A2 Level –Assessment- June 2020

Physics

Duration 45 Mins

1.
2. A lead ball of mass 0.25 kg is swung round on the end of a string so that the ball
moves in a horizontal circle of radius 1.5 m. The ball travels at a constant speed
of
a.
i. Calculate the angle, in degrees, through which the string turns in 0.40 s. (3)

ii. Calculate the tension in the string. You may assume that the string is
horizontal. (2)

b. The string will break when the tension exceeds 60 N. Calculate the number of
revolutions that the ball makes in one second when the tension is 60 N. (2)

c. Discuss the motion of the ball in terms of the forces that act on it. In your
answer you should:

• explain how Newton’s three laws of motion apply to its motion in a circle
• explain why, in practice, the string will not be horizontal.

You may wish to draw a diagram to clarify your answer. The quality of your
written communication will be assessed in your answer. (3)
3. A wooden mallet is being used to hammer a tent peg into hard ground.

a. The head of the mallet is a cylinder of diameter 0.100 m and length 0.196 m.
The density of the wood is . Show that the mass of the head is
approximately 1.2 kg. (2)

b. The head strikes the tent peg as shown at a speed of and rebounds
at . Calculate the magnitude of its momentum change in the
collision. (3)

c. The head is in contact with the peg for 0.012 s. Estimate the average force
exerted on the peg by the head during this period. (3)

d. With reference to your calculations above, discuss whether a mallet with a

rubber head of the same mass would be more or less effective for
hammering in tent pegs. (2)
4. The photograph shows an arrangement for investigating charge, known as the
“shuttling ball”.

A ball coated in conducting material is suspended, on a very long insulating

thread, between metal plates.
A potential difference (p.d.) is applied across the plates so that plate X is
positively charged and plate Y is negatively charged. When the ball is touched
against plate Y it gains a negative charge and is attracted to plate X. When the
ball touches plate X the charge is transferred, the ball becomes positively
charged and is attracted to plate Y. The ball continually moves between the
plates. Assume that the presence of the ball does not affect the field of the
plates.
a.
i. Sketch a rough diagram of the field between the plates (2)
ii. Explain why the charged ball experiences a horizontal force of
constant magnitude while it is between the plates. (2)

(continued on next page)

 b. The ball is initially at rest touching plate Y. After it leaves plate Y the ball
accelerates uniformly from plate Y to plate X.
mass of ball = 2.7 g
distance between plates = 9.5cm
p.d. between plates = 5000V
charge on ball = 11 nC

Show that the acceleration is about . (4)

c. Calculate the magnitude of the electric field strength at a distance of

5.0cm from the surface of a positively charged sphere.
diameter of sphere = 12 cm
charge on sphere = +34nC
(2)

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Total marks for Paper= 30 marks