Cambridge IGCSE™(9–1)

* 8 1 8 4 8 1 0 2 8 8 *

PHYSICS 0972/41
Paper 4 Theory (Extended) May/June 2021

1 hour 15 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

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 10 N (acceleration of free fall = 10 m / s2).

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

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

DC (KS) 213233
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1 A skydiver of mass 76 kg is falling vertically in still air. At time t = 0, the skydiver opens his
parachute.

Fig. 1.1 is the speed–time graph for the skydiver from t = 0.

60

speed
m/s
40

20

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
t/s
Fig. 1.1

(a) Using Fig. 1.1, determine:

(i) the deceleration of the skydiver immediately after the parachute opens

deceleration = ......................................................... [2]

(ii) the force due to air resistance acting on the skydiver immediately after the parachute
opens.

force = ......................................................... [3]

(b) Explain, in terms of the forces acting on the skydiver, his motion between t = 0 and t = 6.0 s.
The foces acting on the skydiver be between t-0 ant t=6 the air resistance decraeses
...................................................................................................................................................

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

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

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

(c) Explain why opening the parachute cannot reduce the speed of the skydiver to zero.
T
...................................................................................................................................................

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

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

[Total: 10]
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2 Fig. 2.1 shows a wooden trolley of mass 1.2 kg at rest on the rough surface of a bench.

trolley
ball

Fig. 2.1

A ball of mass 0.52 g travels horizontally towards the trolley. The ball embeds itself in the wood of
the trolley. The trolley moves with an initial speed of 0.065 m / s.

(a) Calculate:

(i) the impulse exerted on the trolley

impulse = ......................................................... [2]

(ii) the speed of the ball as it hits the trolley.

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

(b) As the trolley moves across the rough surface, it slows down and stops.

Explain, in terms of the work done, the energy change that takes place as the trolley slows
down.

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

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

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

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

[Total: 7]

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3 (a) Explain, in terms of molecules, why liquids are very difficult to compress.

...................................................................................................................................................
Liquids are difficult to compress because the molecules are already close

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

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

(b) Fig. 3.1 shows a device that uses liquid pressure to lift heavy boxes.

boxes

cylinder
piston

moving oil

oil

pump

Fig. 3.1

The boxes are lifted by pumping oil into the cylinder.

The force upwards on the piston due to the oil, and the force downwards on the piston due to
the air above the piston, combine to produce a constant force of 8800 N.

The pressure of the air is 1.0 × 105 Pa and the cross-sectional area of the bottom surface of
the piston is 0.016 m2.

(i) Calculate the pressure of the oil at the bottom surface of the piston.

pressure = ......................................................... [3]

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(ii) As the boxes are lifted, the depth of the oil increases.

Explain why the pump must exert an increasing pressure on the oil as the depth of the oil
increases.

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

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

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

(iii) Suggest one reason why the force of 8800 N in (b) cannot lift boxes of weight 8800 N.

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

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

[Total: 8]

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4 An aluminium saucepan with a plastic handle contains cold water.

Fig. 4.1 shows the saucepan on a hotplate.

aluminium saucepan
plastic handle

water
hotplate

Fig. 4.1

(a) State why the pan is made from aluminium but the handle is made from plastic.

...................................................................................................................................................
aluminium is a (good) conductor (of heat) and plastic is a poor conductor / does not conduct (heat)

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

(b) The hotplate is switched on and, as the temperature of the water increases, the internal
energy of the water increases.

(i) State, in terms of molecules, what is meant by an increase in internal energy.

...........................................................................................................................................
increase in kinetic energy of molecules or increase in potential energy of molecules

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

(ii) Explain, in terms of the atomic lattice and electrons, how thermal energy is transferred
through the aluminium.
atoms pass on energy / vibration to neighbouring atoms / to other atoms by collision
...........................................................................................................................................

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

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

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

(iii) Eventually, the water reaches boiling point. Thermal energy from the hotplate is still
being transferred to the water.

Explain, in terms of molecules, the effect of this thermal energy on the water.
molecules escape from the liquid
...........................................................................................................................................

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

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

..................................................................................................................................... [3]
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(iv) The mass of the water decreases by 0.11 kg in 300 s. The specific latent heat of
vaporisation of water is 2.3 × 106 J / kg.

Calculate the rate at which the water gains thermal energy.

rate of gain of energy = ......................................................... [3]

[Total: 11]

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5 Fig. 5.1 shows the structure of a liquid-in-glass thermometer.

bulb glass
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
°C

liquid
Fig. 5.1

The bulb of the thermometer is placed into a beaker of warm water. As the liquid expands, it
moves along the tube.

(a) Explain, in terms of molecules, why a liquid expands when heated.

molecules / they speed up or gain kinetic energy
...................................................................................................................................................
molecules move further apart or push others away
...................................................................................................................................................

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

(b) Explain, in terms of molecules, why a liquid expands more than a solid when heated.
forces between liquid molecules weak(er than in solids)
...................................................................................................................................................

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

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

(c) A second thermometer has a larger bulb that contains more of the same liquid than the
thermometer shown in Fig. 5.1. It has a different scale. In every other way, it is identical.

(i) Explain how the sensitivity of the second thermometer compares with the sensitivity of
the thermometer in Fig. 5.1.

...........................................................................................................................................
greater sensitivity

volume increase (of liquid in second thermometer) is greater

...........................................................................................................................................
or liquid moves a greater distance (for the same temperature increase)
..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(ii) Explain how the range of the second thermometer compares with the range of the
thermometer in Fig. 5.1.
smaller range and either of:
...........................................................................................................................................
• smaller temperature increase for liquid / meniscus to reach end of tube
..................................................................................................................................... [1]
• expands more / greater sensitivity and tube of same length

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(d) (i) State one everyday problem that is a result of thermal expansion.

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

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

(ii) Suggest and explain one way of solving this problem.

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

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

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

[Total: 10]

.][jbkg

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6 Fig. 6.1 is a full-scale diagram that represents a sound wave travelling in air.

direction of travel

Fig. 6.1

(a) On Fig. 6.1, mark two points, each at the centre of a different compression. Label both of the
points C. [1]

(b) The speed of sound in air is 330 m / s.

Measure the diagram and determine the frequency of the sound.

frequency = ......................................................... [3]

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(c) The wave reaches a barrier. Fig. 6.2 shows the wave passing through a gap in the barrier.

barrier

direction of travel

Fig. 6.2

The frequency of the wave is increased to a value many times greater than the value obtained
in (b).

Describe and explain two ways in which a diagram representing the wave with the greater
frequency differs from Fig. 6.2.

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

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

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

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

[Total: 7]

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7 Fig. 7.1 represents an alternating current (a.c.) generator.

N direction of
rotation

X
Y

Fig. 7.1

(a) A student rotates the handle H, as shown in Fig. 7.1.

(i) On Fig. 7.2, sketch a graph to show how the electromotive force (e.m.f.) between
terminals X and Y varies with time during two complete revolutions of the coil.

Fig. 7.2
[3]

(ii) On Fig. 7.2, mark and label a point P, for the e.m.f. when the coil is horizontal, as shown
in Fig. 7.1. [1]

(iii) The student turns the handle more quickly.

State two ways in which the e.m.f. between terminals X and Y changes.

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

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

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(b) Terminals X and Y are connected to the primary coil of a transformer.

State and explain what happens in the transformer as the student turns the handle of the a.c.
generator.

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

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

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

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

(c) Explain why the power losses in transmission cables are lower when electrical energy is
transmitted at higher voltages.

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

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

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

[Total: 11]

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8 A student sets up a circuit that includes a 12 V battery, an 800 Ω resistor, a voltmeter and a
thermistor. Fig. 8.1 is an incomplete circuit diagram because the symbol for the thermistor is
missing.

800 Ω

12 V
P
V

Fig. 8.1

The thermistor is connected between terminals P and Q.

(a) Complete Fig. 8.1 by drawing the symbol for a thermistor between terminals P and Q. [1]

(b) The 12 V battery consists of eight identical cells connected in series.

Calculate the electromotive force (e.m.f.) of each cell.

e.m.f. = ......................................................... [1]

(c) The reading on the voltmeter is 8.0 V.

(i) Determine the resistance of the thermistor.

resistance = ......................................................... [3]

(ii) A few hours later, the student notices that the reading on the voltmeter is greater.

Explain what can be deduced from this observation.

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

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

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

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

[Total: 8]

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9 There are three naturally occurring isotopes of hydrogen: hydrogen-1, hydrogen-2 and hydrogen-3.
The nuclide notation for hydrogen-1 is 11
. H
(a) Write down the symbol, using nuclide notation, for:

hydrogen-2 ...................................

hydrogen-3. ..................................
[1]

(b) In a fusion reactor, a nucleus of hydrogen-2 and a nucleus of hydrogen-3 undergo fusion.

(i) State what is meant by nuclear fusion.

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

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

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

(ii) The fusion reaction produces a free neutron and one other particle.

Write down, using nuclide notation, the equation that represents this reaction.

[3]

(c) Nuclear fusion in the Sun is the source of most but not all of the resources that are used to
generate electrical energy on Earth.

State two resources for which nuclear fusion in the Sun is not the source.

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

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

[Total: 8]

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