SINGAPORE JUNIOR PHYSICS OLYMPIAD 2013

GENERAL ROUND

31 August, 2013

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Time Allowed: ONE hour THIRTY minutes

INSTRUCTIONS

1. This paper contains 50 multiple choice questions and 19 printed pages.

2. Each of the questions or incomplete statements is followed by five suggested an-

swers or completions. Select the one that is best in each case and then shade the
corresponding bubble on the answer sheet.

3. Only the answer sheet will be collected at the end of the test. Answers written
anywhere else will not be marked.

4. Use 2B pencil only. Using any other type of pencil or pen may result in answers
unrecognizable by the machine.

5. Answer all questions. Marks will NOT be deducted for wrong answers.

6. Scientific calculators are allowed in this test. Graphic calculators are not allowed.

7. A table of information is given in page 2.

 TABLE OF INFORMATION

Acceleration due to gravity at Earth surface, g = 9.80 m/s2

Universal gas constant, R = 8.31 J/(mol · K)

Vacuum permittivity, 0 = 8.85 × 10−12 C2 /(N · m2 )

Vacuum permeability, μ0 = 4π × 10−7 T · m/A

Atomic mass unit, u = 1.66 × 10−27 kg

Speed of light in vacuum, c = 3.00 × 108 m/s

Charge of electron, e = 1.60 × 10−19 C

Planck’s constant, h = 6.63 × 10−34 J · s

Mass of electron, me = 9.11 × 10−31 kg

Mass of proton, mp = 1.67 × 10−27 kg

Boltzmann constant, k = 1.38 × 10−23 J/K

Avogadro’s number, NA = 6.02 × 1023 mol−1

Standard atmosphere pressure, P0 = 1.01 × 105 Pa

Density of water, ρw = 1000 kg/m3

Specific heat (capacity) of water, cw = 4.19 × 103 J/(kg · ◦C)

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1. Which of the following is not a universal constant?

(A) Mass of the electron me

(B) Speed of the light c
(C) Acceleration due to gravity at Earth’s surface g
(D) Charge of electron e
(E) Universal gas constant R

2. Two blocks A and B, of the same mass m, are placed on a smooth horizontal table
as shown in the figure below. Forces, FA and FB are acting on the two blocks as
shown. Given that FA > FB , the force exerted by block A on block B

(A) is zero.
(B) is pointing to the left.
(C) is pointing to the right
(D) may be pointing either to the left or to the right.
(E) is greater than the force exerted by block B on A.

3. Consider two carts, A and B, of masses m and 2m respectively, are initially at

rest on an air track. If you push both carts with the same force and for the same
duration of time, the ratio of final momentum of cart A to final momentum of cart
B is

(A) 1 : 4.
(B) 1 : 2.
(C) 1 : 1.
(D) 2 : 1.
(E) 4 : 1.

3
4. Suppose 1.0 kg of clay travelling at speed v smashes into 1.0 kg of clay which is
not moving. They stick and become one 2.0 kg lump of clay. What proportion of
the kinetic energy in the originally moving lump was turned into heat and sound
during the collision?

(A) 0%
(B) 25%
(C) 50%
(D) 75%
(E) 100%

5. A particle with mass m and initial speed v0 is subject to a velocity dependent

damping force of the form bv n where b is a constant. The stopping time can be
expressed as Amαbβ v0γ where α, β and γ are the exponents. A can be assumed to
be dimensionless. α, β and γ are respectively

(A) 1, −1, 1 − n
(B) −1, −1, n
(C) 1, 2, n
(D) 2, −1, 1 − n
(E) −1, 1, n − 1

6. A boat is traveling in a river at speed v1 relative to still water, with the speed
of the water current as v2. When the boat steers perpendicularly to the bank at
speed v1, it reaches the opposite bank at time t1. When the boat steers at an angle
upstream such that it will reach directly opposite of its starting point with the
same speed, the time taken is t2. What is the ratio of v1 to v2?
t1
(A) 
t22 + t21
t2
(B) 
t22 + t21
t1
(C) 
t22 − t21
t2
(D) 
t22 − t21
(E) none of the above

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7. A small graphite block stays at rest on a piece of paper. The paper is now moved
and both the paper and the block move at the same constant velocity v0 horizon-
tally. After moving for a time t, the paper stops suddenly. Given that the kinetic
friction between the graphite block and the paper is μ, what is the length of the
marking that the block made on the piece of paper when the graphite block even-
tually stops? Assuming the mass loss of the graphite block is negligible throughout
the motion.
v02
(A)
2μg
(B) v0 t
1
(C) v0 t + μgt2
2
2
v
(D) 0
μg
(E) 0

8. Diane walked into her physics lab to find her demonstrator Erica standing in front
of a 10 cm long cylinder floating upright in a tank of a clear fluid as shown in the
diagram. They then put the tank with the cylinder in a chamber and increased the
air pressure in the chamber to 100 atm while keeping the temperature constant.
What will happen to the floating cylinder?
Assume that the fluid is incompressible, and that air is an ideal gas (density= 1.29
kgm−3 at 1 atm).

(A) The cylinder will float higher in the

liquid by 6 mm.
(B) The cylinder will sink lower in the liq-
uid by 6 mm
(C) The cylinder will float higher in the
liquid by 4.4 mm
(D) The cylinder will sink lower in the liq-
uid by 4.4 mm
(E) The cylinder will neither sink lower
nor float higher in the liquid.

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 9. Automobiles are made nowadays to be energy-absorbing in the event of a crash. It
means that the components of the body are designed to be anything but elastic,
and to be sacrificed while dissipating kinetic energy. Sometimes this is described
loosely by the size of the crumple-zone ahead or behind the passengers of the car.
A Datsun had a crumple zone of roughly 1.5 m, and about 1 m of it had been used
up when it hit a concrete wall at about 30 km/hour. What is the minimum force
needed to bring the 1000 kg car to rest in this distance?

(A) 2.3 × 104 N

(B) 4.5 × 106 N
(C) 3.5 × 104 N
(D) 450 N
(E) 30 N

10. A person rides on a bicycle at 10 m/s heading eastwards. He feels that the wind is
blowing from the north at 10 m/s. The velocity of the wind relative to the ground
is

(A) 14 m/s, with direction pointing southwest

(B) 14 m/s, with direction pointing southeast
(C) 10 m/s, with direction pointing north
(D) 10 m/s, with direction pointing south
(E) 20 m/s, with direction pointing northeast

11. Four samples of a colloidal aqueous mixture each weighing 12.0 g are placed in the
rotor of a high speed centrifuge, equally spaced around the circumference of the
rotor. The samples are located 10 cm from the axis of rotation of the rotor. If the
centrifuge motor delivers a constant torque of 0.25 Nm and the empty rotor has a
moment of inertia of 0.060 kgm2, how long does it take for the rotor to accelerate
to its operating state of 18000 rpm (rotations per minute)? You may neglect the
change in the position of the sample during acceleration.

(A) 7.6 s
(B) 456 s
(C) 453 s
(D) 7.3 s
(E) 435 s

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12. Four cylinders with the same mass m, length L and outer radius R but different
cross sections as shown in the figure roll down the same slope without slipping from
rest at the same time. The shaded regions indicate a uniform distribution of mass,
while the unshaded regions are hollow and thin lines (in B) indicate supportive
structure that is rigid and negligible in mass or dimension. The inner radius of
cylinder A, and the radius of the solid cross sections in B and C are both R/2.

Which cylinder will arrive at the bottom of the slope first?

(A) A
(B) B
(C) C
(D) D
(E) They arrive at the same time.

13. In the diagram below, the man (of mass m) is at the same initial horizontal level
as the counterweight (also of mass m). As the man accelerates and starts to climb
up the rope, which of the following correctly reflects the motion of the man and
the counterweight? We need not consider the mass of the rope nor the friction in
the pulley system.

(A) The man accelerates upwards and the counterweight

accelerates downwards.
(B) The man accelerates upwards and the counterweight
does not move.
(C) The man and the weight accelerates together upwards
and reaches the ceiling at the same time.
(D) The man and the weight accelerates together upwards
but the man moves more speedily then the weight.
(E) The man and weight accelerates together upwards but
the weight moves more speedily than the man.

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14. A force F is used to pull 3 objects A, B, C across a frictionless surface. The three
objects are connected by strings. When a small object is placed on top of B and
with force F unchanged, what will happen to the tensions Ta and Tb respectively?

(A) Ta increases and Tb decreases

(B) Ta increases and Tb increases
(C) Ta decreases and Tb decreases
(D) Ta decreases and Tb increases
(E) Ta and Tb remains the same

15. A particle exhibiting uniform circular motion with radius r has its speed increased 3
times and the centripetal force is hence increased by 64 N. The original centripetal
force is

(A) 16 N
(B) 12 N
(C) 8 N
(D) 6 N
(E) 18 N

16. Which of the following about static friction is correct?

(A) There is always a non-zero static friction between two stationary objects in
contact with each other.
(B) The static friction between two objects is always greater than the kinetic
friction between these two objects.
(C) The direction of the static friction must be in the direction of motion.
(D) Depending on the forces applied to an object in contact with another object,
the value of static friction can change.
(E) When the normal force on the object increases, the static friction must in-
crease.

8
17. A U shaped glass tube consists of two open-ended vertical glass tubes of height h
and a horizontal tube of length 2h joined together. Diameter of the tube is much
smaller than h, and the horizontal tube is initially filled with mercury with density
ρ as shown below. The atmospheric pressure is p0 . Subsequently the two ends of
the tube are sealed. The tube is then accelerated to the right until the mercury
occupies a length of (5/3)h inside the horizontal tube. The acceleration of the tube
is
g
(A)
5
3p0 + ρgh
(B)
5ρh
27p0 + 4ρgh
(C)
20ρh
9p0 − 4ρgh
(D)
20ρh
9p0 + 4ρgh
(E)
20ρh

18. Two masses, m1 and m2, are joined by a massless spring of force constant k and
placed on a horizontal frictionless surface. The system is released from rest when
the separation between the masses is x. if the unstretched length of the spring is
x0, the speed of the mass m1 when the two masses are at the distance x0 apart is

k
(A) (x − x0)2
m1

k
(B) (x − x0)2
m2

k
(C) (x − x0)2
m1 − m2

k m2
(D) (x − x0 )2
m1 m1 + m2

k m1
(E) (x − x0 )2
m2 m1 + m2

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19. In a room without air-conditioning, a ceiling fan with varying power may be used.
When we consider the pulling force on the ceiling by the fan, as compared to weight
of the fan, which of the following statement is correct?

(A) When the fan is operating at high power, the pulling force is equal to the
weight.
(B) When the fan is operating at low power, the pulling force is greater than the
weight.
(C) The pulling force is equal to the weight, irrespective of the output power of
the fan.
(D) The pulling force is smaller than the weight, irrespective of the output power
of the fan.
(E) The pulling force is greater than the weight, irrespective of the output power
of the fan.

20. A fast moving small bullet of mass m hits and passes through a heavy stationary
wooden block of mass M. When the bullet passes through the block,

(A) M and m experience the same impulse.

(B) The mutual force between the bullet and the wooden block will do the same
amount of work.
(C) The bullet’s speed will reduce by the same amount as the increase in the
wooden block’s speed.
(D) The bullet’s momentum will reduce by the same amount as the increase in
the wooden block’s momentum.
(E) The bullet’s temperature will increase by the same amount as the increase in
the wooden block’s temperature.

21. An ideal gas exerts a pressure of 60 Pa when its temperature is 400 K and the
number density of molecules is n. Another sample of the same gas exerts a pressure
of 30 Pa when its temperature is 300 K. How many molecules are present in unit
volume of this second sample?

(A) 4n/3
(B) 3n/2
(C) 3n/4
(D) 2n/3
(E) n/2

10
 The next 2 questions use the information given in the paragraph below.
Green Light of wavelength 500 nm and of intensity 0.50 W/m2 is shone on a solar
cell of area 0.040 m2. The solar cell generates sufficient power to drive a small
microfluidic device that heats 0.050 g of water from 300 K to 301 K in 1.0 minute.

22. The number of photons that reach the solar cell per second is

(A) 5.0 × 1016

(B) 5.0 × 1010
(C) 6.0 × 1028
(D) 6.0 × 1020
(E) 5.0 × 1018

23. What is the efficiency of the solar cells in this case? You can ignore the electrical
resistance in the wires.

(A) 0.18%
(B) 11%
(C) 18%
(D) 35%
(E) 100%

24. The crest of a Parasaurolophus dinosaur skull contains a nasal cavity (its bony
crest) that forms a long tube open at one end. The dinosaur is believed to have
produced sound by passing air through the cavity and setting up the fundamental
mode in it. By modeling the cavity as a tube open at one end and 2.50 m in length,
what fundamental frequency and first harmonic could have been produced? Take
the speed of the sound in air to be 340 ms−1 and ignore edge effects.

(A) 136 Hz, 272 Hz

(B) 34 Hz, 138 Hz
(C) 34 Hz, 102 Hz
(D) 68 Hz, 102 Hz
(E) 68 Hz, 138 Hz

11
25. White light, consisting of all wavelengths between 400 nm and 700 nm shines
through a diffraction grating with 150 lines/mm, separating into a spectrum of
colour on a screen 2.50 m away. The first observed colour of the third order rainbow,
as measured from the center of the screen, lines up with one of the wavelength, λ2
of the second order rainbow. What is λ2 ?

(A) 400 nm
(B) 450 nm
(C) 500 nm
(D) 600 nm
(E) 700 nm

26. As shown below, two nails A and B are placed with a separation Δ = 0.30 cm when
observed along the normal to the straight line l. A piece of glass with thickness
d = 1.00 cm and continuous density is then placed between the nails at θ = 45◦
to the line l. The two nails now seem to be along the same line when observed
normal to l. The index of refraction of the glass is

(A) 1.33
(B) 1.41
(C) 1.50
(D) 1.62
(E) 1.73

27. A monochromatic light ray in air (n = 1.0) enters a glass prism (n = 1.5). In the
glass prism

(A) both the frequency and the wavelength are the same as in air.
(B) the frequency is the same but the wavelength is smaller than in air.
(C) the frequency is the same but the wavelength is larger than in air.
(D) the wavelength is the same but the frequency is smaller than in air.
(E) the wavelength is the same but the frequency is larger than in air.

12
28. Determine the resulting resistance R between A and B as in the diagram below.
Resistance in the wires are negligible.

(A) 0.20 Ω
(B) 0.25 Ω
(C) 0.50 Ω
(D) 1.00 Ω
(E) 1.25 Ω

29. An alpha particle (a He nucleus, containing two protons and two neutrons and
having a mass of 6.64 × 10−27 kg) travelling horizontally at 35.6 km/s enters a
uniform, vertical 1.10 T magnetic field. What is the diameter of the path followed
by this alpha particle?

(A) 0.67 mm
(B) 1.34 mm
(C) 1.58 mm
(D) 2.15 mm
(E) 5.36 mm

30. You require a 2.0 g copper sphere with a charge of exactly +3.0 μC. What fraction
of the electrons must be removed from this copper sphere in order to give it the
stated charge? Atomic number of copper is 29; mass number of copper is 63.5.

(A) 1.6 × 10−11

(B) 7.4 × 10−11
(C) 1.7 × 10−11
(D) 9.9 × 10−10
(E) 3.4 × 10−11

13
31. An equilateral triangle has charges placed on the three apex. −2q is placed at point
A, +q each placed on B and C, q > 0. The center of the triangle is at point O,
and point P is its mirror image about line BC. Which of the following statements
is correct?
(A) Electric field is zero at point O.
(B) Electric potential at point O is higher
than that at point P .
(C) Electric field at point O is stronger than
that at point P .
(D) Electric field along the line P O always
points from P to O.
(E) An external force that separates the
three charges slowly till infinitely apart
would have done negative total work.

32. The readings from the voltmeter and ammeter from the circuit shown below are

(A) 2.0 V, 1.0 A

(B) 1.0 V, 0.5 A
(C) 1.5 V, 0.5 A
(D) 1.5 V, 1.0 A
(E) 1.0 V, 2.0 A

33. As shown in the diagram, a, b, c are three concentric circular wire loops with radii
Ra < Rb < Rc . The three loops have the same resistances. When a clockwise
current through a is suddenly increased, the induced current in loops b and c is

(A) Clockwise, ib > ic

(B) Anti-clockwise, ib > ic
(C) Clockwise, ib < ic
(D) Anti-clockwise, ib < ic
(E) Zero

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34. When a light bulb is connected to a constant D.C. source, the output power is 40
W. If the light bulb is connected to the same source in series with another resistor
R, the output power of the resistor is 3.6 W. Take the resistance of the light bulb
to be a constant smaller than R, the output power of the light bulb now is closest
to

(A) 0.3 W
(B) 0.9 W
(C) 14.4 W
(D) 16.4 W
(E) 32.4 W

35. The figure below shows a reed switch which consists of a pair of springy contacts
made from magnetic material sealed in a glass tube. The reed switch can be placed
in a coil to form a relay switch whereby current in the coil controls the opening
and closing of the switch. Which of the following phenomena is not utilized in a
reed switch relay?

(A) Magnetic field of a current

(B) Effect of magnetic field on a
current
(C) Interaction between magnetic
poles
(D) Magnetization
(E) None of the above

36. If the mass of a planet is doubled while its radius and the radius of orbit of its
moon remain unchanged, the speed of the moon is
√
(A) increased by a factor of 2
(B) increased by a factor of 2.
(C) not changed.
√
(D) reduced by a factor of 2
(E) reduced by a factor of 2.

15
37. An ideal gas is heated such that it expands at constant pressure. The gas does
work W . What is the amount of heat added to the gas?

(A) W
(B) −W
(C) zero
(D) more than W
(E) less than W

38. In the equation pV = nRT ,

(A) T is measured in degrees Celsius.

(B) R is the resistance of the system.
(C) R has different values for different gases.
(D) V is the velocity of the flowing gas.
(E) n is the number of moles of gas.

39. The oxygen (molar mass = 32 g/mol) and nitrogen (molar mass = 28 g/mol)
molecules in this room have equal average

(A) kinetic energies, but the oxygen molecules are faster.

(B) kinetic energies, but the oxygen molecules are slower.
(C) kinetic energies and speeds.
(D) speeds, but the oxygen molecules have a higher average kinetic energy.
(E) None of the above is correct.

40. An aquarium contains a 5-cm layer of water (n = 1.33) floating on top of carbon
tetrachloride (n = 1.461). The angle of incidence into the water from the air is
30◦ , what is the angle of refraction into the carbon tetrachloride?

(A) 11◦
(B) 15◦
(C) 20◦
(D) 23◦
(E) 30◦

16
41. You may have noticed that when you get out of the swimming pool and stand
dripping wet in a light breeze, you feel much colder than you would feel after you
dry off. Why is this?

(A) The moisture on your skin has good thermal conductivity.

(B) Water has a relatively large specific heat capacity.
(C) This is purely a psychological effect resulting from the way in which sensory
nerves in the skin are stimulated.
(D) The water on your skin is colder than the surrounding air.
(E) Heat is required to evaporate water from your skin and most of this heat
comes from your body.

42. If you have ever had to wade across a rocky creek while hiking in the mountains,
you would have probably noticed that by the time you get to the deep water in the
centre of the creek the rocks do not seem to hurt your bare feet so much. What is
the reason for this?

(A) The greater pressure on one’s feet in deep water means that the rocks cannot
dig in so much.
(B) The velocity of the water is less in deep regions than in shallow regions.
(C) One tends to stand on tiptoe in deep water, thereby reducing the area of the
foot in contact with the rocks.
(D) Deeper water is colder, and hence more dense, than shallow water.
(E) One experience a greater buoyant force (upthrust) in deeper water.

43. An ocean wave directed straight in strikes a sea wall perpendicularly to its path
and is reflected. The incoming wave travels 0.79 m/s and has a period of 4.8 s.
The wave has an antinode at the wall. How far from the wall is the nearest node
in the standing wave setup?

(A) 0.95 m
(B) 0.47 m
(C) 0.71 m
(D) 1.4 m
(E) 0.76 m

17
44. Which of the following is an accurate statement?

(A) A system like a vibrating string has only one resonant frequency.
(B) In order for a singer to break a wine glass by singing, she must adjust the
amplitude of the sound she makes so that it is exactly equal to the amplitude
of vibration of the wine glass.
(C) The resonant frequency of a system is the name given to the lowest possible
frequency at which the system will naturally vibrate.
(D) The organ pipe has an infinite number of resonant frequencies.
(E) When an oscillatory system is driven by a sinusoidal force, the response am-
plitude of the system will be the same as the amplitude of the driving force.

45. Two uncharged metal spheres, A and B, are mounted on insulating support rods.
A third metal sphere, C, carrying a positive charge, is then placed near sphere B.
Now a copper wire is momentarily connected between A and B and then removed.
Finally, sphere C is removed. In this final state,

(A) spheres A and B are still uncharged.

(B) sphere A carries positive charge while B carries negative charge.
(C) sphere A carries negative charge while B carries positive charge.
(D) spheres A and B both carry positive charge.
(E) spheres A and B both carry negative charge.

46. In Bohr’s model for hydrogen atom, the energy levels are En = −13.6/n2 eV.
Given the product of speed of light and Planck’s constant hc = 1.24 × 10−6 eVm ,
and the elementary charge is e = 1.6 × 10−19 C, which of the following wavelength
cannot be produced by energy transition of a hydrogen atom?

(A) 82 nm
(B) 122 nm
(C) 397 nm
(D) 410 nm
(E) 102 nm

18
47. Two identical bar magnets are dropped from equal heights. Magnet A is dropped
from above bare earth, whereas magnet B is dropped from above a copper plate.
Which magnet will strike the surface first?
(A) Magnet A
(B) Magnet B
(C) Both will strike at the same time.
(D) Whichever has the N pole toward the ground.
(E) Whichever has the S pole toward the ground.

48. Of the several nuclear reactions listed below, which is possible? (α, β and γ stands
for alpha, beta and gamma radiation/particle respectively.)
(A) 105 B + α → 137N + 11 H
(B) 22 1 20
11 Na + 1 H → 10 Ne + α
(C) 105 B + 10 n → 116C + β + γ
(D) 147 N + 11 H → 126C + β + γ
(E) None of the above is correct.

49. If a charged pion that decays in 10−8 second in its own rest frame is to travel 30
m in the laboratory before decaying, the pion’s speed must be most nearly
(A) 0.43 × 108 m/s
(B) 2.84 × 108 m/s
(C) 2.90 × 108 m/s
(D) 2.98 × 108 m/s
(E) 3.00 × 108 m/s

50. Is it possible for the momentum of an object of mass m to be mc where c is the

speed of light in vacuum?
(A) No, because no object can travel at speed c to achieve that.
(B) No, only massless objects can travel at speed of light.
(C) Yes, some special massive objects can travel at speed c and will have this
momentum.
(D) Yes, if its speed v = 0.8c
√
(E) Yes, if the speed v = c/ 2

END OF PAPER.

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