Cambridge International Examinations

Cambridge International Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced Level

* 3 6 4 7 5 4 4 0 8 1 *

PHYSICS 9702/33
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills 1 February/March 2016
2 hours
Candidates answer on the Question Paper.
Additional Materials: As listed in the Confidential Instructions.

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 both questions.

You will be allowed to work with the apparatus for a maximum of one hour for each question.
You are expected to record all your observations as soon as these observations are made, and to plan the
presentation of the records so that it is not necessary to make a fair copy of them.
You are reminded of the need for good English and clear presentation in your answers.

Electronic calculators may be used.

You may lose marks if you do not show your working or if you do not use appropriate units.

Additional answer paper and graph paper should be used only if it becomes necessary to do so.

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.

For Examiner’s Use

Total

This document consists of 11 printed pages and 1 blank page.

DC (LK/SW) 107948/4
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You may not need to use all of the materials provided.

1 In this experiment you will investigate the behaviour of a sphere rolling across a sloping
board.

(a) Pass the thread through the hole in the board and clip it in place with the spring clip.
Set up the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1.1, with the board at an angle of approximately
45° to the bench. The length of the thread between the spring clip and the sphere should
be approximately 20 cm.

spring clip

thread

sphere

boss wooden strip

clamp
G-clamp
stand
board
§ 45°

bench

Fig. 1.1 (not to scale)

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(b) (i) Measure and record the angle θ between the board and the bench, as shown in
Fig. 1.2.

spring clip

sphere

board

bench

Fig. 1.2 (not to scale)

θ = .................................................. [1]

(ii) Push the sphere to one side. Release the sphere so that it oscillates from side to
side.

(iii) Take measurements to find the period T of the oscillations.

Record T.

T = ............................................... s [2]

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(c) Change θ by moving the boss and clamp and repeat (b) until you have six sets of values
for θ and T. Do not change the length of the thread between the sphere and the spring
clip.

Include values for 13 in your table.

T

[9]

(d) (i) Plot a graph of θ on the y-axis against 13 on the x-axis. [3]
T
(ii) Draw the straight line of best fit. [1]

(iii) Determine the gradient and y-intercept of this line.

gradient = ......................................................

y-intercept = ......................................................
[2]

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(e) It is suggested that the quantities θ and T are related by the equation

θ = a3 + b
T

where a and b are constants.

Use your answers from (d)(iii) to determine the values of a and b.

Give appropriate units.

a = ......................................................

b = ......................................................
[2]

[Total: 20]

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You may not need to use all of the materials provided.

2 In this experiment you will investigate the motion of a sphere launched from a ramp.

(a) Set up the apparatus as shown in Fig. 2.1. Adjust the height of the clamp so that the
launch angle φ is approximately 15°.

stand
clamp
mark

ramp

tray
sand
wooden block
q

bench
Fig. 2.1 (not to scale)

(b) (i) Measure and record φ , as shown in Fig. 2.1.

φ = .................................................. [1]

(ii) Measure and record the height h1 of the mark above the bench, as shown in
Fig. 2.2.

mark

h1
tray
sand
h2

bench

Fig. 2.2 (not to scale)

h1 = ........................................... cm [1]
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(iii) Measure and record the height h2 of the end of the ramp, as shown in Fig. 2.2.

h2 = ................................................. cm

(iv) Calculate the speed v of the sphere when it leaves the ramp using the expression

v= 2g (h1 – h2)

where g = 9.81 m s–2.

v = .................................................. [1]

(c) Justify the number of significant figures you have given for your value of v.

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

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

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

(d) (i) Place the smaller sphere on the ramp at the mark. Release the sphere.

(ii) Measure and record the horizontal distance R from the end of the ramp to the
landing position of the sphere, as shown in Fig. 2.3.

Fig. 2.3 (not to scale)

R = ............................................ cm [2]
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(e) Estimate the percentage uncertainty in your value of R.

percentage uncertainty = .................................................. [1]

(f) By lowering the clamp, increase the launch angle φ to approximately 25°. Repeat (b)
and (d) using the same sphere.

φ = ......................................................

h1 = ................................................. cm

h2 = ................................................. cm

v = ......................................................

R = ................................................. cm
[3]

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(g) It is suggested that the relationship between R, v and φ is

R = k v cos φ

where k is a constant.

(i) Using your data, calculate two values of k.

first value of k = ......................................................

second value of k = ......................................................

[1]

(ii) Explain whether your results support the suggested relationship.

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

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

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

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(h) (i) Describe four sources of uncertainty or limitations of the procedure for this
experiment.

1. ...............................................................................................................................

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

2. ...............................................................................................................................

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

3. ...............................................................................................................................

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

4. ...............................................................................................................................

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

(ii) Describe four improvements that could be made to this experiment. You may
suggest the use of other apparatus or different procedures.

1. ...............................................................................................................................

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

2. ...............................................................................................................................

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

3. ...............................................................................................................................

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

4. ...............................................................................................................................

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

[Total: 20]

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© UCLES 2016 9702/33/F/M/16