IGCSEPhysicsCIETopic Questions1. Motion, Forces & Energy1.1 Physical Quantities & Measurement Techniques

Physical Quantities & Measurement Techniques (CIE IGCSE Physics)

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1a2 marks

Some students observe drops of water falling from a tap that leaks, as shown in Fig. 1.1.

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The students measure the time for 50 drops to fall from the tap. The time for 50 drops to fall is 20 s.

Calculate the average time between two drops falling.

 

 

average time = ..................................................... s

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1b4 marks

The students collect some drops of water.

(i)
The students measure the volume of the water they collect.
 
State the term for the equipment that is suitable for measuring the volume accurately.
[1]
(ii)

In a similar experiment, another student collects 0.21 kg of water.

 
Calculate the weight of this water.

 

 

weight of water = .................................................... N [3]

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2a1 mark

Four students P, Q, R and S each attempt to measure the time period (the time for one complete oscillation) of a pendulum. The arrows in Fig. 2.1 show the movements of the pendulum that each student times.

screenshot-2022-10-12-at-13-28-02

State the student who has chosen the correct movement for one period of a pendulum.

How did you do?

2b3 marks

Another student uses a stopwatch to measure the time taken for 50 periods of a pendulum.

Fig. 2.2 shows the time taken on the stopwatch.

screenshot-2022-10-12-at-13-30-36

Calculate the time for one period of the pendulum. Give your answer to 3 significant figures.

time for one period = ...................................................... s

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2c1 mark

The student measures the displacement of the pendulum bob from its rest position. The displacement is 16.5cm, as shown in Fig. 2.3.

screenshot-2022-10-12-at-13-32-26

State the displacement in millimetres.

 

displacement = ...................................................... mm

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3a3 marks

A student measures the length of the sides of a metal cuboid using a 30 cm ruler.

1-1-3a-e-measure-length-volume

State the measured lengths of the following sides.

Include the appropriate units in your answer.

(i)
Side A in Fig. 1.1
 
 
length of side A = .................................... [1]
 
(ii)
Side B in Fig 1.2
 
 
length of side B = .................................... [1]
 
(iii)
Side C in Fig 1.3
 
 
length of side C = .................................... [1]

How did you do?

3b3 marks

Calculate the volume of the metal cuboid. Give your answer in cubic metres.

 
 

volume = .................................... m3 

How did you do?

3c1 mark

The student measures the mass of the metal cuboid on a scale. The measurement is shown in Figure 1.4.

 

1-1-3c-e-mass-scales

Fig. 1.4

State the reading for mass. Give your answer in kg.

 
 

mass = ................................... kg

How did you do?

3d3 marks

The densities of different metals are listed in the following table:

 
Metal  Density kg/m3
Iron 7870
Magnesium 1740
Titanium 4510
Aluminium 2600

 

Use the information in the table to identify the type of metal which the cuboid is made of.

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4a1 mark

Extended Only

 

Identify the unit of velocity.


Tick one box.

 

square m

square m/s

square m/s2

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4b2 marks

Extended Only

 

Explain how a scalar quantity is different to a vector quantity.

How did you do?

4c1 mark

Extended Only

 

Fig. 1.1 shows a vector diagram for two component velocities.

 

1-1-4c-e-vector-velocity

Fig. 1.1

 

Determine the velocity of the vector labelled v subscript 2.

How did you do?

4d2 marks

Extended Only

 

Calculate the magnitude of the resultant velocity of the components shown in Fig. 1.1.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

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5a2 marks

Extended Only

 

Explain the difference between speed and velocity.

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5b2 marks

Extended Only

Identify the scalar quantities.

Tick all the boxes that apply.

square time

square weight

square acceleration

square distance

How did you do?

5c2 marks

Extended Only

 

State another example of a vector quantity and a scalar quantity.

How did you do?

5d2 marks

Extended Only

 

Fig. 1.1 shows a vector diagram for the effects of two forces.

 

1-1-5d-e-vector-force

Fig. 1.1

Calculate the resultant force.

resultant force = .................................... 

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1a2 marks

A student uses a stopwatch in a timing experiment.

Fig. 1.1 shows the stopwatch readings.

screenshot-2022-10-27-at-12-07-39

Calculate the time interval between the two readings.

  

time interval = ...................................................... s 

How did you do?

1b4 marks

A device has a light-emitting diode (LED) that flashes briefly at regular intervals.

Describe how to determine accurately the average time for each interval, using a stopwatch.

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2a2 marks

A student places 8 similar coins in a pile, as shown in Fig. 1.1.

   
coins

The height of the pile of coins is 2.4 cm.

Calculate the average thickness of one coin.

average thickness = .................................................. cm 

How did you do?

2b4 marks

Fig. 1.2 shows the pile of coins, a measuring cylinder and a beaker containing some water.

coins-water

Describe how the student can measure the volume of one of the coins using the set-up shown in Fig. 1.2.

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3a4 marks

Extended Only

 

An object of weight W is suspended by two ropes from a beam, as shown in Fig. 1.1.

1-1-3a-h-vectors-mass-suspended-from-beam

Fig. 1.1

The tensions in the ropes are 45.6 N and 81.1 N, as shown.

 

Using a scale of 1 cm = 10 N, make a scale drawing to show the resultant force of the two tensions.

Clearly label the resultant force.

How did you do?

3b2 marks

Extended Only

 

Using your scale diagram from part (a), find the magnitude and direction of the resultant force.

 

 

magnitude of resultant force = ....................................

direction of resultant force = .................................... 

How did you do?

3c1 mark

Extended Only

 

State the value of W.

 
 

W = .................................... 

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3d1 mark

Extended Only

 

State another vector quantity other than a type of force.

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4a1 mark

Extended Only

 

State the definition of a vector quantity.

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4b4 marks

Extended Only

 

A list of vector quantities and their SI units are given in the following table.

 
Quantity SI unit
weight  
  m/s
  kg m/s
gravitational field strength  

 

Complete the information missing from the table.

How did you do?

4c4 marks

Extended Only

 

A horizontal force of 136 N to the right, and a vertical downward force of 54 N act on an object perpendicularly to one another.

By use of a scale diagram (not by calculation) determine the magnitude of the resultant force.

 

 

magnitude of resultant force = .................................... 

How did you do?

4d2 marks

Extended Only

 

Using the information from part (c), determine the direction of the resultant force. 

 

direction of resultant force = .................................... from the horizontal

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5a4 marks

Extended Only

 

A bucket of water hangs from a rope attached to a pole as shown in Fig. 1.1.

1-1-5a-h-tension-bucket-on-a-rope

Fig. 1.1

The tension force, T = 31 N and the ropes are perpendicular to one another.

 

Calculate the magnitude of the downward force acting on the bucket of water.

 
 
 

magnitude of downward force = .................................... 

How did you do?

5b1 mark

State the name of the downward force acting on the bucket.

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5c1 mark

Extended Only

 

Weight is a vector quantity. Name one other vector quantity.

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5d3 marks

The bucket has a mass of 0.65 kg.

Calculate the mass of the water in the bucket.

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1a1 mark

A student has a pile of A4 paper for his computer printer.

Fig. 1.1 shows the dimensions of the pile of paper.

feb-march-2018-32-q1

The pile contains 500 sheets of paper.

Calculate the average thickness of one sheet of paper.

average thickness = .................................................... cm 

How did you do?

1b1 mark

Show that the pile of paper has a volume of 3000 cm3. Use the information shown in Fig.1.1.

How did you do?

1c1 mark

The student measures the total mass of the paper in the pile.

State the name of a device used to measure mass.

How did you do?

1d3 marks

The mass of the paper in the pile is 2400 g.

Calculate the density of the paper.

density = .............................................. g/cm3

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2a2 marks

A teacher investigates the reaction time of five students. A 0.50 m ruler is held above the hand of a student before being allowed to fall. The arrangement is shown in Fig. 3.1.

q3

As soon as the ruler falls the student closes their hand, catching the ruler. The further the ruler falls, the greater the reaction time of the student. The results obtained are shown in Fig. 3.2.

graph3

Using the results shown in Fig. 3.2, calculate the average distance that the ruler drops.


average distance = ................................................... cm 

How did you do?

2b2 marks

List the students in order of their reaction times, with the shortest reaction time at the top of the table. One has been done for you.

   
table4

How did you do?

2c3 marks
In a similar investigation, a ruler drops a distance of 11.0 cm and has an average speed of 16 cm / s.

 

Calculate the reaction time.

  
reaction time = ...................................................... s 

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3a3 marks

Fig. 1.1 shows a large tank containing water. The tank leaks. Drops of water fall from the tank.

The drops hit the ground at a regular rate.

q1a1

A student measures the time interval between two drops of water hitting the ground.

She uses a stopwatch and repeats the procedure three times. Fig. 1.2 shows each stopwatch reading.

q1a2
(i)
On the line below each stopwatch, state the time readings shown, in seconds.
[1]
 
(ii)

Calculate the average time interval between two drops of water hitting the ground.

 

 

average time = ....................................................... s [2]

How did you do?

3b3 marks

Another student measures the average time taken for a drop of water to fall from the tank to the ground. The time taken is 1.6 s.

Calculate the average speed of this drop of water.

 

 

average speed = ................................................... m/s 

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4a2 marks

A student has a piece of metal that has an irregular shape. The weight of the metal is 3.0 N.

Calculate the mass of the metal.

 

 

mass = ..................................................... kg 

How did you do?

4b8 marks

Fig. 2.1 shows the piece of metal, a measuring cylinder and a beaker containing water.

q2b
(i)
Describe how to determine the volume of the metal, using the equipment in Fig. 2.1.
[4]
 
(ii)

Explain why the procedure in (b)(i) is not suitable for finding the volume of a piece of low-density wood that is of similar shape and size to the piece of metal in (a).

[1]

 

(iii)

The mass of another piece of metal is 405 g and its volume is 150 cm3.

Calculate the density of the metal. State the unit.

 

 

density = .......................................................... [3]

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5a5 marks

Extended Only

 

Two students are discussing mass and weight.

Student 1 claims that a person's weight will be different on Mars than it is on Earth.

 

Describe the difference between mass and weight, and explain whether you agree with Student 1.

How did you do?

5b1 mark

Extended Only

 

Identify the vector quantities.

Tick all the boxes that apply.

 

square displacement

square distance

square speed

square velocity

How did you do?

5c3 marks

Extended Only

 

Two forces act at right angles to one another: a 35 N force acts to the right and a 42 N force acts downward.

Construct a scale diagram showing the effect of these two forces, and label the resultant force as X.

Use the scale 10 N = 1 cm

How did you do?

5d4 marks

Extended Only

 

Calculate the magnitude and direction of the resultant force of the forces acting from part (c)

 

magnitude of resultant force = ....................................

direction of resultant force = .................................... to the horizontal

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