110 marks

1. This question is about length contraction and simultaneity.

(a) Define proper length.

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(1)

(b) A spaceship is travelling to the right at speed 0.75 c, through a tunnel which is open at both ends. Observer A
is standing at the centre of one side of the tunnel. Observer A, for whom the tunnel is at rest, measures the
length of the tunnel to be 240 m and the length of the spaceship to be 200 m. The diagram below shows this
situation from the perspective of observer A.

Observer B, for whom the spaceship is stationary, is standing at the centre of the spaceship.

(i) Calculate the Lorentz factor, γ, for this situation.

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(1)

(ii) Calculate the length of the tunnel according to observer B.

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(1)

(iii) Calculate the length of the spaceship according to observer B.

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(1)

(iv) According to observer A, the spaceship is completely inside the tunnel for a short time. State and
explain whether or not, according to observer B, the spaceship is ever completely inside the tunnel.

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(2)

(c) Two sources of light are located at each end of the tunnel. The diagram below shows this situation from the
perspective of observer A.

According to observer A, at the instant when observer B passes observer A, the two sources of light emit a
flash. Observer A sees the two flashes simultaneously. Discuss whether or not observer B sees the two flashes
simultaneously.

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(4)
(Total 10 marks)

2. This question is about relativistic kinematics.

(a) State what is meant by an inertial frame of reference.

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(2)

(b) A spacecraft is moving with a speed of 0.80c with respect to observers on Earth. After 6.0 years of travel,
according to the spacecraft clocks, the spacecraft arrives at a distant solar system.

(i) Calculate the time the journey has taken according to an observer on Earth.

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(3)

(ii) Calculate the distance between the Earth and the solar system according to an observer on Earth.

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(2)

(iii) The spacecraft observers send a signal to Earth to announce that they have arrived at the solar system.
The spacecraft continues to move. Determine how long it will take the signal to arrive on Earth
according to the spacecraft observers.

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(3)
(Total 10 marks)

3. This question is about special relativity.

(a) State what is meant by an inertial frame of reference.

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(1)

(b) Aibhe is at rest in an inertial frame of reference A and Euan is at rest in an inertial frame of reference B. B is
moving in the x-direction, with speed v, relative to A. The table T is at rest with respect to Aibhe.

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 Aibhe measures the length of T to be 1.5 m and Euan measures it to be 1.2 m.

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 (i) Explain which observer measures the proper length of T.

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(1)

(ii) Determine the speed v.

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(4)

(c) Two insects land at the same point on T. According to a clock at rest with respect to Aibhe, one of the insects
lands 2.4 seconds after the other. Calculate, according to Euan, the time interval between the landings of each
insect.

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(1)

(d) Two other insects land at either end of the table. These two events may occur at the same time as measured
by one of the observers (Aibhe or Euan) but not to the other. Outline, with reference to the postulates of
relativity, why these times differ.

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(3)

(Total 10 marks)

4. This question is about power and efficiency.

–1
A bus is travelling at a constant speed of 6.2 m s along a section of road that is inclined at an angle of 6.0° to the

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 horizontal.

(a) (i) The bus is represented by the black dot shown below. Draw a labelled sketch to represent the forces
acting on the bus.

(4)

(ii) State the value of the rate of change of momentum of the bus.

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(1)

(b) The total output power of the engine of the bus is 70 kW and the efficiency of the engine is 35 %. Calculate
the input power to the engine.

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(c) The mass of the bus is 8.5 × 10 kg. Determine the rate of increase of gravitational potential energy of the
bus.

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(3)

(d) Using your answer to (c) and the data in (b), estimate the magnitude of the resistive forces acting on the bus.

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(Total 13 marks)

5. This question is about kinematics.

Lucy stands on the edge of a vertical cliff and throws a stone vertically upwards.

–1
The stone leaves her hand with a speed of 15 m s at the instant her hand is 80 m above the surface of the sea. Air
–2
resistance is negligible and the acceleration of free fall is 10 m s .

(a) Calculate the maximum height reached by the stone as measured from the point where it is thrown.

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 (b) Determine the time for the stone to reach the surface of the sea after leaving Lucy’s hand.

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(Total 5 marks)

6. This question is about collisions.

(a) State the principle of conservation of momentum.

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(2)

(b) In an experiment, an air-rifle pellet is fired into a block of modelling clay that rests on a table.

(not to scale)

The air-rifle pellet remains inside the clay block after the impact.

As a result of the collision, the clay block slides along the table in a straight line and comes to rest. Further
data relating to the experiment are given below.

Mass of air-rifle pellet = 2.0 g

Mass of clay block = 56 g
–1
Velocity of impact of air-rifle pellet = 140 m s
Stopping distance of clay block = 2.8 m

–1
(i) Show that the initial speed of the clay block after the air-rifle pellet strikes it is 4.8 m s .

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(2)

(ii) Calculate the average frictional force that the surface of the table exerts on the clay block whilst the
clay block is moving.

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(c) The experiment is repeated with the clay block placed at the edge of the table so that it is fired away from the
–1
table. The initial speed of the clay block is 4.3 m s horizontally. The table surface is 0.85 m above the
ground.

(not to scale)

(i) Ignoring air resistance, calculate the horizontal distance travelled by the clay block before it strikes
the ground.

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 (ii) The diagram in (c) shows the path of the clay block neglecting air resistance. On the diagram, draw
the approximate shape of the path that the clay block will take assuming that air resistance acts on the
clay block.
(3)
(Total 15 marks)

7. This question is about circular motion.

A ball of mass 0.25 kg is attached to a string and is made to rotate with constant speed v along a horizontal circle of
radius r = 0.33 m. The string is attached to the ceiling and makes an angle of 30° with the vertical.

(a) (i) On the diagram above, draw and label arrows to represent the forces on the ball in the position shown.
(2)

(ii) State and explain whether the ball is in equilibrium.

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(2)

(b) Determine the speed of rotation of the ball.

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(3)
(Total 7 marks)

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8. This question is about impulse.

(a) A net force of magnitude F acts on a body. Define the impulse I of the force.

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(1)

–1
(b) A ball of mass 0.0750 kg is travelling horizontally with a speed of 2.20 m s . It strikes a vertical wall and
rebounds horizontally.

Due to the collision with the wall, 20 % of the ball’s initial kinetic energy is dissipated.

–1
(i) Show that the ball rebounds from the wall with a speed of 1.97 m s .

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(2)

(ii) Show that the impulse given to the ball by the wall is 0.313 N s.

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 (c) The ball strikes the wall at time t = 0 and leaves the wall at time t = T.

The sketch graph shows how the force F that the wall exerts on the ball is assumed to vary with time t.

The time T is measured electronically to equal 0.0894 s.

Use the impulse given in (b)(ii) to estimate the average value of F.

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(4)
(Total 9 marks)

9. This question is about the simple pendulum.

(a) A pendulum consists of a bob suspended by a light inextensible string from a rigid support. The pendulum
bob is moved to one side and then released. The sketch graph shows how the displacement of the pendulum
bob undergoing simple harmonic motion varies with time over one time period.

On the sketch graph above,

(i) label with the letter A a point at which the acceleration of the pendulum bob is a maximum.
(1)

(ii) label with the letter V a point at which the speed of the pendulum bob is a maximum.
(1)

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 (b) Explain why the magnitude of the tension in the string at the midpoint of the oscillation is greater than the
weight of the pendulum bob.

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(3)

(c) The pendulum bob is moved to one side until its centre is 25 mm above its rest position and then released.

(i) Show that the speed of the pendulum bob at the midpoint of the oscillation is
–1
0.70 m s .

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(2)

(ii) The mass of the pendulum bob is 0.057 kg. The centre of the pendulum bob is 0.80 m below the
support. Calculate the magnitude of the tension in the string when the pendulum bob is vertically
below the point of suspension.

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(3)

(d) The point of suspension of the pendulum bob is moved from side to side with a small amplitude and at a
variable driving frequency f.

For each value of the driving frequency a steady constant amplitude A is reached. The oscillations of the
pendulum bob are lightly damped.

(i) On the axes below, sketch a graph to show the variation of A with f.

(2)

(ii) Explain, with reference to the graph in (d)(i), what is meant by resonance.

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(2)

(e) The pendulum bob is now immersed in water and the variable frequency driving force in (d) is again applied.
Suggest the effect this immersion of the pendulum bob will have on the shape of your graph in (d)(i).

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(2)
(Total 16 marks)

10. Mechanical power

(a) A car drives up a straight incline that is 4.8 km long. The total height of the incline is 0.30 km.

–1
The car moves up the incline at a steady speed of 16 m s . During the climb, the average friction force acting
2 4
on the car is 5.0 ´ 10 N. The total weight of the car and the driver is 1.2 ´ 10 N.

(i) Determine the time it takes the car to travel from the bottom to the top of the incline.

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(2)

(ii) Determine the work done against the gravitational force in travelling from the bottom to the top of the
incline.

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(1)

(iii) Using your answers to (a)(i) and (a)(ii), calculate a value for the minimum power output of the car
engine needed to move the car from the bottom to the top of the incline.

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(4)

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 (b) From the top of the incline, the road continues downwards in a straight line. At the point where the road starts
to go downwards, the driver of the car in (a), stops the car to look at the view. In continuing his journey, the
driver decides to save fuel. He switches off the engine and allows the car to move freely down the hill. The
car descends a height of 0.30 km in a distance of 6.4 km before levelling out.

2
The average resistive force acting on the car is 5.0 ´ 10 N.

Estimate

(i) the acceleration of the car down the incline.

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(5)

(ii) the speed of the car at the bottom of the incline.

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(2)

(c) In fact, for the last few hundred metres of its journey down the hill, the car travels at constant speed. State the
value of the frictional force acting on the car whilst it is moving at constant speed.

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(1)
(Total 15 marks)

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