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Paper 1-style practice paper: Energy · Electricity · Particle model · Atomic structure (Higher) — question paper

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QQ/GCSE-PHYS/P1-H

GCSE (9–1) · GCSE Physics (Higher tier)

Paper 1-style practice paper

Energy · Electricity · Particle model · Atomic structure (Higher)

Duration: 105 minutes
Total: 100 marks
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READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

  • Answer all questions.
  • Section A contains ten multiple-choice questions. Choose one answer, A, B, C or D, for each.
  • Section B contains structured questions. Write your answers in the spaces provided.
  • You may use a calculator. Take g = 9.8 N/kg where needed.
  • The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
  • The total mark for this paper is 100.

Original practice material written for the MOE GCSE Physics syllabus. It is not an official MOE or school examination paper. Chapters 1–7 at Higher tier: energy stores, efficiency and power, circuits and resistance, mains electricity and the National Grid, density, specific latent heat, gas pressure, atoms, isotopes and radioactivity.

For Examiner’s Use
Section A/ 10
Section B/ 90
Total/ 100

Section A: Multiple-choice questions[10 marks]

Choose one answer for each question. Each question is worth 1 mark.

  1. 1

    A motor transfers 900 J of useful energy for every 1 000 J supplied. Its efficiency is

    1. A9%
    2. B90%
    3. C111%
    4. D0.9%
    ( )
  2. 2

    A current of 0.50 A flows for 2.0 minutes. The charge transferred is

    1. A60 C
    2. B100 C
    3. C30 C
    4. D1 C
    ( )
  3. 3

    In a series circuit the quantity that is the same at every point is the

    1. Acurrent
    2. Bvoltage
    3. Cresistance
    4. Dpower
    ( )
  4. 4

    The specific latent heat of fusion is the energy needed to change the state of

    1. A1 kg from liquid to gas with no temperature change
    2. Bany mass of solid to liquid
    3. C1 kg from solid to liquid at any temperature
    4. D1 kg of solid to liquid with no temperature change
    ( )
  5. 5

    A sealed can of fixed volume is heated. The pressure of the gas inside

    1. Adecreases
    2. Bstays the same
    3. Cincreases
    4. Dfalls to zero
    ( )
  6. 6

    A gas at 100 kPa occupies 2.0 m³. It is compressed slowly (constant temperature) to 0.50 m³. The new pressure is

    1. A25 kPa
    2. B50 kPa
    3. C200 kPa
    4. D400 kPa
    ( )
  7. 7

    Two atoms are isotopes of the same element when they have

    1. Athe same number of neutrons but different numbers of protons
    2. Bthe same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons
    3. Cthe same number of electrons but different numbers of protons
    4. Dthe same mass number but different atomic numbers
    ( )
  8. 8

    When a nucleus emits an alpha particle, its mass number falls by

    1. A2
    2. B1
    3. C4
    4. D0
    ( )
  9. 9

    A source has activity 640 Bq and half-life 2 days. The time taken to fall to 20 Bq is

    1. A8 days
    2. B10 days
    3. C6 days
    4. D32 days
    ( )
  10. 10

    Electricity is transmitted through the National Grid at very high voltage so that

    1. Athe current in the cables is smaller, so less energy is wasted heating them
    2. Bthe current in the cables is larger, so energy arrives faster
    3. Cthe resistance of the cables becomes zero
    4. Dthe transformers store energy for later
    ( )

Section B: Structured questions[90 marks]

Answer all questions in the spaces provided.

  1. 11

    This question is about energy.

    1. (a)

      A bungee jumper falls and then rebounds. Describe the main energy transfers from the moment the cord starts to stretch.

      [3]
    2. (b)

      Calculate the kinetic energy of an 800 kg car moving at 15 m/s.

      [3]
    3. (c)

      The same car is lifted by a recovery truck through 12 m. Calculate the energy transferred to its gravitational potential store.

      [3]
    4. (d)

      A motor draws 1 500 W and delivers 1 170 W of useful mechanical power. Calculate its efficiency.

      [3]
    5. (e)

      State what happens to the wasted power and give one way the motor’s designer could reduce it.

      [2]
  2. 12

    This question is about electricity.

    1. (a)

      Explain why lights in a home are connected in parallel rather than in series.

      [2]
    2. (b)

      A 6.0 Ω resistor is connected in parallel with a 3.0 Ω resistor, and this pair is in series with a 4.0 Ω resistor. The combination is connected to a 12 V battery. Calculate the total current.

      [5]
    3. (c)

      A kettle draws 9.2 A from the 230 V mains. Calculate its power.

      [3]
    4. (d)

      The kettle runs for 30 minutes. Electricity costs 28p per kWh. Calculate the cost.

      [3]
    5. (e)

      A sensing circuit contains a thermistor in series with a fixed resistor. Explain how it can switch a heater on when the room gets cold.

      [3]
  3. 13

    This question is about the particle model.

    1. (a)

      A lump of material has mass 0.72 kg and volume 900 cm³. Calculate its density in kg/m³.

      [4]
    2. (b)

      A heating curve for water shows flat sections while the water is melting and while it is boiling. Explain why the temperature stays constant during these changes.

      [3]
    3. (c)

      Calculate the energy needed to melt 0.30 kg of ice at 0 °C (specific latent heat of fusion = 334 000 J/kg).

      [3]
    4. (d)

      A fixed mass of gas is compressed slowly at constant temperature. Use the particle model to explain why the pressure rises.

      [4]
  4. 14

    This question is about atoms and radioactivity.

    1. (a)

      Describe the structure of an atom of carbon-14 in terms of its particles (proton number 6, mass number 14).

      [3]
    2. (b)

      Uranium-238 (proton number 92) decays by emitting an alpha particle. Write the balanced nuclear equation for this decay.

      [4]
    3. (c)

      A source’s count rate (corrected for background) falls from 320 Bq to 40 Bq in 18 days. Show that its half-life is 6 days.

      [4]
    4. (d)

      Explain the difference between irradiation and contamination, and give two precautions a worker handling a radioactive source should take.

      [5]
  5. 15

    This question is about energy resources and the National Grid.

    1. (a)

      Compare wind power with a gas-fired power station. Give one advantage and one disadvantage of wind, one of which should be environmental.

      [4]
    2. (b)

      A step-up transformer raises the generator voltage from 25 kV to 400 kV. Show that the turns ratio (secondary : primary) is 16.

      [3]
    3. (c)

      A power station delivers 400 MW at 400 kV through cables of total resistance 5.0 Ω. (i) Calculate the current. (ii) Calculate the power wasted in the cables. (iii) Express this as a percentage of the delivered power.

      [5]
  6. 16

    A student measures the specific heat capacity of a 1.0 kg aluminium block using an electric heater, a voltmeter, an ammeter and a thermometer.

    1. (a)

      Describe how the student should carry out the investigation and which quantities must be measured.

      [5]
    2. (b)

      The heater works at 6.0 V, draws 2.5 A, and is switched off after 8.0 minutes. The block’s temperature rises by 8.0 °C. Calculate the specific heat capacity.

      [5]
    3. (c)

      The accepted value for aluminium is about 900 J/kg °C, but most classes measure a higher value. Explain why.

      [3]
    4. (d)

      Give one advantage of using a joulemeter instead of a voltmeter and ammeter.

      [2]
    5. (e)

      The thermometer is calibrated to ±0.5 °C. The measured rise is 8.0 °C. Comment on the significance of this uncertainty.

      [3]

— End of paper —