P510/1

PHYSICS
Paper 1
MAY2024
2½ hours
ST.JOSEPH'S SS KAKINDU
UACE RESOURCE MOCK1EXAMINATIONS – 2 0 2 4
PHYSICS
Paper 1
Time: 2 hour 30 min

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES:
Answer five questions, including at least one, but not more than two from each of the sections A,B
and C.
Any additional question(s) answered will not be marked.
Non-programmable scientific electronic calculators may be used.
Assume where necessary:
Acceleration due to gravity, g = 9.81ms–2
Electron charge, e = 1.6 x 10–19C.
Electron mass = 9.11 x 10–31kg
Mass of earth = 5.97 x 1024kg.
Plancks constant, h = 6.6 x 10–34Js.
Stefan’s – Boltzmann’s constant, σ = 5.7 x 10–8Wm–2K–4
Radius of Earth = 6.4 x 106m.
Radius of the sun = 7 x 108m.
Radius of earth’s orbit about the sun = 1.5 x 1011m
Speed of light in a vacuum, c = 3 x 108ms–1
Thermal conductivity of copper = 390Wm–1 K–1
Thermal conductivity of aluminum = 210Wm–1 K–1
Specific heat capacity of water = 4200Jkg–1 K–1
Universal Gravitational constant, G = 6.67 x 10–11Nm2 kg–2
Avogadro’s number NA = 6.02 x 1023mol–1.
Density of water = 1000kgm–3
Gas constant, R = 8.31Jmol–1K–1
Charge to mass ratio, e/m = 1.8 x 1011Ckg–1
1
The constant = 9.0 x 109F–1m
4 o
Faradays constant, F = 9.65 x 104Cmol–1

© Tr.Chriscent AINEBYOONA PHYSICS DEPARTMENT ²⁰²⁴ Page 1

 SECTION A
1. (a) Define
(i) Work (1mark)
(ii) Friction (1mark)

(b) (i) Distinguish between a conservative force and a non-conservative force.

(2marks)
(ii) Give one example of each type of force. (1mark)
(c) (i) State the laws of static friction. (3marks)

(ii) Using the molecular theory explain the laws of solid friction.
(4 marks)

(iii) Describe an experiment to determine the coefficient of kinetic friction

between two solid surfaces. (4marks)

(d) A car of mass 1.2 x 103kg increases its speed from 10ms-1 to 20ms-1 while moving
up an incline of inclination 1 in 20. The car moves through 500m against a
constant resistance to motion of 300N. Calculate the driving force exerted by the
engine and a maximum speed the car can possibly attain with its engine working
at a constant rate. (5 marks)

2. (a) What is meant by the following terms?

(i) Velocity gradient. (1mark)
(ii) Coefficient of viscosity. (1mark)
(b) Derive an expression for the terminal velocity of steel ball bearing of radius r, and
density ρ, falling through a liquid of density σ and coefficient of viscosity η.
(5marks)
(c) (i) Define surface tension. (1mark)
(ii) Explain the origin of surface tension. (3marks)
(iii) Describe an experiment to measure the surface tension of a liquid by the
capillarity method. (6marks)
(d) Explain, with the aid of a diagram why air-flow over the wings of an aircraft at
take-off causes a lift. (3marks)

3. (a) What is meant by a conservative force, and give two examples? (2marks)

(b) (i) State the law of conservation of mechanical energy. (1mark)

(ii) A body of mass M, is projected vertically upwards with a speed, u. Show
that the law of conservation of mechanical energy is obeyed throughout its
motion. (5marks)

© Tr.Chriscent AINEBYOONA ✓PHYSICS DEPARTMENT ²⁰²⁴ Page 2

 (iii) Sketch a graph showing variation of kinetic energy of the body with time.
(1mark)

(c) A bullet of mass 20g moving horizontally strikes and gets embedded in a wooden
block of mass 500g resting on a horizontal table. The block slides through a
distance of 2.3m before coming to rest. If the coefficient of kinetic friction
between the block and the table is 0.3, calculate the
(i) Friction force between the block and the table. (2marks)
(ii) Velocity of the bullet just before it strikes the block. (4marks)
(d) (i) Define centre of gravity. (1mark)
(ii) Describe an experiment to determine the centre of gravity of an irregular
lamina. (4marks)
4. (a) Define the terms;
(i) Stress (1mark)
(ii) Work hardening (1mark)
(b) (i) Distinguish between elastic deformation and plastic deformation.
(2marks)
(ii) Describe an experiment to determine Young’s modulus of steel wire.
(6marks)
(c) Two wires of lengths L1 and L2 cross sectional areas A1 and A2 and Young’s
moduli E1 and E2 respectively are joined in series. Show that the force, F exerted
on the wire to produce total extension, e is given by,

E 2 E1 A2 A 
F
L2 E1 A  L1E 2 A e
1
(4marks)
1 2

(d) (i) Distinguish between stable equilibrium and unstable equilibrium.

(2marks)
(ii) A uniform ladder 5.0m long and of mass 40kg rests with its upper end
against a smooth vertical wall and its lower end 3.0m from the wall on a
rough ground. Calculate the force at the foot of the ladder. (4marks)

© Tr.Chriscent AINEBYOONA ✓ PHYSICS DEPARTMENT ²⁰²⁴ Page 3

 SECTION B

5. (a) Define the following

(i) Isothermal change. (1mark)
(ii) Critical temperature. (1mark)
(b) The equation of state for one mole of real gas of volume, V and pressure P at a
 a 
temperature T is given by  P  2 V  b   RT where a and b are constants.

 V 
a
Explain the significance of the terms 2 and b. (2marks)
V
(c) (i) State the kinetic theory of matter. (1mark)

(ii) Describe briefly an experiment to demonstrate the kinetic theory of matter.

(3marks)
2
(iii) A gas of density  , with molecules moving at a mean speed, C , is
contained in a cube of side, l. Show that the pressure exerted by the gas is
1 2
P  c (4marks)
3
(d) (i) Distinguish between saturated vapour pressure and partial pressure.
(2marks)

(ii) Explain the effect of increase in temperature on the saturated vapour

pressure of a liquid. (3marks)

(e) An ideal gas at a pressure of 1.0 x 105 Pa and temperature of 27oC is compressed
isothermally to half its volume. The gas then expands adiabatically to its original
volume. Taking   1.4, calculate the final temperature of the gas. (3marks)

6. (a) (i) State the laws of black body radiation. (2marks)

(ii) Why is black body radiation referred to as temperature radiation?
(1mark)
(iii) Sketch the variation of intensity of radiation emitted with wavelength for a
black body at three different temperatures. (3marks)
(b) (i) If the equilibrium temperature of the earth’s surface is T and the total rate
𝑬
of emission by the sun is E, show that 𝑻 = , where σ = Stefan’s constant
𝟏𝟔𝝈𝝅𝑹𝟐
and R is the radius of the earth’s orbit around the sun. (4marks)
(ii) State the assumption made in b (i) above. (1mark)

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 (c) (i) What is meant by temperature gradient as applied to a thermal
conductor? (1mark)
(ii) Two perfectly lagged metal bars A and B, each of length 20cm, are
arranged in parallel, with their hot ends maintained at 90o C and their cold
ends at 30oC. If the cross sectional area of each bar is 2.5cm2, find the net
rate of heat flow through the parallel bars. Take thermal conductivity of A
= 400Wm-1K-1 and that of B = 200Wm-1K-1. (4marks)
(d) Explain how Greenhouse effect leads to global warming. (4marks)

7. ( a) (i) State Boyle’s law. (1mark)

(ii) Describe an experiment to verify Boyle’s law. (6marks)
(ii) Explain why the pressure of a fixed mass of gas rises if its temperature is
increased. (2marks)
(b) (i) Define the term thermometric property and give four examples.
(3marks)
(ii) State two qualities of a good thermometric property. (1mark)
(c) (i) With reference to a liquid in glass thermometer, describe the steps
involved in setting up a Kelvin scale of temperature. (3marks)
(ii) State one advantage and one disadvantage of the resistance thermometer.
(1mark)
(d) A resistance thermometer has a resistance of 21.42Ω at the ice point, 29.10Ω at
steam point and 28.11Ω at some unknown temperature Ɵ. Calculate Ɵ on the
scale of this thermometer. (3marks)

SECTION C
8. (a) Define the terms
(i) Mass number. (1mark)
(ii) Decay constant. (1mark)

(b) Derive the relation between half-life, T 1 and the decay constant λ. (3marks)
2

(c) With the aid of a labelled diagram describe the operation of a diffusion cloud
chamber in detecting radiation. (6marks)
(d) (i) What is meant by binding energy of a nucleus? (1mark)

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 (ii) Distinguish between nuclear fusion and nuclear fission. (2marks)

(iii) State the significance of each of the process in (ii) above. (1mark)
210
(e) The radioactive nuclei 84 Po emits alpha particles and the product nuclei are of
206
82 Pb , taking the mass of 210
84 Pb  209.937u, 206
82 Pb  205.929u , 24 He  4.002u
and 1 u = 931 MeV.
(i) Calculate the energy released in the disintegration. (4marks)

(ii) Explain why not all the energy does not appear as the kinetic energy of the
alpha particle. (1mark)

9. (a) (i) Describe with aid of a diagram, the production of cathode rays.
(4marks)

(ii) State and justify two properties of cathode rays. (2marks)

(b) Explain each of the following terms as applied to photo-electric emission:

(i) Stopping potential. (1mark)

(ii) Threshold frequency. (1mark)

(c) Explain X-ray diffraction by crystals and derive Bragg’s law. (6marks)

(d) The potential difference between the cathode and the anode of an X-ray tube is
5.0 x 10-4 V. If only 0.4% of the kinetic energy of the electrons is converted into
X-rays and the rest is dissipated as heat in the target at a rate of 600W, find the

(i) Current that flows. (3marks)

(ii) Speed of the electrons striking the target. (3marks)

10. (a) What is meant by the following.
(i) Isotopes. (1mark)
(ii) Specific charge of an ion? (1mark)
(b) With the help of a diagram, describe how specific charge of an ion can be
determined using the Bainbridge mass spectrometer. (6marks)

(c) In a Bainbridge mass spectrometer, the magnesium ions 24𝑀𝑔+

and 26𝑀𝑔2+ are deflected in circular paths by a uniform magnetic field. Calculate;
(i) The ratio of the specific charges of the two ions. (3marks)

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 (ii) The radius of the path of the heavier ion if that of the lighter ion is 0.36m.
(2 marks)
(d) In a simple model of the hydrogen atom, an electron of mass m and charge –e,
moves in a circular orbit about the nucleus.
𝒆𝟐
(i) Show that the kinetic energy of the electron is given by , where r is
𝟖𝝅𝒓
the radius of the electron’s orbit,  is the permittivity of free space.
(2marks)
𝒏𝒉
(ii) Given that the angular momentum of the electron is 𝟐𝝅, where n is an
integer and h is Planck’s constant, show that the total energy of the
𝒎𝒆𝟒
electron is 𝑬𝒏 = − 𝟐 . (3marks)
𝟖𝒏𝟐 𝒉𝟐 

(iii) Explain the significance of the minus sign in the expression

for 𝐸𝑛 in (d)(ii) above. (2marks)

END
ENJOY YOUR LAST WEEK OF HOLIDAYS!

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