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NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION

MAY 2023

PHYSICAL SCIENCES: PAPER I

EXAMINATION NUMBER

Time: 3 hours 200 marks

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY

1. This question paper consists of 28 pages and a Data Sheet of 2 pages (i–ii). Please
check that your question paper is complete.
2. Read the questions carefully.
3. Answer ALL the questions on this question paper.
4. Use the data and formulae when necessary.
5. Show your working in all calculations.
6. Units need not be included in the working of calculations, but appropriate units should
be shown in the answer.
7. Answers must be expressed in decimal format, not left as proper fractions.
8. Where appropriate, express answers to TWO decimal places.
9. It is in your own interest to write legibly and to present your work neatly.
10. TWO blank pages (pages 26–27) and extra graph paper (page 28) are included at
the end of the paper. If you run out of space for a question, use these pages. Clearly
indicate the number of your answer should you use this extra space.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY: MARKER TO ENTER MARKS

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 TOTAL
Mark
Marker Initial
Moderated Mark
Moderator Initial
Question Total 20 19 20 27 30 17 28 21 18 200
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NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE: PHYSICAL SCIENCES: PAPER I – MAY Page 2 of 28

QUESTION 1 MULTIPLE CHOICE

Answer these questions on the answer grid below. Make a cross (X) in the box
corresponding to the letter that you consider to be correct.

A B C D Here the option C has been marked as an example.

1.1 A B C D

1.2 A B C D

1.3 A B C D

1.4 A B C D

1.5 A B C D

1.6 A B C D

1.7 A B C D

1.8 A B C D

1.9 A B C D

1.10 A B C D

1.1 Two forces of 6 N and 10 N act simultaneously on an object. Which of these

magnitudes is not a possible resultant force of this combination of forces?

A 4N
B 9N
C 16 N
D 18 N

1.2 A ball is thrown upwards by a person. Which one of the following combinations give
the directions of the velocity of the ball, the acceleration of the ball and the net force
that the ball experiences as it travels upwards just after leaving the person's hand?

Velocity Acceleration Net force

A Upward Upward Upward
B Upward Downward Downward
C Upward Downward Upward
D Downward Downward Downward

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1.3 A car moves along a straight, flat road with uniform acceleration. It drops an oil
droplet every two seconds. The distances between oil droplets on the road are shown
below:

8,0 m 12,0 m
direction
of travel

The acceleration of the car is:

A 1 m∙s-2
B 2 m∙s-2
C 4 m∙s-2
D 8 m∙s-2

1.4 A light trolley is moving along a frictionless level surface at a constant speed. The
top of the trolley is open. A large volume of sand is dropped into the trolley. The
velocity of the trolley …

A increases.
B decreases.
C remains the same.
D immediately becomes zero.

1.5 A trolley with a mass m has momentum p. The kinetic energy of the trolley will be:

A pm
p
B
m
p2m
C
2
p2
D
2m

1.6 A box rests on a desk. The Newton third law force paired with the weight of the box
is …

A the downward force by the Earth on the box.

B the upward force by the desk on the box.
C the downward force by the box on the desk.
D the upward force by the box on the Earth.

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1.7 Two charged metal spheres exert a force F on each other. The spheres carry charges
of –4 pC and +6 pC and are a distance r apart. They are brought together to touch
and then separated to half their original distance apart.

The new force between them is:

A F/6
B F
C 4F
D 6F

1.8 The graph below shows four relationships between current through a conductor and
voltage across the conductor. Which graph shows the behaviour of the ohmic resistor
with the highest resistance?

I
A
B
C

D
V

1.9 Two bulbs and three diodes are connected to a battery as shown in the circuit
diagram below. Which bulb(s) will light up when switch S is closed?

S
A

A Bulb A only
B Bulb B only
C Both bulbs
D Neither of the bulbs

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1.10 The bulbs in this circuit are identical. The battery has negligible internal resistance.

S
X

Y Z

When the switch is closed:

A X and Y glow with the same brightness as before.

B X and Y glow less brightly than before.
C X glows more brightly and Y glows less brightly.
D X glows as brightly as before and Y glows less brightly.

[20]

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QUESTION 2 KINEMATICS

Car A and Car B are travelling along a straight, level road. The velocity–time graph below
represents the motion of the two cars.

v (m∙s-1)

Car A
30

Car B P
20

0 22
0 6 20 t (s)

2.1 Define acceleration. (2)

2.2 Which car has the greatest instantaneous acceleration? No calculations necessary.
(2)

2.3 Calculate the magnitude of car A's acceleration between 6 seconds and 20 seconds.
(3)

2.4 What do you know about the cars at point P, shown on the graph? (2)

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After 20 seconds, car A comes to rest and the driver of car B applies the brakes. Car B
takes 2 seconds to slow down to rest.

2.5 How far does car A travel over the 20 second period? (4)

2.6 If the cars come to rest next to each other, how far apart were they at time 0 seconds?
(4)

2.7 Which car was leading at t = 0 seconds? (2)

[19]

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QUESTION 3 KINEMATICS

3.1 A motorbike is travelling at 12 m∙s-1 when it starts accelerating at 3,2 m∙s-2 for 3 s.

3.1.1 Calculate the speed of the motorbike after the 3 second period of acceleration.
(3)

3.1.2 How far will the motorbike travel while accelerating from 12 m∙s-1 during the
3 s period of acceleration? (3)

3.2 A runner completes a 42,2 km race that starts and ends under a large banner at a
sports ground. The runner's time for the race is 3 hours and 15 minutes.

3.2.1 Define displacement. (2)

3.2.2 Determine the runner's displacement in this race? (1)

3.2.3 Calculate the runner's average speed over the race. (4)

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The start of the race is 10 km West and 14 km South of the runner's house.

3.2.4 Define a resultant vector. (2)

3.2.5 Determine the magnitude and direction of the runner's displacement from the
house to the start of the race. (5)

[20]

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QUESTION 4 STONE DROP

A stone with a mass of 300 g is dropped into a deep pool of water. Air resistance can be
ignored. The stone hits the water with a velocity of 6 m∙s-1 downwards. Once in the water,
the stone slows down to a velocity of 0,8 m∙s-1 downwards over a period of 0,2 seconds.
The stone then continues to sink at this velocity.

4.1 Determine the kinetic energy of the stone just before it hits the surface of the water.
(3)

4.2 Calculate the height above the surface of the water from which the stone was
dropped. (3)

4.3 How long did the stone take to fall, from when it was dropped to when it hit the water?
(3)

4.4 On the axes below, draw a velocity–time graph showing the velocity of the stone
from the moment it was dropped to when it was sinking at constant velocity for
1,5 seconds. You must show the time values that you know. Assume a constant
average acceleration for the stone after entering the water. (4)

velocity (m∙s-1)

0
time (s)
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4.5 Define impulse. (2)

4.6 Calculate the average net force experienced by the stone while it is slowing down in
the water during the 0,2 seconds described. (5)

4.7 Draw a labelled free-body diagram of the forces acting on the stone while it is slowing
down in the water, showing the relative sizes of the forces. (2)

4.8 Determine the magnitude of the average upward force that the water exerts on the
stone. (3)

4.9 Considering the forces acting on the stone, explain why it continues to fall at a
constant 0,8 m∙s-1 downwards shortly after landing in the water. (2)

[27]

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QUESTION 5 ACCELERATING SYSTEM

A block of mass 3 kg is attached to a block of mass 2 kg via a light, inextensible string over
a frictionless pulley as shown in the diagram. The 2 kg block is moving up the slope which
is at an angle of 20° to the horizontal. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the block
and the slope is 0,4.

3 kg

20°

5.1 Define frictional force. (2)

5.2 Draw a labelled free-body diagram of the forces acting on the 2 kg block. (4)

5.3 Determine the magnitude of the normal force acting on the 2 kg block. (3)

5.4 Calculate the magnitude of the frictional force acting on the 2 kg block as it moves
up the slope. (3)

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5.5 Write a mathematical expression for the forces acting on the 2 kg block parallel to
the slope. (2)

5.6 Calculate the acceleration of the system AND the tension in the string. (4)

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The 2 kg block moves 30 cm up the slope.

5.7 Define the work done on an object by a force. (2)

5.8 Calculate the energy lost due to the frictional force acting on the 2 kg block. (3)

5.9 How much kinetic energy is gained by the 2 kg block as it moves 30 cm up the slope?
(3)

5.10 The string is cut. What will the magnitude and direction of the acceleration of the
2 kg block be? (4)

[30]

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QUESTION 6 FIELDS

6.1 A polystyrene ball carrying a charge of –5 nC rests on a surface. It has a mass of

2 g. A charged sphere is lowered towards the polystyrene ball. When the sphere is
at a height of 3 mm above the polystyrene ball, the polystyrene ball is about to lift
off.

6.1.1 State Coulomb's law. (2)

6.1.2 Calculate the magnitude of the weight of the polystyrene ball. (2)

6.1.3 Calculate the magnitude of the charge on the charged sphere. (4)

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6.2 The Hope satellite of mass 550 kg is in orbit around Mars. Mars has a mass of
6,4 × 1023 kg and a radius of 3 400 km.

6.2.1 Define gravitational field. (2)

6.2.2 Calculate the magnitude of the gravitational field on the surface of Mars. (3)

At one point in the Hope satellite's orbit, it is a distance of 31,6 × 103 km above the
surface of Mars.

6.2.3 Calculate the force on the Hope satellite at this point in the satellite's orbit. (4)

[17]

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QUESTION 7 ELECTRIC CIRCUITS

In the circuit represented below, the battery has an emf of 30 V and an unknown internal
resistance. Ammeter A2 reads 0,6 A. The ammeters have zero resistance and the
voltmeters have infinite resistance.

V1
r

7Ω
12 Ω 3Ω V2

0,6 A A2

A1

7.1 State Ohm's law. (2)

7.2 Calculate the reading on V2. (3)

7.3 What is the effective resistance of the bulb and resistor connected in parallel? (2)

7.4 Define current. (2)

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7.5 Calculate the current reading on ammeter A1. (4)

7.6 Calculate the power of the 12 Ω resistor. (3)

7.7 Determine the internal resistance of the battery. (4)

7.8 Calculate the amount of energy emitted by the 3 Ω bulb in 3 minutes. (4)

7.9 If the voltmeter V2 is replaced by a conducting wire, what would happen to the
reading on V1? (1)

7.10 Explain your answer to Question 7.9. Use an appropriate equation to aid you in your
explanation. (3)

[28]

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QUESTION 8 ELECTRODYNAMICS

The diagram below shows a simple generator with a coil that is rotated clockwise in the
magnetic field.

B
A S

X Y

8.1 Name the components that are labelled A and B on the diagram. (1)

8.2 Explain why current flows in the coil when it is rotated through the magnetic field. (3)

8.3 In which direction will the current flow in an external circuit connected to X and Y?
Write only X to Y or Y to X. (2)

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8.4 Two positions of the coil as seen from the axis of rotation are shown below:

Coil in horizontal position Coil in vertical position

N S N S

A B

The graph below shows the magnetic flux experienced by the coil as it is rotated
against time.

0
time

8.4.1 Will the coil be in the horizontal position or the vertical position at time = 0 as
shown on this graph? (2)

8.4.2 Give a reason for your answer to Question 8.4.1. (2)

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The graph of magnetic flux against time from the previous page is repeated here for
convenience:

0
time

8.4.3 Draw a sketch graph on the axes given below showing the emf against time
for the coil, corresponding to the magnetic flux against time graph shown
above. (2)

emf

0
time

8.5 A transformer has 20 turns on the primary coil. The potential difference across the
primary coil is 8 V. How many turns must be on the secondary coil of the transformer
to step the voltage up to 240 V? (3)

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8.6 Explain why a transformer operates with an alternating current input, but not with a
direct current input. (2)

8.7 The graph below represents the fully rectified output of an AC generator. On the
same set of axes, draw a graph showing the emf against time when the coil is rotated
at half the rate. Label this line slower. (2)

emf

0
time

8.8 Give one example of how the output of the generator could be fully rectified. (2)

[21]

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QUESTION 9 PHOTONS AND ELECTRONS

Light of increasing frequency is shone onto a caesium surface and the maximum kinetic
energy of the electrons ejected from the surface is recorded in the table below.

f (× 1014 Hz) EK(max) (× 10–19 J)

5,6 0,3
6,2 0,8
7,8 1,7
8,4 2,3
10,0 3,4
11,4 4,2

9.1 Plot a graph of the maximum kinetic energy of the ejected electrons (on y-axis) vs
the frequency of incident light (on x-axis) on the graph paper below. (6)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 f (× 1014 Hz)

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9.2 Define threshold frequency. (2)

9.3 Determine the threshold frequency of caesium using the graph drawn in
Question 9.1. (2)

9.4 Determine the gradient of the graph that you plotted in Question 9.1. Include a unit
with your gradient. (4)

9.5 Use the photoelectric effect equation and your answer to Question 9.4 to calculate
Planck's constant. (2)

9.6 State what quantity can be determined from the y-intercept of the graph plotted in
Question 9.1.
(2)

[18]

Total: 200 marks

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ADDITIONAL SPACE (ALL questions)

REMEMBER TO CLEARLY INDICATE AT THE QUESTION THAT YOU USED THE

ADDITIONAL SPACE TO ENSURE THAT ALL ANSWERS ARE MARKED.

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QUESTION 9.1 EXTRA GRAPH PAPER

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 f (× 1014 Hz)

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