General Certificate of Advanced Level

PHYSICS 6032/3
PAPER 3

14 August 2023 2 hours 30 minutes

Additional materials:
Answer paper
Electronic calculator

TIME: 2 hours 30 minutes

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Write your name in capital letters on a separate sheet of paper making sure the sheet of
paper is properly fastened.

Answer all questions

Your answers must be clear for the examiner to see and neatly written otherwise dirty work
will result in penalties

All working for numerical answers must be shown

INFORMATION TO CANDIDATES
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question
You are reminded of the need for good English and clear presentation in your answers

This question paper consists of 12 printed pages.

Copyright: The Exclusive Class, August 2023
 DATA

speed of light in free space c = 3.00 x 108ms−1

permeability of free space µ𝑜 = 4𝜋 x 10−7 Hm−1

permittivity of free space ɛ0 = 8.85 x 10−12 Fm−1 ( 1/ 4𝜋ɛ0 = 8.99 x

109 mF−1)

elementary charge e = 1.60 x 10−19 C

the Planck constant h = 6.63 x 10−34 Js

unified atomic mass unit 1 u = 1.66 x 10−27 kg

rest mass of electron 𝑚𝑒 = 9.11 x 10−31 kg

rest mass of proton 𝑚𝑝 = 1.67 x 10−27 kg

molar gas constant R = 8.31 JK−1mol−1

the Avogadro constant 𝑁𝐴 = 6.02 x 1023mol−1

the Boltzmann constant k = 1.38 x 10−23 JK−1

gravitational constant G = 6.67 x 10−11Nm2kg−2

acceleration of free fall g = 9.81 ms−2

2|Page “ Physics is the only real science, the rest is just stamp collecting” ~Dr.Eng Exclusive
+263 788 728 137/ +263 714 446 456
 Answer all questions

1. (a) (i) Distinguish between derived and base units.

(ii) Express the units of coefficient of viscosity in terms of base units.
(iii) Poiseuille assumed that the rate of flow of a fluid through a horizontal tube under
streamline flow depends on:
 a, radius of the tube
 𝜂, viscosity of the fluid
𝑝
 , the pressure gradient along the tube
𝑙

Where 𝑝 = pressure difference across the length of the tube

𝑙 = length of the tube

Using Poiseuille’s assumption, derive an expression for the rate of flow of a liquid in

a horizontal tube in terms of a, l, p and 𝜂. [7]

𝑢𝑣
(b) The focal length f. of a lens is given by 𝑓 = 𝑢+𝑣 where u is the object distance and v is

the image distance. In one particular situation, values of u and v were:

u = (23 ±0.1) cm

v = (18.20 ± 0.01) cm

Determine the uncertainty in f and hence f. [4]

(c) A ball is thrown vertically upwards with an initial speed of 10𝑚𝑠 −1 from the edge of a roof which

is at a height 𝐻 = 20𝑚 above the ground.

i. How long does the ball take to hit the ground?

ii. At what velocity does the ball hit the ground? [5]

(d) A metal block of mass 4kg is on a plane inclined at an angle 30º to the horizontal as shown below.

3|Page “ Physics is the only real science, the rest is just stamp collecting” ~Dr.Eng Exclusive
+263 788 728 137/ +263 714 446 456
 Fig1.1

The block slides down the plane from rest and travels a distance of 1.0m in 2.0s. What is the frictional

force between the block and the inclined plane when the block is sliding? [3]

(e)

i. Satellites used for telecommunications are frequently placed in a geostationary orbit. State three
features of the motion of a satellite in a geostationary orbit.
ii. The planet Mars has radius 3.39 × 106 𝑚 and mass 6.50 × 1023 𝑘𝑔. The length of a day on Mars
is 24.6 hours. A satellite is to be placed in geostationary orbit about Mars. At what height above
the surface of Mars should the satellite be placed? [6]
2.
a) Distinguish between damped and forced oscillations. [1]
b) Fig 1.2 shows the variation of kinetic and potential energies with displacement for a particle of
mass, 2.0g on a spring executing simple harmonic motion.

Fig 2.1

4|Page “ Physics is the only real science, the rest is just stamp collecting” ~Dr.Eng Exclusive
+263 788 728 137/ +263 714 446 456
 i. Identify the graphs 1 and 2.
ii. Determine the
1. period of oscillation
2. the extension of the spring
iii. Explain the effect, if any, of using a driver force of increasing frequency on the oscillations
of the particle. [7]
c) (i) Explain the term resonance.

(ii) A well with vertical walls resonates with a sound note of frequency 7.0 Hz and does not

resonate at lower frequencies. Estimate the depth of the well, if speed of sound in air is

350𝑚𝑠 −1 . [4]

d)
i. State any conditions necessary for the production of an interference pattern besides
same amplitude and frequency. [1]
ii. In a Young’s double slit experiment, light of wavelength 644nm was used. Initially
the slit separation is 0.20mm and the distance between the screen and the double slit
is 1.00m. Throughout the experiment, the interference pattern was viewed from the
position of the double slit.
1. What is the angular separation between two neighboring bright fringes
formed on the screen?
2. If the screen is then shifted further away from the double slit, what changes,
if any, will occur to the interference pattern. [4]
iii. State how coherence can be achieved in order to observe interference of
1. Water waves in a ripple tank
2. Light waves in a double slit experiment [2]
iv. Fig 2.2 on the next page shows monochromatic yellow light falling normally on a
diffraction grating with 500 lines per millimeter and yellow spots are observed on a
rule 2.00m away. Calculate the wavelength of the light. [3]

5|Page “ Physics is the only real science, the rest is just stamp collecting” ~Dr.Eng Exclusive
+263 788 728 137/ +263 714 446 456
 Fig 2.2
e) Briefly explain the identification of minerals by X-Ray diffraction [3]

3.
a. (i) Define
1. electric potential
2. the farad [2]

(ii) A capacitor of capacitance C has a charge, Q on one of its plates whilst the two plates are

separated by a distance, r. Show that the capacitance of the capacitor is 𝐶 = 4𝜋𝜀° 𝑟. [2]

b. The electric potential at a certain distance from a point charge is 500 volts. The electric field at
that point is 500𝑁𝐶 −1 .
i. What is the value of the charge?
ii. What is the distance from the point charge? [2]
c. A light dependent resistor in the potential divider circuit shown in Fig. 3.1 has a resistance which
varies between 1000Ώ in bright light and 5.00MΏ in darkness.

6|Page “ Physics is the only real science, the rest is just stamp collecting” ~Dr.Eng Exclusive
+263 788 728 137/ +263 714 446 456
 Calculate the value of the series resistor, R which is needed so that the potential at Y is 1.2mV in
darkness. [3]
d. A strain gauge is securely fixed to a loaded cylinder wall under strain test and connected to a
circuit as shown in Fig 3.2.

Fig 3.2
i. Describe and explain the change in potential at X as the amount of compressed air is in
increased.
ii. State the advantage of using two strain gauges in this arrangement.
iii. Suggest another practical use of a similar circuit to that in Fig 3.2. [5]
e. A large horseshoe magnet produces a uniform magnetic field of flux density B, between it poles.
Outside the region of the poles, the flux density is zero. The magnet is placed on a top-pan balance
and a stiff wire XY is situated between its poles, as shown in Fig 3.3.

Fig 3.3

7|Page “ Physics is the only real science, the rest is just stamp collecting” ~Dr.Eng Exclusive
+263 788 728 137/ +263 714 446 456
 The wire XY is horizontal and normal to the magnetic field. The length of the wire between the
poles is 4.4cm. A direct current of magnitude 2.6A is passed through the wire in the direction from
X to Y. The reading on the top-pan balance increases from 60.0g to 62.3g.
i. State and explain the polarity of the pole P of the magnet.
ii. Calculate the flux density between the poles. [5]
f. Fig 3.4 shows a circuit used in controlling the heating system of a room.

Fig 3.4
i. Calculate the output voltage when 𝑅1 = 6.0 𝑀Ώ and 𝑅2 = 10𝑘Ώ
ii. For the relay to operate, the voltage across it must be 5.0V. Given that 𝑅1 = 2.0𝑀Ώ, deduce
the value of 𝑅2 . [6]
4.
a. Distinguish between elastic and plastic deformation. [1]
b. A brass wire 300cm long of cross-sectional area 1.0 × 10−3 𝑐𝑚2 is stretched 1.0mm by a load of
400g. The breaking load of the wire is 125N.
i. Calculate the Young Modulus, E, for brass.

8|Page “ Physics is the only real science, the rest is just stamp collecting” ~Dr.Eng Exclusive
+263 788 728 137/ +263 714 446 456
 ii. Determine the percentage strain produced in the wire.
iii. Use the value of E in (i) to calculate the force required to produce a 3.3% strain in the same
wire.
iv. State and comment on you assumptions in (iii). [10]
c. An ideal gas is one that follows the ideal gas equation of state.
i. Explain the terms in the ideal equation of state
ii. One molecule of oxygen was put in a 500𝑐𝑚−3 container. Calculate the temperature of the
oxygen gas if the molecule is moving at 590𝑚𝑠 −1 .
iii. State and explain whether your answer in (ii) is reliable or not. [5]
d. The density of hydrogen at 0ºC and 1.01 × 105 Pa pressure is 9.0 × 10−2 𝑘𝑔𝑚−3.
Determine the root mean square speed of the hydrogen. [3]
e. Define specific latent heat of vaporization (𝑙𝑣 ).
During an experiment to determine 𝑙𝑣 , of a liquid, the readings were recorded in table 1.1.
Table 1.1

i. Calculate the value of 𝑙𝑣 .

ii. Explain why the experiment was repeated for different values of voltage and current.
iii. Give any one assumption made in your calculation in (ii) [6]

TOTAL 100 Marks

“You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water. Motivation will get
you started but discipline will keep you going.” -Mr. Ex

9|Page “ Physics is the only real science, the rest is just stamp collecting” ~Dr.Eng Exclusive
+263 788 728 137/ +263 714 446 456