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AMERICAN ACADEMY LARNACA

YEAR 5 FINAL EXAM
Physics

Unit P2: Physics for your future Higher Tier

Monday 21 February 2017 Time: 1 hour

You must have: Total Marks

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Information
The total mark for this paper is 60.
The marks for each question are shown in brackets
use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.
Questions labelled with an asterisk (*) are ones where the quality of your written communication
will be assessed
 FORMULAE

You may find the following formulae useful.

charge = current time Q=It

potential difference = current resistance V=IR

electrical power = current potential difference P=IV

energy transferred = current potential difference time E=IVt

distance
speed =
time

change in velocity (v u )
acceleration = a=
time taken t

force = mass acceleration F=ma

weight = mass gravitational field strength W=mg

momentum = mass velocity P=mv

change in momentum (mv mu )

force = F=
time t

work done = force distance moved in the direction of the force E=Fd

work done E
power = P=
time taken t

gravitational potential energy = mass gravitational field strength vertical height

GPE = m g h

kinetic energy = mass velocity2 KE = m v2

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*P44804A0224*
1. (a) A lightning strike on a metal tower can be described as follows.
In the cloud.
A thunder cloud contains moving ice particles.
Some of these ice particles are negatively charged and some are positively charged.
The negatively charged particles move to the bottom of the cloud.

When the charged cloud is over the metal tower.

A charge builds up on the top of the metal tower as the cloud passes over.
During the lightning flash.
Eventually a flash of lightning travels between the cloud and the tower.
(i) Which row of this table is correct when the cloud is over the top of the tower before the lightning
flash?
Put a cross ( ) in the box next to your answer. (1)

charge on top of the cloud is charge on top of the tower is

A negative negative

B negative positive

C positive positive

D positive negative

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 (ii) Here are four statements.
Three of these are a reason for what happens at each stage.

Choose the best reason for each of the stages listed below by writing its number in the box next
to the description of what happens.
One has been done for you.
A reason can only be used once. (2)

(iii) Explain what happens to the charge on the metal tower as a result of the lightning flash. (2)

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(b) During the lightning flash a total charge of 52 C flows.
The average current is 2600 A.
Calculate the duration of the flash in seconds. (3)

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 (c) When fuel tanks on an aircraft are being filled, the aircraft, fuel pipes and tanker are connected by a
metal wire to the ground.
Explain why this greatly reduces the chance of a spark. (2)

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(Total for Question is 10 marks)

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 2. (a) A technician investigates a light-dependent resistor (LDR) connected in series with a 120 resistor
and a voltage source.
The technician measures the voltage across the LDR and also the current in the LDR.
(i) Which one of these circuits should the technician use?
Put a cross ( ) in the box next to your answer. (1)

(ii) When the LDR is in bright sunlight, its resistance is 185 .

The voltage across the LDR is then 7.2V.
Show that the current in the LDR is about 0.039 A. (2)

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(iii) Complete the sentence by putting a cross ( ) in the box next to your answer.
The current in the 120 resistor is (1)
A much more than the current in the LDR
B much less than the current in the LDR
C the same as the current in the LDR
D the opposite of the current in the LDR

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 (iv) The technician repeats the readings with the LDR in different light conditions.
The table gives two of the readings.

Explain why the two current readings are different. (2)

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(b) The photograph shows a temporary traffic sign.

The traffic sign uses many small lights all powered by a rechargeable battery.
These lights need to be very bright during the day so that they can be seen clearly.
They do not need to be as bright at night.
Explain how using a light-dependent resistor can make the energy stored in the battery last longer. (6)

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(Total for question = 12 marks)

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3. The graph shows how the velocity of a small car changes with time.

(a) Complete the sentence by putting a cross ( ) in the box next to your answer.
The resultant force on the car will be zero when the car is (1)
A accelerating
B decelerating
C changing velocity
D moving at a constant velocity
(b) (i) Use the graph to estimate the velocity of the car at three seconds. (2)

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(ii) Calculate the acceleration of the car when it is speeding up. (2)

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acceleration = m/s2
(iii) Explain why the units of acceleration are m/s2. (2)

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(iv) Show that the car travels further at a constant velocity than it does when it is slowing down. (3)

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(Total for Question is 10 marks)

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4. (a) A car driver sees the traffic in front is not moving and brakes to stop his car.
The stopping distance of a car is the thinking distance plus the braking distance.
(i) What is meant by the braking distance? (1)

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(ii) The braking distance of a car depends on the speed of the car and the braking force.
State one other factor that affects braking distance. (1)

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(iii) How does the braking force needed to stop a car in a particular distance depend on the speed
of the car? (1)

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(b) Figure 4 shows the distancetime graph for the car in the 10 seconds before the driver applied the
brakes.
Figure 4

Use Figure 4 to calculate the maximum speed the car was travelling at.
Show clearly how you work out your answer. (2)

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Maximum speed = ................................ m/s
(c) The car did not stop in time. It collided with the stationary car in front, joining the two cars together.
Figure 5 shows both cars, just before and just after the collision.

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 (i) The momentum of the two cars was conserved.
What is meant by the statement momentum is conserved? (1)

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(ii) Calculate the velocity of the two joined cars immediately after the collision. (3)

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Velocity = ..................................... m/s
(d) Since 1965, all cars manufactured for use in the UK must have seat belts.
It is safer for a car driver to be wearing a seat belt, compared with not wearing a seat belt, if the car
is involved in a collision.
Explain why. (4)

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(Total for Question = 13 marks)

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5. Many countries use nuclear power stations to generate electricity.
Nuclear power stations use the process of nuclear fission to release energy.
(a) (i) What is nuclear fission? (1)

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(ii) Plutonium-239 is one substance used as a fuel in a nuclear reactor. For nuclear fission to
happen, the nucleus must absorb a particle.
What type of particle must be absorbed? (1)

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(b) Nuclear fusion also releases energy.
Nuclear fusion happens at very high temperatures. A high temperature is needed to overcome the
repulsion force between the nuclei.
(i) Why is there a repulsion force between the nuclei of atoms? (1)

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(ii) Where does nuclear fusion happen naturally? (1)

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(c) In 1991, scientists produced the first controlled release of energy from an experimental nuclear
fusion reactor. This was achieved by fusing the hydrogen isotopes, deuterium and tritium.
Deuterium is naturally occurring and can easily be extracted from seawater. Tritium can be
produced from lithium. Lithium is also found in seawater.
Table 2 gives the energy released from 1 kg of fusion fuel and from 1 kg of fission fuel.
Table 2

(i) Suggest two advantages of the fuel used in a fusion reactor compared with plutonium and the
other substances used as fuel in a fission reactor. (2)

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(ii) Some scientists think that by the year 2050 a nuclear fusion power station capable of generating
electricity on a large scale will have been developed.
Suggest one important consequence of developing nuclear fusion power stations to generate
electricity. (1)

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(d) Tritium is radioactive.
After 36 years, only 10 g of tritium remains from an original sample of 80 g.
Calculate the half-life of tritium.
Show clearly how you work out your answer. (2)

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Half-life = .................................... years
(Total for Question = 9 marks)

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 6. Scientists in Finland are building a facility for the storage of radioactive waste.
They plan to bury radioactive waste deep underground.
Describe some of the issues that need to be considered when planning to bury nuclear waste. (6)

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(Total for Question = 6 marks)

(Total for exam = 80 marks)

THE END

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Mark Scheme
Q1.
Answer Acceptable Mark
answers
(a) C (1)
a(ii) In the cloud : reason
3

(1) At the tower:

reason 2

(1) (2)
a(iii) An explanation Discharged/ (2)
linking becomes zero
the charge was gained electrons /
neutralised negative charge

(1)
by a transfer/flow
of electrons

(1)
(b) substitution
(1)
52 = 2600 time
transposition
time = 52 / 2600 T = Q / I Full marks
for correct answer
(3)
even if no working is
(1) evaluation evident
0.02 (s)

(1)
(c) An explanation mention of (2)
linking two of the earthing discharged
following / neutral all objects
charges flow at the same potential
through the metal
wire
to the ground /
earth
preventing build-
up of (excess)
charge

(2)

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Q2.

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Q3.
Answer Acceptable Mark
answers
(a) D (1)
(b)(i) Use of gradient (1) Range from 11(m/s) (2)
12 (m/s) (1) to 14
(m/s)
(b)(ii) Substitution (1) 20 (2)
20-0 5 Full marks for
5 correct answer with
evaluation (1) no working Allow
4 (m/s2) answers between
3.6 and 4.7 for 2
marks to reflect
readings taken from
the graph
b(iii) velocity/ speed (2)
velocity/ speed (measured in) ms-1
(measured in) acceleration is rate
m/s (1) of change of velocity
m/s/s m per s per s
divided by time in [accept per for
s (1) divide] do not
accept m/s times
time
b(iv) at constant vel (3)
distance = 60
(m) (1) slowing down correct answer
distance = scores 2 marks
220 (1)
= 20 (m) (1)

Q4.

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Q5.

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Q6.
Question Answer Acceptable answers Mark
Number
A description idea of planning for
including three of conditions hundreds
the following points /thousands of years
the long time taken from now public do
for decay (of long- not want waste
lived radionuclides) buried near where
water causing they live (so
corrosion / leaks limitation on
transportation of available sites)
radioactive material
need for
geologically stable
rock formation
public perception of
waste security from
terrorist activity (3)

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