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HWA CHONG INSTITUTION

END-OF-YEAR EXAMINATION 2009
PHYSICS
Paper 2
Level:
Duration:

Secondary Four
1 hour 45 mins

Do not open this booklet until you are told to do so.

INSTRUCTION TO CANDIDATES
Write your name, index number and class on the top of this page.
Answer the questions in Section A and B in the spaces provided. All workings must
be shown.
In Section B, for Question 11 answer EITHER or OR.

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

In Sections A and B the intended marks for each question or part of a question are given
in brackets [ ]. Any working should be done in the space provided.
When necessary, take acceleration due to gravity to be 10 m/s2.

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This question paper consists of 17 printed pages, including this page.

SECTION A (40 Marks)

Answer all the questions in this section.
1.

A ball of mass M is tied to the ceiling by a string A. Another string C pulls the
ball horizontally towards the left such that string A makes an angle of 30o to
the vertical as shown in the diagram below. The ball is at rest.
ceiling
string A

string C

30o

a)

On the diagram above draw and label in the forces acting on the ball.
[1]

b)

If the tension in string A is 3.0 N, using a scale diagram or otherwise,

find the tension in string C and the weight of the ball.
[2]

c)

What is the mass M of the ball?

[1]

2.

A student is investigating projectiles. He fires two identical balls, A and B,

simultaneously. Their trajectories are shown in the sketch below. The balls A
and B land at the same instant at the target, T.
Horizontal

Va

Vb
45

T
-1

a)

If Vb = 20 m s , find the horizontal component of Vb.

[1]

b)

Explain why the horizontal component of Vb equals Va.

[2]

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c)

If the time the balls take to hit the target T is 7.0 s find the vertical
distance between the balls initially.
[2]

d)

If balls A and B have a mass of 200 g each, calculate the total energy
each ball has at the beginning of the trajectory?
[2]

3.

A uniform meter rule is placed on a pivot at its centre of gravity. Two 2.0 N
weights are hung from the meter rule as shown. The meter rule is balanced.

a)

Calculate the upward pressure exerted by the pivot on the ruler if the
weight of the ruler is 1.0 N and the area of contact between the pivot
[2]
and ruler is 0.10 mm2.

The pivot and both the weights are moved to the left to a new position as
shown below.

b)

Where should a 0.50 N weight be placed to restore the balance of the

ruler?
[2]

4.

a)

The diagram shows a transverse wave moving to the right along a

spring, at a particular instant.

On the diagram,
i) draw the new position of the wave as seen at the next instant.
ii) draw the direction of movement of particle X;

b)

[1]
[1]

The following table gives information about the wavelength and output
power of some types of laser used in a hospital.
Type of laser
Excimer
Argon
Dye
Helium-neon
Nd-YAG

Wavelength/m
3.2 x 10-7
4.9 x 10-7
5.5 x 10-7
6.3 x 10-7
10.6 x 10-7

Output power/ W
20.0
2.0
0.5
0.005
50.0

Visible light has wavelengths ranging from 4.0 x 10-7 to 7.0 x 10-7 m.
iv)

State the laser which emits infrared radiation?

[1]

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iv)

State one medical use of infrared radiation.

[1]

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iv)

Calculate the frequency of light from the helium-neon laser.

[2]

5.

William makes a glass of hot tea. After a while, he adds some ice cubes into
the tea. William uses a temperature sensor to measure the temperature of the
tea. The figure below shows the temperature-time graph obtained.

a)

Explain why the temperature of the tea increases from R to S.

[2]

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b)

Estimate the temperature of the surroundings.

[1]

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c)

Another method to cool the hot tea without adding ice cubes is by
leaving the cup of hot tea in the room to cool by evaporation.
Explain how evaporation causes cooling.

[2]

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6

6.

The dehumidifier shown below is turned on for a few hours in a closed room.
Water vapour in the incoming wet air condenses and 1.50 kg of water is
collected in the water tank.

Part A of the
dehumidifier

Part B of the
dehumidifier

wet air in

dry air out

coiled tube

metal fins
pump

water tank
air fan

Given:
-

specific latent heat of vaporization of water is 2.26 x 106 J kg-1

density of air is 1.30 kg m-3
volume of air is 400 m3 in room
specific heat capacity of the air is 1.03 x 103 J kg-1K-1

Assuming that all the energy released in Part B of the dehumidifier is used to
raise the temperature of the air inside the room, calculate
a)

the thermal energy loss by the water in condensing,

[1]

b)

the increase in temperature of the air in the room.

[2]

7.

a)

How can a polythene strip be charged?

[1]

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b)

If the polythene strip is charged negatively by the method you have

just described above, explain the charge movement when the polythene
strip is charged.
[1]

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c)

A negatively charged polythene strip is brought near the left end of an

uncharged metal bar. This makes the plastic strip suspended near the
right end of the metal bar move away from the metal bar.

i)

How does the charged polythene strip affect the electrons in the metal
bar? Explain your answer.
[2]

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ii)

Why does the plastic strip move away from the right end of the metal
bar?
[2]

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8.

A student wishes to design an electromagnet to pick up metal debris on the

laboratory floor. In his design he uses insulated copper wire to form a coil
wound on a plastic core connected to a 2.0 V cell and a switch as shown
below.
Excess insulated
copper

a)

Add an arrow on the wire AB above to show the direction of the

current when the switch is closed.
[1]

b)

On the diagram indicate the North pole of the electromagnet formed.

[1]

c)

The student found that the electromagnet formed is too weak to pick
up the metal pieces. Without changing the cell and length of the wires
used, state and explain two ways on which the student can increase the
strength of the magnetic field produced.
[3]

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SECTION B (30 Marks)

9.

a)

A balloon is filled with air and is attached to a puck. It releases air

through a hole at the bottom of the pluck. The balloon puck then
moves on a horizontal straight track (see Figure a below) and its
velocity-time graph is shown in Figure b.
velocity/m s-1

0.50

Figure a
i)

1.0

time/s

1.4

Figure b

Explain why the motion of the balloon puck changes at t = 1.0 s.

[2]

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ii)

If the balloon is filled with less air and its initial velocity is still
0.50 m s-1, sketch the corresponding velocity-time graph of the balloon
puck in Figure b.
[2]

b)

Figure c shows Player X trying to block the ball from Player Y in a

volleyball game. Standing on the ground with his arms fully stretched
upwards, Player Xs hands are 2.25 m above the ground. In order to
block the ball, Player X has to jump up such that his hands reach a
height of 3.00 m.

Player Y
3.00 m
2.25 m

Player X
Figure c
10

i)

Using Newtons laws of motion, explain why Player X in Figure c can

gain an initial speed to leave the ground vertically.
[2]

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ii)

Player X jumps up vertically and his hands can just reach a height of
3.00 m. Calculate the initial speed of Player X at the instant he leaves
the ground. Assume that air resistance is negligible.
[2]

iii)

Player Z is a teammate of Player X. His hands can also reach a height

of 2.25 m when his arms are fully stretched upwards but he is heavier
than player X. If he jumps up such that his hands just reach a height of
3.00 m, explain whether the initial vertical speed of Player Z will be
the same as Player X.
[2]

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11

10.

Two filament lamps are designed to work from a 9.0 V supply but they have
different characteristics. The graph shows the current-potential difference
relationship for each lamp.

The two lamps are connected in parallel with a 9.0 V supply as shown.

a)

What is the current through each lamp and what is the total current
drawn from the 9.0 V battery?
[2]

12

b)

Calculate the total resistance of the circuit.

[1]

c)

Which of the two lamps is brighter? Give a reason for your answer. [2]

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d)

Explain how the graph shows that the resistance of the lamps increases
with temperature rise.
[2]

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A lighting engineer wishes to design an electrical circuit to light up two

rooms, Room 1 and 2, as shown below. The lamps to be connected, Lamps A
and B, are shown in their respective rooms.
Live wire
9.0 V
Neutral wire

Lamp A
Room 1

Lamp B
Room 2

e)

Complete the circuit above so that the lamps can be operated

separately.
[2]

f)

Add a suitable fuse to protect the electrical circuit.

[1]

13

Answer EITHER
11.

a)
An optical fibre carries coded information in the form of pulses of
light. The optical fibre consists of a thread of glass whose core is surrounded
by glass of a different material of different refractive index called the
cladding. The light source, usually a light emitting diode (LED), emits
infrared radiation. The radiation passes through a lens and enters the fibre as
shown in the diagram (not drawn to scale) below.
cladding

The position of the LED

core

Two light rays

from LED
lens
cladding
The LED, which acts as a point source is placed 5.0 cm from a
converging lens of focal length 5.0 cm.
i)

What is meant by the focal length of a lens?

[1]

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ii)

Complete drawing the two light rays from the LED (shown in the
diagram above) as they pass through the lens into the core of the fibre.
[2]

iv)

State what happens to the frequency and wavelength of the light (either
increase, decrease or unchanged) as it enters the fibre.
[2]

Frequency ________________
Wavelength ________________

14

iv)

As the fibre bends, the light will continue to travel in a straight line
until it reaches the side of the core where it should be totally internally
reflected at the boundary with the cladding. Explain what is meant by
the term critical angle for a boundary between two media.
[2]

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v)

The core has a refractive index of 1.48. Will the refractive index of the
cladding be smaller or larger than 1.48? Explain your answer.
[2]

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vi)

Explain why the light may not be totally internally reflected if a

section of the fibre is bent sharply as shown below.
[1]

Light ray

Optical fibre

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15

OR
11.

b)

The diagram below shows two circuits linked by a core.

Core
Lamp

i)

When S is closed the lamp gives out a momentary flash. Explain why
this happens.
[3]

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ii)

Explain what alteration to the circuit is needed so that the lamp can
light up continuously.
[2]

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A transformer is used to light up a 12 V 96 W lamp. The primary coil has 200

turns and is connected to a mains supply of 240 V.
iii)

Calculate the number of turns of the secondary coil so that the lamp
can be optimally lighted.
[2]

16

iv)

Calculate the current taken from the mains supply if the efficiency of
the transformer is 100%.
[2]

v)

The soft iron core of the transformer becomes warm after some time.
Explain why this occurs.
[1]

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End of Paper

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