IFYPH004 Physics

THE NCUK INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION YEAR

IFYPH004 Physics
End of Semester 1 Test

Time Allowed
2 hour 40 minutes

1 INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS
Questions Answer ALL questions. These questions carry 30 marks in
1-12 total (60% of the marks for this assessment).

Questions Answer 1 question ONLY. This question carries 20 marks in

13-14 total (40% of the marks for this assessment).

The marks for each question are indicated in square brackets [ ].

• Formulae are included in the front of the test booklet.

• Graph paper will be provided.
• An approved calculator may be used in the examination.
• Show ALL workings in your answer booklet.
• Test materials must not be removed from the test room.
• State the units where necessary.
• Where appropriate, working should be carried out to 4 significant figures and
answers given to 3 significant figures.

DO NOT OPEN THIS QUESTION PAPER UNTIL INSTRUCTED BY THE

INVIGILATOR

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Data, formulae and relationships

Data

Speed of light in a vacuum c = 3.00  10 8 m s – 1

Gravitational constant G = 6.67  10 – 11 N m 2 kg – 2
Acceleration of free fall g = 9.81 m s – 2 (close to the Earth)
Gravitational field strength g = 9.81 N kg – 1 (close to the Earth)
Electronic charge e = – 1.60  10 – 19 C
Electronic mass me = 9.11  10 – 31 kg
Proton rest mass mp = 1.67 x 10-27 kg
Electron-volt 1 eV = 1.60  10 – 19 J
Planck constant h = 6.63  10 – 34 J s
Unified atomic mass unit u = 1.66  10 – 27 kg
Molar gas constant R = 8.31 J K – 1 mol – 1
Boltzmann constant k = 1.38  10 – 23 J K-1
Permittivity of free space o = 8.85  10 – 12 F m – 1
Coulomb Law constant k = 1 / ( 4  o ) = 8.99  10 9 N m 2 C – 2
Avogadro Constant NA = 6.02  10 23 mol-1
Absolute temperature T/K = θ/ºC+ 273.2

Rectilinear motion

For uniformly accelerated motion =u+at

s=ut+½at2

2= u2+2as

s = [½(u + v)] t

Materials and Elasticity

Density ρ = m/V

FL
Young's modulus E= = σ/ε
Ae
For a spring F = -kx

Energy E = ½Fx = ½kx2

Pressure change Δp = ρgΔh

Forces and moments

Moment of F about O = F  (Perpendicular distance from line of action of F to O)

Dynamics and Energy

Kinetic Energy Ek = ½mv2

Gravitational Potential Energy Ep = mgh (near Earth’s surface)

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 p
Newton’s Law (for constant mass) F =ma=m =
t t
Impulse F t = p

Power P=F

Radioactive decay and the nuclear atom

Activity A=N

Half-life  t ½ = ln 2
Radioactive decay A = A0e− t
N = N 0e −  t

Electric current and potential difference

Q
Electric current I=
t
V
Resistance R=
I
Work W = QV = IVt

Electric power P = I 2 R = V2/R = IV

Electrical circuits
RA
Resistivity =
L

Resistors in series R=R1+R2+R3

1 1 1 1
Resistors in parallel = + +
R R1 R2 R3

Terminal potential difference V=–Ir

Heat

Change of state: Q = L m

Heating and cooling: E = mc

Change of internal energy: U = Q + W

Equation of State for ideal gas pV = nRT

pV = NkT

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Circular motion and oscillations

 
Angular speed = =
t r
2
Centripetal acceleration a= = rω2
r

1 2
Period T= =
f 

Simple Harmonic Motion

Displacement x = A sin( t )

Acceleration a = -ω2 x

Velocity v = A cos(t ) = ± ω √( A 2 - x 2)

l
For a simple pendulum T = 2
g

m
For a mass on a spring T = 2
k

Waves, Wave Motion and Interference

Malus’ law I = Iocos2ϴ

Wave speed v = fλ

Young's slits 𝑤 = 𝜆𝐷/𝑠

Diffraction grating d sinθ = nλ

Gravitational fields
Mm
Universal Law of Gravitation F =G
r2
Gravitational field strength g=F/m

Gravitational potential V=W/m

Electric fields
Q1Q2
F=
4 0 r 2
Coulomb’s law

Electrical potential V = Q/(4πεor)

Electric field strength E = F/Q

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1 Q
For radial field E= (in free space or in air)
4 0 r 2

For uniform field E=V/d

Capacitance

Capacitance C=Q/V

Energy stored W = ½ C V 2 = ½ QV = ½ Q2/C

Capacitors in parallel C=C1+C2+C3

1 1 1 1
Capacitors in series = + +
C C1 C 2 C3

Time constant τ=RC

Capacitor discharge Q = Qoe-t/ τ, I = Io e-t/ τ, V = Vo e-t/ τ

Magnetic fields
Force on moving charge F = Bqv

Force on a wire F = BIL sin 

Torque on a coil T = BIAn

Magnetic flux linkage NΦ = NBAcosθ

NΦ
E.m.f. induced in a coil = −
t
E.m.f. induced in a moving conductor  = BLv

Modern Physics

Photon energy E = hf

Photoelectric effect hf = Φ + Ek max

h
De Broglie =
mv
Energy E = mc2

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Mathematics
sin (90 o – ) = cos 

ln (x n) = n ln x

ln (e kx) = k x

Equation of a straight line y = mx + c

Surface area of a cylinder =2rh+2r2

Surface area of a sphere =4r2

Volume of a cylinder =  r 2h
Volume of a sphere = 4  r 3/ 3

For small angles sin   tan    (in radians)

cos   1

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Questions 1-12
Answer ALL questions.
These questions carry 30 marks in total.
Question 1

What is the vertical component of the following force vector ?

[1]
A 16.9
B 36.3 N
C 36.3
D 16.9 N

Question 2

A stone of mass 0.1 kg is dropped off a cliff. How far does the stone travel [1]
in the 4th second? You can ignore the effect of air resistance.

A 19.8 m
B 34.3 m
C 44.1 m
D 78.5 m

Question 3

Which of the following is a vector quantity? [1]

A Momentum
B Energy
C Distance
D Speed

Question 4

The force acting on an object is equivalent to: [1]

A The impulse per second.

B The energy lost per second.
C The acceleration of an object per second.
D The change in momentum per second.

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Question 5

A wire is stretched elastically by a force of 240 N causing an extension of [1]

3.0 mm. The force is then steadily increased to 320 N.

What is the new extension?

A 1.0 mm
B 2.0 mm
C 3.0 mm
D 4.0 mm

Question 6

A motor in a crane hoist lifts a load of 1500 kg through a height of 15 m at [1]

a constant velocity of 3 m s-1. The motor is 40% efficient.

What is the minimum input power to the motor?

A 265 k W
B 184 kW
C 17.6 kW
D 110 Kw

Question 7

A cathode ray tube fires 8.2 x 1015 electrons at a screen in 30 seconds. [1]

What current does this represent?

A 4.37 x 10-5 A
B 2.73 x 1014 A
C 3.66 x 10-15 A
D 2.11 x 10-6 A

Question 8

Three capacitors of equal capacitance C can be placed together in a circuit to [1]

give the effective capacitance of 2/3 C when:

A Two are in series with the third in parallel across this combination.
B Two are in parallel which are then in series with the third capacitor.
C All three are in parallel.
D All three are in series.

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Question 9

A car which is moving at 20 m s-1 has a kinetic energy of E. [1]

The same car then moves at 30 m s-1.

The kinetic energy is now:

A 3/2E
B 2.25 E
C 10 E
D 0.5 E

Question 10

The specific latent heat of fusion of water is the amount of energy needed [1]
to:

A Melt a block of ice into a block of water.

B Boil a kilogram of water into steam.
C Freeze a kilogram of water into ice.
D Boil a litre of water.

Question 11

A block of wood of mass 4.5 kg is at rest on a horizontal, frictionless surface.

A force of 50 N acts on it for 0.3 s.

a) i. Determine the impulse of the force on the block of wood. [2]

ii. Determine the velocity the impulse gives to the block of wood. [2]

b) An object starting from the top of a smooth (frictionless) slope, inclined

at an angle of 20° to the horizontal, is given an initial velocity of
4.0 m s-1 down the slope.

i. Determine the time it will take for its velocity to reach a value of [2]
15.0 m s-1.

ii. Determine the distance travelled by the block in this time. [2]

iii. The total length of the slope is 40.0 m. Determine the velocity of [2]
the object as it reaches the end of the slope.

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Question 12

a) i. Define resistivity of a material. [2]

ii. The resistivity of Nichrome is 1.10 x 10-6 Ω m. Determine the length [4]
of uniform Nichrome wire of circular cross section and a diameter of
0.18 mm that would be needed to make a resistor of resistance
20 Ω.

b) A voltmeter having a resistance that is very large compared to that

of the 6 Ω resistor, is connected directly across the terminals of a
cell and shows a reading of 3.2 V. Switch X is then closed so that
the 6 Ω resistor is connected in parallel with the voltmeter and the
reading falls to 2.6 V.

V
X

6Ω

i) Determine the e.m.f. of the cell. [1]

ii) Determine the internal resistance of the cell. [3]

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Questions 13-14
Answer 1 question.
This section carries 20 marks in total.

Question 13

a) Define simple harmonic motion (SHM). [2]

b) A simple pendulum consists of a small spherical mass (the bob), attached
to the end of the length of string. The other end of the string is attached
to a fixed support. The bob is given a small displacement and released
to set the pendulum in motion. The bob can be considered to oscillate
with SHM.
i. What would happen to the time period of the pendulum if the bob [1]
was replaced by one of the same shape and size but made of a
material of twice the density?

ii. What would happen to the time period of the pendulum if the [1]
amplitude of the vibration was halved?
c) The pendulum has a length of 0.76 m and its vibration amplitude is
25 mm.

i. Determine the time period of the pendulum. [2]

ii. Determine the magnitude of the maximum velocity of the [2]

pendulum bob.

iii. At which position in the motion will this occur? [1]

iv. Determine the magnitude of the maximum acceleration of the [2]

pendulum bob.

v. At which position in the motion will this occur? [1]

vi. Sketch and label a graph of energy (y axis) against displacement [3]
(x axis) to show how the kinetic energy, potential energy and total
energy of the pendulum bob vary during one complete cycle of the
pendulum's motion.

vii. Determine the total energy of the bob if its mass is [2]
35 x 10-3 kg.

viii. Determine the new length of the pendulum when the frequency of [3]
the motion is 0.65 Hz.

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Question 14

A car of mass 1280 kg starts from rest and readings of the car's velocity are
recorded every 5 seconds.

v/m s-1 0 4 8 12 12 12 6 0
t/s 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

a) i. Plot a graph of the car's velocity (y axis) against time (x axis). [4]

ii. Use the graph to calculate the acceleration of the car over the first 15 s. [2]

iii. Use the graph to determine the deceleration of the car over the final [2]
10 s.

iv. Use the graph to determine the total distance travelled by the car. [2]

v. Determine the maximum momentum of the car during the journey. [1]

b) A uniform plank of wood AB of mass 4 kg and 3 m long, is balanced so that

it rests in a horizontal position on two supports, C and D, as shown in the
diagram below. The first support is placed 1 m from end A and the distance
between the supports is 1.5 m.
An object of mass 8 kg is placed on the plank, with its centre of mass 1.6 m
from end A.

i. Determine the upward force provided by support C. [4]

ii. Determine the force provided by support D. [2]

iii. The object is gradually pushed towards end A. Determine the distance [3]
of the object from A when the plank just begins to lose contact with
support D.

- This is the end of the test. -

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