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Physics
ATP(2)
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1 A student investigates how the area of a parachute affects the time taken for it to fall.

The student cuts a square from an A4 sheet of paper to make the parachute. He attaches the
parachute to an eraser using four pieces of thin string of equal length, as shown in Fig. 2.1.

An A4 sheet of paper is the same size as one page of the examination paper.

The student holds the top of the parachute against the ceiling. He releases the parachute and
measures the time t it takes for the eraser to hit the floor.

(a) The student makes the parachute from a square of paper of side 21.0 cm.

He obtains the following five values of t, measured in seconds.

1.25 1.29 1.31 1.22 1.27

(i) Calculate tav, the average value for t.

tav = ...........................................................[2]

(ii) Suggest a reason why the value for t av is not given to more than 2 decimal places.

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(iii) Suggest a reason why the distance that the parachute falls is chosen to be as large as possible.

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(iv) The length l of one side of the parachute is 21.0 cm. Calculate the area A of the paper that is
used to make parachute.

A = ...........................................................[1]

(v) Suggest a reason why the student cannot make a parachute with an area greater than your
answer to (a)(iv) when using the sheet of A4 paper.

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(b) The student repeats the experiment for different values of l. The results obtained are recorded in
Fig. 2.2.

On Fig. 2.2,

(i) write your values of A and tav for l = 21.0 cm, [1]

(ii) complete the column for A. [1]

(iii) On Fig. 2.3, plot the graph of tav / s on the y-axis against A / cm2 on the x-axis.
Start your axes from (100, 0.7). Draw the straight line of best fit.

(iv) When extended, the line of best fit does not go through the origin (0,0).
Explain why.

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2 A student measures the least pressure that a rectangular wooden block exerts on a table.

• He places the wooden block on a sheet of paper, with its largest surface touching the paper.
• He uses a pencil to draw the outline of the wooden block on the paper.

Fig. 3.1 shows the outline of the block drawn on the paper.

(a) Take measurements from the block to the nearest 0.1cm and calculate the area A of its largest
surface.

length = .......................................................

width = .......................................................

A = ....................................................... cm2 [2]

(b) The student finds the weight W of the block with a newton meter, as shown in Fig. 3.2.

Write down the weight W of the block.

W = ...................................................... N [1]

(c) Use the equation

to calculate the pressure p due to the weight of the block on the table.

p = .............................................. N / cm² [1]

(d) Another student says that the actual pressure due to the weight of the block on the table is greater
than the value calculated in (c).

Suggest one practical reason for this.

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3 Fig. 4.1 shows an empty large reel that was used to hold ribbon.

The central cylinder has a diameter of about 3 cm.

(a) One student uses a ruler and the apparatus shown in Fig. 4.2 when finding the diameter.
The distance between points A and B changes as the screw is turned.

Describe how the student measures the diameter.

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(b) The other student measures the diameter using only the following apparatus:

metre rule, pencil, Blu-tack, one metre of thin thread.

Describe clearly how she can find an accurate value for the diameter.

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4 You are asked to take a set of readings to plot a cooling curve that shows how quickly hot water in a
test-tube cools.

(a) You are given a test-tube about half-full of hot water. List the additional apparatus you need.

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(b) In the space below, draw a diagram of the apparatus, showing the position of the eye when taking
the readings.

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(c) Fig. 4.1 is the top of a table for the readings. Complete the headings in the table.

(d) Suggest two ways in which the apparatus is arranged to make the readings accurate.

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

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

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[2]
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