4

2 (a) (i) Define pressure.

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

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

(ii) Describe how pressure in a liquid varies with its depth and with its density.

variation with depth

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

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

variation with density

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

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

(b) State two energy resources for which the Sun is not the main source.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

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

(c) State and explain whether each of the following methods of electrical power generation is
renewable.

(i) power generation in a nuclear power station

statement ..........................................................................................................................

explanation ........................................................................................................................

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

(ii) power generation from waves in the sea

statement ..........................................................................................................................

explanation ........................................................................................................................

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

[Total: 9]

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3 (a) (i) State which state of matter, solid, liquid or gas, has the greatest thermal expansion and
which has the least.

greatest expansion ...........................................

least expansion ................................................

[2]

(ii) Describe, in terms of the motion and arrangement of particles, the structures of solids
and gases.

solids .................................................................................................................................

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

gases .................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[3]

(b) (i) Define specific heat capacity.

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

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

(ii) A student carries out an experiment to determine the specific heat capacity of a metal. A
cylinder of the metal is heated by a 12 W electrical heater.

State the readings that the student takes.

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

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

..................................................................................................................................... [3]

[Total: 10]

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2 A rigid uniform beam of weight W is connected to a fixed support by a hinge, as shown in Fig. 2.1.

0.50 m 0.10 m 0.20 m 0.40 m

hinge

horizontal
fixed 30°
beam
support
W 0.30 N 4.8 N string
spring
ground

Fig. 2.1 (not to scale)

A compressed spring exerts a total force of 8.2 N vertically upwards on the horizontal beam. A block
of weight 0.30 N rests on the beam. The right‑hand end of the beam is connected to the ground by
a string at an angle of 30° to the horizontal. The tension in the string is 4.8 N. The distances along
the beam are shown in Fig. 2.1.

The beam is in equilibrium. Assume that the hinge is frictionless.

(a) (i) Show that the vertical component of the tension in the string is 2.4 N.

[1]

(ii) By taking moments about the hinge, determine the weight W of the beam.

W = ...................................................... N [3]

(iii) Calculate the horizontal component of the force exerted on the beam by the hinge.

force = ...................................................... N [1]

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(b) The spring obeys Hooke’s law and has an elastic potential energy of 0.32 J.

Calculate the compression of the spring.

compression = ...................................................... m [2]

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3 A block is pulled in a straight line along a rough horizontal surface by a varying force X, as shown
in Fig. 3.1.

momentum p
block
force X rough horizontal
surface

Fig. 3.1

Air resistance is negligible. Assume that the frictional force exerted on the block by the surface is
constant and has magnitude 2.0 N.

The variation with time t of the momentum p of the block is shown in Fig. 3.2.

6
p / kg m s–1
5

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
t/s

Fig. 3.2

(a) State Newton’s second law of motion.

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

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

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(b) Use Fig. 3.2 to determine, for the block at time t = 2.0 s, the magnitude of:

(i) the resultant force on the block

resultant force = ...................................................... N [1]

(ii) the force X.

X = ...................................................... N [1]

(c) On Fig. 3.3, sketch a graph to show the variation of force X with time t from t = 0 to t = 6.0 s.

4.0

3.5

3.0
X/N
2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
t/s

Fig. 3.3
[3]

[Total: 6]

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4 A beaker in air contains a liquid. The base of the beaker is in contact with the liquid and has
area A, as shown in Fig. 4.1.

beaker

liquid
h
base area A

Fig. 4.1

The liquid has density ρ and fills the beaker to a depth h.

(a) By using the definitions of pressure and density, show that

p = ρ gh

where p is the pressure due to the liquid that is exerted on the base of the beaker and g is the
acceleration of free fall.

[3]

(b) Suggest why the equation in (a) does not give the total pressure on the base of the beaker.

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

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

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(c) Fig. 4.2 shows the variation of the total pressure inside the liquid with depth x below the
surface.

9.66

9.65
pressure / 104 Pa
9.64

9.63

9.62

9.61

9.60
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
x / cm

Fig. 4.2

Determine the density of the liquid.

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

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(d) A solid cylinder is held stationary by a wire so that the base of the cylinder is level with the
surface of the liquid, as shown in Fig. 4.3.

wire 0.53 N
cross-sectional area
3.7 × 10– 4 m2

cylinder
4.0 × 10–2 m
surface of liquid

Fig. 4.3 (not to scale)

The cylinder has length 4.0 × 10–2 m and cross‑sectional area 3.7 × 10–4 m2. The tension in
the wire is 0.53 N.

The cylinder is now lowered and then held stationary by the wire so that the top of the cylinder
is level with the surface of the liquid.

Calculate the new tension in the wire.

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

[Total: 8]

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4 What could reduce systematic errors?

A averaging a large number of measurements

B careful calibration of measuring instruments
C reducing the sample size
D repeating measurements

2
5 The power loss P in a resistor is calculated using the formula P = V .
R

The percentage uncertainty in the potential difference V is 3% and the percentage uncertainty in
the resistance R is 2%.

What is the percentage uncertainty in P ?

A 4% B 7% C 8% D 11%

6 A lead sphere is released from rest at point X, a long way above the surface of a planet. The
sphere falls in a vacuum. After a time of 4.0 s, it has fallen through a vertical distance of 3.0 m.
Assume the acceleration of free fall is constant.

How far will the sphere have fallen from point X at a time of 20 s after its release?

A 15 m B 75 m C 80 m D 2000 m

7 A box rests on the Earth, as shown.

Newton’s third law describes how forces of the same type act in pairs. One of the forces of a pair
is the weight W of the box.

Which arrow represents the other force of this pair?

box
D
not to
W scale
C
A
Earth

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8 A snowflake is falling from the sky on a still day. Its weight acts vertically downwards and air
resistance acts vertically upwards. As the snowflake falls, air resistance increases until it is equal
to the weight and there is no resultant force acting on the snowflake.

air resistance

weight

When the forces become equal, which statement is correct?

A The snowflake accelerates.

B The snowflake decelerates.
C The snowflake is stationary.
D The snowflake moves at a constant velocity.

9 Two objects X and Y in an isolated system undergo a perfectly elastic collision. The velocities of
the objects before and after the collision are shown.

20 m s–1 12 m s–1 10 m s–1 v

X Y X Y

before after
collision collision

What is the speed v of Y after the collision?

A 2.0 m s–1 B 18 m s–1 C 22 m s–1 D 24 m s–1

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12 A heavy ball hanging from a cable is held in equilibrium by a chain, as shown.

point of
suspension

cable

chain

heavy ball

Which vector diagram shows the three forces acting on the ball?

A B

tension tension
in cable in cable
weight weight
of ball of ball

tension tension
in chain in chain

C D

tension weight tension weight

in cable of ball in cable of ball

tension tension
in chain in chain

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13 At sea level, atmospheric pressure is 100 kPa and the density of air is 1.3 kg m–3.

Assume that the density of air decreases linearly with height above sea level.

What is an estimate of the total height of the atmosphere based on this information?

A 7.8 km B 16 km C 77 km D 150 km

14 Trains supply coal to a power station. The table shows quantities describing the operation of the
power station.

symbol unit

power station average output P W

number of trains per day N
mass of coal on a train M kg
energy from 1 kg of coal E J
number of seconds in one day S

Which expression gives the efficiency of the power station?

A PS B PSN C NME D NM
NME ME PS PSE

15 A piston in a gas supply pump has an area of 500 cm2 and it moves a distance of 30 cm.

The pump moves the gas against a fixed pressure of 4000 Pa.

How much work is done by the piston?

A 60 J B 6.0 × 103 J C 6.0 × 105 J D 6.0 × 107 J

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