PHYSICS

AS2 PHYSICS REVISION

AS-2
FINAL EXAM
Total Marks
Name: ______________ Class: AS – 2 _____ Date: __________ 2023

1. (a) (i) Define gravitational potential at a point.

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(ii) Use your answer in (i) to explain why the gravitational potential near an
isolated mass is always negative.

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(b) A spherical planet has mass 6.00 × 1024 kg and radius 6.40 × 106 m. The planet
may be assumed to be isolated in space with its mass concentrated at its centre.
A satellite of mass 340 kg is in a circular orbit about the planet at a height 9.00
× 105 m above its surface. For the satellite:

(i) show that its orbital speed is 7.4 × 103 ms–1 [2]

(ii) Calculate its gravitational potential energy.

energy = ........................................................ J [3]

(c)Rocket son the satellite are fired for a short time. The satellite’s orbit is now
closer to the surface of the planet. State and explain the change, if any, in the
kinetic energy of the satellite.

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[Total: 12]

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2. A pendulum consists of a metal sphere P suspended from a fixed point by means of a
thread, as illustrated in Fig. 2.1.

Fig. 2.1.

Fig. 2.1 The centre of gravity of sphere P is a distance L from the fixed point. The
sphere is pulled to one side and then released so that it oscillates. The sphere may be
assumed to oscillate with simple harmonic motion.

(a) State what is meant by simple harmonic motion.

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(b) The variation of the velocity v of sphere P with the displacement x from its mean
position is shown in Fig. 2.2.

Use Fig. 2.2 to determine the frequency f of the oscillations of sphere P.

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 f = .................................................... Hz [3]

(c) The period T of the oscillations of sphere P is given by the expression

where g is the acceleration of free fall. Use your answer in (b) to determine the
length L.

L = ..................................................... m [2]

(d) Another pendulum consists of a sphere Q suspended by a thread. Spheres P and Q

are identical. The thread attached to sphere Q is longer than the thread attached
to sphere P.

Sphere Q is displaced and then released. The oscillations of sphere Q have the
same amplitude as the oscillations of sphere P.

On Fig. 3.2, sketch the variation of the velocity v with displacement x for sphere Q.

[2]
[Total: 9]

3. (a) During melting, a solid becomes liquid with little or no change in volume. Use
kinetic theory to explain why, during the melting process, thermal energy is
required although there is no change in temperature.

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 (b) An aluminium can of mass 160 g contains a mass of 330 g of warm water at a
temperature of 38°C, as illustrated in Fig. 3.1.

A mass of 48 g of ice at –18 °C is taken from a freezer and put into the water. The
ice melts and the final temperature of the can and its contents is 23°C.

Data for the specific heat capacity c of aluminium, ice and water are given in Fig.
3.2.

Assuming no exchange of thermal energy with the surroundings,

(i) show that the loss in thermal energy of the can and the warm water is 2.3 ×
104 J, [2]

(ii) use the information in (i) to calculate a value L for the specific latent heat of
fusion of ice.

L = .................................................. J g–1 [2]

[Total:7]

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4. (a) Use one of the assumptions of the kinetic theory of gases to explain why the
potential energy of the molecules of an ideal gas is zero.

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(b) The average translational kinetic energy EK of a molecule of an ideal gas is given
by the expression

1 1
EK = m<c2> = kT
2 2

where m is the mass of a molecule and k is the Boltzmann constant. State the
meaning of the symbol

(i) 〈c2〉, .......................................................................................................................................[1]

(ii) T . .......................................................................................................................................[1]

(c) A cylinder of constant volume 4.7 × 104 cm3 contains an ideal gas at pressure 2.6
× 105 Pa and temperature 173°C. The gas is heated. The thermal energy
transferred to the gas is 2900 J.

The final temperature and pressure of the gas are T and p, as illustrated in Fig.
4.1.

(i) Calculate
1. the number N of molecules in the cylinder,

N = ...........................................................[3]

2. the increase in average kinetic energy of a molecule during the heating

process.

increase = ....................................................... J [1]

(iii) Use your answer in (i) part 2 to determine the final temperature T, in
kelvin, of the gas in the cylinder.

T = .......................................................K [3]
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 [Total: 10]
5. (a) (i) Define the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor.

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(ii) State three functions of capacitors in electrical circuits.

1. .......................................................................................................................................
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(b) A student has available four capacitors, each of capacitance 24 μF. The capacitors
are connected as shown in Fig. 5.1.

Calculate the combined capacitance between the terminals X and Y.

capacitance = .................................................... μF [2]

[Total: 7]

6. (a) State what is meant by electric potential at a point.

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

(b) The centres of two charged metal spheres A and B are separated by a
distance
of 44.0cm, as shown in Fig. 6.1

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 Fig. 7.1 (not to scale) A moveable point P lies on the line joining the centres
of the two spheres. Point P is a distance x from the centre of sphere A. The
variation with distance x of the electric potential V at point P is shown in Fig.
5.2.

(i) Use Fig. 5.2 to state and explain whether the two spheres have charges of
the same, or opposite, sign.

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 (ii) A positively-charged particle is at rest on the surface of sphere A. The
particle moves freely from the surface of sphere A to the surface of
sphere B.

1. Describe qualitatively the variation, if any, with distance x of the

speed of the particle as it

moves from x = 12cm to x = 25cm

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passes through x = 26cm

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moves from x = 27cm to x = 31cm

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reaches x = 32cm
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7. (a) State what is meant by the magnetic flux linkage of a coil.

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(c) A coil of wire has 160 turns and diameter 2.4 cm. The coil is situated in a uniform
magnetic fieldof flux density 7.5 mT, as shown in Fig. 7.1.

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 The direction of the magnetic field is along the axis of the coil.
The magnetic flux density is reduced to zero in a time of 0.15 s.
Show that the average e.m.f. induced in the coil is 3.6 mV. [2]

(d) The magnetic flux density B in the coil in (b) is now varied with time t as shown
in Fig. 6.2.

Use data in (b) to show, on Fig. 9.3, the variation with time t of the e.m.f. E
induced in the coil.

[4]
[Total 9]

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8. Four diodes are used in a bridge rectifier circuit to produce rectification of a
sinusoidal a.c. input voltage VIN. Fig. 8.1 shows part of the circuit, but three of the
diodes are missing.

The p.d. across the load resistor R is the output p.d. VOUT of the bridge rectifier.
(a) (i) State the name of the type of rectification produced by a bridge rectifier.
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(i) Complete Fig. 8.1 by drawing the three missing diodes, correctly connected.
[2]

(ii) On Fig. 8.1, draw an arrow to indicate the direction of the current in
resistor R. [1]

(b) VIN has amplitude V0 and period T. Fig. 7.2 shows the variation with time t of VIN.

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 (i) On Fig. 7.3, sketch the variation of VOUT with t between t = 0 and t = 2.0T.

[3]
(ii) The power dissipated in the resistor is P. On Fig. 8.4, sketch the variation of
P with t between t = 0 and t = 2.0T.

(iii) Suggest, with a reason, how the root-mean-square (r.m.s.) value of VOUT
compares with the r.m.s. value of VIN.

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[Total: 10]

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