Cambridge International Examinations

Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education

* 2 9 3 9 1 8 7 0 1 4 *

PHYSICS 0625/41
Paper 4 Theory (Extended) October/November 2017
1 hour 15 minutes
Candidates answer on the Question Paper.
No Additional Materials are required.

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write your Centre number, candidate number and name on all the work you hand in.
Write in dark blue or black pen.
You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams or graphs.
Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid.
DO NOT WRITE IN ANY BARCODES.

Answer all questions.

Electronic calculators may be used.
You may lose marks if you do not show your working or if you do not use appropriate units.
Take the weight of 1.0 kg to be 10 N (acceleration of free fall = 10 m / s2).

At the end of the examination, fasten all your work securely together.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.

The syllabus is approved for use in England, Wales and Northern Ireland as a Cambridge International Level 1/Level 2 Certificate.

This document consists of 14 printed pages and 2 blank pages.

DC (LK/SG) 133346/7
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1 Fig. 1.1 shows the speed-time graph for the motion of a car.

20

speed
m/s
15

10

0
0 10 20 30 40
time / s

Fig. 1.1

The mass of the car is 1200 kg.

(a) Calculate, for the first 20 s of the motion,

(i) the distance travelled by the car,

distance = ...........................................................[2]

(ii) the acceleration of the car,

acceleration = ...........................................................[2]

(iii) the resultant force acting on the car.

resultant force = ...........................................................[2]

(b) Describe the motion of the car in the period of time from 25 s to 40 s.

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[1]

[Total: 7]
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2 (a) State Hooke’s Law.

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[1]

(b) For forces up to 120 N, a spring obeys Hooke’s Law.

A force of 120 N causes an extension of 64 mm.

(i) On Fig. 2.1, draw the force-extension graph for the spring for loads up to 120 N. [1]

150

force / N

100

50

0
0 20 40 60 80
extension / mm

Fig. 2.1

(ii) Calculate the spring constant k of the spring.

k = ...........................................................[2]

(c) A student makes a spring balance using the spring in (b). The maximum reading of this
balance is 150 N.

The student tests his balance with a known weight of 140 N. He observes that the reading of
the balance is not 140 N.

Suggest and explain why the reading is not 140 N.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[2]

[Total: 6]

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3 All the sides of a plastic cube are 8.0 cm long. Fig. 3.1 shows the cube.

8.0 cm

Fig. 3.1 (not to scale)

The mass of the cube is 0.44 kg.

(a) Explain what is meant by mass.

...............................................................................................................................................[1]

(b) (i) Calculate the density of the plastic from which the cube is made.

density = ...........................................................[2]

(ii) The density of one type of oil is 850 kg / m3.

State and explain whether the cube floats or sinks when placed in a container of this oil.

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

(c) On the Moon, the weight of the cube is 0.70 N.

(i) Calculate the gravitational field strength on the Moon.

gravitational field strength = ...........................................................[2]

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(ii) In a laboratory on the Moon, the plastic cube is held stationary, using a clamp, in a
beaker of the oil of density 850 kg / m3.

The arrangement is shown in Fig. 3.2.

clamp

cube

3.0 cm clamp
stand
oil
bench

Fig. 3.2

The lower face of the cube is 3.0 cm below the surface of the oil.

Use your answer to (c)(i) to calculate the pressure due to the oil on the lower face of the
cube.

pressure = ...........................................................[2]

[Total: 8]

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4 Fig. 4.1 shows a balloon filled with helium that is used to lift measuring instruments to a great
height above the Earth’s surface.

Fig. 4.1

(a) Explain, in terms of momentum, how the atoms of helium produce a force on the wall of the
balloon.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[3]

(b) At ground level, the pressure of the helium in the balloon is 1.0 × 105 Pa. The volume occupied
by the helium is 9.6 m3.

The balloon is released and it rises quickly through the atmosphere. The volume occupied by
the helium increases, but the temperature of the helium may be assumed to stay constant.

(i) Explain, in terms of the helium atoms in the balloon, why the pressure in the balloon is
smaller than at ground level.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[2]

(ii) Calculate the pressure of the helium when it occupies a volume of 12 m3.

pressure = ...........................................................[2]

[Total: 7]

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5 (a) A wave passes through a gap in a barrier. The wavelength of the wave is the same magnitude
as the width of the gap in the barrier.

Tick one box to indicate what happens to the wave.

diffraction and dispersion

diffraction only
dispersion only
refraction and diffraction
refraction and dispersion
refraction only
[1]

(b) Fig. 5.1 shows six wavefronts of a wave travelling on the surface of deep water. The wave is
incident on a boundary with a region where the water is shallow.

boundary

direction
of wave

deep water shallow

water

Fig. 5.1

(i) On Fig. 5.1, draw the wavefronts of the wave in the shallow water where the wave travels
more slowly. [2]

(ii) The depth of the shallow water is now changed so that the speed of the wave in the
shallow water is 0.60 m / s. The speed of the wave in the deep water is 0.80 m / s.
The distance between successive wavefronts in the deep water is 1.4 cm.

Calculate the wavelength of the wave in the shallow water.

wavelength = ...........................................................[4]

[Total: 7]

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6 (a) The left-hand column of the table shows some possible speeds of a sound wave.

In the right-hand column, write down the medium in which a sound wave has this speed.

Choose from solid, liquid or gas.

speed of sound wave medium

m/s
1500
5000
300
[2]

(b) Fig. 6.1 represents a series of compressions and rarefactions of a sound wave.

Fig. 6.1

(i) On Fig. 6.1, mark, with the letters X and Y, the mid-points of two rarefactions. [1]

(ii) State, in terms of pressure, what is meant by a rarefaction.

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

(c) Astronauts set up a mirror on the Moon’s surface. A laser beam is transmitted from the Earth’s
surface to the mirror and is then reflected back to Earth.

On a certain day, the time between transmitting the beam from a point on the Earth’s surface
and receiving the reflected signal at the same point is 2.56 s.

The speed of the laser beam is 3.00 × 108 m / s.

Calculate the distance between the Earth’s surface and the Moon’s surface.

distance = ...........................................................[3]

[Total: 7]

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7 (a) Fig. 7.1 shows a converging lens and its principal axis. The points labelled F are each a
principal focus of the lens.

F F

Fig. 7.1

On Fig. 7.1, draw two rays from the top of the object O, to locate the image of O.
Label the image I. [3]

(b) Underline three of the terms below to describe the nature of the image produced by a
converging lens used as a magnifying glass.

diminished enlarged inverted real same size upright virtual

[2]

(c) Fig. 7.2 shows the path of a ray of red light passing through a glass prism.

prism
air

Fig. 7.2

A ray of green light enters the prism along the same path as the ray of red light.

On Fig. 7.2, draw the path of the ray of green light as it passes through the prism and emerges
into the air. [2]

[Total: 7]

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8 (a) Describe a renewable process by which electrical energy is obtained from the energy stored
in water. You may draw a diagram in the space.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[4]

(b) Explain why the process described in (a) can be regarded as renewable.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[2]

(c) Explain whether the Sun is the source of the energy stored in the water in (a).

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[2]

[Total: 8]

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9 Fig. 9.1 shows a circuit with three 1.5 V cells.

A H

C 3.0 Ω D

B G

E F
6.0 Ω

Fig. 9.1

(a) Calculate

(i) the total electromotive force (e.m.f.) of the cells,

e.m.f. = ...........................................................[1]

(ii) the total resistance of the circuit,

resistance = ...........................................................[3]

(iii) the current in the 3.0 Ω resistor.

current = ...........................................................[2]

(b) State, using the letters in Fig. 9.1, how you would connect

(i) an ammeter to measure the total current in the circuit,

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

(ii) a voltmeter to measure the potential difference (p.d.) across the 6.0 Ω resistor.

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

[Total: 8]
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10 (a) (i) Draw the circuit symbol for a diode.

[1]

(ii) State the function of a diode.

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

(b) Fig. 10.1 shows the proposed system for charging the battery of an electric toothbrush.

battery

+ –

handle of
toothbrush

B
coil X

coil Y

230 V
base of
a.c.
charger

Fig. 10.1

The handle of the brush contains the battery and a coil X. The circuit from coil X to the battery
is not shown.

The base of the charger contains a coil Y, wound on an iron core, connected to the a.c. mains
supply.

To charge the battery, the handle is lowered so that coil Y is inside coil X.

Fig. 10.1 shows the direction needed for the charging current at the battery.

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(i) On Fig. 10.1, complete the circuit from terminals A and B of coil X to the battery.
Include a diode. [2]

(ii) Explain how an alternating voltage is produced in coil X.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[3]

[Total: 7]

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11 The radioactive isotope carbon-14 (146 C) emits β-particles as it decays.

(a) The decay of carbon-14 produces an isotope of nitrogen (N).

(i) State the nature of a β-particle and state where it is produced.

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[2]

(ii) Complete the nuclide equation for the radioactive decay of carbon-14.
14 C ..... .....
6 ..... N + ..... β [3]

(b) The half-life of carbon-14 is 5700 years.

Explain what is meant by the term half-life.

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[1]

(c) A workman operates a machine that uses β-particles to determine the level of liquid in a
plastic water bottle that is being filled.

Suggest why

(i) α-particles are not suitable for the same purpose,

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

(ii) γ-rays are not suitable for the same purpose.

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

[Total: 8]

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