HOW / WHY / EXPLAIN

2. FORCES AND MOTION

Explain why a kick-boxer from Thailand fights
without gloves will cause more injury to their
opponent.

When the boxer uses no gloves the time of impact
is shorter.
Impulsive force will be greater.
Cause more injury

Why does a supertanker needs to stop its engine
over a distance of about 3 km before it can stop?
Supertanker has a bigger mass
Bigger mass meant the supertanker has bigger
inertia.

Explain how using of the safety belt can avoid the
driver from serous injury.
Driver will thrown forward when the car
involved in accident.
By fastening the safety belt, the driver will not
thrown forward.
The seat belt will lengthen slightly, the
impulsive force acting to the driver will be less.

Explain why a player need to wear glove to catch a
fast moving softball
Glove will lengthen the time of impact
Impulsive force will be reduce
Avoid injury to the player.

Explain how the forces between the molecules
caused the elasticity when the spring is
compressed or stretched
There are two type of forces
Attraction force and repulsive force between
the particles of the solid
When the solid is stretched, the molecules
displaced away from each other
Attractive forces are acting to oppose the
stretching
When the solid is compressed, the molecules
is displaced closer to each other.
Repulsive force are acting to oppose the
compression

3. FORCES AND PRESSURE

Why it is easier to press thumbtack into a desk
compare to the coin.
Thumbtack has smaller area contact with the desk.
With same pressure, smaller area will result of
higher pressure.

Explain why a bulldozer uses broad tires.
Broad tyres have bigger surface area contact with
the ground.
Bigger surface area will produces smaller pressure.
The bulldozer will not sink into the ground.




Why bigger tires is suitable to use when driving on
the soft ground.
Bigger tires have bigger contact area.
Pressure acting to the ground will decrease
Tires will not sink into the soft ground.

Explain why a ship may sink when it sails from sea
water to fresh water?

Fresh water is less dense sea water.
Buoyant force is smaller
The ship will start sink to displace more water in
order to support the weight of the ship.
If the buoyant force is less than the weight of the
ship, the ship will sink.

Why is the cross-sectional area of the rear brake
cylinder of the right wheel is the same as the cross-
sectional are of the rear brake cylinder of the left
wheel
Equal force applied to the left and right wheel.
To avoid the car from skidding.

Explain the working principle of a siphon.

Siphon works based on pressure difference.
PressureB > PressureA
The atmospheric pressure pushes the surface of
the liquid.
Causes the liquid flow into the tube.



Explain why a larger force is applied to the bigger
front brake piston compare to the smaller rear
brake piston.
The surface area of the front brake piston is larger.
Force applied is directly proportional to the surface
area. (F =PA)

How a submarine on the surface of the sea can
submerge
Water is sucked in the ballast tank.
Weight of submarine > buoyant force

Explain how the toothpaste flows out from the tube
and name a physics principle related to it.
Pressure is applied to the toothpaste tube
The toothpaste carry and apply the pressure of the
equal magnitude to the whole tube.
Pascals Principle

Explain how the air pressure difference occurs at
the different side of airplane wing.
The shape of cross section of the wing causes the
speed of air flow above the wing to be higher.
When the speed of air is higher, the pressure will be
lower.
Bernoullis principle.


Explain why the dam wall is thicker at the bottom.
Pressure in water increase with depth.
Pressure at the bottom is higher.
To withstand higher pressure

Explain why the ice block float in the water
Volume of water increased when freezing and
become ice.
Mass of the water is same but volume become
bigger
Density of the ice is smaller than water

Explain how submarine is able to submerge in the
sea
Sea water is pumped in the ballast tank.
Weight of submarine > buoyant force.

Explain how submarine is able to float.
Sea water is pumped out from the ballast tank.
Weight of submarine < buoyant force.

Explain why the sinking of the same boat is
different in the sea water and fresh water.
Sea water is denser
Boat displaced less sea water and gain the
same upthrust force.
Therefore boat sink less in the sea water

Why a hydraulic brake is less effective if air
bubbles are present in the hydraulic fluid
Some of the force is used to compress the air
bubbles
Less force use to push bigger piston.

Explain why a hydraulic jack is also known as a
force multiplier
When the small piston is pull out, the hydraulic
oil is drawn from the reservoir to the small
piston.
When the small piston is push down. The
hydraulic oil will be compress.
The pressure will transmit uniformly to the
bigger piston.
Force exerted to the bigger piston is also
bigger.
The force is multiplied.

Explain the purpose of Plimsol line
Plimsoll line is line mark on the body of the ship.
This is the mark where the ship may load with
maximum loads.
Make sure for the safety of the ship.
Plimsoll line has many level because different
water has different density eg cold/hot/fresh
water/sea water.

Explain why ship can float in sea water.
Ship displaced out water.
Weight of water displaced = buoyant force.
Buoyant force = weight of ship.
Ship floats.






4. HEAT

Why it is a good idea to reduce the pressure of the
air in the tires before make a long journey.

During the long journey the tires will be heated.
Pressure of the air will increase when the
temperature increase.
To avoid the tires burst.

Explain why water is normally used as a cooling
agent in a car engine.
Higher specific heat capacity.
Absorbed more heat but not easy to become hot
Cheaper
Higher boiling point.
Lower viscosity

Explain why a scald from steam is more serious
than the one from boiling water
Steam condenses to form water and release higher
c latent heat of vaporization.
Expose to steam mean expose to higher amount of
heat.

How does sweating helps to cool down your body?
Sweat absorbs heat from body to evaporate.
Body loss heat and become colder

Explain the formation of sea breeze
Land has lower specific heat capacity than the
sea water.
During day time land become hot faster and air
above the land also become hot and has low
density.
The air rise up and leave empty space on the
surface of land.
This empty space is filled with cold air from
sea to form sea breeze.

Explain the formation of land breeze
Land has lower specific heat capacity than the
sea water.
During night time sea water become cold
slower (still hot) and air above the sea also still
hot and has low density.
The air rise up and leave empty space on the
surface of the sea.
This empty space is filled with cold air from
land to form land breeze.

State characteristics of gas at absolute zero.
Volume = 0
Pressure = 0
Kinetic energy = 0
Molecules at rest.

How clinical thermometer can measure the
patients body temperature.
Thermometer is placed in the mouth of the
patient.
Heat is transferred from patients body to the
thermometer.
Thermal equilibrium between the thermometer
and patients body is reached.
Temperature of the thermometer = temperature
of the patients body.


By using kinetic theory, explain why there is no
increase in temperature when ice is melting
Heat supplied is used to break up bonds
between molecules,
Heat is not used to increased the kinetic
energy

Why heat is removed from the forehead of a person
The temperature of forehead > temperature of
cooling pad.
More heat transferred from forehead to the
cooling pad.
Temperature of cooling pad increased while
temperature of forehead will decreased.

Explain how thermometer can be calibrated.
Put the thermometer in melting ice. Mark the
mercury level as 0
o
C
Put the thermometer in boiling water. Mark the
mercury level as 100
o
C.
Divide the length of the mercury between 0
o
C
and 100
o
C to 100 divisions.
Each division = 1
o
C

Using kinetic theory explain why pressure of gas
change when the volume change.
When volume of the gas is decreased, the
molecule of the gas will collide more frequent
will the wall of the container.
More impulsive force will act to the wall with
same surface area
Pressure increase.

Why the temperature remain constant when water
is boiling to become steam
Heat absorbed is used to break bond between water
molecules.
Not used to increase the kinetic energy of the
molecules.
Temperature increase when kinetic energy
increase.

Explain why gas pressure increase when
temperature increase.
When temperature increase, kinetic energy of gas
molecules increase.
Rate of collision to the wall container also
increase.
Impulsive force exerted to the surface of wall
increase.
Pressure increase.

Why cooked fish steam is faster.
Steam has higher specific latent heat of
vaporization.
When stem is condensed a lot of heat release.
Fish absorbed this heat and cook faster.

Explain the formation of land breeze
Land has lower specific heat capacity than the sea
water.
During night time sea water become cold slower
(still hot) and air above the sea also still hot and
has low density.
The air rise up and leave empty space on the
surface of the sea.
This empty space is filled with cold air from land to
form land breeze.

Why gel in cooling pad is used to remove heat from
patient.
Gel has higher specific heat capacity.
Gel is cool down in refrigerator.
Cool gel is applied to the forehead of patient.
Although gel absorbed more heat, the
temperature of the gel increases slowly.
The gel can be used for longer time.

5. LIGHT

Explain why periscope using prisms produces
clearer image.
All lights is reflected
Through total internal reflection.

Explain why the image of the coin appears nearer to
the surface of the water.
Light travels from denser to less dense medium.
Refracted away from normal.

Explain why a fish in a pond able to see objects
around although there are obstacles.
Draw a diagram to show




Because total internal reflection.
180
0
fish eye view

Describe how you estimate the focal length of a
convex lens.
Convex lens is aimed at a distance object eg
tree.
Adjust screen until get a sharp image.
Parallel light from distance will be focused to a
point called focal point.
Measure distance between convex lens and
the screen as focal length

Explain the formation of mirage.
The layer of air nearer the road is warmer
The density of the air decrease nearer to the
road surface
The light travel from denser to less dense area.
The light refract away from the normal.
When the angle of incidence > critical angle,
total internal reflection occurs.

State 2 conditions under which the light ray would
undergo total internal reflection.
Light travel from denser to less dense medium
Angle of incidence > critical angle

Explain the formation of mirage.
The air on the hot ground is hotter. It is less
dense.
The higher air is cooler. It is denser
Light from sky travel through denser to less
dense air.
Total internal reflection occurs when I > c





State the advantage of using fiber optic cable
Can carry large amount of data/transmission
Transmit signal with little loss of signal.
Can transmit a large amount of signal at one
time
Thinner and lighter.


Explain the formation of red sky during sunset.
Light consists of 7 colors
red is the longest
During sunset light traveling through thicker
atmosphere.
Only red can be seen

Explain how to built optical fiber for
telecommunication
Optical fiber consist of two layer of glass.
Inner core have higher refractive index from outer
cladding.
When light travel with i>c.
The light will experience total internal reflection.
Light come out from the other end.

Explain how to produced parallel light beam
Use concave mirror, and a bulb
Bulb is placed on the focal point of the concave
mirror.
Light from the bulb will be refracted parallelly.

6. WAVES

Explain how the diffraction of sea wave occurs
Wave pass through a slit/aperture or round a small
obstacle
Wave spread out

Explain why bright fringes and dark fringes are
observed on the screen (Youngs double slit
experiment)
Constructive interference produces bright fringes.
Destructive interference produces dark fringes

Explain why echo sound occurs
The sound is reflected by an object that is far
enough from the observer.
The time interval between the original sound and
the reflected sound is larger.
Both sound can be heard

Explain how the loudspeaker is able to produce
sound waves
Frequency audio is an ac current
The signal is sent to the coil
The coil will vibrate
Because the force acting on a current carrying
conductor in a magnetic field.
Cause the cone to vibrate.
The cone will vibrate the air molecules to produce
sound.

optic cable
Can carry large amount of data/transmission
Transmit signal with little loss of signal.
of signal at one
Explain the formation of red sky during sunset.
During sunset light traveling through thicker
Optical fiber consist of two layer of glass.
Inner core have higher refractive index from outer
The light will experience total internal reflection.
Explain how to produced parallel light beam
Bulb is placed on the focal point of the concave
Light from the bulb will be refracted parallelly.

Explain how the diffraction of sea wave occurs
through a slit/aperture or round a small
Explain why bright fringes and dark fringes are
observed on the screen (Youngs double slit
Constructive interference produces bright fringes.
produces dark fringes
The sound is reflected by an object that is far
The time interval between the original sound and
loudspeaker is able to produce
Because the force acting on a current carrying
vibrate the air molecules to produce
Explain why the submarine used ultrasonic wave
but not ordinary sound wave?
Ultrasonic has higher frequency.
Has higher energy
Can travel further

Explain why a double-glazed glass is use for the
observation tower at the airport
Glass vibrate at its own natural frequency
The airplane engine caused noise and vibrate
the air particle
Due to resonance the glass particle also
vibrate at maximum amplitude.
The glass must be double
stronger glass
To the window from break.

Explain why speed of sound is greater in the sea
than in the air
Sound need medium to propagate.
The molecules of sea water is closer each other
compared to the air.
Sound is transferred easily.

Explain the formation of dark and bright fringe in
the youngs double slit exp
Light will experience interference.
Constructive interference will produce bright fringe.
Destructive interference will produce dark fringe.

Explain why sea wave follow the shape of the coast.
The wave travel from deeper to shallower region.
The wave reach shallower region at cape.
Wave is refracted towards normal and
concentrated to the cape.
Wave follow the shape of coast

Explain why a boy on the ground cannot hear his
mother the 20
Th
floor shouting at him.
Air at 20
th
floor is cooler and denser,
Air above the ground is hotter and less dense.
Sound from mother travel from denser to less
dense medium
Sound will be refracted back to the
Hot heard by the boy

7. ELECTRICITY

Explain why it is more dangerous to touch the live
wire of a mains supply, rather than the neutral wire.
Live wire has higher potential (230V)
Our bodies are at earth potential (0V)
If we touch the life wire, there will be a large
potential difference between the live wire and our
bodies.
A large current will flow through our bodies.
The neutral wire stays at earth potential (0V).
If we touch the neutral wire, there is no potential
difference across us and no current flows.

Why one bulb connected to 2 dry cell (dry cells
connected in parallel each other) light up brighter
then one bulb connect to one dry cell?
When two dry cells connected in parallel
The emf remains the same but the internal
resistance become smaller.
A larger current will flow through the bulb to
make it brighter.

Explain why the submarine used ultrasonic wave

Ultrasonic has higher frequency.
glazed glass is use for the
tower at the airport
Glass vibrate at its own natural frequency
The airplane engine caused noise and vibrate
Due to resonance the glass particle also
vibrate at maximum amplitude.
-glazed or made from
To the window from break.
Explain why speed of sound is greater in the sea
Sound need medium to propagate.
The molecules of sea water is closer each other

Explain the formation of dark and bright fringe in
Light will experience interference.
Constructive interference will produce bright fringe.
Destructive interference will produce dark fringe.
Explain why sea wave follow the shape of the coast.
The wave travel from deeper to shallower region.
The wave reach shallower region at cape.
Wave is refracted towards normal and
Wave follow the shape of coast
boy on the ground cannot hear his
floor shouting at him.
floor is cooler and denser,
Air above the ground is hotter and less dense.
Sound from mother travel from denser to less
Sound will be refracted back to the air.
Explain why it is more dangerous to touch the live
wire of a mains supply, rather than the neutral wire.
Live wire has higher potential (230V)
Our bodies are at earth potential (0V)
there will be a large
potential difference between the live wire and our
A large current will flow through our bodies.
The neutral wire stays at earth potential (0V).
If we touch the neutral wire, there is no potential
urrent flows.
Why one bulb connected to 2 dry cell (dry cells
connected in parallel each other) light up brighter
then one bulb connect to one dry cell?
When two dry cells connected in parallel
The emf remains the same but the internal
smaller.
A larger current will flow through the bulb to

Function of resistor
To limit/fix amount of current in circuit.

Explain why parallel circuit is used in the house
lighting circuit.
All appliances will get same voltage.
The appliances can be on and off separately.
If one appliances is blow out, the other can still
be use

Why car cannot be started using 8 dry cells, 1.5V
each. Although the total of voltage is 12V.
Each cell has internal resistance.
When the batteries are connected in series (to
get 12V) the internal resistance became higher.
The amount of current became smaller.
The starter cannot be operated.

8. ELECTROMAGNETISM

Why a solar cooker is environmental friendly?
No pollution
Renewable source of energy

Explain the working principle of an electric bell.

Current flow in the coil.
Soft iron core is magnetized.
Attract/pull the hammer.
Hammer hit the gong
The contact is open and no current flow.
Soft iron core loses its magnetism.
Spring will pull the gong back to its original
position and contact is closed again.

Explain why the core of the transformer is made
from soft iron.
Can be magnetized and demagnetized easily.
Reduce loss of power

Explain the working principle of transformer
Ac current flow in the primary coil.
Primary coil will have the alternate magnetic fluxs.
The iron core will link the alternate magnetic fluxs
to the secondary coil.
The will be magnetic fluxs cutting in the secondary
coil.
Emf/current will induced in the secondary coil.

List the factors that cause the energy loss in a
transformer.
Production of eddy current.
Resistance of the coil will result the heating effect.
Magnetization and demagnetization of the iron core.
Magnetic fluxs leakage

Explain method to increase the deflection of the
compass pointer near the solenoid.
Increase the number of turns of the solenoid.
Increase the current in solenoid/use more batteries
Reduce the resistance of the wire
Use larger diameter of the wire.
Bring the compass nearer to the solenoid




How dc current is produced by the dc generator.
Rotate the coil in clock wise direction
The coil cut across the magnetic field.
Current is induced in the coil.
The commutator change the direction of the
current in the coil so that the direction of
current in external circuit always the same.- dc

Explain how the dc motor is able to rotate
When the current flow into the coil, magnetic
field is produced.
And forces are produced.
Catapult field is produced.
The forces are in opposite direction.
This pair of forces produce the turning effect
on the coil

Explain what is catapult field.
Magnetic field is produced around a current
carrying conductor.
This current carrying conductor is place in the
magnetic field of the magnet bar,
The resultant of magnetic field produced by the
current carrying conductor and magnetic field by
the magnet bar to form catapult field.

Explain the working principle of the transformer/
When ac voltage is supplied to primary coil, ac
will flow.
The soft iron core is magnetized
The magnet produced varies in magnitude and
direction.
This causes the changing magnetic flux pass
through the secondary coil.
An induced emf across the secondary coil is
produced

Explain function of electromagnetic relay
Use as an automatic switch to switch on the second
circuit.
When current flow, relay will be an electromagnet.
Attract the iron armature
Second circuit will be on.

Explain the working principle of the transformer/
When ac voltage is supplied to primary coil, ac will
flow.
The soft iron core is magnetized
The magnet produced varies in magnitude and
direction.
This causes the changing magnetic flux pass
through the secondary coil.
An induced emf across the secondary coil is
produced

Explain the working principle of a moving coil
galvanometer
When current flow through the wire coils,
magnetic field is produced.
This magnetic field interacts with magnetic field
of permanent magnet.
Producing a pair of forces that turn the coil
together with the pointer.
The spring return the coil to its original position
when the current is cut off.
The bigger the current, the bigger the force, the
bigger the deflection of pointer.


State the factors that increase the amount of
induced current
Increase number of turn of coil
Increase the strength of magnetic field.
Increase the diameter of the wire of solenoid.
Increase the relative speed of magnet

Why dc current is use to make electromagnet
Dc is constant current.
Flow in one direction.
Produced magnetic field that is not changing the
direction.

Explain how a circuit breaker works.
When too high current flow, magnetic field
strength become stronger
Electromagnet is able to pull the iron armature
It will release the catch, contact separate and
current does not flow.
When reset button is pressed, spring Q pulls the
soft iron armature back to its original position

9. ELECTRONICS

Why there is a current flow when diode is forward
biased when connected in the circuit?
Electron in the diode will attract to the +ve terminal
and hole will attract to the ve terminal.
Depletion layer will be narrower.
Resistance of the diode will be smaller.
Large current can flow through the diode.

Explain how the p-type of semiconductor is
produced.
Si is doped with element from group III.
Group three has only 3 electron valens.
One extra positive hole will no be occupied
with the electron.
Hole will be the majority charge carrier and
called as p-type semiconductor

Explain how transistor is used as an automatic
switch to control the night lamp.
When it is dark resistance of the LDR higher.
Voltage across the LDR is higher (base circuit)
Higher Ib flow.
Higher Ic flow.
Lamp is light on

Explain how n-type semiconductor is produced.
Pure semiconductor e.g Silicon doped with
element from group V.
Eg. Phosphorous.
Phosphorous have 5 electrovalens.
When doped, new substance have extra one free
electron.
N-type semiconductor has free electron as a
majority charge carrier

10. RADIOACTIVITY

Why the tracks of beta particles produced in a
cloud chamber is thin and not straight?
Beta particles have medium ionization
Beta particles have smaller mass.
The direction of the particles change when collide
with the air molecules.

Explain how the radioactive rays is detected by the
GM Tube.
The radioactive emission enters the tube
through the mica windows
And ionizes the krypton gas
The electron and the positive ions are attracted
towards anode and cathode respectively and
produces pulses of current.

Explain ho to study the intake of fertilizer by plants.
The fertilizer that contains a radioisotope is
injected into the plant.
Wait for a few days for the fertilizer to be
absorbed.
Use GM tube and rate meter to detect the
radiation
The location of where the fertilizer has gone to
are located and analyzed

Explain how Carbon-14 can be used to estimate the
age of a dead plant which contain carbon
Carbon-14 is a radioactive substance which is
easily absorbed by living plants
After the plants die, the activity of the Carbon-
14 will decline since no new Carbon-14 is
absorbed
By knowing the half life of Carbon-14 and
calculating the activity of Carbon-14, the age
of the plant can be determine.

How nuclear fusion can produce energy
Nuclear fusion is the process of combining
two lighter nuclei to form a heavy nucleus
After the combining process there will be a
mass defect.
The mass defect is converted to energy using
this formula. E = mc
2


Explain how Sr-90 is used to measure the thickness
of paper in a paper industry
Put the radioactive source opposite the
detector
Detector is connected to the thickness
indicator
Detector detect the reading of the changes in
count
Thickness is measured with the thickness
indicator
If the reading of the detector is less than the
specified value, the thickness of paper is too
thick

Describe how to the radioisotope get into patient
body and how doctor diagnosis his disease
Radioisotope is injected into the blood stream.
Detector is used to detect radiation from the body.
The area that has high radiation show it might has
health problem

Explain the arrangement of the paper thickness
detector apparatus and state how it is used to
detect the thickness of the paper
Detector is put opposite to the radioactive source.
Detector is connected to the counter.
If the reading is too low from the standard reading
the paper is to thick.
Signal send to roller to decrease the gap between
rollers.
If the reading is too high, the paper is to thin.
Signal send to the roller to increase the gap
between rollers.

Why technetium 99 is suitable to be used in medical
diagnosis, to detect defects in bone, kidney, heart
and organ?
Half life is 6 hours. Not active in body for longer
time.
Produce low energy of gamma ray. Less
dangerous.