Physics Christmas Holiday Assignment Year 11 2021-22 Session

Attempt all the questions

1. Fig. 1.1 shows the speed–time graph of a person on a journey. On the journey, he walks and then
waits for a bus. He then travels by bus. He gets off the bus and waits for two minutes. He then walks
again. His journey takes 74 minutes.

Fig. 1.1
(a) For the whole journey calculate:
(i) the distance travelled

distance = ................................................ [3]

(ii) the average speed.

average speed = ......................................................... [2]

(b) State and explain which feature of a speed–time graph shows
acceleration. ..............................................................................................................................................
.................................... ..............................................................................................................................
............... [2] (c) State and explain the acceleration of the person at time = 40
minutes. ....................................................................................................................................................
.............................. ....................................................................................................................................
......... [2] [Total: 9]

2. Fig. 2.1 shows a train.

The total mass of the train and its passengers is 750000 kg. The train is travelling at a speed of 84
m/s. The driver applies the brakes and the train takes 80 s to slow down to a speed of 42 m/s.
(a) Calculate the impulse applied to the train as it slows down.

impulse = ........................................... [3]

(b) Calculate the average resultant force applied to the train as it slows down.

force = ................................... [2]

(c) Suggest how the shape of the train helps it to travel at high
speeds. ......................................................................................................................................................
........................... .......................................................................................................................................
...... [1]
(d) The train took 80 s to reduce its speed from 84 m/s to 42 m/s. Explain why, with the same braking
force, the train takes more than 80s to reduce its speed from 42 m/s to
zero. ..........................................................................................................................................................
....................... ...........................................................................................................................................
.. [1] (e) On a wet day, the train travels a greater distance before it stops along the same track. The
train has the same speed of 84 m/s before the brakes are applied.

Suggest a reason for

this. ............................................................................................................................................................
...................... ............................................................................................................................................
. [1] [Total: 8]

3. In a double-decker bus there are two passenger compartments, one above the other.

(a) Fig. 3.1 shows a double-decker bus on a tilted platform.

The platform is used to test the stability of the bus. The angle the bus makes with the horizontal is
gradually increased until the bus begins to topple to the left.

Explain why the bus begins to

topple. .......................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
..... [1] (b) There are 30 passengers in the upper compartment of the bus and 2 passengers in the
bottom compartment of the bus.
State how this affects the stability of the bus and the reason for
this. ............................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
.. [2]

(c) A bus is travelling along a straight road. The bus and the driver have a combined mass of 16000 kg
when there are no passengers in it. The bus has 73 passengers. The average mass of each of the
passengers is 65 kg.

(i) Calculate the total mass of the bus, the driver and the 73 passengers.

mass = ...................................... [2]

(ii) The fully loaded bus accelerates uniformly from rest to a speed of 14 m/s. The time taken to reach
a speed of 14 m/s is 20s.

Calculate the resultant force on the bus during the acceleration.

force = ....................................... [2]

[Total: 7]

4. Fig. 4.1 shows a liquid-in-glass thermometer without a temperature scale. The liquid inside the
thermometer has a melting point of –39° C.
(a) Describe simple experiments to mark the positions of the fixed points on this liquid-in-glass
thermometer. ............................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
.............. [4] (b) A scientist is measuring temperatures at the South Pole. These temperatures have a
minimum value of –90°C.

State why the liquid used in the thermometer in Fig. 4.1 would not be suitable for this
scientist. ....................................................................................................................................................
...... [1] (c) State a design change that:

(i) increases the sensitivity of a liquid-in-glass

thermometer .............................................................................................................................................
............. [1] (ii) increases the range of a liquid-in-glass
thermometer. ............................................................................................................................................
.............. [1] (d) State the property of the liquid which ensures that the scale on a liquid-in-glass
thermometer is
linear. ............................................................................................................................................. [1]
[Total: 8]

5. Fig. 5.1 shows crests of a wave approaching a barrier where the wave is reflected.
 Fig. 5.1

(a) On Fig. 5.1, draw three crests of the reflected wave. [3]

(b) The wave has a wavelength of 36 cm and a speed of 1.2 m/ s.

Calculate the frequency of the wave.

Frequency = ................................... [3]

(c) Complete the following sentences.

An echo is the name for a reflected .................................................................. wave. The waves that
form an echo are a type of longitudinal wave.

Longitudinal waves are made up of .................................................................. and rarefactions. [2]

[Total: 8]
6. (a) Fig. 6.1 shows an arrangement of glass prisms inside a box. The angles of the prisms are 45°,
45° and 90°.

This is a device used to view objects that are behind a wall. The incident ray of light undergoes total
internal reflection in the prisms.

On Fig. 6.1, complete the path of the ray through the device and show the ray as it emerges from the
box. [3]

(b) Show that the refractive index of glass with a critical angle of 45° is 1.41. [2]
[Total: 5]

7. Fig. 7.1 shows red light travelling from air into a prism made of diamond. The path of the red light
is incomplete.
(a) The refractive index of diamond is 2.42.

Calculate angle x.

angle x = ......................................................... [2]

(b) Explain the term total internal
reflection. ..................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
........... [3] (c) The angle y is greater than the critical angle of diamond.

On Fig. 7.1, draw the path of the red light through and out of the prism after point A. [2]

[Total: 7]

8. (a) (i) Describe what is meant by an electric

field. ..........................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
.. [1] (ii) State what is meant by the direction of an electric
field. ..........................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
....[1] (b) Fig. 8.1 shows a polystyrene ball covered with aluminium paint. The polystyrene ball is
suspended between two charged metal plates by an insulated thread.

The ball oscillates between the two charged plates. Explain why the ball
oscillates. ...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
........... [4] (c) There is a current of 0.29 A in an electrical circuit.

Calculate the time taken for a charge of 15 C to flow through the electrical circuit.

time = ......................................... [3]

[Total: 9]

Fig. 9.1 shows a simple direct current (d.c.) electric motor. The coil rotates about the axis when there
is a current in the coil. The coil is connected to the rest of the circuit by the brushes.
(a). (i) On Fig. 9.1, draw a pair of arrows to show which way the coil rotates.

Explain the direction you have

chosen. ......................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
.... [3] (ii) On Fig. 9.1, draw an arrow to show the direction in which electrons flow through the coil.
[1] (iii) Explain why the electrons flow in the direction you have shown in (a)
(ii). .............................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
[1]

(b) State any difference each of the following changes makes to the rotation of the coil in Fig. 9.1: (i)
changing the polarity of the power supply to that shown in Fig. 9.2

............................................................................................................................................................ [1]
(ii) changing the coil to the new coil shown in Fig. 9.3
.......................................................................................................................................................... [1]
(iii) using a stronger magnetic
field. ..........................................................................................................................................................
[1] [Total: 8]

10. (a) A radioactive nucleus of carbon decays to a nucleus of nitrogen by emitting a particle. Complete the
nuclide equation and state the name of the particle

Name of particle X ………………………………………………… [3]

(b) A radiation detector in a laboratory records a reading of 10 counts /min. There are no radioactive
samples in the laboratory.

(i) Explain why the radiation detector records a reading and suggest a possible source.

explanation ....................................................

source ........................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
... [2] (ii) Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5700 years. There are atoms of carbon-14 in all living organisms.

An archaeologist digs up some ancient wood. In the same laboratory as in (b)(i), a sample of this
ancient wood gives a reading of 20 counts/min. An equivalent sample of living wood gives a reading
of 80 counts/min. It is suggested that the age of the ancient sample is 11,400 years.

Do a calculation to check whether this suggestion is correct.

 [4]

[Total: 9]

11. Fig. 11.1 shows a vacuum tube with a radioactive source. The radioactive source emits α-particles,
β-particles and γ -rays. There is a very strong magnetic field between the N pole and the S pole of the
magnet.

Fig. 11.1

(a) The lead cylinder has a narrow central hole. State and explain the effect of the lead
cylinder. .....................................................................................................................................................
....... ...........................................................................................................................................................
[2] (b) Describe the paths of the α-particles, β-particles and γ -rays as they pass through the magnetic
field.

Explain your answers.

(i) α-
particles ........................................................................................................................................... .........
...................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................. [2] (ii) β-
particles ........................................................................................................................................... .........
...................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................... [2] (iii) γ -
rays ................................................................................................................................................. ..........
...................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................... [2]
[Total: 8]

12. Fig. 12.1 shows a sign that extends over a road.

Fig. 12.1

The mass of the sign is 3.4 × 103 kg.

(a) Calculate the weight W of the sign.

W = ........................................ [2]

(b) The weight of the sign acts at a horizontal distance of 1.8 m from the centre of the support post
and it produces a turning effect about point P.

Point P is a horizontal distance of 1.3m from the centre of the support post.

(i) Calculate the moment about P due to the weight of the sign.
 moment = ..................................... [3]

(ii) A concrete block is positioned on the other side of the support post with its centre of mass a
horizontal distance of 70 cm from the centre of the support post.

1. State what is meant by centre of

mass. .........................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
.... [1] 2. The weight of the concrete block produces a moment about point P that exactly cancels the
moment caused by the weight W.

Calculate the weight of the concrete block.

weight = ...................................... [2]

(c) The concrete block is removed. The sign and support post rotate about point P in a clockwise
direction.

State and explain what happens to the moment about point P due to the weight of the sign as it
rotates.

..................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................. . [2]
[Total: 10]