Physics A (H156, H556)

Hard topics extra practice

Eva Varela Firme

Please note that you may see slight

differences between this paper and the
original. Duration: 220 mins
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• The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
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• The total number of marks may take into account some 'either/or' question choices.
1. The London Eye, shown rotating anticlockwise in Fig. 6.1, is a giant wheel which rotates
slowly at a constant speed.

Fig. 6.1 Fig. 6.2

Tourists stand in pods around the circumference of the wheel.

The floor remains horizontal at all times.
At time t = 0, a tourist who has a weight W of 650 N enters a pod at the bottom of the wheel.
Fig. 6.2 shows the forces acting on the tourist at a later time, when the angle between the
pod's position and the centre of the wheel is 40° above the horizontal. R is the normal
contact force and F is friction.

Calculate the distance d of the centre of mass of the tourist from the centre of rotation of the
London Eye.

The London Eye takes 30 minutes for one rotation.

d = .....................................................m[3]

2(a). A small object of mass m is placed on a rotating horizontal metal disc at a distance r
from the centre of the disc.

The frequency of rotation is adjusted using a motor attached to the disc.

The frequency of rotation of the disc is slowly increased from zero, until the object slips off.
At this point, the friction F acting on the object is equal to the centripetal force.

The friction F is given by the expression F = kmg, where k is a constant and g is the
acceleration of free fall. The constant k has no units.

Show that the frequency f at which the object slips off is given by the equation .

[3]

(b). A student plots a graph of lg (f / Hz) against lg (r / m).

For this graph: y-intercept

Use the graph to determine the constant k. Write your answer to 2 significant figures.

k = .......................................................... [4]

3. At an airport, the conveyor belt for suitcases moves at a constant speed of 1.5 m s–1.
In Fig. 4.1, a suitcase of mass 8.0 kg has reached the line labelled XX’.
 Fig. 4.1

Fig. 4.2 shows the situation in vertical cross-section. The frictional force F prevents the
suitcase of weight W from sliding to the bottom of the belt.

The normal contact force on the suitcase is R.

The belt is inclined at an angle of 30° to the horizontal.

Fig. 4.2 (not to scale)

Fig. 4.3 shows the suitcase and the forces acting on it at the line labelled YY'.

Fig. 4.3

The centre of mass of the suitcase is now moving at 1.5 m s–1 along a semi-circular arc of
radius 2.0 m.

i. Calculate the magnitude of the centripetal force acting on the suitcase.

centripetal force = ...................................................... N [2]

 ii. When the suitcase is at line YY’, the magnitude of force F is larger and the
magnitude of force R is smaller than at XX’.
Explain why this is so.

[4]

4(a). Fig. 2.1 shows a jet aircraft preparing for take-off along a horizontal runway. The
engine of the jet is running but the brakes are applied. The jet is not yet moving.

On Fig. 2.1 draw an arrow to show each of the following forces acting on the jet:

i. the weight of the jet (label this W)

ii. the force produced by the engine (label this T)
iii. the total force exerted by the runway on the jet (label this F).

[2]

(b). The brakes are released. A jet plane is taking off. The maximum force produced by the
engine is 28 kN. The take-off speed of the jet is 56 m s−1. The mass of the jet is 6200 kg.

i. Calculate the minimum distance the jet travels from rest to the point where it takes
off.

distance = ........................................................... m [3]

ii. Explain why the runway needs to be longer than the distance calculated in (i).
 [2]

(c). The A jet is to be used in a flying display in which the pilot will be required to fly the jet in
a horizontal circle of radius r, at a constant speed of 86 m s−1. This is achieved by flying the
jet with its wings at 35° to the horizontal. With the jet flying in this way, the two forces acting
on the jet are the lift L and the weight W, as shown in Fig. 2.2.
Air resistance has negligible effect on the motion of the jet during this manoeuvre.

i. Show that the magnitude of the force L is about 74 kN.

[1]

ii. Calculate the radius r.

radius = ........................................................... m [3]

(d). In a more complex manoeuvre (loop the loop), the a pilot is required to fly in a vertical
circle at a constant speed as shown in Fig. 2.3.
 i. For a certain speed, the pilot can experience a sensation of weightlessness at a
particular point along the circular path.
1. On Fig. 2.3, mark with a cross labelled A, the point where the pilot
experiences the sensation of weightlessness.

[1]

2. State the magnitude of the vertical component of the contact force exerted by
the seat on the pilot at A.

force = ........................................................... N [1]

ii. In this manoeuvre it is convenient to analyse the motion of the jet in terms of two
forces:
o a constant weight W
o a variable force P.

P is the resultant of the engine thrust, the lift from the wings and air resistance.
At the point B in Fig. 2.3 the jet is flying vertically upwards.
Explain why the force P is not directed towards the centre of the circular path.

[1]

5. A rope is attached to a bucket. A man swings the bucket in a horizontal circle of radius 1.5
m. The bucket has a constant speed of 4.8 m s−1. The mass of the bucket is 5.0 kg.
 i. Calculate the tension F in the rope.

F =........................................................... N [2]

ii. Calculate the angular velocity ω of the rotating bucket.

ω =........................................................... rad s−1 [2]

6. A particle P of mass m and moving at velocity u collides elastically with a stationary

particle Q also of mass m.

After the collision particle P moves with velocity v at an acute angle θ to the direction of the
original motion. Particle Q moves in a perpendicular direction to P with velocity w.
The velocities u, v and w are constant.

Which of the following equations is/are correct?

1. u = w cos θ + v cos θ
2. w cos θ = v sin θ
3. u2 = w2 + v2
A 1 only
B 1 and 2
C 2 and 3
D 1, 2 and 3

Your
[1]
answer

7. A ball P of mass m has a velocity in the positive x-direction. It makes a collision with a
stationary ball Q of mass 2m. After the collision, the ball P has velocity v1, ball Q has velocity
v2 and the balls travel in the directions shown in the diagram below.

After the collision, the total momentum of the balls in the x-direction is px and the total
momentum in the y-direction is py.

Which row is correct for px and py?

px py
A 2mv2 cos 20° + mv1 cos 30° 0
B 2mv2 sin 20° + mv1 sin 30° 0
C 2mv2 cos 20° + mv1 cos 30° 2mv2 sin 30° + mv1 sin 20°
D 2mv2 sin 20° + mv1 sin 30° 2mv2 cos 30° + mv1 cos 20°

Your answer
[1]

8. A trolley M collides head-on with a trolley L. The mass of trolley M is greater than the
mass of trolley L. The trolleys join together after the collision.

Which statement is correct?

A The momentum of each trolley is conserved.

B Trolley M experiences a greater force than trolley L during the collision.
C The total force acting on the two-trolley system during the collision is zero.
D Kinetic energy is conserved.
Your answer
[1]

9(a). A lab technician is moving boxes.

The technician lifts a box from the floor without bending their knees.

The diagram shows the force W due to the weight of the box.

The box has a mass of 5 kg.

The distance d is 0.6 m and can be assumed to remain constant.

Calculate the moment about the point H, due to the weight of the box, when θ = 90°.

State the unit.

moment = ..................................... unit......[2]

(b). The diagrams show how the technician can pick up the box while bending their knees.

This keeps their spine more vertical.

Explain why bending the knees is less likely to cause damage to the spine.
 [3]

10.

The diagram shows a uniform rod which is in equilibrium. The rod has a circular cross-
section and has length 0.600 m and weight 2.1 N.

Mass M is suspended at a distance of 0.100 m from point A.

A weight of 0.49 N is suspended at a distance of 0.220 m from point B.
A string is attached to the rod at a distance d from point A.
The tension in the string, measured by the newton-meter (force meter), is 3.9 N.

i. Show that M is about 0.13 kg.

[2]

ii. By taking moments about point A, determine d.

 d = ..................................................... m [3]

11(a). A wheelie bin is tipped onto its wheels by applying two forces F and R.

F is applied to the handle. F is to the right at an angle 20° below the horizontal.
The height of the handle above the ground is 1.30 m.
R is a horizontal force applied to the left to the wheels.
The total weight of the wheelie bin and its contents is W.
The perpendicular distance between the line of action of the weight and the bottom of the
wheels is 0.30 m.

The wheelie bin and contents have a total mass of 40 kg.

State the principle of moments.

[1]

(b).

i. Show that the magnitude of the minimum force F which lifts the front end of the
wheelie bin (point X) off the ground is 96 N.

[3]

ii. Use your answer to (i) to calculate the magnitude of the force R required to stop the
wheelie bin from moving to the right.
 R = ...................................................... N [2]

(c). The wheelie bin in now placed on an adjustable slope. The wheels are now fixed so they
cannot move.

The angle θ made by the slope with the horizontal is steadily increased from zero.

Explain, without calculation, at what angle θ the wheelie bin starts to topple clockwise.

[1]

12. A uniform beam is initially lying on horizontal ground, as shown below.

The end X of the beam is hinged.

The beam is tilted from angle θ = 0 to θ = 90°.
The moment of the weight of the beam about point X is M.

Which M against θ graph is correct?

B
C

Your
[1]
answer

13(a). A truck pulls a car up a slope at a constant speed.

The truck and the car are joined with a steel tow bar, as shown in the diagram.

The diagram is not drawn to scale.

The slope is 10° to the horizontal ground.
The mass of the car is 1100 kg.
The car travels from A to B . The vertical distance between A and B is 120 m.

There are four forces acting on the car travelling up the slope.

Complete the free-body diagram below for the car and label the missing forces.

[2]

(b). Show that the component of the weight of the car Ws acting down the slope is about
1900 N.

[1]
(c). The total frictional force acting on the car as it travels up the slope is 300 N.

Calculate the force provided by the tow bar on the car.

force = ............................................. N [1]

(d). Calculate the work done by the force provided by the tow bar as the car travels from A to
B.

work done = ....................................................... J [3]

(e). The steel tow bar used to pull the car has length 0.50 m and diameter 1.2 × 10–2 m.
The Young modulus of steel is 2.0 × 1011 Pa.
The force on the tow bar is 2200 N.

Calculate the extension x of the tow bar as the car travels up the slope.

x = .......................................... m [3]

14. The diagram below shows a rotating steam generator.

The steam ejected from the nozzles provides a couple. The force at each nozzle is 0.12 N.
The perpendicular distance between the nozzles is 8.2 × 10–2 m.

What is the work done by the forces as the steam generator completes one revolution?

A 0J
B 9.8 × 10–3 J
C 3.1 × 10–2 J
D 6.2 × 10–2 J

Your
[1]
answer

15. Fig. 21 shows the drum of a washing machine.

Fig. 21
The clothes inside the drum are spun in a vertical circular motion in a clockwise direction.

The washing machine is switched off and the speed of the drum slowly decreases. The
clothes at the top of the drum at point B start to drop off at a certain speed v.

At this speed v, the normal contact force on the clothes is zero.

Calculate the speed v.

V= ms −1 [3]

16. Fig. 4.1 shows a cyclist.

 Fig. 4.1

The bicycle tyres are in contact with the road at X and Y. The cyclist is travelling at constant
velocity on a level road. The weight of the bicycle is 180 N and the weight of the cyclist is
720 N.

Take moments about X to determine the size of the vertical force F acting on the tyre at Y.

F = ........................................................... N [3]

17. A model of an aircraft is being tested in a wind tunnel. The model is fixed in position by a
support, and air is blown horizontally towards it by fans.

In one second, 35 kg of air moving at 50 m s−1 hits the model. After flowing around the
model, the airflow is diverted downwards at an angle of 30° to the horizontal. The speed of
the diverted airflow remains at 50 m s−1.

i. Calculate the horizontal and vertical components of the velocity of the diverted
airflow.

horizontal component of velocity = .............................................................. m s−1

vertical component of velocity = .............................................................. m s−1

[2]

ii. Explain how the airflow around the model produces a force on the model.
 [2]

iii. Calculate the vertical lift force F acting on the model due to the airflow around it.

F = ...................................................... N [3]

18. An object of mass 1.0kg is moving in a straight line at velocity 10ms−1.

It collides with an identical object also travelling at 10 ms−1 in a straight line. Their initial
velocities are perpendicular.

The two objects stick together.

What is the magnitude in ms−1 of the new combined velocity?

A 7.1
B 10
C 14
D 20

Your
[1]
answer

19. A particle X collides with a stationary particle Y.

No external forces act and the collision is inelastic.

Which quantity is conserved in the collision?

A momentum of X
B momentum of Y
C momentum of X + momentum of Y
D kinetic energy of X + kinetic energy of Y

Your
[1]
answer
20. According to Newton's third law, forces always occur in pairs.

Which statement is not true for a Newton's third law force pair?

A The forces are acting in opposite directions.

B The forces are acting on the same body.
C The forces have the same magnitude.
D The forces are the same type.

Your
[1]
answer

21(a). In ice hockey, players use a stick to hit an object called a puck, across the surface of
the ice.
Assume that the frictional force between the ice and the puck is negligible.
The mass of each puck is 0.16 kg.

A player hits a single, stationary, puck. The stick is in contact with the puck for a time of
0.033 s and the puck moves at a velocity of 20 ms−1 across the ice.

Calculate:

i. the impulse of the force applied to the puck. Include an appropriate unit.

impulse = ................................... unit .............. [2]

ii. the average force F that the stick exerts on the puck.

F = ...................................N [1]

(b). A mass m is stuck on top of a puck B. Puck B is stationary. The single puck travels
across the surface of the ice towards B as shown in the diagram.

The single puck collides elastically head-on with B.

i. Explain what is meant by a perfectly elastic collision.

 [1]

ii. After the collision B travels across the surface of the ice with a velocity of 8.0 m s−1.
The velocity of the single puck after the collision is −12 m s−1.
Determine m.

m = ..................................................... kg [3]

22(a).

A sealed container contains n moles of an ideal gas. The gas has pressure p, absolute
temperature T and occupies volume V.

The mass of one mole of the gas is M.

Use an ideal gas equation to show that the density ρ of the gas is given by the expression
.

[3]

(b). An airship has a cabin suspended underneath a gasbag inflated with helium.

The airship is floating above the ground and is stationary.

The volume of the gasbag is 12 000 m3.

The temperature of the helium and the surrounding air is 20°C.
Atmospheric pressure is 1.0 × 105 Pa.
The molar mass of air is 0.029 kg mol−1.
The volume of the cabin is negligible compared to the volume of the gasbag.

i. Show that the density of air under the conditions described is about 1.2 kg m−3.

[1]

ii. Calculate the weight of air displaced by the airship.

weight of air ...................................................... N [2]

 iii. Explain why the weight of air displaced by the airship has the same magnitude as the
weight of the airship and its contents.

[2]

iv. The pressure of the helium in the gasbag is maintained at a value only slightly
greater than atmospheric pressure.
Suggest why a larger pressure is not used.

[2]

(c). The airship engine drives a fan which moves 7.8 kg of air per second at a relative speed
of 45 m s−1, so the airship starts to move.

All other conditions given in (b) remain the same.

Calculate the thrust that the engine produces.

thrust ......................................................N [2]

(d). The airship has a higher maximum speed at high altitudes, but also produces less thrust
from the engine.

Explain these observations.

[2]

23(a). This question is about lightning.

Sheet lightning occurs when there is an electrical discharge between the upper and lower
regions of a thunder cloud.
The upper regions are positive and the lower regions are negative.

The thunder cloud can be modelled as an ideal parallel plate capacitor with circular
horizontal plates.
The data for the capacitor comes from the cloud.

Diameter of cloud 24 km
Distance between upper and lower
3.2 km
regions
Electric field strength between the
4.0 × 105 V m−1
regions

i. The diagram shows the plates of the model capacitor superimposed on the cloud.

Draw on the diagram to show the electric field lines between capacitor plates.

[2]

ii. Suggest why the actual electric field lines of the cloud would differ from what you
have drawn.

[1]

iii. Show that the potential difference (p.d.) V between the plates is about 1 × 109 V.

[1]

iv. Calculate the capacitance C of the model capacitor.

Assume the permittivity of the material of the cloud is the same as the permittivity of
free space.

C = .......................................... F [2]

v. Calculate the magnitude of the charge Q on one of the plates of the model capacitor.
 Q = .......................................... C [2]

(b). Fork lightning is an electrical discharge that occurs between the bottom of the cloud and
the surface of the Earth.

A cloud has a charge of 155 C and is at a height of 2.0 km.

The surface of the Earth has an electrical potential V of 0 V.

i. Assume the cloud acts as a point charge.

Calculate the magnitude of the electrical potential V between the cloud and the
surface of the Earth.

V = .......................................... V [2]

ii. A fork lightning strike has a duration of 25 ms. The cloud discharges at a constant
rate. The cloud is uncharged after the strike.

Calculate the number of electrons reaching the ground in 1.0 ms.

number of electrons in 1.0 ms = .......................................... [3]

24.

The diagram below shows a simple capacitor.

The capacitor consists of two horizontal metal plates in a vacuum. The magnitude of the
charge on each plate is Q0. The potential difference (p.d.) between the plates is V0. The
capacitor plates have capacitance C0. The separation between the plates is d. The energy
stored by the capacitor is E0.
The top plate is moved vertically upwards. The new separation between the plates is 2d.
The charge on each plate remains the same.
The energy stored by the capacitor increases.

i. Determine the new:

1 capacitance in terms of C0
capacitance = ...................................................... C0 [1]
2 p.d. between the plates in terms of V0
p.d. = ...................................................... V0 [1]
 3 energy stored in terms of E0.
energy = ...................................................... E0 [1]

ii. Explain, in terms of forces between the plates, why the energy stored increases.

[1]

25. A capacitor of capacitance C is connected across a strip of conductive paper.

The switch is moved from X to Y, and the time t for the potential difference across the
capacitor to halve is measured.

The time t is given by the expression

t = (Ck ln2) × L

where k is the resistance of the conductive paper per unit length and L is the length of the
conductive paper.

The value of C is 1.2 × 10–3 F.

In an experiment, L is changed and t measured.

The data points are plotted on a t against L grid as shown below.

Draw a straight line of best fit through the data points, and use the gradient of this line to
determine k.
 k = ............................................... Ω m–1 [4]

26(a). The diagram below shows the arrangement of the 3 protons inside the nucleus of
lithium-6 .

The separation between each proton is about 1.0 × 10−15 m.

i. Calculate the magnitude of the repulsive electric force F experienced by the proton P.

F = ...................................................... N [4]

ii. On the diagram above, draw an arrow to show the direction of the electric force F
experienced by P.

[1]

iii. Explain how protons stay within the nucleus of lithium-6.

[2]
(b). A spherical metal dome shown below is charged to a potential of −12 kV.

The dome is supported by a cylindrical plastic rod. The radius of the dome is 0.19 m.

i. Show that the magnitude of the total charge Q on the dome is 2.5 × 10−7 C.

[2]

ii. The dome discharges slowly through the plastic rod.

It takes 78 hours for the dome to completely discharge.

1 Show that the mean current I in the plastic rod is about 9 × 10−13 A.
[2]
The average potential difference across the plastic rod during discharge is 6000
V.
The rod has cross-sectional area 1.1 × 10−4 m2 and length 0.38 m.
2
Calculate the resistivity ρ of the plastic.

ρ = .................................................. Ωm [3]

27. The diagram below shows two uniformly charged spheres separated by a large distance
z.

The radius of the small sphere is x and the radius of the large sphere is y.

Which is the correct distance to use when determining the electric force between the
charged spheres?
A z
B x+z
C y+z
D x+y+z

Your
[1]
answer

28. An electron is released at a distance r from the surface of a positively charged sphere. It
is attracted towards the centre of the sphere and moves until it touches the surface.

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

1 The area under the F against r graph is equal to work done on the electron.
2 The electric field strength E at distance r is equal to .
3 The work done on the electron is equal to F × r.

A Only 1
B Only 1 and 2
C Only 1 and 3
D 1, 2 and 3

Your answer [1]

29. Fig. 20.1 shows a capacitor connected to a power supply.

The capacitor consists of two parallel metal plates separated by air.

The switch is closed to charge the capacitor.
The switch is then opened and the separation between the charged plates is doubled.
State and explain what happens to the energy stored by the capacitor.
 [3]

30. A negatively charged droplet of oil is held stationary between two horizontal plates.
The potential difference between the plates is 1.50 kV. Fig. 2.3 shows the two forces acting
on this charged droplet.

The droplet is spherical and has a radius of 1.27 × 10−6 m. The density of oil is 950 kg m−3.
The separation between the plates is 2.10 cm.

i. Show that the magnitude of the charge on the droplet is about 1.1 × 10−18 C.

[3]

ii. Calculate the number of electrons causing the charge on the droplet.

number of electrons = ........................................................... [1]

31. Fig. 21.1 shows two identical negatively charged conducting spheres.

The spheres are tiny and each is suspended from a nylon thread. Each sphere has mass 6.0
× 10−5 kg and charge −4.0 × 10−9 C. The separation between the centres of the spheres is 2.0
cm.

i. Explain why the spheres are separated as shown in Fig. 21.1.

 [2]

ii. Calculate the angle θ made by each thread with the vertical.

θ = ................................. ° [4]

32. Fig. 4.2 shows a circuit with an arrangement of capacitors and resistors.

Calculate the time constant of the circuit.

time constant = ........................................................... s [3]

33. A student is using a spreadsheet to model the decay of charge on a capacitor.

They are using the equation

The student chooses a time interval of 0.5s. At time t = 0.0s the charge on the capacitor is
600 μC.

Part of the modelling spreadsheet is shown below.

Charge Q left on Charge ΔQ decaying in

t/s
capacitor after time t/μC the next 0.5 s/μC

0.0 600 120

0.5 480

1.0
 1.5

2.0

What is the charge on the capacitor at t = 1.5 s?

A 130 μC
B 240 μC
C 246 μC
D 307 μC

Your
[1]
answer

34(a). A group of students investigate the circuit shown in the figure below.

There are N capacitors, each of capacitance C, connected in parallel.

There are N resistors, each of resistance R, connected in series.

Initially, the students close the switch X. They then note the reading on the ammeter.

The students then open the switch. They record the time T for the reading on the ammeter to
fall to half of its initial value.

The table below shows the students’ results.

T/s
N
1 2 3 Mean
1 14.7 14.1 14.3 ..............
2 50.3 49.6 50.1 ..............
3 126.6 126.3 125.2 126.0
 4 224.4 224.3 225.9 224.9
5 356.1 354.3 345.6 352.0
6 500.4 512.7 499.5 504.2

Show that T = (ln 2)N2RC.

[2]

(b). Complete the last column for N = 1 and N = 2 in the results table.

[1]

(c). The students begin to plot a graph of T (y-axis) against N2 (x-axis).

i. Complete the graph below and plot the 6 results from the table. You are not
expected to include error bars.

[4]

ii. Draw a straight line of best fit on the graph.

[1]

iii. Calculate the gradient of the straight line of best fit.

gradient = ....................................................... s [2]

 iv. The value of C is known to be 1000 μF ± 5%.

Use your gradient value from (iii) to find a value for R, in units of k Ω, including an
absolute uncertainty.

R = ............................... ± ............................... k Ω [2]

(d). Following the investigation, the students discovered that the sixth 1000 μF capacitor
connected to the circuit was actually two 470 μF capacitors connected in parallel.

i. State the type of error caused by this mistake.

[1]

ii. Explain the effect that this error would have had on the calculated value of R.

[1]

END OF QUESTION PAPER