Section A

[60 marks]

Answer all questions in this section

The time suggested to answer this section is 90 minutes.

1.

FIGURE 1

The Figure 1 above shows a wooden block placed by the side of a meter rule.

(a) (i) What is the length of the wooden block?

________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)
(ii) State two precautionary steps that should be taken when taking measurements
using a metre rule.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)

(b) The Table 1 below are several reading of length.

6400 km
170 cm
0.80 mm
4100 m
1.5 x 108 km
Table 1
Using the values in the Table 1 above, complete the Table 2 below with the
appropriate value for each of the physical quantity given.

Physical Quantity Measurement

Earth-Sun distance
Thickness of a CD-ROM
Height of Mt Kinabalu
Radius of the Earth
Height of an average boy
Table 2 (5 marks)

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2. The Figure 2 shows an object of mass 30 kg hanging from two ropes OA and OB as
shown.

FIGURE 2

(a) Label the tensions in the ropes, TOA and TOB and the weight of the object, W.
(3 marks)

(b) What is the weight of the object?

____________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)

(c) What is the meaning of 'equilibrium of forces'?

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)

(d) Draw a triangle of forces to show the relationship between the tensions in the rope
and the weight of the object.

(1 mark)

(e) Hence, determine the value of the tension TOB.

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

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3. The Diagram 1 shows a simple hydraulic jack with a small piston S and a large piston P
with cross-sectional area of 5 cm2 and 50 cm2 respectively. A force of magnitude 20 N is
applied to the piston S.

DIAGRAM 1

(a) Calculate

(i) the pressure that is transmitted by the hydraulic fluid,

__________________________________________________ (2 marks)

(ii) the weight, W, of the load supported by piston L,

__________________________________________________ (2 marks)

(iii) the distance moved by piston L.

__________________________________________________ (2 marks)

(b) Name the principle used in solving part (a) above.

_______________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(c) State an assumption made when solving part (a) above.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)

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4. The Figures 3 below shows the arrangement of the molecules of a substance in its solid,
liquid and gaseous states.

FIGURE 3

(a) In which arrangement A, B or C, the molecules are most energetic?

______________________________________ (1 mark)

(b) Explain

(i) Why gases are easier to compress than liquid.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)

(ii) Why latent heat is needed to change the substance from solid to liquid.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)

(c) What is meant by the latent heat of vapourization of a liquid?

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)

(d) 500g of the above substance in its liquid form at its boiling point requires 170 kJ of
heat to totally change it into steam. Calculate the specific latent heat of vapourization
of the substance.
____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________
(3 marks)

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5. The Figure 4 below shows a sailor on a boat observing an object on the seabed.

FIGURE 4

(a) (i) Determine if the depth of the object seen by the sailor is the real depth of the
object.

_______________________________________ (1 mark)

(ii) Explain your answer in (a) (i)

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)

(b) In the Figure 4a below, draw a ray diagram from point O to the eye to show how the
sailor observes the object.

FIGURE 4a
(2 marks)

(c) The depth of the object seen by the sailor is 4 m from the surface of seawater.
Calculate the depth of the sea. [Refractive index of seawater is 1.35]

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)

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6.

DIAGRAM 2

The Diagram 2 shows a trawler used in deep-sea fishing using a sonar device.

(a) State the phenomenon of the application of the sonar device.

_____________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(b) The frequency of sonar is 6.0 x 10 8 Hz. The velocity of the sound in sea water is
1500 ms −1 .

(i) Why does the sonar device use sound with high frequency?

________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)

(ii) What is the wavelength of the sound in the sea water?

________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)

(iii) If the time interval between transmitting and receiving sound wave is 0.2 s, how
far is the shoal of fish from the trawler?

________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)

(c) State another use of the sonar device.

____________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)

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7. The Figure 5 below shows an electric kettle connected to a 240V power supply by a
flexible cable. The kettle is rated “240V, 2500W”.

FIGURE 5

The Table 3 below shows the maximum electric current that is able to flow through wires
of various diameters.

Diameter of wire / mm Maximum current / A

0.80 8
1.00 10
1.20 13
1.40 15
Table 3

(a) Calculate the current flowing through the cable when the kettle is switched on?

________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(b) Referring to the table above,

(i) What is the smallest diameter wire that can be safely used for this kettle?

________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(ii) Explain why it is dangerous to use a wire thinner than the one selected in (b)(i)?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)

(c) State one precautionary measure that should be taken to ensure safe usage of the
kettle.

____________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)

(d) Mention one fault that might happen in the cable that will cause the fuse in the plug
to melt.

____________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)

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8. The Figure 6 below shows a simple transformer.

FIGURE 6

(a) What happens to the core when the switch is turned on?

________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(b) When the switch is turned off, state what happens

(i) In the coil RS and

________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(ii) The pointer of the galvanometer.

________________________________________________ (1 mark)

(c) If the galvanometer is replaced with a bulb with rating “30V, 42W”, it is found that
the bulb lights up normally when PQ is connected to a power supply of 240V a.c.
Calculate the ratio of the number of turns in the coil PQ to the number of turns in the
coil RS.

(2 marks)

(d) In practice, a transformer is never ideal. Give two reasons for the fact that a
transformer can never be 100% efficient.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)

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 Section B

[20 marks]

Answer any one question from this section.

The time suggested to answer this section is 30 minutes.

9. (a) What is the meaning of pressure? (2 marks)

(b) Figure (i) shows an air bubble released by a fish moving towards the surface of the
lake. Figure (ii) shows a helium-filled balloon ascending upwards.

(i) State three similar characteristics in Fig. (i) and Fig. (ii) (3 marks)
(ii) Relate the characteristics in (b)(i) to a certain physic principle. (1 mark)
(iii) Name the physics principle involved. (1 mark)

(c) Based on the principle mentioned in (b)(iii), explain the construction and the
operation of a hot-air balloon. (8 marks)

(d) A ship of mass 1200 metric tonne floats in the Straits of Melaka.

(i) What is the volume of sea water displaced? (3 marks)

(ii) If the ship then enters a fresh water region, what will be the volume of the fresh
water displaced. (2 marks)

[density of fresh water = 1000 kg m-3 , density of sea water = 1030 kg m-3 ,1 metric
tonne = 1000 kg]

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10. Figure 1 shows an electric circuit with one diode and the trace produced as shown on a
CRO connected across the resistor R.
Figure 2 shows an electric circuit with four diodes and the trace produced as shown on a
CRO connected across the resistor R.

(a) What is meant by rectification? (1 mark)

(b) Based on the figures above, compare the arrangement of the diodes, the type input
voltage and the type output voltage. State the use of the diodes in the figures above.
(10 marks)

(c) Trace the path taken by the current in Fig.2 if the terminal X is positive. (2 marks)

(d) Name an electric component that needs to be connected to the output of both the
circuits to produce a more constant output. (2 marks)

(e) Sketch a graph to show the effect on the output voltage of putting a capacitor in the
circuit in Fig.1. (5 marks)

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 Section C

[20 marks]

Answer any one question from this section.

The time suggested to answer this section is 30 minutes.

11. Radioactive isotopes are widely used in various industries. Among them is as a tracer to
detect the location of leaks in an underground water pipes. The table below shows the
characteristics of four types of radioisotopes U, V , W and X.

Solubility in water Half-life Type of radiation emitted Penetrating power

U Soluble 1 month α-particles Low
V Soluble 2 weeks β-particles Moderate
W Insoluble 1 month α-particles Low
X Insoluble 2 months β-particles Moderate

(a) (i) What are isotopes? (1 mark)

(ii) On the same axes, sketch two graphs showing the changes in the activities of
radioisotopes W and X. Assume that the activities of both radioisotopes are the
same in the beginning. Label the graphs appropriately.
(4 marks)

(b) The Local Water Board involved in the supply of water to the residents of Harmony
Garden noticed a drop in the pressure of one of the pipes indicating a leak
somewhere. Referring to the table above, discuss the suitability of each
characteristics of the radioisotopes that can be used as a tracer to detect the location
of the leak. Which isotope is the most suitable to be used and why?
(10 marks)

(c) The table below shows the activity of a sample of a radioactive substance.

Activity 880 960 980 820

(i) Calculate the average activity of the radioactive substance. (4 marks)

(ii) If the half-life of the radioactive substance is 5 hours, what would you expect
the activity be 10 hours later?
(1 mark)

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12. (a) State Pascal’s Principle. (2 marks)

(b)

The diagram above shows part of the hydraulic brake of a car. Explain the working
of this hydraulic brake system.
(8 marks)

(c) You are a Research and Development Personnel and are entrusted to determine the
most suitable material to make the brake shoe of a certain model of car.

Material Rate of wear Melting point / Coefficient of Specific heat capacity / J

and tear 0
C friction kg −1 0C −1
P medium 700 high 3000
Q low 1200 high 5000
R low 300 medium 2000
S high 600 low 390

(i) Explain the characteristics of the materials in the table above to be used to make
the brake shoe.
(8 marks)
(ii) Which material would you choose to make the brake shoe?
(2 marks)

END OF QUESTION

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