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Chapter 18 Practice Paper: Space physics (Physics only) — question paper

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GCSE (9–1) · GCSE Physics (Physics only (separate science))

Chapter 18 Practice Paper

Space physics (Physics only)

Duration: 40 minutes
Total: 30 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.
  • The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
  • The total mark for this paper is 30.

Original practice material written for the MOE GCSE Physics syllabus. It is not an official MOE or school examination paper. Chapter 18: the solar system, star life cycles, fusion and elements, orbits and satellites, red-shift, and the Big Bang with the CMB (Physics only content).

For Examiner’s Use
Section A/ 10
Section B/ 20
Total/ 30

Section A: Multiple-choice questions[10 marks]

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

  1. 1

    The Sun’s energy is produced by

    1. Anuclear fusion of hydrogen
    2. Bburning coal-like fuel
    3. Creflected light from planets
    4. Delectric currents in space
    ( )
  2. 2

    A star the size of our Sun will finish as a

    1. Ablack hole
    2. Bneutron star
    3. Cred supergiant
    4. Dwhite dwarf
    ( )
  3. 3

    Red-shifted light from a galaxy has been stretched to

    1. Ashorter wavelengths
    2. Bhigher frequencies
    3. Clonger wavelengths
    4. Dgamma rays
    ( )
  4. 4

    A geostationary satellite completes one orbit in

    1. A90 minutes
    2. B24 hours
    3. Cone month
    4. Done year
    ( )
  5. 5

    A supernova is the explosion of

    1. Aa white dwarf cooling
    2. Ba comet near the Sun
    3. Ca planet like Mars
    4. Da massive star at the end of its life
    ( )
  6. 6

    The force that keeps the Moon in orbit around the Earth is

    1. Agravity
    2. Bfriction
    3. Cmagnetism
    4. Dair resistance
    ( )
  7. 7

    Microwave radiation reaching us uniformly from every direction is evidence for

    1. Athe Sun shrinking
    2. Blife on other planets
    3. Cthe Big Bang
    4. Da hollow Earth
    ( )
  8. 8

    Stars form from

    1. Acool solid rock
    2. Bclouds of dust and gas
    3. Cleftover comets
    4. Dpure iron
    ( )
  9. 9

    Of two galaxies, the one further away shows

    1. Aa greater red-shift and faster recession
    2. Bno red-shift
    3. Ca blue-shift
    4. Dthe same red-shift
    ( )
  10. 10

    According to the Big Bang theory, everything in the universe started off

    1. Aspread evenly at today’s temperature
    2. Binside our solar system
    3. Cat a single extremely small, hot, dense point
    4. Das many separate universes
    ( )

Section B: Structured questions[20 marks]

Answer all questions in the spaces provided.

  1. 11

    This question is about the Sun and its future.

    1. (a)

      Name the stage the Sun is in now, and the process occurring in its core.

      [2]
    2. (b)

      List the remaining stages of the Sun’s life in order.

      [3]
    3. (c)

      Explain why the Sun will never become a supernova.

      [1]
  2. 12

    Astronomers measure the light of many distant galaxies and find the spectral lines of known elements shifted towards the red end, with bigger shifts for fainter, more distant galaxies.

    1. (a)

      State what the shifted spectral lines tell us about each galaxy’s motion.

      [2]
    2. (b)

      Describe the pattern between distance and recession speed.

      [2]
    3. (c)

      State the conclusion about the universe these observations support.

      [2]
    4. (d)

      Running this expansion backwards suggests what starting condition?

      [1]
  3. 13

    This question is about fusion and the elements. (Higher)

    1. (a)

      Describe what happens during nuclear fusion in a main-sequence star.

      [2]
    2. (b)

      Explain why a main-sequence star is stable.

      [2]
    3. (c)

      Elements up to iron form inside stars; explain how elements heavier than iron reach the Earth.

      [3]

— End of paper —