Candidate’s name ………………………………. CTG ……….

YISHUN JUNIOR COLLEGE

JC 2 Preliminary Examinations 2010

PHYSICS 9745, 9646/3

HIGHER 2
26 August 2010
Paper 3
Candidates answer on the Question Paper. Thursday
No Additional Materials are required. 2 hours
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INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Write your name and CTG in the spaces at the For Examiner’s Use
top of this page. Section A
Write your answers in the spaces provided on
the question paper. 1 /8
For numerical answers, all working should be
shown clearly. 2 /8
3 /8
Section A
Answer all questions. 4 /8

Section B 5 /8
Answer any two questions. Section B
6 /20
INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES
7 /20
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at
the end of each question or part question. 8 /20
Penalty

Total /80

This question paper consists of 19 printed pages

 2 For Examiner’s
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Data

speed of light in free space, c = 3.00 × 108 m s–1

permeability of free space, µ = 4π × 10–7 H m–1
o

permittivity of free space, ε o = 8.85 × 10–12 F m–1

(1/(36π )) × 10–9 F m–1
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 × 1023 mol–1
the Boltzmann constant, k = 1.38 × 10–23 J K–1
gravitational constant, G = 6.67 × 10–11 N m2 kg–2
acceleration of free fall, g = 9.81 m s–2

Formulae
1 2
uniformly accelerated motion, s = ut + at
2
v2 = u2 + 2as
work done on/by a gas, W = p ∆V
hydrostatic pressure, p = ρ gh
gravitational potential, φ Gm
= −
r
Displacement of particle in s.h.m. x = xo sin ω t
velocity of particle in s.h.m., v = vo cos ω t
= ± ω ( x o2 − x 2 )
resistors in series, R = R1 + R2+……….
resistors in parallel, 1 1 1
= + + ........
R R1 R 2
electric potential, V =
Q
4πεo r
alternating current/voltage, x = xo sin ω t
transmission coefficient T = exp(−2kd)
8π 2 m(U − E )
where k =
h2
radioactive decay, x = xo exp(–λ t)
0.693
decay constant, λ = t1
2

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Section A
Answer all the questions in this section.

1 A car that is moving along a horizontal road may be considered to have three forces
acting on it as shown in Fig. 1.1 below.

Resultant force Z of road on car

Resultant force Y of air

on car

Fig. 1.1

Resultant force X of Earth on car

(a) Explain why X and Z are resultant forces. [2]

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(b) The car and its contents have a total mass of 1200 kg. Force Y is horizontal and
−
has magnitude 2000 N. If the car is accelerating at 8 m s 2, calculate
1. the magnitude of force Z
2. the angle that Z makes with the road
[6]

magnitude of Z = ………..…….. N

angle = ………….. °

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2 (a) (i) Derive the equation

Ep = mgh

where Ep is the change in potential energy of a mass m moved through a

vertical distance h near the Earth’s surface. [2]

(ii) Explain why the above equation is not valid for masses placed at very
large distances away from the Earth’s surface. [2]

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(b) (i) Fig. 2.1 shows data for ethanol.

Density 0.79 g cm-3

Specific heat capacity of liquid ethanol 2.4 J g-1 K-1
Specific latent heat of fusion 110 J g-1
Specific latent heat of vaporisation 840 J g-1
Melting point -120 oC
Boiling point 78 oC

Fig 2.1

Use the data in Fig. 2.1 to calculate the thermal energy required to convert
1.0 cm3 of ethanol at 20 oC into vapour at its normal boiling point. [3]

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Thermal energy required = ………..…….. J

(ii) Suggest why there is a considerable difference in magnitude between its

specific latent heat of fusion and vaporization. [1]

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3 In the recently opened Universal Studios, one of the roller coaster sections includes a
loop-a-loop that looks like the one shown in Fig. 3.1. The radius of the loop is 18.0 m and
the centre of the loop is 20.0 m from the ground.

18.0 m

Coaster car
20.0 m
Fig. 3.1

(a) If the mass of a coaster car is 250 kg and there is no support system holding the
car to the track, calculate

(i) the minimum speed at the top of the loop required for the car to stay in
contact with the track, [2]

Minimum speed at the top of loop = ………………….. m s−1

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(ii) the minimum speed the car needs to have when it enters the loop, if the
car loses 15.0 J of energy per unit length of track travelled, and [3]

Minimum speed when entering loop = …………………… m s−1

(iii) the vertical force exerted by the track on the car when the car just enters
the loop. [2]

Vertical force exerted by track = ………………….. N

(b) Explain why is the magnitude of the force calculated in (a) (iii) not equal to the
weight of the car. [1]

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4 (a) Explain, using one of the observations of the photoelectric effect experiment, how
the effect illustrates the particulate nature of electromagnetic radiation. [3]

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(b) The lifetime of an electron in the ground state of an atom is very long. Explain why
this implies that the energy of the ground state is well-defined. [2]

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(c) Fig. 4.1 below shows how the potential energy Ep of an α -particle varies with
distance r along a line from the centre of a nucleus where Ro is the nuclear radius.
Using this graph, suggest why nuclei that emit high energy α -particles have short
half-lives. [3]

Ep

0 r
Ro
Fig. 4.1

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5 (a) As temperature increases, a semiconductor has greater conductivity whereas a

resistance wire has greater resistivity. Explain why this is so, in terms of charge
carriers. [2]

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(b) Fig. 5.1 shows the possible energy band structure of an intrinsic semiconductor.
The valence band is completely filled and there is no charge carrier in the
conduction band. Explain in terms of charge carriers and energy band structure
how conduction is possible. [2]

Conduction band

Valance band Fig. 5.1

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(c) Explain the origin of the depletion region in a p-n junction. [2]

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(d) Draw a labelled circuit diagram to show how the depletion region of a p-n junction
can be reduced or removed. [2]

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Section B
Answer two questions in this section.

6 (a) Explain what is meant by simple harmonic motion. [2]

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(b)
Fig. 6.1
5.0 cm Q
P
water

Fig. 6.1 shows floating beads P and Q, 5.0 cm apart, on the surface of the water. They
will oscillate vertically when a wave passes through from P to Q. The displacement x
−
versus time t graph of P is shown in Fig. 6.2. The speed of the wave is 2.5 cm s 1.

x /cm

2.5−

1.0 2.0 3.0 t /s

−2.5 −
Fig. 6.2

(i) Write an equation to describe the variation of x of P with t. [1]

(ii) Calculate the maximum speed of P. [2]

Maximum speed = ………………….. m s−1

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(iii) The amplitude of Q is 2.0 cm. Calculate its maximum speed. [1]

Maximum speed = ……….………… m s−1

(iv) Calculate the phase difference between P and Q. [2]

Phase difference = …………………. radian

(v) Draw a displacement versus distance graph to show the damping of the
wave from P to Q and beyond. [2]

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(c) White light has a wavelength range from 400 nm to 750 nm. A diffraction grating
with 6 × 105 lines per metre is placed at right angles to a ray of white light and
produces the first and second order spectra as shown in Fig. 6.3.

Second order spectrum

β

Fig. 6.3
First order spectrum
α

White light A

(i) Show, by calculation, that the angle β is greater than α . [4]

(ii) Show, by calculation, whether the second order spectrum overlaps with the
third order spectrum. [3]

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(iii) State two advantages of analysing the light in the first order spectrum. [2]

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(iv) State what would be seen at A. [1]

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7 (a) (i) Define electric field strength and state the SI unit in which it is measured.
[2]

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(ii) Two charged parallel plates are separated by a distance d and have a
potential difference V between them. Write down an expression for the
electric field strength of the uniform field between the plates. [1]

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(b) Fig. 7.1 illustrates two plates A and B, at a distance 30 mm apart in a vacuum,
with plate A at a potential of − 4.2 V and plate B at a potential of − 2.0 V.

Plate A − 4.2 V

v2
v1
30 mm
θ Fig. 7.1
β2 β1

Plate B − 2.0 V

(i) Draw arrows to represent the electric field between the plates. [1]

(ii) Calculate the magnitude of this electric field strength. [2]

Magnitude of electric field strength = ………………

(iii) An electron, β1 is emitted from plate B in a direction normal to its surface

and moves directly towards plate A. Calculate the minimum velocity, v1
with which the electron needs to be emitted in order to reach plate A. [2]

Minimum velocity = ………………… m s-1

(iv) State, with a reason, how your answer in (b) (iii) may be affected if

1. the distance between the plates had been halved to 15 mm, while
keeping the potential difference the same. [2]

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2. the potential of plate A is changed to + 4.2 V and potential of plate
B is changed to + 2.0 V while keeping the distance between the
plates at 30 mm. [2]

.……………………………………………………………………………………

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….…………………………………………………………………………………

..……………………………………………………………………………………

(v) Another electron, β2 is emitted from plate B with a velocity v2 =

1.1×106 m s−1 at an angle θ to the normal as shown in Fig 7.1. Determine
the largest possible angle θ which would allow the electron to just reach
plate A. [2]

Largest possible angle = ……….. °

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(c) The potentials of plates A and B are now changed to + 0.29 V and 0 V
respectively. A charged micro-particle is suspended between the two plates as
shown in Fig. 7.2 below.

Plate A + 0.29 V

30 mm Fig. 7.2

Plate B 0V

(i) State the sign of charge present on the particle. [1]

………..……………………………………………………………………………………

(ii) Find the charge to mass ratio, q/m of the particle. [2]

q/m = ………………… C kg-1

(iii) A student claims that the mass of the particle is 72 × 10−19 kg. Based on
your answer to part (c) (ii), explain why his answer is not valid. [3]

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8 (a) Explain what is meant by nuclear fission. [2]

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(b) A typical nuclear fission reaction that involves uranium-235 is represented by the
equation

235
92 U + n → 92
36 Kr + 141
56 Ba + 3 n

Data:
Nucleus Mass in u
235
92 U 235.044
92
36 Kr 91.910
141
56 Ba 140.916
n 1.009

92
(i) Deduce the number of protons and neutrons in the 36 Kr nucleus.
[2]

Number of protons = ………………….

Number of neutrons = ………………….

(ii) Calculate the energy released, in joules, in the above reaction. [3]

Energy released = ……………………… J

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235
(iii) If a nuclear power station uses up 92 U at a rate of 3.5 × 10−3 kg s−1 and
has an efficiency of 23%, estimate the useful power output. [3]

Useful power output = ……………………… W

(iv)
State two forms of energy of the product particles. [2]
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(c) Uranium-234 is another isotope of uranium that is radioactive and has a half-life of
2.4 × 105 years. The daughter nuclei from the decay is Thorium-230 with the
emission of another particle X.

(i) Define half-life. [1]

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(ii) Suggest what X is. [1]

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(iii) Calculate the decay constant of Uranium-234. [1]

Decay constant = ……………………… year−1

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(iv) Calculate the activity of a U-234 source after 8.7 × 104 years if it initially
has 5.5 × 1026 atoms. [3]

Activity = …………………… year−1

(v) Describe two applications of radioisotopes. [2]

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~ END OF PAPER ~

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