Physics 5054/42 — October/November 2010

Cambridge O-Level · Alternative to Practical · worked solutions for every part, with the mark scheme

questions

marks

minutes

Topics Use of Techniques, Apparatus and Materials · Experimental Contexts · Observations and Measurements · Analysis, Conclusions and Evaluation

Q1Use of Techniques, Apparatus and MaterialsObservations and MeasurementsAnalysis, Conclusions and EvaluationFree sample

A student investigates the movement of a suspended metre rule.

Metre rule A is clamped horizontally above the bench, as shown in Fig. 1.1.

Fig. 1.1

(a)

Describe how the student checks that A is horizontal. You may draw on Fig. 1.1.

(b)

A second metre rule B is suspended horizontally from A by two strings of equal length.
Both strings are placed a distance $d$ from the centres of the metre rules, as shown in Fig. 1.2.

Fig. 1.2

Describe how the student checks that the two strings are equal distances from the centre of metre rule B.

(c)

B is made to rotate backwards and forwards through a small angle in a horizontal plane about its centre, as shown in Fig. 1.3.

Fig. 1.3

The student determines the time $T$ for B to rotate once, forwards and then backwards.

(i)

On Fig. 1.2, mark where the eye of the student is placed to observe the rotations.

(ii)

Describe how the student determines $T$ accurately.

(d)

$T$ is determined for different values of $d$ . Values of $d$ and $T$ are recorded in Fig. 1.4.

Fig. 1.4

$d\text{ / cm}$	$T\text{ / s}$
15.0	2.74
20.0	2.07
25.0	1.63
30.0	1.37
35.0	1.18
40.0	1.03

(i)

On Fig. 1.5, plot the graph of $T\text{ / s}$ on the y-axis against $d\text{ / cm}$ on the x-axis.
Start your graph from $d = 10.0\text{ cm}$ and $T = 1.00\text{ s}$ . Draw the curved line of best fit.

Fig. 1.5

(ii)

Use data from the table to show that $T$ is inversely proportional to $d$ .

(iii)

Suggest a reason why values for $d$ smaller than 15 cm are not measured.

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3 more questions

Q2Use of Techniques, Apparatus and Materials · Observations and Measurements · Analysis, Conclusions and Evaluation · Experimental Contexts7M
Q3Experimental Contexts · Use of Techniques, Apparatus and Materials6M
Q4Experimental Contexts4M

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