Name …………………………………………………………. Index No. ……………………….

232/2 Adm. No. ……………… Candidate’s Signature…………………

PHYSICS
Paper 2
(THEORY)
December, 2021
2 hours

SAMIA SUB-COUNTY JOINT EXAMINATIONS

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)
232/2
PHYSICS
PAPER 2
Time:2 Hours
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
1. Write your name, index number, admission number and sign in the spaces provided
above.
2. This paper consists of two sections A and B.
3. Answer all the questions in sections A and B in the spaces provided.
4. All workings must be clearly shown where applicable.
5. All numerical answers must be expressed in decimal form
6. Non-programmable silent electronic calculators and KNEC Mathematical tables may be
used where applicable.

For Examiner’s use only

Section Questions Maximum Score Candidate’s Score

A 1 – 12 25

13 12
14 11
B 15 13
16 12
17 07

TOTAL 80

This paper consists of 12 printed pages. Candidates should check the question paper to
ensure that all the pages are printed as indicated and no question is missing.
 SECTION A (25 MARKS)
Answer ALL the question in this section in the spaces provided
1. The figure below represents a point image formed by a mirror.

Sketch rays to show how the image is formed and seen by the eye. (2 mks)

2. State any two ways of increasing the size of an image formed by a pinhole camera. (2 mks)

3. A leaf electroscope A is charged and placed on a bench. Another uncharged leaf electroscope
B is placed on the same bench and moved close to A until the caps touch each other. State
and explain what is likely to be observed on the leafs of A and B. (2 mks)

4. State one way in which polarization reduces the current produced by a simple cell. (1 mk)

5. Using the domain theory of magnetism, explain why a bar magnet may lose its magnetism
when hammered. (1 mk)

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6. The figure below shows an image, I formed by an object placed in front of a convex mirror.

I F C

On the same diagram, draw appropriate rays and locate the object. (2 mks)

7. The figure below shows two parallel thick copper conductors connected to a d.c power
supply. A rider made from a thin copper wire is placed on the conductors as shown.

State and explain what is observed on the rider when the switch is closed. (2 mks)

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8. The figure below shows how the displacement varies with time for a certain wave.
Displacement (m)
0.2

0.1

0
0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25
Time (s)
-0.1

-0.2

Determine the frequency of the wave. (2 mks)

9. The figure below shows a voltmeter connected across two charged parallel plates.

When a thin sheet of mica is inserted between the plates, the reading of the voltmeter is
observed to reduce. Explain this observation. (2 mks)

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10. An electric heater is rated 240 V, 3000 W is to be connected to a 240 V mains supply,
through a 10 A fuse. Determine whether the fuse is suitable or not.
(3 mks)

11. The figure below shows two identical copper coils P and Q placed close to each other. Coil P
is connected to a d.c power supply while coil Q is connected to a galvanometer, G.

a) State and explain what would be observed on the galvanometer immediately the switch S
is closed. (2 mks)

b) State the difference that would be noted in the observation made in (a) if the
number of turns in coil Q were halved. (1 mk)

12. The activity of iodine was found to be 1 024 counts per minute. After 80 days, the activity
became 32 counts per minute. Determine the half-life of iodine. (3 mks)

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 SECTION B (55 MARKS)
Answer ALL the questions in this section in the spaces provided
13. a) State one difference between light and sound waves (1 mk)

b) In determining the depth of a sea, an echo sounder produces ultrasonic sound. Give two
reasons why this sound is preferred. (2mks)

c) Explain how an increase in temperature affects the velocity of sound in air. (2 mks)

d) The figure below shows a set up made by a Form 2 student to study an aspect of a wave.

Electric bell

Steam from boiling water

Water

(i) State what happens to the sound from the bell as the bottle and its contents are cooled
to 0°C (1 mk)

(ii) Explain the observation in (i) above (2 mks)

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 e) A boy stands some distance from a high wall and claps his hands. He claps again each
time he hears an echo.
(i) What two measurements would need to be made in order to determine the speed of
sound? (2mks)

(ii) The boy’s friend notes that it takes 10 s to make 11 claps. Determine how far the boy
is from the wall, given that the speed of sound in air is 330 m/s. (2 mks)

14. a) State Ohm’s law. (1 mk)

b) With an aid of a diagram, describe an experiment to verify Ohm’s law for a wire. (4 mks)

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 c) Two resistors, R1 and R2 are connected in series to a 10 V battery of negligible internal
resistance. The current that flows in the set-up is 0.5 A. When R1 is connected alone to the
battery, the current that flows is 0.8 A. Calculate:
(i) The value of R2 (3 mks)

(ii) The current that flows when R1 and R2 are connected in parallel to the same battery
(3 mks)

15. a) State two conditions necessary for total internal reflection to occur. (2 mks)

b) The figure below shows the part of a ray of yellow light through a glass prism. The
speed of yellow light in the prism is 1.88 x 108 m/s.

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 i) Determine the refractive index of the prism material (Speed of light in air, C = 3.0 x
108 m/s) (2 mks)

ii) Show on the figure the critical angle C, and determine its value. (3 mks)

iii) Given that r = 21.2o, determine angle θ . (2 mks)

c) The figureshows two rays A and B entering a semi-circular glass block which has a
critical angle of42o. The rays are incident at point O.

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 (i) Complete the path of the two rays from point O. Label A1 and B1 the corresponding
rays. (2 mks)

(ii) Calculate the refractive index of the semicircular glass block. (2 mks)

16. a) (i) State two properties of X — rays (2mks)

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(ii) In a certain X-ray tube, electrons are accelerated by a potential difference of 10KV.
Assuming that 5% of the energy is converted into X — rays, determine the frequency of the X-
rays produced. (h = 6.62 x 10-34Js , e = 1.6 x 10-19 C) (3mks)
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b) Describe how a P-type semiconductor is formed (3mks)
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c) Give one experimental observation which shows that each of the following is not an
electromagnetic wave: (2 mks)
(i) Sound waves

(ii) Cathode rays

d) A source of radiation gives photons of energy 5.9 ×10−19 J. Calculate the wavelength of
the photons (Planck’s constant, h = 6.23 ×10−34Js and the speed of light, c = 3.0 ×10 8 m/s
) (2 mks)

17.a) State Lenz’s law of electromagnetic induction. (1 mk)

b) A coil is moved quickly away from the end of a stationary magnet Y and current noted to
flow asshown below.

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(i) Indicate on the same figure, the polarity at the end of the coil near the magnet Y.
(1 mk)
(ii) State the essential condition for emf to be induced in the coil above. (1 mk)

c) A transformer has 800 turns in the primary winding and 40 turns in the secondary winding.
The current in the primary is 0.2 A when connected to an alternating e.m.f of 240V. Find:
(i) The secondary e.m.f. (2mks)

(ii) The power in the secondary if the transformer is 80% sufficient. (2mks)

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