UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE LOCAL EXAMINATIONS SYNDICATE

General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level

PHYSICS 5054/1
PAPER 1 Multiple Choice
MAY/JUNE SESSION 2001 1 hour

Additional materials:
Multiple Choice answer sheet
Soft clean eraser
Soft pencil (type B or HB is recommended)

TIME 1 hour

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Do not open this booklet until you are told to do so.
Write your name, Centre number and candidate number on the answer sheet in the spaces provided
unless this has already been done for you.
There are forty questions in this paper. Answer all questions. For each question there are four
possible answers, A, B, C and D. Choose the one you consider correct and record your choice in soft
pencil on the separate answer sheet.
Read very carefully the instructions on the answer sheet.

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

Each correct answer will score one mark. A mark will not be deducted for a wrong answer.
Any rough working should be done in this booklet.

This question paper consists of 16 printed pages.

MML 203 6/00 QF10451/2
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1 The diagram shows part of a vernier scale.

mm

30

0
35

40

10

45

What is the correct reading?

A 30.5 mm B 33.5 mm C 38.0 mm D 42.5 mm

2 An object falls freely in a gravitational field.

Which of the following describes the resultant force acting on, and the acceleration of, the object
at terminal velocity?

resultant force acceleration

A decreasing increasing
B increasing decreasing
C increasing increasing
D zero zero

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3 The diagram shows a speed-time graph.

speed

X Y

0V
0 Z
time

In which region is the acceleration decreasing?

A V to W
B W to X
C X to Y
D Y to Z

4 Two rubber balls of the same size are both dropped on the Earth and on the Moon.

One ball is solid, and one is hollow.

The approximate gravitational field strength on the Earth is 10 N/kg and on the Moon is 1.7 N/kg.

Which ball has the greatest force acting on it?

type of ball where dropped

A hollow on the Earth
B hollow on the Moon
C solid on the Earth
D solid on the Moon

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5 A triangular piece of card with a triangular hole can be balanced on the thin edge of a ruler, as
shown.

In which other position will the card balance on the ruler?

A B C D

6 The diagram shows two cubes made from the same material. One cube has sides that are twice
as long as the other cube.

2x
x

The weight of the small cube is W.

What is the weight of the larger cube?

A 2W B 4W C 8W D 16 W

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7 A student wishes to plot an extension/load graph for a spring. He assembles some equipment.

Which of the following is not needed?

A 5 x 1 N weights
B metre rule
C spring and stand
D stopwatch

8 A sledge of mass 25 kg is pulled across level ground with a horizontal force of 60 N. The constant
force of friction is 20 N.

What is the acceleration of the sledge?

A 0.63 m/s2 B 1.6 m/s2 C 2.4 m/s2 D 3.2 m/s2

9 A ball is dropped from a height as shown.

1
ball

Ignoring the effects of air resistance, the total energy is

A greatest at point 1.
B greatest at point 2.
C greatest at point 3.
D the same at all points.

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10 A 300 N force is applied to a box in the direction XY in order to move it up a ramp of the
dimensions shown.

Y
N
300

5m 3m

4m
X

How much work is done when moving the box from X to Y?

A 900 J B 1200 J C 1500 J D 3000 J

11 On a frozen lake, the ice will break if the pressure on it is greater than 1.0 N/cm2. Four boys stand
on the ice.

Which one will fall through?

weight of boy area of feet

A 200 N 270 cm2
B 300 N 250 cm2
C 400 N 500 cm2
D 500 N 560 cm2

12 Which of the following correctly compares the forces between the molecules in ice, water and
steam?

weakest forces strongest forces

A ice steam water
B ice water steam
C steam water ice
D water steam ice

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13 Water evaporates from a shallow dish.

A student can change:

the depth of water in the dish;

the surface area of the dish;
the volume of water in the dish.

How many of these changes, if any, would alter the rate at which evaporation occurs?

A 0 B 1 C 2 D 3

14 Which instrument is most suitable for measuring a rapidly changing temperature?

A alcohol-in-glass thermometer
B clinical thermometer
C mercury-in-glass thermometer
D thermocouple

15 In the experiment shown, the amount of electrical energy used to melt some ice is measured
using a joulemeter.

crushed,
pure ice joulemeter

immersion
heater
electricity
supply

To find the specific latent heat of fusion of the ice, what must also be measured?

A the mass of water produced by melting ice

B the temperature change of the ice
C the time taken for the ice to melt
D the voltage of the electrical supply

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16 A teacher has a large metal tank of water in which he wants to set up a convection current.

Z Y
water

Which of the following arrangements would do this?

A cooling at X
B cooling at Y
C heating at Y
D heating at Z

17 A vibrator sends ripples across the surface of water. They run closer together as they travel
further from the vibrator.

This shows that the ripples

A decrease in frequency.
B increase in frequency.
C slow down.
D speed up.

18 A wave source of frequency 1000 Hz emits waves of wavelength 0.10 m.

How long does it take for the waves to travel 2500 m?

A 2.5 s B 4.0 s C 25 s D 100 s

19 Which statement about the image formed by a converging lens is correct?

A It is always real and erect.

B It is always real and inverted.
C It is always virtual and erect.
D It may be either virtual or real.

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20 The diagram shows a patient having her eyes tested. A chart with letters on it is placed behind
her and she sees the chart reflected in a plane mirror.

2m 3m

plane mirror patient chart

How far away from the patient does the chart seem to be?

A 2m B 4m C 5m D 7m

21 Which factors influence the quality (timbre) of sound waves?

A amplitude only
B fundamental frequency only
C amplitude and fundamental frequency
D fundamental frequency and other frequencies

22 Under normal ‘working’ conditions, radio loudspeakers, industrial machinery and children in a
playground all produce sound waves.

Under the same air conditions, these sound waves all

A have the same amplitude.

B have the same frequency.
C have the same wavelength.
D travel with the same speed.

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23 The diagram shows a model railway signal.

signal arm

iron nail

a.c. supply coil

What does the signal arm do when the switch is closed and a current flows through the coil?

A It goes down and stays down.

B It goes up and stays up.
C It goes down and then returns to its original position.
D It goes up and then returns to its original position.

24 Which diagram shows the electric field pattern between two charged spheres?

A + –

B + –

C + –

D + –

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25 An electric lamp uses energy at the rate of 48 W on a 12 V supply.

How much charge passes through the lamp in 2.0 seconds?

A 0.25 C B 0.50 C C 2.0 C D 8.0 C

26 What is the electrical symbol for a fuse?

A B C D

27 A circuit is set up as shown.

switch 1
switch 2

switch 3

Which switch setting lights all three lamps?

switch 1 switch 2 switch 3

A closed closed open
B closed open closed
C open closed closed
D open closed open

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28 Which diagram shows the correct connections for a switch and lamp in a lighting circuit?

L key
N
L live
A E
N neutral
E earth
metal case
L
N
B E

L
N
C E

L
N
D E

29 A heater used on a 250 V mains circuit has a 5 A fuse in its plug.

Which is the highest power rating for this heater?

A 50 W B 250 W C 1000 W D 2000 W

30 The e.m.f. induced in a conductor moving at right angles to a magnetic field does not depend
upon

A the length of the conductor.

B the resistance of the conductor.
C the speed of the conductor.
D the strength of the magnetic field.

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31 Three plotting compasses are placed close to a solenoid carrying a current.

plotting compasses

How many of the compass needles will change direction if the current through the solenoid is
increased? (Ignore the effect of the Earth’s magnetic field.)

A 0 B 1 C 2 D 3

32 A transformer consists of one coil with 1200 turns and a second coil, with a total of 120 turns,
which can be tapped at various places.

R
40
1200 S
240 V 40
T
20
U
20
V

Which pair of terminals should be connected to a 12 V, 24 W lamp for it to be lit normally?

A RT B RV C SU D TV

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33 The diagram shows a light-dependent resistor (LDR) in a circuit.

What could this circuit be used for?

A to switch on the lamp when daylight begins

B to switch on the lamp when it begins to get dark
C to make the battery charge up in sunlight
D to make the lamp flash on and off

34 The diagram shows a beam of electrons entering a magnetic field.

magnetic field

beam of
electrons

What is the effect of the magnetic field on the electrons?

A They are deflected into the plane of the diagram.

B They are deflected out of the plane of the diagram.
C They are deflected towards the bottom of the diagram.
D They are deflected towards the top of the diagram.

35 A radioactive nucleus is represented by 227 X. It emits a beta particle and forms a different
85
nucleus of element Y.

Which of the following represents this new nucleus?

A 223Y
83

B 225Y
84

C 228Y
85

D 227Y
86

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36 A radioactive source is placed 2 cm in front of a Geiger-Muller tube which is connected to a

meter. Different absorbers are placed between the tube and the radioactive source.

The results are as follows.

absorber average count per minute

20 mm air 2600
1 mm paper 2600
2 mm aluminium 1500
2 mm lead 800

What is the radioactive source emitting?

A alpha particles only

B alpha particles and beta particles
C beta particles and gamma rays
D gamma rays only

37 The results of the alpha particle scattering experiment gave evidence for which of the following?

A nuclear fusion
B radioactive decay
C the existence of isotopes
D the nuclear atom

38 What are the particles in the nucleus of the oxygen isotope 178O?

electrons neutrons protons

A 0 9 8
B 0 17 8
C 8 0 9
D 8 9 0

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39 Which pair of quantities is not proportional?

A angle of incidence and angle of refraction for light entering a glass block
B current and potential difference for a resistor at constant temperature
C extension and load applied for a wire which obeys Hooke’s law
D speed and time for an object freely falling from rest through a vacuum

40 Simple experiments are performed to determine values of three quantities.

quantity the temperature of the e.m.f. of the weight of

a liquid a cell an object

instruments 2 thermometers 2 voltmeters 2 newton-meters

V
experiment

object
V

In how many of these experiments, if any, are the measured values of both instruments added
together to determine the value of the quantity?

A 0 B 1 C 2 D 3

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