IGCSE Physics

Practice paper 4
 Answer all questions

1 Two small tugboats are pulling a large ship in a harbour.

Fig. 1.1 represents the view from above and shows the directions of the forces on the
ship.

Fig. 1.1 (Not to Scale)

Each of the tugboats is exerting a force of 49kN on the ship.

(a) Determine by a graphical method the resultant of these two forces and state the
scale used.

scale ...............................................................

resultant = ............................................................... [3]

Explain, in terms of the forces acting, why the ship is moving in a straight line at
constant speed.

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.............................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 5]
2 Fig. 2.1 shows a wind turbine.

Fig. 2.1

(a) The wind blows directly towards the turbine with a speed of 12 m / s.

In one second, 60000 kg of air passes through the circular area swept out by the
blades.

Calculate the kinetic energy of this mass of air.

kinetic energy = ......................................................... [3]

(b) A wind turbine releases no carbon dioxide into the atmosphere while generating
electricity.

Compared with a coal-fired power station, this is an advantage of using a wind

(i) State one reason why it is important to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide
produced.

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......................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Suggest one advantage of using a coal-fired power station compared with a
wind turbine.

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(c) A coal-fired power station releases 0.96 kg of carbon dioxide when it generates
1.0 kWh of electrical energy.

(i) Define the kilowatt-hour (kWh).

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......................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Calculate the mass of carbon dioxide saved when the wind turbine has a power
output of 2000 kW and operates for 12 hours.

mass = ......................................................... [1]

(d) Wind energy is a form of renewable energy. State the name of one other form of
renewable energy.

............................................................................................................................... [1]

[Total: 8]
3 Fig. 3.1 shows the brake pedal of a car which is connected to a brake cylinder.

Fig. 3.1 (Not to Scale)

The brake is pressed with a force F. This force produces a moment about the pivot.

Pressing the brake causes a force of 80 N to act on the piston.

(a) Define the term moment.

....................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) Calculate the force F applied to the brake pedal.

F = ........................................................... [2]

(c) The cross-sectional area of the piston is 0.0012 m2.

Calculate the pressure exerted by the brake piston on the fluid.

pressure = ........................................................... [2]

[Total: 6]
BLANK PAGE
4 In cold countries, radiators are used to heat buildings. Radiators are made of metal
and have hot water flowing through them.

Fig. 4.1 shows three radiators that are the same size but painted different colours.

white black silver

Fig. 4.1

(a) Explain why radiators are made of metal.

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............................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) Explain which colour is best at radiating thermal energy.

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............................................................................................................................... [2]
(c) A radiator also transfers thermal energy by convection.

(i) Explain how convection heats a room.

You may draw a diagram to help your answer.

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(ii) Suggest how a radiator can be designed to help maximise heat transfer by
convection.

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[Total: 9]
5 (a) Fig. 5.1 shows a ripple tank and the crests of the water wave that is produced in it.

Fig. 5.1

The frequency of the water wave is 2.0 Hz and its amplitude is 3.0 mm.

(i) Calculate the number of crests produced in 1.5 s.

number = ......................................................... [1]

The height of the wave at one point is 0 at time = 0.

On Fig. 5.2, draw a graph to show how the height of the wave at this point
varies with time.

Fig. 5.2

[2]

(b) (i) The frequency of the wave is increased.

Describe how the apparatus shown in Fig. 8.1 is adjusted so that the frequency
of the wave is increased.

..............................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) State what happens to the speed and wavelength of the wave as the frequency
increases.

speed .................................................................................................................

wavelength ..................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 6]
6 Fig. 6.1 shows a ray of white light incident on a glass prism.

Fig. 6.1 (Not to Scale)

(a) Define the term ‘angle of refraction’.

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............................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) The angle of incidence of the white light as it enters the prism is 40° and the angle
of refraction for the red light is 25°.

Calculate the refractive index of the glass for red light.

Show your working.

refractive index = ......................................................... [2]

(c) Using Fig. 6.1, state and explain how the refractive index for red light differs from
the refractive index for violet light.

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............................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 6]
BLANK PAGE
7 Fig. 7.1 shows the structure of a water cooler that is used to supply cold water to the
workers in a hot office.

Fig. 7.1

(a) The reservoir of water in the plastic container is at room temperature.

It does not mix with the cold water in the tank below. Explain why.

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(b) When the tap is opened, water at room temperature from the reservoir flows down
into the tank. Cold water from the tank flows through the plastic pipe and out of the
tap.

Cold liquid from the refrigeration unit is pumped through the copper pipe and
thermal energy passes through the copper to this liquid.

(i) Suggest why this pipe is made from copper.

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 (ii) Explain, in terms of free electrons, how thermal energy is transferred through
the copper.

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(c) (i) Describe the motion of the molecules in a liquid which is at a uniform
temperature throughout.

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(ii) State what happens to the motion of the molecules in a liquid as the
temperature of the liquid decreases.

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[Total: 9]
8 Fig. 8.1 is the current–voltage graph for a filament lamp.

Fig. 8.1

(a) State how Fig. 9.1 shows that the lamp does not obey Ohm’s law.

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Fig. 8.2 shows an incomplete circuit diagram of the circuit that a student uses to obtain
the readings for the graph.

Fig. 8.2

(b) Complete the circuit diagram using suitable circuit symbols for the lamp, a
voltmeter and a variable resistor. [3]
(c) Using Fig. 8.1, determine the resistance of the lamp when:

(i) the voltmeter reading is 0.40 V

resistance = ...............................................................

(ii) the voltmeter reading is 6.0 V.

resistance = ...............................................................

[3]

(d) (i) Explain why the resistance of the lamp changes as the voltage changes.

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(ii) The student obtains a long sample of the same type of wire as the filament in
the lamp.

The wire he obtains has the same cross-sectional area as the filament.

He cuts a 1.0 m length of the wire and measures its resistance at room
temperature. He obtains the value 16 Ω.

Using the appropriate resistance value from (c), estimate the length of the
filament wire in the lamp.

length = ......................................................... [2]

[Total: 11]
9 Fig. 9.1 shows the apparatus can be used to investigate electromagnetic induction.

Fig. 9.1

When the magnet is moved into the coil of wire, the voltmeter shows a negative
reading.

(a) State two separate changes, each of which would make the voltmeter show a
positive reading.

1 ..............................................................................................................................

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2 ..............................................................................................................................

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(b) Fig. 9.2 shows a simple electrical generator connected to a lamp.

When the coil is turned, a voltage is induced.

Fig. 9.2

(i) Explain why a voltage is induced when the coil is turned.

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(ii) State two ways that this induced voltage can be increased.

1 ........................................................................................................................

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2 ........................................................................................................................

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(iii) When the lamp is connected to the generator, the coil is hard to turn. When the
lamp is disconnected from the generator, the coil is easy to turn.

Suggest, in terms of energy, why it is harder to turn the coil when the lamp is
connected.

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[Total: 9]
10 The Sun is a star in a stable part of its life cycle.

(a) The orbital speed of Earth around the Sun is 30 km / s. Use this value to calculate
the distance of Earth from the Sun.

Show your working. State the unit of your answer.

distance = ..................................... unit = .......... [3]

(b) The light emitted by distant galaxies show various amounts of redshift.

(i) State the name of the galaxy that contains our Sun.

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(ii) State what is meant by redshift and describe how it is caused.

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[Total: 6]
11 A smoke detector containing an alpha-particle source is fixed to the ceiling in a room.

The alpha-particles ionise the air between two metal plates so that a battery produces
a current between the plates.

If smoke enters the detector, it reduces the current between the plates and an alarm
sounds.

Fig. 11.1 shows the arrangement.

Fig. 11.1

(a) Describe how the alpha particles ionises the air.

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(b) Radioactive sources that emit beta-particles or gamma-rays are not used in smoke
detectors.

State and explain two reasons for this.

1. ...............................................................................................................................

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2. ...............................................................................................................................

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[Total: 5]
Markscheme

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3
Question 4

Question 5
Question 6

Question 7

(c)
Question 8

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(i)

(ii)
Question 9

Question 10

(a)

(b)
Question 11

(a) alpha particles move close to / hit molecules in the air (between the metal plates) B1

removing electrons (out of the molecules) B1