THE STARLINES/SUPER-LEAGUE COUNCIL

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education

PHYSICS
(Practical)

KCSE PREDICTION CODE OO2

November 2024 – 2 hours 30 minutes
357

Name: ………………………………………….……… Index No: ............................../........

Candidate’s Sign: …………………............................. Date …………………………........

Instructions to candidates

(a) Write your name and index number in the spaces provided at the top of this page.

KCSE PREDICTION
(b) Sign and write the date of examination in the spaces provided above.
(c) Answer all questions in the spaces provided.
(d) You are supposed to spend the first 15 minutes of the 2 ½ hours allowed for this paper
reading the whole paper carefully before commencing your work.
(e) Marks are given for a clear record of the observations actually made, their
suitability, accuracy and the use made of them.

CODE 001
(f) Candidates are advised to record their observations as soon as they are made.
(g) Non-programmable silent electronic calculators and KNEC mathematical tables
may be used except where stated otherwise.

For Examiners Use Only

a b C d e f g h Total
Question 1
Maximum Score 2 1 2 5 4 2 2 2 20

Candidate’s Score

Question 2 Total
a b c d e f g
Maximum Score 4 5 7 1 1 1 1 20

Candidate’s Score

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1. You are provided with the following:

 a galvanometer;
 a dry cell and a cell holder;
 a switch;
 a resistance wire labelled N mounted on a half meter rule;
 a resistance wire labelled Q mounted on a half meter rule;
 eight connecting wires each with a crocodile clip at one end;
 a resistance wire labelled Y of length 102cm mounted on a millimeter scale with
the ends marked A and B;
 A 10 ohm resistor;
 a jockey or crocodile clip;
 micrometer screw-gauge (to be shared).

Proceed as follows:

(a) Determine the average diameter D, of wire Q using the micrometer screw-gauge
provided.

D1 = ……………………………………… mm (½ mark)

D2 = ……………………………………… mm (½ mark)

D1  D2
D ……………………………….. m (1 mark)
2
(b) Set up the circuit as shown in figure 1.

Figure 1.

Close the switch and move the jockey along AB until you get a balance point where the
reading of the galvanometer is zero.

Record this values as Y …………………………… cm (½ mark)

Z ………………………….. cm (½ mark)

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(c) Replace resistor R in the circuit with wire N as shown in figure 2. Close the
switch and use the jockey to touch one end of the wire AB, and then the other
end. The deflections on the galvanometer should be in opposite directions, if not
check the circuit. Adjust the position of the jockey along the wire until there is no
deflection in the galvanometer.

Figure 2.
(i) Record the value of X and Y.
1
X cm ………………………………………………… ( cm )
2
1
Y cm ………………………………………………… ( cm )
2
(ii) Using a micrometer screw gauge, determine the diameter of wires N.

1
Diameter of N …………………………………….. m ( cm )
2
1
(iii) Determine the cross section area A, of N. ( cm )
2
A = ………………………………………………………… m2

(d) Adjust the length L to 45 cm and find the balance point and record the value of X
and Y. Repeat the procedure for other values of L in the table. (5 marks)

L (cm) 50 45 40 35 30 20

X (cm)
Y (cm)

(3.d.p)

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(e) Plot a graph of against L. (4 marks)

(f) Determine the slope, m, of the graph. (2 marks)

………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………

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100D
(g) Determine the constant (T) given that T 
(2 marks)
m
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
(h) Determine the value of resistor R given that; (2 marks)

TZ
R
Y

2. You are provided with the following apparatus:

 A micrometer screw gauge;

 A half meter rule;
 A weighing balance
 A candle;
 A stop watch;
 A strong white sewing thread (30cm);
 A plastic drinking straw;
 Steel balls (7);
 100 ml water in glass cylinder (W);
 250 ml glass measuring cylinder filled with liquid L;
 A match box;
 Tissue paper.

Procedure:
(a)
 Fill the 250ml measuring cylinder with liquid L.

 Use the weighing balance to measure the mass of the 7 steel balls.

(i) Determine the average mass of the balls. (1 mark)

m =…………………………………………g

(ii) Measure the diameter of the steel ball using the micrometer screw gauge
provided. (1 mark)

d =………………………………………… m
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(iii) Determine the volume V of one ball bearing in SI units. (1 mark)

…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

(iv) Determine the constant for the ball given (1 mark)

…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
(b) Now fix the half metre rule vertically against the measuring cylinder using the
thread with zero mark of the half metre rule at the bottom of cylinder filled with
liquid L. Ensure the thread is tied at the 25 cm mark as shown in the diagram

Straw

Liquid L

h=25 cm
Cylinder

- Insert the straw vertically in the liquid L.

- Drop a steel ball into the straw and start the stopwatch as soon as it reaches the
25cm mark.
- Stop the stopwatch when the ball reaches the bottom of the container.
- Record the time taken for the ball to fall through liquid L from the heights indicated
in the table.

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- Repeat the procedure for other heights indicated in the table using the other balls
and record your results in the table below. Complete the table for SL, the speed of
the ball in liquid L. (5 marks)

Height, h (cm) 25 20 15

Time, t (s)

s-1

(c) (i) Determine the average value of . (2 marks)

………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
(ii) Determine the constant K from the expression below. (3 marks)

……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………

(iii) Determine Vt given that: (2 marks)

Where g = 10ms-2 and r is the radius of the ball.
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………

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(d) Now fix the half metre rule vertically against the measuring cylinder filled with
water labeled W using the thread with the zero mark of the half metre rule at the
bottom of the measuring cylinder.
Remove the straw from liquid L and dry it carefully using tissue paper. Insert the
straw into the measuring cylinder filled with water. Ensure it stands upright in
water.

Record the height hw of water level as indicated on the metre rule.

hw = …………………………………………………………… cm (1 mark)

(e) Insert one of the steel balls into the straw and start the stopwatch as soon as it
reaches the surface of water in the cylinder. Stop the watch when the ball reaches
the bottom of the cylinder.

Record the time taken for the ball to fall through liquid W.
Repeat for one other balls and determine the average time t.

t1 = ……………………………. t2 = ………………………

t = …………………………………………………………. (1 mark)

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(f) Determine the speed Sw for the ball in water. (1 mark)

(g) Compare the values of and (1 mark)

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