H2 Physics Nov 2007 GCE A-level - Solutions

Paper 1

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 Paper 2

1(a)(i) Using formula s = u t + ½ a t2, h = ½ g t2

g = 2 h / t2= 2  2.66 / 0.742
= 9.72 m s-1
(ii)1. 1
% uncertainty of h =  100 %
266
= 0.38 %
(ii)2. % uncertainty of t = 0.005 / 0.74  100 %
= 0.68 %
(b) g = 2 h / t2
g h t
 2
g h t
g 1 0.005
 2
9.72 266 0.74
g = 0.2
g = 9.7  0.2 m s-2
(c) Air resistance is neglected.
Human reaction time in measuring time is not taken into consideration.

2(a) Electric field strength at a point is the force per unit positive charge acting at that point.
(b)(i) Anode A
Cathode C X

(ii) At d=2 cm, E = 2.4 kV m1

F = E q = 2.4  103  1.60  10-19
= 3.84  10-16 N
(c)(i) V = E d = 2.4  103  0.04
= 96 V
(ii) Underestimate. The value of electric field strength at the mid-point of CX is lower than the
average value of the electric field strength in the graph.

3(a) A progressive wave is the movement of a disturbance from a source which transfers energy
from the source to places around it.
(b)(i) The two sources must have the same or almost equal amplitude.
The two sources must be coherent.
The waves must meet.
(ii)1. Number = 7
(ii)2. (The line passes through a path in between the paths where
the wave fronts intersect.)

4(a) Out of the paper.

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(b)(i) Applying Newton’s 2nd law to the circular motion, B q v = m v2 / r
v=Bqr/m
Since  particles have a charge of 2e, p = m v = m [B (2 e) r / m] = 2 B e r
(ii) KE = ½ m v2 = ½ m (2 B e r /m)2
= 2 (B e r)2 / m
(c)
Path of particle with
speed greater than v

5(a)
P-type N-type

(b) When a junction is formed, due to the concentration gradient, holes and electrons from the p
and n type material respectively will diffuse across the junction and combine with one another
(i.e. hole with electron).
As diffusion occurs, the region around the junction is depleted of mobile charges and a potential
barrier builds up due to the immobile ions.
When the potential barrier becomes large enough to prevent further diffusion of charges, the
region at the junction depleted of mobile charges is known as the depletion region.
(c)
P-type N-type

6(a) 1
H
1
(b)(i)  m = (17.00457 + 1.008142 - 14.007525 - 4.003860)  1.66  10-27 = 2.09824 x 10-30 kg
E =  m c2 = 2.09824  10-30  (3  108)2 = 1.9  10-13 J
(ii) {Note: the combined rest mass of the products was greater than that of the reactants}.
For the reaction to occur, energy in the form of the kinetic energy of the  particle has to be
supplied. This KE of the  particle was converted into mass of the products through the
mass-energy equivalence E = mc2 equation.
(iii) Because the products move apart and therefore possess kinetic energy, the KE of the  particle
has to be greater than the increase in rest-mass energy in (b)(i), i.e. greater than 1.9  10-13 J.
By the principle of conservation of mass-energy, the KE of the  particle – KE of products (O-17
and X) has to be equal to the change in rest-mass energy, 1.9  10-13 J.

7(a)(i) Work done E is the product of a force F and the displacement r of its point of application in the
direction of the force.
Therefore, F = E / r which equals to G, the gradient of the graph.
(ii) When gradient G is positive, the force is attractive (i.e. when r is large).
When gradient G is negative, the force is repulsive (i.e. when r is small.)
(iii)1. 0N
(iii)2. [ 3.5  ( 8.5)]  1.6  10 19
F=G= = 1.8  10-9 N
(6.5  2)  10 10
(b) Force is short-ranged. (When r approaches 0, the term B/r8 is responsible for the large increase
in Ep since it is more significant than the other term. Hence the force represented by B/r8 is
short-ranged.)

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 Force is repulsive. (Since F = - dEp / dr, the force is positive and thus repulsive.)
(c)(i)1. Minimum r =2.35  10-10 m
Maximum r = 4.26  10-10 m
(i)2. At r = 3.5  10-10 m, E = - 7.1 eV => KE = (-6.0) - (-7.1) = 1.1 eV
(ii) From the equation in (b) and from asymmetric gradient of the graph in (c), it could be observed
that F is not proportional to r. Thus, their motion is not simple harmonic.
(d) As the lattice is heated, the total energy, (which includes Ep) rises. Thus, the ions vibrate with a
wider range of r. Also, from Fig. 7.3, for r > 2.8  10-10 m, r increases with Ep. Thus the
dimensions of the lattice increase upon being heated.

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 Paper 3

1(a)(i) Their charges have the same polarity.

(ii) The two nuclei will fuse to form one nuclei.
(iii) Their initial total momentum is not zero. Therefore, by conservation of momentum, their total
momentum will never be zero unless an external force acts on them.
(b) Applying the principle of conservation of momentum,
3 m v +(-2 m v) = (3 m + 2 m) V
V=v/5
(c)(i)
Velocity
1.
2.
3.
3. Time of closest approach

Time
2. Nucleus stops 1. Tritium

(ii) Applying the conservation of momentum,

3 m v + 2 m (-v) = 3 m V1 + 2 m V2
Equating their relative speed of approach and separation,
v – (-v) = V2 – V1

Solving the equations above simultaneously,

Final speed of deuterium = 1.4 v
Final speed of tritium = 0.6 v

2(a)(i) E = V / d = 600 – (-600) / 2.5  10-2 = 48000 V

(ii) W = V q = [500 -(-400)]  8.0  10-19 = 7.2  10-16 J
(b) The potential of the two plates are equal in magnitude and opposite in polarity, and the field
between them varies uniformly. Thus the potential along their centre line is zero.

3(a)(i) When PD = 6 V, I = 1.425A

R= V / I = 6 / 1.425 = 4.21  (R is NOT related to the gradient of the graph)
(ii) R= V / I = 3.4 / 1.125 = 3.02 
(b)(i) PD across the 5  resistor = 0.85  5 = 4.25 V
(ii) From the graph, Current through C = 1.3 A
Total current = 1.3 + 0.85 = 2.15 A
(iii) 1.3 1 1
Total resistance of circuit = (  )  0.8 = 2.777 
4.25 5
EMF of supply = 2.15  2.777 = 5.97 V
(iv) Energy = V I t = 4.25  1.3  20  60 = 6630 J

4(a) At its maximum height, when the spring is compressed at its amplitude position, it possesses

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 maximum gravitational potential energy and elastic potential energy but zero kinetic energy.
At its equilibrium position, some of its gravitational and elastic potential energy is converted to
maximum kinetic energy.
At its lowest point, when the spring is extended at its amplitude position, the spring has
minimum gravitational energy, zero kinetic energy and maximum elastic potential energy.
(b) When a nucleus undergoes radioactive decay, the binding energy of the parent nucleus is
smaller than the binding energy of the products. The difference in binding energy that arises
from a loss in mass is released as energy in the form of kinetic energy of the products. The
energy released is given by E =  m c2, where m is the difference in mass between the parent
nucleus and the products.

5(a)  = 5000  2  / 60 = 524 rad s-1

(b)(i)  = 2  / (24  60 60) = 7.27  10-5 rad s-1
(ii) ac = r 2 = 6.38  106  (7.27  10-5)2 = 3.37  10-2 m s-2
(c)(i) At the poles, there is no centripetal acceleration, so the gravitational force fully contributes to
acceleration due to free fall.
At the equator, some of the gravitational force is needed to provide for the centripetal
acceleration. Thus the acceleration of free fall is smaller.
(ii) The difference is very small because the centripetal acceleration is very small.
g at the pole = g at the equator + centripetal acceleration.
(d)(i) The force of attraction between two point masses is proportional to the product of their masses
and inversely proportional to the square of their distance apart.
(ii) According to Newton’s law of gravitation, F = G M m / r2
By definition, g = F / m = G M / r2
(e)(i) On the surface of Earth, Applying Newton’s 2nd law to the centripetal motion,
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g=GM/R G M m / r2 = m r 2
6 2
9.81 = G M / (6.38  10 ) 3.993  1014 / r2 = r [2  / (24  60  60)]2
G M = 3.993  1014 r = 4.23  107 m
(ii) The satellite rotates from west to east.
The satellite orbits along a path above the equator.
(f) Polar orbit:
1. Since the orbit is lower than for the Geostationary satellites, the data resolution is higher.
2. They provide global coverage (through a number of orbits) as they orbit with a shorter period,
perpendicular to the Earth’s rotation.
Geostationary orbit:
1. Constant monitoring of a fixed region on Earth.
2. Constant communication (line of sight) with a fixed point on Earth.

6(a) T = 77.30-273.15 = -195.85°C

(b) The temperature is independent of any physical property.
(c)(i) Internal energy is the sum of the random potential and kinetic energies of all the molecules in
the system.
(ii) An ideal gas is a gas that obeys the ideal gas equation p V = n R T for all values of pressure,
temperature and volume.
(d)(i) pV=nRT
(3.23 - 2.62)  105  0.012 = n  8.31 (25 + 273)
n = 0.296 mol
(ii) pV=nRT

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 (8.72 – 3.23)  l05  0.0108 = n 8.31  (25+273)
n = 2.39 mol
Since n > (4 0.296), There is more than enough air to supply four tyres.
(e)(i) For 1 molecule, U = (3 / 2) k T = 1.5  1.38  10-23  (25 +273) = 6.17  10-21 J
(ii) For 1 mole, U = 6.17  10-21  6.02  1023 = 3710 J
(iii) For a change in 0.296 mol, U = n (3710) = 1100 J
(f)(i) Increase in internal energy of a system = heat supplied to the system + work done on the
System
(ii)  U = W + Q. Assume no heat lost (i.e., Q = 0 J), W =  U = 1100 J

7(a) The photoelectric effect is the emission of electrons from a cold metal upon the absorption of
electromagnetic radiation
Electrons are emitted as soon as the radiation is incident on the surface;
No electron is emitted if the frequency of the radiation is below a certain threshold frequency f0
even with very intense radiation;
Above f0, the maximum energy of the emitted electrons increases with the frequency of the
radiation, even with low intensity radiation;
Increasing the intensity of the radiation has not effect on the maximum energy of the electrons.
(b) Energy of an incident photon of electromagnetic radiation = Work function + Maximum kinetic
energy of the emitted electron
Work function is the minimum energy required to release an electron from a cold metal surface.
(c)  = h c /  - ½ m (v max)2 = 6.63  10-34  3  108 / (3.82  10-7) – ½ (9.11  10-31) (6.87  105)2
= 3.06  10-19 J
(d)(i) Length = v t = 3  108  1  10-5 = 3000 m
(ii) Uncertainty = 3000 m
(iii) Applying Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle,
 x  p = h / (4 )
3000  p = 6.63  10-34 / (4 )
 p = 1.8  1038 N s
(e) A potential barrier is a region where there is a sudden increase
in potential due to a field of force (usually electric) that exists
and opposes the motion of a particle through the region.

By considering a particle as a wave, the square of the

amplitude of the wave function gives the probability of finding
the particle. The particle as a wave function has a small
probability of existing outside the barrier. If a wave hits a barrier, there is always a probability
that a small portion of it will pass through the barrier even if it does not have enough energy to
surmount it

End of solutions