Cambridge International Examinations

Cambridge International Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced Level

* 9 4 7 0 6 7 4 8 5 4 *

9702/21

PHYSICS
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions

October/November 2015
1 hour

Candidates answer on the Question Paper.

No Additional Materials are required.
READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST
Write your Centre number, candidate number and name on all the work you hand in.
Write in dark blue or black pen.
You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams or graphs.
Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid.
DO NOT WRITE IN ANY BARCODES.
Answer all questions.
Electronic calculators may be used.
You may lose marks if you do not show your working or if you do not use appropriate units.
At the end of the examination, fasten all your work securely together.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.

This document consists of 15 printed pages and 1 blank page.

DC (LK/SW) 97490/3
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Data
c = 3.00 10 8 m s 1

speed of light in free space,

permeability of free space,

0 = 4 10 7 H m1

permittivity of free space,

0 = 8.85 10 12 F m1
(

1
= 8.99 10 9 m F1 )
40

elementary charge,

e = 1.60 10 19 C

the Planck constant,

h = 6.63 10 34 J s

unified atomic mass constant,

u = 1.66 10 27 kg

rest mass of electron,

me = 9.11 10 31 kg

rest mass of proton,

mp = 1.67 10 27 kg

molar gas constant,

R = 8.31 J K 1 mol 1

the Avogadro constant,

NA = 6.02 10 23 mol 1

the Boltzmann constant,

k = 1.38 10 23 J K1

gravitational constant,

G = 6.67 10 11 N m 2 kg 2

acceleration of free fall,

g = 9.81 m s 2

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Formulae
uniformly accelerated motion,

s = ut + 12 at 2
v 2 = u 2 + 2as

work done on/by a gas,

W = pV

gravitational potential,

= Gm
r

hydrostatic pressure,

p = gh

pressure of an ideal gas,

p=

simple harmonic motion,

a = 2x

velocity of particle in s.h.m.,

v = v0 cos t
v = (x02 x 2)

electric potential,

V=

capacitors in series,

1
3

Nm 2
<c >
V

Q
40r

1/C = 1/C1 + 1/C2 + . . .

capacitors in parallel,

C = C1 + C2 + . . .

energy of charged capacitor,

W = 12 QV

resistors in series,

R = R1 + R2 + . . .

resistors in parallel,

1/R = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + . . .

alternating current/voltage,

x = x0 sin t

radioactive decay,

x = x0 exp( t)

decay constant,

= 0.693

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Answer all the questions in the spaces provided.

(a) State two S base quantities other than mass, length and time.
1. ...............................................................................................................................................
2. ...............................................................................................................................................
[2]
(b) A beam is clamped at one end and an object X is attached to the other end of the beam, as
shown in Fig. 1.1.
l
oscillation
of X

clamp

beam

object X
Fig. 1.1

The object X is made to oscillate vertically.

The time period T of the oscillations is given by
T=K

Ml 3
E

where M is the mass of X,

l is the length between the clamp and X,
E is the Young modulus of the material of the beam
and
K is a constant.
(i)

1. Show that the S base units of the Young modulus are kg m1 s2.

[1]

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2. Determine the S base units of K.

S base units of K .......................................................... [2]

(ii)

Data in S units for the oscillations of X are shown in Fig. 1.2.

quantity

value

uncertainty

0.45

2.0%

0.892

0.2%

0.2068

0.1%

1.48 105

1.5%

Fig. 1.2
Calculate E and its actual uncertainty.

E = ..................................... ..................................... kg m1 s2 [4]

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BLANK PAGE

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2

The signal from a microwave detector is recorded on a cathode-ray oscilloscope (c.r.o.), as shown
in Fig. 2.1.
1 cm
1 cm

Fig. 2.1
The time-base setting on the c.r.o. is 50 ps cm1.
(a) Using Fig. 2.1, determine the wavelength of the microwaves.

wavelength = ........................................................ m [4]

(b) The signal from a radio wave detector is recorded on the same c.r.o.
The wavelength of the radio waves is 1.5 103 m.
Determine the time-base setting required to display the same number of oscillations on the
c.r.o. as shown in Fig. 2.1.

time-base setting = ....................................... unit........................ [2]

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3

(a) An object is moved from point P to point R either by a direct path or by the path P to Q to R,
as shown in Fig. 3.1.
R
vertical
object
horizontal

P
Fig. 3.1

P and Q are on the same horizontal level. R is vertically above Q.

Explain whether the work done moving the object against the gravitational field is the same or
different along paths PR and PQR.
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................[2]
(b) A ball is thrown with an initial velocity V at an angle to the horizontal, as shown in Fig. 3.2.

path of ball

e
horizontal
Fig. 3.2 (not to scale)
The variation with time t of the height h of the ball is shown in Fig. 3.3.
12.0
10.0
h/m
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0

1.00

2.00
Fig. 3.3

Air resistance is negligible.

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3.00

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(i)

Use the time to reach maximum height to determine the vertical component Vv of the
velocity of the ball for time t = 0.

Vv = ........................................................ m s1 [2]
(ii)

The horizontal displacement of the ball at t = 3.00 s is 25.5 m.

On Fig. 3.4, draw the variation with t of the horizontal displacement x of the ball.
30

x/m
20

10

1.00

2.00

3.00
t /s

Fig. 3.4
[1]
(iii)

For the ball at maximum height, calculate the ratio

potential energy of the ball
.
kinetic energy of the ball

ratio = .......................................................... [3]

(iv)

In practice, air resistance is not negligible. State and explain the effect of air resistance
on the time taken for the ball to reach maximum height.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................

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4

Fig. 4.1 shows a metal cylinder of height 4.5 cm and base area 24 cm2.

metal cylinder

4.5 cm

base area 24 cm2

Fig. 4.1
The density of the metal is 7900 kg m3.
(a) Show that the mass of the cylinder is 0.85 kg.

[2]
(b) The cylinder is placed on a plank, as shown in Fig. 4.2.
plank
cylinder

40
horizontal
Fig. 4.2
The plank is at an angle of 40 to the horizontal.

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Calculate the pressure on the plank due to the cylinder.

pressure = .................................................... Pa [3]

(c) The cylinder then slides down the plank with a constant acceleration of 3.8 m s2.
A constant frictional force f acts on the cylinder.
Calculate the frictional force f.

f = ...................................................... N [3]

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(a) A progressive wave transfers energy. A stationary wave does not transfer energy. State two
other differences between progressive waves and stationary waves.
1. ...............................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
2. ...............................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
[2]
(b) A stationary wave is formed on a stretched string between two fixed points A and B.
The variation of the displacement y of particles of the string with distance x along the string
for the wave at time t = 0 is shown on Fig. 5.1.
10
position of
particles at t = 0
5
y / mm
A
0

B
1.0

2.0

x /m

10
Fig. 5.1
The wave has a period of 20 ms and a wavelength of 1.2 m. The maximum amplitude of the
particles of the string is 5.0 mm.
(i)

On Fig. 5.1, draw a line to represent the position of the string at t = 5.0 ms.

(ii)

State the phase difference between the particles of the string at x = 0.40 m and
at x = 0.80 m.

[2]

phase difference = ......................... unit .................... [1]

(iii)

State and explain the change in the kinetic energy of a particle at an antinode between
t = 0 and t = 5.0 ms. A numerical value is not required.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................[2]

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(a) Define electromotive force (e.m.f.) for a battery.

...................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................. [1]
(b) A battery of e.m.f. 6.0 V and internal resistance 0.50 is connected in series with two resistors
X and Y, as shown in Fig. 6.1.
6.0 V

0.50 1

4.0 1

12 1

Y
Fig. 6.1

The resistance of X is 4.0 and the resistance of Y is 12 .

Calculate
(i)

the current in the circuit,

current = ....................................................... A [2]

(ii)

the terminal potential difference (p.d.) across the battery.

p.d. = ....................................................... V [1]

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(c) A resistor Z is now connected in parallel with resistor Y in the circuit in (b). The new
arrangement is shown in Fig. 6.2.
6.0 V

0.50 1

4.0 1

12 1

Y
Z
Fig. 6.2

Resistor Y is made from a wire of length l and diameter d. Resistor Z is a wire made from the
same material as Y. The length of the wire for Z is l / 2 and the diameter is d / 2.
(i)

Calculate the resistance R of the combination of resistors Y and Z.

R = ....................................................... [3]
(ii)

State and explain the effect on the terminal p.d. across the battery.
A numerical value is not required.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [2]

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(d) For the circuits given in (b) and (c), show that the ratio
power developed in the external circuit in Fig. 6.1
power developed in the external circuit in Fig. 6.2
is approximately 0.8.

[3]

Two parallel, vertical metal plates in a vacuum are connected to a power supply and a switch, as
shown in Fig. 7.1.
path of _-particles
metal

metal
radioactive
source

power
supply
Fig. 7.1
A radioactive source emitting -particles is placed below the plates. The path of the -particles is
shown on Fig. 7.1. The switch is closed producing a potential difference (p.d.) across the plates.
This gives rise to a uniform electric field between the plates.
The separation of the plates is 12 mm.
(a) (i)
(ii)

On Fig. 7.1, draw the path of the -particles.

[1]

Explain why the metal plates are placed in a vacuum.

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

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(iii)

Calculate the p.d. required to produce an electric field of 140 MV m1.

p.d. = ................................................... MV [2]

(b) The -particle source is replaced by a -particle source. By reference to the properties of
-radiation and -radiation, suggest three possible differences in the deflection observed with
-particles.
1. ...............................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
2. ...............................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
3. ...............................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
[3]
(c) Complete Fig. 7.2 to show the changes in the proton number Z and the nucleon number A of
different radioactive nuclei when either an -particle or a -particle is emitted.
emitted particle

change in Z

change in A

-particle
-particle
Fig. 7.2
[1]

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