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ti Cambridge Assessment
([] 1 of 16 ..,, International Education

Cambridge IGCSE™(9-1)

CANDIDATE
NAME

·-a,'=--
r~
CENTRE
NUMBER
IIl lII
------------------------------
PHYSICS
CANDIDATE
NUMBER
IlllI
0972/31
May/June 2024
1 )-
Uo\I--
Paper 3 Theory (Core)

V
UI=- You must answer on the question paper.
1 hour 15 mlnut&a

W
•- No additional materials are needed.

INSTRUCTIONS
• Answer all questions.
• Use a black or dark blue pen. You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams or graphs.
• Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page.
• Write your answer to each question in the space provided.
• Do not.use an erasable pen or correction fluid.
• Do not write on any bar codes.
• You may use a calculator.
• You should show all your working and use appropriate units.
• Take the weight of 1.0 kg to be 9.8 N (acceleration of free fall = 9.8m l s2).

INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 80.
• The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ J.

This document has 16 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

DC (WW) 341989
[Tum over
e uCLES 2024
 2

1 Fig. 1.1 shows the speed-time graph for a car.

20
s
speed
R
mis
15

T
10

0
0 4 8 12 16 20
time l s

Flg.1.1

(a) (I) For the graph in Fig. 1.1, match each letter, R, S and T, with the motion at that point.

Draw one line from each letter to the correct description. One has been done for you.

letter on the graph description of motion

• at rest
R
• moving with constant speed
s•
• decelerating (negative acceleration)
T•
accelerating (positive acceleration)

(2)

(II) Determine the speed of the car at time = 4.0 s.

speed= ................................................. mi s (1)

 3

(Iii) Determine the distance moved by the car from time= 16.0s to time= 20.0s.

distance moved = .... .... ..... .. .................... .. .............. .. m [3]

(b) Define the term velocity.

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

(Total: 7)

@ UCLES.2024 0972/31/M/J/24 [Turn over

 4

2 A student places six 100 g masses in a stack, as shown in Fig. 2.1 .

stack of six
masses\
I=
100 g _ _--1
1
_Ji---------11 s4

Fig. 2.1 (not to scale)

(a) The height of the stack of masses is 5.4cm.

Calculate the average thickness of one mass.

average thickness of one mass = .... ....... ......... .... .. .. .. .... ....... .. ........ cm [2]

(b) Fig. 2.2 shows the masses, a measuring cylinder and a beaker containing some water.

stack of six
100g masses

measuring beaker containing

cylinder water

Fig. 2.2

The student uses ttie equipment in Fig. 2.2 to determine the total volume of the six masses.

Describe a method that the student uses.

·························································································--·· --··············································· [3]

[Total: 5]
 5

3 Fig. 3.1 shows the horizontal forces acting on a boat.

200 N (forwards)
boat

Fig. 3.1

(a) (I) Calculate the resultant horizontal force on the boat in Fig. 3 .1.

size of resultant force = .... .... ..... .. ..... .. ........... ...... .... ........... ... .. N

direction of resultant force ............................................................. ..

(2)

(II) Suggest what causes the 80 N force on the boat in Fig . 3.1.

···········································································--························································ (1)
(Ill) Another boat is travelling and the horizontal forces on this boat are balanced.

Describe the horizontal motion of this boat.

·······--·--················································ ......................................................................... (1)

 6

(b) Fig. 3.2 shows the wheel used to steer a boat.

Fig. 3.2

A force of 60 N acts at a perpendicular distance of 50 cm from the wheel's pivot.

Calculate the moment of the 60 N force about the pivot. Include the unit.

moment= .............................................................. .

unit .............................................................. .
(4)

[Total: 8)
 7

4 The government of a country decides to reduce the amount of fossil fuel burned for generating
electrical power.

(a). State two reasons, apart from cost, for reducing the amount of fossil fuel burned.

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

2 ················································································································································

(2)

(b) (I) Describe how a hydroelectric power station generates electrical power.

..................................................................................................................................... (3)

(Ii) Hydroelectric power stations are expensive to build .

State two other disadvantages of using a hydroelectric power station to generate

electrical power.

1 ·······-··································································.. ··············"············-····-····························

2 ········································································································································

(2)
(c) The government plans to build some wind turbines. The government plans to store some of
the electrical energy generated by the wind turbines.

Suggest one method of storing the electrical energy generated by a wind turbine.

............................................................................................................................................. (1]

[Total: 8]
 8

5 (a) Describe the arrangement, separation and motion of gas particles.

··················································••·•• ······················································································· [3]

(b) Fig. 5.1 shows some gas in a container with a piston. The piston can move into the container.

piston

30N
gas

container

Fig. 5.1

(i) A force of 30 N pushes the piston into the container for a distance of 0.18m.

Calculate the work done by the- 30 N force.

work done = ............. .. .. .......................... ......... .. J (3)

(ii) When the piston moves Into the centainer, the temperature of the gas does not change.

Describe and explain any change in the pressure on the walls of the container.

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

[Total: 8)
 A student wants to compare the conduction of thermal energy through rods made of iron, copper,
6
glass and aluminium. Each rod is coated with wax.

Fig. 6.1 shows the equipment that the student uses.

- ___ iron rod
_ _ copper rod

___.- . - - glass rod

~ >-..:--c- -aluminium rod

heat-proof mat
Bunsen burner

- - tripod stand

Fig. 6.1

(a) Describe how the student can compare the conduction of thermal energy through the rods in
Fig. 6.1.
······ .......... ....................................... ................... ..... ............. ....................... ..... ................................................................................... .

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

······ .. ······..........................................................................................................._.................... [2]

(b) The Bunsen burner emits infrared waves.

The infrared waves have a wavelength of 2.0 x 1o-6m.

The velocity of the infrared waves is 3.0 x 108 m/s.

(i) Calculate the frequency of the infrared waves.

frequency = .................................................... Hz (3)

 10

7 (a) Fig. 7.1 shows a ray of light striking a plane mirror. The ray is reflected as shown.

plane
mirror

ray of light

normal

Fig. 7.1

The angle of incidence for the ray of light is 40°.

(I) Indicate the angle of reflection by drawing a letter Ron Fig . 7.1. (11

(JI) State the size of the angle of reflection in Fig. 7.1 .

angle of reflection = ........................................................0 (1]

(b) An object O is placed to the left of a thin converging lens. F 1 js the principal focus on one side
of the lens and F 2 is the principal focus on the other side of the lens.

Two rays from the top of the object are incident on the lens, as shown in Fig. 7.2.

thin converging lens

Fig. 7.2

(I) On Fig. 7.2, locate the image of Oby continuing the path of each ray. (2)

(II) Draw an arrow to represent the image of 0 . (1]

 11

(c) Fig. 7.3 shows a prism producing a spectrum of colours from a narrow beam of white light.

prism

harrow beam X
of white light spectrum of seven colours

Fig. 7.3

(I) The prism refracts the white light.

State the name of the effect that produces a spectrum.

····································································································································· (1)

(II) In the spectrum shown in Fig. 7.3, there are seven colours.

List the seven colours in the order they appear between X and Z.

X ······································

z ..................................... .
(2)

[Total: 8)
 12

8 Fig. 8.1 shows an arrangement for mak.ing an electromagnet. The electromagnet consists of a
solenoid and a core.

__j 12Vj
~ l---7-~

variable resistor
A

direction of
current in
solenoid core of electromagnet

Fig. 8.1

(a) (l) The electromagnet is a temporary magnet.

State one material which is suitable for the core of the electromagnet.

···············································--··························--············--·····--··.. ··············· .. ············-- [1)

(Ii) The battery is made from cells connected in series. Each cell in the battery has an
electromotive force (e.m.f.) of 1.SV.

Calculate the number of cells in the battery in Fig. 8.1.

number of cells = .. .. .... ... .. .. ..... .. ........... ... .... .. .... .. .... ..... (2)

(b) The switch is closed . The direction of the current in the solenoid is shown in Fig . 8.1.

(i) There is a magnetic field around the electromagnet.

State the name of a piece of equipment that can show the direction of a magnetic field .

..................................................................................................................................... [1)

(ii) State the name of the pole labelled X on the core of the electromagnet

....................... .......... .............. .............. .................... ....... ....... ................................ ....... [11

(c) The resistance of the solenoid is 8.0 Q.

The current in the solenoid is 1.2A.

Calculate the potential difference (p.d.) across the solenoid.

p.d. = ...................................................... V [3]

[Total: 8]
 13

9 (a) Fig. 9.1 shows the power cable for connecting a desktop computer to the mains electricity circuit

power cable

Fig. 9.1

(i) State the name of each of the three wires inside the power cable.

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

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

3 ·······································•• .•·····························································································
(2)

(ii) The cable is designed for a maximum current of 13A.

Suggest one hazard due to a current of 30A in the cable.

·-·. --·---- ·-· .... ·------·. -· ..... ·-------·- . ·-· ----. -·· ··-·. ·-------· ... . ·-·· ----·· -· --. ·- ·-. -· ... ·- -----------·. ·-. ·----·--· .. ... -- [1]

(b) There is a transformer in the desktop computer.

The input voltage to the primary coil VP is 230V (a.c.).
The number of turns on the primary coil NP is 720.
The number of turns on the secondary coil Ns is 50.

(i) Calculate the output voltage Vs of the secondary coil.

secondary coil output voltage V5 = ...................................................... V (3)

(ii) The current in the input coil of the transformer is 1 .4A.

Calculate the input power to the desktop computer.

input power = ..................................................... W (3)

(Total: 9)
 14

10 A nucleus of strontium-90 is represented using nuclide notation as shown.

90
3aSr
(a) (i) Calculate the number of neutrons in one nucleus of strontium-90.

number of neutrons = .... ..... .... .. .......... .. ... ...... .... .. .. ............. (2)

(Ii) Determine the number of electrons in one atom of strontium-90.

number of electrons = .. .... ....... ......... ... .... ..... ....................... (1]

(b) Strontium-90 decays by emitting ~-particles (beta-particles).

Describe the nature of ~-particles.

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

(c) Strontium-90 decays with a half-life of 29 years.

A sample contains 16mg of strontium-90.

Calculate the time taken for the strontium-90 to decay until only 2.0mg of strontium-90
remains in the sample.

time= ............................................... years (2)

(Total: 6)

r
 15

11 (a) The Sun is the star in our Solar System. Eight planets orbit the Sun.

State the names of two other categories of bodies in the Solar System.

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

2 ............................................................................................................................................... .
(2)

(b) State the name of the galaxy that includes our Solar System.

····································································......................................................................... [1)

(c) Describe how the light from distant galaxies gives evidence to support the Big Bang Theory.

.............. ............................................................................................................................... [3]

[Total: 6)
 16

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