ZERAKI ACHIEVERS’ EXAMINATIONS (2021)

Term 2 - 2021
PHYICS (232/3)
FORM FOUR (4)
PAPER 3 (PRACTICAL)
Time: 2 ½ Hours

Name: …………………………………………………………. Adm No: ……………….

School: ……………………………………………………….. Class: …………………..
Signature: ……………………………………………………..Date: ……… …..

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
a) Answer all questions in the spaces provided in the question paper.
b) You are supposed to spend the first 15 minutes reading the whole paper carefully before
commencing your work.
c) Candidates are advised to record their observations as soon as they are made.
d) Marks are given for observation actually made, their suitability, accuracy and the use made of
them.

FOR EXAMINER’S USE ONLY

QUESTION MAXIMUM SCORE CANDIDATE’S SCORE

1 20
2 20
TOTAL 40

This paper consists of 9 printed pages. Candidates should check the question paper to ensure that all
the pages are printed as indicated and no questions are missing.

Page 1 of 9
QUESTION ONE

PART A

You are provided with the following:

- Copper wire
- A retort-stand, boss and clamp
- An optical pin mounted on a cork
- A stop watch
- Wire cutters (to be shared)
- A metre-rule or half-metre rule

(a) Clamp the cork so that the optical pin is horizontal. Hang the copper wire from the pin by the
loop as shown in figure 1. Ensure the wire is straight and the length X between the lower tip and
the optical pin is 32 cm. If the length exceeds 32 cm reduce by cutting at the lower tip using the
wire cutters provided.

Optical pin cork

X Copper wire

Retort stand

table
Figure 1

(b) Displace the lower tip of the wire slightly in a plane perpendicular to the optical pin and then
release it. Measure the time t for 20 oscillations of the wire and record the value in table.

(c) Repeat the procedure in (b) above for other values of X shown in the table. (Note that each length
X is obtained by cutting off an appropriate length from the lower tip of the wire. For example, to
get X= 28cm cut off 4 cm from the lower end). Complete the table. (6 marks)

Page 2 of 9
Table 1

Length X (cm) 32 28 24 20 16 12

Time t for 20 oscillations (S)

𝑡
Period (T = 20 (S)

T2 (S2)

(d) Plot a graph of T2 (y- axis) against X (5 marks)

(e) (i) Determine the slope, S, of the graph (3 marks)

8𝜋
(ii) Obtain the value of k in the equation: 𝑆 = (2 marks)
3𝐾

Page 3 of 9
PART B

You are provided with the following:

- A cylindrical container
- Some water
- A stop watch
- A metre ruler or half metre rule
- A boiling tube
- Some sand
- A rubber band

Proceed as follows:

(f) Tie the rubber band round the boiling tube so that it is at a distance L= 12 cm from the bottom of
the tube (see fig 2. a). Pour water into cylindrical container until the level is about 2.0 cm from
the top of the beaker. Float the boiling tube in the water in the container. Add sand gradually into
the boiling tube until the tube sinks to the 12 cm mark. See figure 2 (b).

(a) rubber-band
Boiling tube

Boiling tube Rubber-band

12 cm

Figure 2
water

sand

(b) table

Page 4 of 9
(g) Depress the boiling tube slightly and release so that is oscillates vertically without touching the
sides of the container. Measure and record in table 2 the time t1, for five oscillations of the
boiling tube, Repeat the procedure two more times to obtain t2, and t3 and record the values in
table 2. Complete the table. (3 marks)

Table 2

t1 (S) t2 (S) t3 (S) Average, t (S) 𝑡

𝑇= (𝑠)
5
𝑡1 +𝑡2 +𝑡3
t= 3

(h) Evaluate PT = 40L given that L is the length of the tube up to the rubber band in (f) and T is
the value obtained in (g) above. (1 mark)

P = _________

Page 5 of 9
QUESTION TWO

You are provided with the following apparatus:

PART A
• Constantan wire SWG 28 mounted on a mm scale
• Ammeter (0 – 1) A
• Voltmeter (0 –2.5) V
• A jockey
• 6 connecting wires with crocodile clips
• A switch
• A new dry cell and a cell holder
• Micrometer screw gauge to be shared

Proceed as follows:

(a) Connect the apparatus provided as shown in the circuit below. Measure the voltmeter
reading, E when the switch is open.

E = ………………… (1 mark)

Figure 3

(b) With the crocodile clip at L = 10 cm, close the switch S and record the ammeter and
voltmeter reading.

A = …………………………. (1 mark)

V = ……………………. (1 mark)

Page 6 of 9
(c) Repeat the procedure in (b) for other values of l = 15cm, 20cm, 25cm, 30cm, 35cm and
record the readings in the table below. (5 marks)

Table 3

Length. L. (cm) 10 15 20 25 30 35

Voltmeter reading, V (volts)

Ammeter reading, I(A)

(d) Given that V = X – 0.3.I, determine the value of X when L is 20cm (2 marks)

(e) Measure the diameter d of the wire x using the micrometer screw gauge.

d = ___________________________ m (1mark)

(f) Dismantle the apparatus and set up the circuit as shown below

Figure 4

(i) Close the switch S and record the ammeter and the voltmeter readings

I = __________________________ A (1 mark)

V = __________________________ V (1mark)

Hence find R, the resistance of the wire.

Page 7 of 9
 R = ___________________________ (1mark)
4𝜌
(ii) Given that: R = , determine  (2 marks)
𝜋𝑑2

PART B
You are provided with the following apparatus.
− Rectangular glass block
− 3 optical pins
− A soft board.
− A plane paper
− 4 paper pins.
− Four tuck pins
Proceed as follows:
(g) Using the tuck pins, fix the plane paper on the soft board.
Place the rectangular glass block in the middle of the plane paper and trace its outline (as shown
in figure 5). Using a pencil. Remove the block.
O

I
Glass Block

Q M P

Eye L Eye
Figure 5

(h) Construct a perpendicular line LMO bisecting the shorter sides of M and O.
Mark points P and Q such that PM = MQ = 2cm.

𝟏
Measure OM............................................................................. (𝟐 mark)

Page 8 of 9
 (i) Place the plane paper on the soft board and carefully replace the glass block so that it fit the
outline. Press the object pin on O such that it is upright and touching glass block and the
second pin on P also upright and touching the block.
(j) Press the third pin P1 a short distance from the block such that P1, P and I lie on a straight line
when viewed through the block with one eye. I is the image of the object pin O.
(k) Repeat the experiment with now on Q. Press the third pin P² a short distance from the block
such that when viewed P², Q and I lie in a straight line.

(l) Remove the pins and glass block; draw the lines P1PI (PI dotted) and P2 QI (QI) doted
meeting OM at I.

𝟏
IM = ..........................................................................................cm (𝟐 mark)

𝑙
(m) Using the above information, determine, 𝑘, given that: 𝐴 = 𝑘 , where 𝑙 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑂𝑀

and A is the length IM (1 mark)

(n) State the significance of 𝑘 (1 mark)

NB - Hand in your work on the plane paper as proof of having done the experiment.
(1 mark)

This is the last printed page

Page 9 of 9