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STUDENT NUMBER/NAME: ……………………..

2008

Higher School Certificate

Preliminary Examination

Physics

General Instructions

Reading time – 5 minutes

Working time – 2 hours

Board approved calculators may be

used

Write using black or blue pen

A data sheet, formulae sheet’s and

periodic table are provided

Draw diagrams using pencil

A protractor and ruler are required

Write your student number and/or

name at the top of every page

Total marks - 75

Section I – Pages 2–8 Total marks (15)

Attempt Questions 1–15

Allow 25 minutes for this section

Section II – Pages 9–18 Total marks (60)

Attempt Questions 16–30

Allow 1 hour and 35 minutes for this section

This paper MUST NOT be removed from the examination room


Section I

Total marks (15)

Attempt questions 1 – 15

Allow about 25 minutes for this section

Select the alternative A, B, C or D that best answers the question and indicate your choice

with a cross (X) in the appropriate space on the grid below.

A B C D

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15


1. This question refers to the wave below. The wave has been drawn life-size.

Which of the following gives values for the period, amplitude and frequency of this

wave?

Period (s) Amplitude (mm) Frequency (Hz)

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

3.0 × 10-3

6.0 × 10-3

6.0 × 10-3

12.0 × 10-3

15

15

15

30

6 × 10-3

66.7

167

167

2. Which of the following has the lowest wavelength?

(A) Infra red light

(B) Radio waves

(C) X-rays

(D) Ultra violet light

3. When white light passes through a glass prism a spectrum is formed.

Knowing that the refractive index of the air/glass boundary is constant, why does this

happen?

(A) The distance the light travels through the prism varies.

(B) The light at the blue end of the spectrum travels faster than light at the red end.

(C) Lower frequencies of light are refracted more than higher frequencies.

(D) Shorter wavelength light travels slower through the glass than longer wavelength light.

Displacement

(mm) Time (x 310 s)

3 6 9 12 15

prism white light red light

violet light

spectrum observed here


4. Which of the following contains only devices that use data in digital format?

(A) Computers, CD players and home telephones

(B) DVD players, cathode ray tube televisions and mobile phones

(C) Home telephones, mobile phones and GPS devices

(D) CD players, DVD players and MP3 players

5. Consider the following electrical circuit which contains three identical resistors, two

ammeters and a power source. Two points, X and Y, are shown.

Which statement about this circuit is correct?

(A) The reading on A1 will be twice the reading on A2.

(B) The potential difference across each resistor will be the same.

(C) The potential at point X will be higher than the potential at point Y.

(D) If the potential of the power supply is 12 V, then the reading on the voltmeter V1

will also be 12 V.

6. Which of the following describes the effect of increasing temperature on the resistance

of a conductor?

(A) The resistance increases because current electrons lose more energy when they

collide with other particles in the conductor.

(B) The resistance increases because more collisions occur between lattice particles.

(C) The resistance decreases because the current electrons can move through the

conductor more quickly.

(D) The resistance decreases because the heat energy causes more electrons to be

released by atoms.

A1

V1

A2

R1 R2

R3

X

Y

Power supply

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7. The diagrams represent three sets of parallel plates, X, Y and Z, which have the same

potential difference across them. The top plate is the positive potential plate in all three.

Which statement about X, Y and Z is correct?

(A) Only X has been drawn correctly.

(B) The high potential plate in Y is the bottom plate.

(C) The field between the plates in Z is not uniform.

(D) The electric field between the plates in X is stronger than the field between the

plates in Y.

8. The diagram shows two bar magnets near each other.

Which alternative best predicts the direction of the magnetic field at point P?

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

X Y Z

+ + + + + + + + + + + +

- - - - - - - - - - - -

S N N S

P

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Use the following information to answer Questions 9 and 10.

9. What is the time taken by the car to cover 100 m from the start?

(A) 9.0 s

(B) 4.2 s

(C) 90.0 s

(D) 0.42 s

10. Which of the following graphs shows the motion described above?

(A) (B) (C) (D)

11. Which of the following justifies the application of the Law of Conservation of

Momentum to the collision of two objects?

(A) The Law of Conservation of Energy must be obeyed.

(B) Action and reaction are identical forces.

(C) There are no forces acting on the two colliding objects.

(D) Only equal and opposite forces are acting on the two objects.

In a ‘drag race’ the cars accelerate over a distance of 100 m, starting from

zero velocity. One car travels 100 m with a constant acceleration

of 9 ms-2

.

Dis

pla

cem

ent

Dis

pla

cem

ent

Dis

pla

cem

ent

Dis

pla

cem

ent

Time Time Time Time

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12. A car is driving north at 60 km/h. The car turns right at a corner and continues east at

60 km/h.

If north is towards the top of the page, which vector diagram correctly shows the

change in velocity, VR of the car?

(A) (B) (C) (D)

13. Which of the following statements provides basic evidence for the expansion of the

Universe?

(A) Einstein’s statement postulating the equivalence of mass and energy

(B) The Law of Gravitation

(C) The comparison of spectra of nearby and faraway stars

(D) The amount of dark matter in the Universe

VR VR VR

VR

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Use the following information to answer Questions 14 and 15.

By studying the spectra of stars, early astronomers realised that stars had individual

“personalities”, but could be grouped according to their spectra. The table summarises the

characteristics of each group.

Spectral

Class

Temperature

Range, K Spectral features Example

O Above 25,000 Strong lines of ionised helium. Lines of

doubly ionised oxygen, nitrogen and carbon Delta Cephei

B 25,000 - 11,000 Lines of neutral helium are most prominent.

Hydrogen lines stronger than in O class. Rigel, Spica

A 11,000 – 7,500

Hydrogen lines are most prominent. Singly

charged ionised magnesium, silicon, iron,

calcium and titanium appear.

Sirius, Vega

F 7,500 – 6,000

Hydrogen lines are weaker than in A class

and neutral metal lines (e.g. calcium) are

stronger.

Procyon

G 6,000 – 5,000

Lines of ionised calcium are most dominant

and hydrogen lines are weak. Lines of many

neutral and singly charged metals are visible.

Sun, Capella

K 5,000 – 3,500 Neutral metal lines are most prominent.

Molecular bands appear. Arcturus

M Below 3,500 Molecular bands are the most common

feature with strong titanium oxide bands.

Antares,

Betelgeuse

14. Which star is most likely to be a red giant?

(A) Delta Cephei

(B) Rigel

(C) Sirius

(D) Antares

15. Which of the following would help to determine if a white star is a main sequence star

or a white dwarf?

(A) Diameter of the star, energy source, luminosity

(B) Diameter of the star, luminosity, distance from Earth

(C) Diameter of the star, energy source, distance from Earth

(D) Energy source, distance from Earth, luminosity


Section II

Total marks (60)

Attempt Questions 16 – 29

Allow about 1 hour and 35 minutes for this section

Answer the questions in the spaces provided.

Show all relevant working in question involving calculations.

Question 16 (3 marks) Marks

(a) Compare particle motion in transverse and longitudinal mechanical waves. 2 3

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(b) Account for the lack of requirement of a medium for propagation of electromagnetic

waves. .................................................................................................................................. 1

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Question 17 (4 marks)

Outline the energy transformations that occur in ONE of the following devices: 4

mobile telephone

fax/modem

radio

television

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Describe ONE application of a concave reflecting surface.

Include a sketch to illustrate your answer. 3 3

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Particle X, carrying a charge of +1 coulomb is placed near particle Y, which carries a charge of

+2 coulombs.

Complete the diagram to show the shape of the electric field between the two charges X and Y

and indicate a null point in the electric field. 3 3

X Y

+1C +2C

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The diagram shows a ray of light entering a glass slab. The refractive index of the glass is 1.25. 3

(a) Measure the angle of incidence of the ray onto the glass. 1 3

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(b) Calculating the angles, complete the path of the ray of light through, and out the other

side, of the slab. 4 3

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Glass slab, refractive index = 1.25



A charge of + 1.6 × 10-19

C is placed at point X in an electric field as shown. X is 10 mm from

the bottom plate. The potential between the two parallel plates is 100 volts and the distance

between them is 25 mm.

A second charge of - 3.2 × 10-19

C is placed at point Y in the same electric field. Y is 5 mm

from the top plate.

(a) Compare the magnitude of the force on the charge at X, due to the field, with that on

the charge at Y. Justify your answer. 2

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(b) Describe what will happen to the charge at X because of this force. 2

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(c) Explain the statement:

“The potential difference between the two parallel plates is 100 volts”. 1

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X

Y

Z

0 mm

5 mm

10 mm

15 mm

20 mm

25 mm

100 V

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(a) Draw a circuit diagram to show how an ammeter is connected into a circuit to measure

the current flowing through a resistor. 1

(b) Describe and account for the internal resistance of an ammeter. 2

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Describe an experiment you have done in the laboratory to investigate the relationship

between current, voltage and power for a heating coil.

In your answer outline how the results were analysed. 4

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Describe TWO technologies involved in the avoidance or reduction of motor vehicle

collisions AND assess their benefits. 4

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(a) State Newton’s First Law of Motion. 1

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(b) Identify the reason why Newton’s First Law is NOT apparent in many real world

situations. 1

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(c) A lightweight ball is resting on the back seat of a car as it turns a corner. Compare

motion of the ball, observed by a person in the car versus a person outside the car. 2

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A truck of mass 5000 kg is moving at 20 ms-1

as it passes point X. As it passes point Y, 50 m

away from X, the truck is moving at 25 ms-1

.

(a) Calculate acceleration of the truck. 1

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(b) Calculate the change in force that the truck’s engine exerts if it is to move up an incline

of 30° (shown above) at a constant speed of 25 ms-1

. 3

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30o

X Y

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The diagram shows car A, mass 1500 kg and car B, mass 2500 kg, just before they collide.

The driver in car A moving at 40 ms-1

, collides with the back of car B, moving in the same

direction at 35 ms-1

. A witness states that car A bounces off the back of car B after the

collision, initially moving backwards at about 10 ms-1

.

(a) Using the witness statement, calculate velocity of car B immediately after the collision. 2

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(b) A policewoman investigating the collision suggests the witness statement is inaccurate.

Justify the policewoman’s opinion, based on kinetic energy calculations. 1

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Car A

40 ms-1

Car B

35 ms-1

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Using the work of Aristotle, Kepler and ONE other astronomer, show how the model of the

Universe has changed AND propose reasons for the acceptance OR rejection of the various

models. 6

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(a) Two stars are identified as RR Lyrae stars which have the same luminosity. Star 1 is at

a distance of 5 parsecs away from the Earth and is observed to be three times as bright

as Star 2.

Calculate the distance of Star 2 from the Earth in parsecs. 1

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(b) Describe the characteristic common to all Main Sequence stars. 1

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(c) Assess effects of sunspot activity on the Earth. 3

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Outline stages of the accretion of matter into galaxies and stars. 4 3

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End of Paper

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