BEGINNING OF TERM II 2019 EXAM

S.5 PHYSICS
P510/1
TIME : 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS
- Attempt ALL questions from sections A, B and C
Assume where necessary;
Acceleration due to gravity, g = 9.81 ms-2
One electron volt (eV) = 1.6 x 10-19 J
Avogadro’s number, NA = 6.02 x 1023 mol-1
Specific heat capacity of water = 4200 Jkg-1K-1

SECTION A

1. (a) (i) Define scalar and vector quantities giving two examples of each.
(03marks)
(b) Five forces act on a particle of mass 10kg as shown.
y

Calculate;
(i) The resultant force and its direction. (05 marks)
(ii) The acceleration produced. (02 marks)
(c) (i) Define the dimensions of a physical quantity. (01 mark)
(ii) The volume of a liquid flowing per second in a horizontal pipe is given
by;
v p z
t ( )
=k ɳx r y
l
where V is the volume of liquid, t is time,
p
K - constant, r is radius of pipe and is pressure gradient, P is
l
pressure difference and l length of the pipe.
If the dimensions of ɳ = M L−1 T −1 , find the values of x, y and z.
(05
marks)

1
 1 2
(d) Derive the expression s=ut + at for the distance, s, travelled by a body in
2
time, t, given that the initial velocity is u and acceleration is a.
(04 marks)

SECTION B

2. (a) (i) Define the term fixed point. (01 mark)

(ii) Briefly explain why in determining the lower fixed and upper fixed
points, pure ice and pure water are used. (01 mark)
(b) Define the term thermometric property and outline four desirable qualities of a
good thermometric property. (03 marks)
(c) (i) Describe how a constant – volume gas thermometer may be used to
determine unknown temperature. (06 marks)
(ii) State two advantages and disadvantages of gas thermometer.
(02 marks)
(d) The resistance Ro of a platinum wire varies with temperature of a body as
measured by a constant – volume gas thermometer according to the equation;
Rθ=50.0+ 0.17 θ+3.0 x10 θ
−4 2

(i) Calculate the temperature on the platinum scale responding to 60 oC on

the gas scale. (05 marks)
(ii) Account for the difference between the values and state the temperature
at which they agree. (02 marks)

3. (a) (i) Define the terms heat capacity and specific heat capacity of a substance
and state their units. (03 marks)
C
(ii) Show that c ¿ where c is specific heat capacity, C - heat capacity
M
and m - is mass of a substance. (02 marks)
(b) (i) Describe how specific heat capacity of a solid may be determined by
the method of mixtures. (04 marks)
(ii) What precautions should be taken in order to ensure accurate results?
(01 mark)
(c) In a continuous flow experiment, a steady difference of temperature of 1.5 oC is
maintained when the rate of flow of liquid is 45gs -1 and the rate of electrical
heating is 60.5W. On reducing the liquid flow rate to 15gs -1 36.5W is required
to maintain the same temperature difference; calculate;
2
 (i) Specific heat capacity of the liquid. (05 marks)
(ii) Rate of heat loss of surrounding. (02 marks)
(iii) State three advantages of continuous flow method in determining the
specific heat capacity of a liquid. (03 marks)

SECTION C

4. (a) Distinguish between nuclear fusion and nuclear fission. (02 marks)
(b) (i) What is meant by the term mass defect? (01 mark)
(ii) Consider was helium nucleus;
4
2 He = 4.0015U
Proton, P = 1.0073U
Neutron, n = 1.0087U
Calculate the mass defect and hence the binding energy.
(1U = 1.66 x 10-27 kg). (04 marks)
(c) Explain the meaning of the following terms as applied to a Geiger Muller tube;
(i) Threshold potential difference. (02 marks)
(ii) Dead time (02 marks)
(iii) A quenching agent. (01 marks)
(d) With the aid of a diagram, describe how a diffusion cloud chamber can be
used to detect nuclear radiation. (06 marks)
(e) Give any two health hazards of radioactive substances. (02 marks)

END