JAMES RUSE AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL

Student No. .............................

Preliminary
Half-yearly Assessment Task

TERM 2, 2014

PHYSICS Theory Paper

General Instructions

Reading time 5 minutes

Working time 50 minutes
Write using black or blue pen

Draw diagrams using pencil

Write your Student Number on the Part A Answer Sheet and the Part B Question and Answer
book
Total marks for this paper 50

The Theory paper has two Parts: A and B

Part A:

Multiple Choice

Total marks 15

Attempt all questions

Allow about 15 minutes for this part

Part B:

Extended Response

Total marks 35

Attempt all questions

Allow about 35 minutes for this part

PART A:

Multiple Choice

15 Marks

1.

Which of the following physical quantities is a scalar quantity?

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

momentum
velocity
impulse
temperature

2.

In which of the following situations is a vehicle speeding up?

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

Velocity
, east
, east
, west
, west

Acceleration
, west

, west

3.

The airspeed of a plane is 600 km h-1. The wind velocity is 100 km h-1, west relative
to the ground. Determine the velocity of the plane relative to the ground if the pilot
keeps the plane pointing east.

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

500 km h-1 west

500 km h-1 east
700 km h-1 west
700 km h-1 east

4.

A car travelling at speed

its kinetic energy?

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

The kinetic energy increases to twice its initial value.

The kinetic energy increases to three times its initial value.
The kinetic energy increases to four times its initial value.
The kinetic energy increases to nine times its initial value.

5.

Mac and Tosh stand 8 m apart and demonstrate the motion of a transverse wave using
a slinky. The wave has a vertical distance of 32 cm from a trough to a crest, a
frequency of 2.4 Hz, and a horizontal distance of 48 cm from a crest to the nearest
trough.

suddenly trebles its speed. What effect does this have on

Determine the amplitude, wavelength and period of such a wave.

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

Amplitude (cm)
32
16
32
16

Wavelength (cm)
48
96
48
96

JRAHS 2014 Preliminary Physics Half-yearly Theory

Period (s)
2.4
0.42
0.42
2.4
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6.

The graph shows the variation of the displacement as a function of time of an

object moving in a straight line.

Which of the following graphs best represents the corresponding variation of velocity
with time ?
(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

7.

The graph below shows the variation of the force acting on a car with time, that is
moving in a straight line.

Not to scale

6
2

What is the resulting change in momentum of the car in kg m s-1 at the end of
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

48
36
24
12

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8.

Two racing boats go around a semicircular turn in a race course. The boats have the
same speed, but boat A is on the inside, while boat B is on the outside.

How does the acceleration of boat A compare with that of boat B?

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

Boat A has a larger acceleration

Boat B has a larger acceleration
Boats A and B have zero acceleration
Boats A and B have the same non-zero acceleration

9.

A toy car rests on a rough board on a horizontal plane. The end of the board is then
raised until the car slides down the plane of the board at constant velocity.

Which row describes the forces acting on the car while it slides down the plane?

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

Frictional force on car

down the plane
down the plane
up the plane
up the plane

Resultant force on car

down the plane
zero
down the plane
zero

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10.

The figure below shows two pucks on a frictionless table. Puck I is three times more
massive than puck II. Starting from rest, both pucks are simultaneously and
continuously pushed across the table by equal forces.
Finish

puck I

puck II

3m

How will the energy of the pucks compare at the instant the first puck reaches the
finish line?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

The energy of puck I will be greater than puck II.

The energy of puck I will be smaller than Puck II.
The energy of puck I and puck II will be the same.
The energies of pucks cannot be compared as their masses are different.

11.

Which of the following statements are true?

(I)
(II)
(III)

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

Mechanical waves are always transverse in nature.

Mechanical waves require a medium for its transmission.
Electromagnetic waves do not require a medium for its transmission.

(I) and (II)

(II) and (III)
(I) and (III)
(I), (II) and (III)

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12.

Two objects and on a perfectly horizontal surface are connected by a light,

inextensible string. The mass of is greater than that of . A horizontal force is
applied to the system, as shown below, accelerating the bodies to the right.
T

Which of the following about the magnitude of the tension force, , in the string is
correct?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

13.

is less that , but not zero.

is greater than

A toy car of mass

rolls down a curved track as shown.

I

II
III

IV

In which position is the normal reaction force acting on the toy car the smallest?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

I
II
III
IV

14.

Sound travels through air at about 330 m s-1 when the air temperature is 250C.
Assume there is a 0.5 % change in speed per degree change in temperature and the
frequency of the sound is 384 Hz.
What will be the approximate wavelength of the sound wave at 35 0C?

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

0.855 m
0.816 m
0.864 m
0.902 m

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15.

Two wave pulses approach each other at speeds of 1 m s-1.

How does the string appear at

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

End of Part A

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JRAHS 2014 Preliminary Physics Half-yearly Theory

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Student Number:

Part A:

Multiple Choice Answer Sheet

Total marks: 15

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

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PART B:

Extended Response

35 Marks

16.
(a)

Define average acceleration.

(b)

Determine the final speed (in km h-1) a car attains from rest if it experiences a
constant acceleration of 2100 km h-2 for 2 minutes.

17.

Imagine a car with a leaky engine that drips oil at a regular rate. As the car travels
through town, it would leave a trace of oil on the street. That trace would reveal
information about the motion of the car. Rena owns such a car and it leaves a
signature of Rena's motion wherever she goes. The trace of Rena's journey is shown
below. Assume Rena is travelling from left to right.
Describe the motion of Renas car during each section of the diagram.
section I

section II

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18.

The graph below describes the motion of a car during a 9 s time interval. The car was
travelling east initially.
Velocity ( m s-1 west)

10

10

Time (s)

-5

-10

Use the graph to answer the following questions:

(a)

How far did the car travel in 9 s?

(b)

Calculate the cars displacement at 9 s.

(c)

Calculate the average speed of the car for the 9 s of its motion.

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(d)

Calculate the acceleration of the car between 7 s and 9 s.

(e)

On the graph below, draw the acceleration time graph for the car during
the 9 s of its motion.

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19.

A space probe of total mass 500 kg is travelling in a straight line through

empty space at 160 m s-1 when it ejects a capsule of mass 150 kg explosively,
releasing energy. Immediately after the explosion the probe, now of mass 350 kg,
continues to travel in the original straight line but now travels at 240 m s-1, as shown
below.
160 m s-1

before explosion
(a)

240 m s-1

after explosion

Discuss how the laws of conservation of momentum and conservation of

energy apply in this instance.

(b)

Calculate the magnitude of the velocity of the capsule immediately after the
explosion and state its direction of movement.

(c)

Calculate the total kinetic energy transferred to the probe and capsule as a
result of the explosion.

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20.

Identify two safety features in a motor vehicle and evaluate the effectiveness
of these using the appropriate physics principles.

21.

Explain how echoes can be used to estimate distances in remote locations.

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22.

The graph below represents the transverse displacement, at time

along which a wave is travelling at 2 m s-1 to the right.

, of a string

+40

Displacement
(mm)
0

120

240

360

480

-40

Distance along the string (mm)

(a)

Indicate two points on the graph which represent positions on the string
where the string is vibrating with maximum speed at the instant shown.

Use letters A and B to indicate the chosen points.

(b)

Calculate the period of the wave motion.

(c)

In which direction is the particle at point F moving?

END OF EXAM u

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