ZIMBABWE SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL

General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level

PHYSICAL SCIENCE 5009/1

PAPER 1 Multiple Choice

NOVEMBER 2010 SESSION 1 hour

1. Two elements P and S have the following atoms 31P and 32S. The
15 16
atoms have similar number of

A. Electrons
B. Protons
C. Nucleons
D. Neutrons

2. Which diagram correctly represents the outer electronic structure of

calcium chloride?
(Given: 40Ca; 35.3Cl)
( 20 17 )
3. The graph shows a cooling curve of a pure compound.

At which part of the graph does the compound exist in liquid and solid
state?

A. P to Q
B. Q to R
C. R to S
D. P to Q and R to S

4. Sodium hydroxide and sulphuric acid react as in the equation:

2NaOH(aq) + H2SO4(aq) → 2H2O(l) + Na2SO4(aq)

How many moles of sulphuric acid will react with 0,5 moles of
sodium hydroxide solution?

A. 0,25
B. 0,50
C. 1,00
D. 2,00
5. Which reaction is endotherinic?

A. 2Br → Br2
B. Na + Cl → NaCl
C. Cl2 → 2Cl
D. 2H + O → H2O
6. Which two elements make up the alloy, bronze?

A. zinc and tin

B. copper and lead
C. zinc and copper
D. copper and tin

7. Which graph shows how the concentration of reactants changes with

time?

8. The diagram shows a reaction scheme.

 white crystalline salt P
/ \
add water heating
/ \
aqueous salt gas
│ │
dilute nitric acid aqueaous silver nitrate moist red litmus
↓ ↓
white precipitate blue

What could be the white crystalline salt P?

A. silver chloride
B. ammonium nitrate
C. ammonium chloride
D. ammonium sluphate

9. The diagrams show two circuits.

The lamps light in both circuits. What is X?

 A. sodium chloride
B. zinc
C. copper sulphate
D. polyethene

10. Curve 1 was obtained when 1g of granulated zinc reacted with excess
hydrochloric acid at 30ºC

Which of the following changes would result in curve 2?

A. using finely powdered zinc

B. warming the acid to 40ºC
C. keeping the reactants well stirred
D. diluting the acid with water

11. Which element reacts with oxygen to form an amphoteric oxide?

A. sulphur
B. sodium
C. aluminium
D. magnesium
12. Dilute sulphuric acid reacts with copper II carbonate. What are the
products?

A. copper II oxide + carbon dioxide + hydrogen

B. copper (II) sulphate + carbon dioxide + hydrogen
C. copper II sulphate + carbon dioxide + water
D. copper II oxide + carbon dioxide + water

13. Haematite is a naturally occurring ore of a metal mined in Zimbabwe.

Which is the correct formula of haematite?

A. Fe2O3
B. CuFeS
C. FeCO3
D. Fe3O4

14. Air slowly pushed from syringe 1 over heated copper turnings. When
cooled to room temperature, what volume of gas collects in syringe 2?

A. 24 cm3
B. 48 cm3
C. 64 cm3
D. 16 cm3
15. Ammonia is produced as shown in the diagram

What is substance X?

A. hydrogen
B. oxygen
C. air
D. iron

16. Destructive distillation of coal is intended to

A. decrease the fuel efficiency of coal.

B. increase the oxygen content of coal.
C. improve the fuel efficiency of coal.
D. incorporate more material in the fuel.

17. Which pair of alkanes are isomers?

18. A hydrocarbon Y (relative molecular mass 42) quickly decolourises
bromine solution. Which one is likely to be Y?

19. Which equation represents the complete combustion of C2H5OH?

A. C2H5OH + 302 → 2CO2 + 3H20

B. C2H5OH + 02 → CH3COOH + H2O
C. C2H5OH + 02 → 2C + 3H2O
D. C2H5OH + 2O2 → 2CO + 3H2O

20. The diagram shows the structure of a polymer

Which monomer is used to manufacture the polymer?
21. Which graph shows a body travelling at a constant acceleration?

22. The figure below shows a wooden block being pulled by a force for
12 N along a rough surface offering a force of 5 N.
 What is the resultant force?

A. 2,4 N
B. 7N
C. 12 N
D. 17 N

23. What is the reading of the vernier calipers?

A. 0.34 cm
B. 2.50 cm
C. 3.37 cm
D. 2.77 cm

24. The diagram shows a uniform metre rule pivoted off- center. It is kept
in equilibrium by a suspended mass of 240 g.
 What is the mass of the rule?

A. 48 g
B. 60 g
C. 160 g
D. 240 g

25. A motor has a power rating of 10W and is run for 5 min. how much
electrical energy does it convert in this time?

A. 50 J
B. 60 J
C. 300 J
D. 3 000 J

26. The diagram shows a simple bridge-truss made up of four members P,

Q, R and S and a lorry passing through.
 Which member is under tension?

A. Q
B. R
C. P
D. S

27. The diagrams show four different concrete dam walls. Which dam
wall offers greatest resistance to the pressure of water?
28. Which are the SI units of energy, work and power?

Energy Work Power

A. Pa J W
B. J Pa W
C. J J Pa
D. J J W

29. The diagram shows a pulley system whose mechanical advantage is 2.

 What is the efficiency of the pulley system.

A. 50%
B. 66.7%
C. 96.7%
D. 150%
30. The diagram shows a monometer used to measure the pressure of
butane coming from a gas tap.

If the atmospheric pressure is PA and the acceleration dure to gravity

is g. what is the pressure of the gas?

A. h + PA
B. pgh
C. pgh +PA
D. pgh + h
31. The diagram shows a thermos flask.

The vacuum minimizes heat loss by

A. conduction and convection.

B. conduction only.
C. convection and radiation.
D. radiation only.

32. Equal masses of copper and iron are heated equally for 5 minutes. The
temperature of copper is higher than that of iron because

A. copper is lighter than iron.

B. iron is a good emitter of heat.
C. copper has a lower specific heat capacity than iron.
D. copper has a higher specific heat capacity than iron.

33. The diagram shows a graph of a wave with a frequency of 15 Hz.

 What is the speed and amplitude of the wave?
Speed (ms-1) Amplitude (m)
A 90 1
B 90 2
C 45 1
D 45 2

34. Which of the diagrams correctly shows the critical angle X?

35. The diagram shows an experiment in which a magnet was moved in

and out of a coil.
 What was the experiment demonstrating?

A. electromagnetic induction
B. the motor effect
C. electrostatics
D. magnetism
36. Three 2Ω resistors are assembled as shown in the diagram?

What is the total resistance?

A. 1.5 Ω
B. 8Ω
C. 6.00 Ω
D. 18 Ω

37. What determines the pitch and loudness of a sound wave?

Pitch Loudness

A. frequency speed
B. amplitude frequency
C. frequency amplitude
D. speed amplitude

38. The half-life of isotope X is five days and its initial mass is 40 mg.

What mass of isotope X will remain after fifteen days.

A. 5 mg
B. 10 mg
 C. 20 mg
D. 35 mg

39. Which diagram shows a step down transformer?

40. The diagram shows an a.c. circuit which includes a diode.

Which waveform would be obtained?