown in
Fig. 2.1.

sphere
direction of
flow of water

water
wire

horizontal
68° surface

Fig. 2.1 (not to scale)

The sphere is fully submerged and in equilibrium, with the wire at an angle of 68° to the horizontal
surface. The weight of the sphere is 32 N. The upthrust acting on the sphere is 280 N. The density
of the water is 1.0 × 103 kg m–3.

Assume that the force on the sphere due to the water flow is in a horizontal direction.

(a) By considering the components of force in the vertical direction, determine the tension in the
wire.

tension = ..................................................... N [2]

(b) For the sphere, calculate:

(i) the volume

volume = .................................................... m3 [1]

(ii) the density.

density = .............................................. kg m–3 [2]

(c) The centre of the sphere is initially at a height of 6.2 m above the horizontal surface. The
speed of the water then increases, causing the sphere to move to a different position. This
movement of the sphere causes its gravitational potential energy to decrease by 77 J.

Calculate the final height of the centre of the sphere above the horizontal surface.

height = ..................................................... m [3]

(d) The extension of the wire increases when the sphere changes position as described in (c).
The wire obeys Hooke’s law.

(i) State a symbol equation that gives the relationship between the tension T in the wire and
its extension x. Identify any other symbol that you use.

...........................................................................................................................................

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

(ii) Before the sphere changed position, the initial elastic potential energy of the wire was
0.65 J. The change in position of the sphere causes the extension of the wire to double.

Calculate the final elastic potential energy of the wire after the sphere has changed
position.

final elastic potential energy = ...................................................... J [2]

[Total: 11]
3 A man standing on a wall throws a small ball vertically upwards with a velocity of 5.6 m s–1. The
ball leaves his hand when it is at a height of 3.1 m above the ground, as shown in Fig. 3.1.

ball
velocity 5.6 m s–1
man

3.1 m wall

ground

Fig. 3.1 (not to scale)

Assume that air resistance is negligible.

(a) Show that the ball reaches a maximum height above the ground of 4.7 m.

[2]

(b) The man does not catch the ball as it falls.

Calculate the time taken for the ball to fall from its maximum height to the ground.

time taken = ...................................................... s [2]

(c) The ball leaves the man’s hand at time t = 0 and hits the ground at time t = T.

On Fig. 3.2, sketch a graph to show the variation of the velocity v of the ball with time t from
t = 0 to t = T. Numerical values of v and t are not required. Assume that v is positive in the
upward direction.

0
0 T
t

Fig. 3.2
[3]

(d) State what is represented by the gradient of the graph in (c).

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

(e) The man now throws a second ball with the same velocity and from the same height as the
first ball. The mass of the second ball is greater than that of the first ball. Assume that air
resistance is still negligible.

For the first and second balls, compare:

(i) the magnitudes of their accelerations

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

(ii) the speeds with which they hit the ground.

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

[Total: 10]
4 (a) State the principle of conservation of momentum.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

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

(b) Two balls, X and Y, move along a horizontal frictionless surface, as shown from above in
Fig. 4.1.

3.0 kg X
4.0 m s–1

θ 3.7 m s–1
A B A X Y B
θ

4.8 m s–1
2.5 kg Y

before collision after collision

Fig. 4.1 (not to scale) Fig. 4.2 (not to scale)

Ball X has a mass of 3.0 kg and a velocity of 4.0 m s–1 in a direction at angle θ to a line AB.
Ball Y has a mass of 2.5 kg and a velocity of 4.8 m s–1 in a direction at angle θ to the line AB.

The balls collide and stick together. After colliding, the balls have a velocity of 3.7 m s–1 along
the line AB on the horizontal surface, as shown in Fig. 4.2.

(i) By considering the components of the momenta along the line AB, calculate θ.

θ = ....................................................... ° [3]
(ii) By calculation of kinetic energies, state and explain whether the collision of the balls is
inelastic or perfectly elastic.

...........................................................................................................................................

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

[Total: 7]