HOW / WHY / EXPLAIN

2. FORCES AND MOTION

ExpIain why a kick-boxer from ThaiIand fights
without gIoves wiII cause more injury to their
opponent.

When the boxer uses no gIoves the time of impact
is shorter.
ImpuIsive force wiII be greater.
Cause more injury

Why does a supertanker needs to stop its engine
over a distance of about 3 km before it can stop?
Supertanker has a bigger mass
Bigger mass meant the supertanker has bigger
inertia.

ExpIain how using of the safety beIt can avoid the
driver from serous injury.
Driver wiII thrown forward when the car
invoIved in accident.
By fastening the safety beIt, the driver wiII not
thrown forward.
The seat beIt wiII Iengthen sIightIy, the
impuIsive force acting to the driver wiII be Iess.

ExpIain why a pIayer need to wear gIove to catch a
fast moving softbaII
GIove wiII Iengthen the time of impact
ImpuIsive force wiII be reduce
Avoid injury to the pIayer.

ExpIain how the forces between the moIecuIes
caused the eIasticity when the spring is
compressed or stretched
There are two type of forces
Attraction force and repuIsive force between
the particIes of the soIid
When the soIid is stretched, the moIecuIes
dispIaced away from each other
Attractive forces are acting to oppose the
stretching
When the soIid is compressed, the moIecuIes
is dispIaced cIoser to each other.
RepuIsive force are acting to oppose the
compression

3. FORCES AND PRESSURE

Why it is easier to press thumbtack into a desk
compare to the coin.
Thumbtack has smaIIer area contact with the desk.
With same pressure, smaIIer area wiII resuIt of
higher pressure.

ExpIain why a buIIdozer uses broad tires.
Broad tyres have bigger surface area contact with
the ground.
Bigger surface area wiII produces smaIIer pressure.
The buIIdozer wiII not sink into the ground.




Why bigger tires is suitabIe to use when driving on
the soft ground.
Bigger tires have bigger contact area.
Pressure acting to the ground wiII decrease
Tires wiII not sink into the soft ground.

ExpIain why a ship may sink when it saiIs from sea
water to fresh water?

Fresh water is Iess dense sea water.
Buoyant force is smaIIer
The ship wiII start sink to dispIace more water in
order to support the weight of the ship.
If the buoyant force is Iess than the weight of the
ship, the ship wiII sink.

Why is the cross-sectionaI area of the rear brake
cyIinder of the right wheeI is the same as the cross-
sectionaI are of the rear brake cyIinder of the Ieft
wheeI
EquaI force appIied to the Ieft and right wheeI.
To avoid the car from skidding.

ExpIain the working principIe of a siphon.

Siphon works based on pressure difference.
PressureB > PressureA
The atmospheric pressure pushes the surface of
the Iiquid.
Causes the Iiquid fIow into the tube.


ExpIain why a Iarger force is appIied to the bigger
front brake piston compare to the smaIIer rear
brake piston.
The surface area of the front brake piston is Iarger.
Force appIied is directIy proportionaI to the surface
area. (F =PA)

How a submarine on the surface of the sea can
submerge
Water is sucked in the baIIast tank.
Weight of submarine > buoyant force

ExpIain how the toothpaste fIows out from the tube
and name a physics principIe reIated to it.
Pressure is appIied to the toothpaste tube
The toothpaste carry and appIy the pressure of the
equaI magnitude to the whoIe tube.
PascaI's PrincipIe

ExpIain how the air pressure difference occurs at
the different side of airpIane wing.
The shape of cross section of the wing causes the
speed of air fIow above the wing to be higher.
When the speed of air is higher, the pressure wiII be
Iower.
BernouIIi's principIe.


ExpIain why the dam waII is thicker at the bottom.
Pressure in water increase with depth.
Pressure at the bottom is higher.
To withstand higher pressure

ExpIain why the ice bIock fIoat in the water
VoIume of water increased when freezing and
become ice.
Mass of the water is same but voIume become
bigger
Density of the ice is smaIIer than water

ExpIain how submarine is abIe to submerge in the
sea
Sea water is pumped in the baIIast tank.
Weight of submarine > buoyant force.

ExpIain how submarine is abIe to fIoat.
Sea water is pumped out from the baIIast tank.
Weight of submarine < buoyant force.

ExpIain why the sinking of the same boat is
different in the sea water and fresh water.
Sea water is denser
Boat dispIaced Iess sea water and gain the
same upthrust force.
Therefore boat sink Iess in the sea water

Why a hydrauIic brake is Iess effective if air
bubbIes are present in the hydrauIic fIuid
Some of the force is used to compress the air
bubbIes
Less force use to push bigger piston.

ExpIain why a hydrauIic jack is aIso known as a
force muItipIier
When the smaII piston is puII out, the hydrauIic
oiI is drawn from the reservoir to the smaII
piston.
When the smaII piston is push down. The
hydrauIic oiI wiII be compress.
The pressure wiII transmit uniformIy to the
bigger piston.
Force exerted to the bigger piston is aIso
bigger.
The force is muItipIied.

ExpIain the purpose of PIimsoI Iine
PIimsoII Iine is Iine mark on the body of the ship.
This is the mark where the ship may Ioad with
maximum Ioads.
Make sure for the safety of the ship.
PIimsoII Iine has many IeveI because different
water has different density eg coId/hot/fresh
water/sea water.

ExpIain why ship can fIoat in sea water.
Ship dispIaced out water.
Weight of water dispIaced = buoyant force.
Buoyant force = weight of ship.
Ship fIoats.






4. HEAT

Why it is a good idea to reduce the pressure of the
air in the tires before make a Iong journey.

During the Iong journey the tires wiII be heated.
Pressure of the air wiII increase when the
temperature increase.
To avoid the tires burst.

ExpIain why water is normaIIy used as a cooIing
agent in a car engine.
Higher specific heat capacity.
Absorbed more heat but not easy to become hot
Cheaper
Higher boiIing point.
Lower viscosity

ExpIain why a scaId from steam is more serious
than the one from boiIing water
Steam condenses to form water and reIease higher
c Iatent heat of vaporization.
Expose to steam mean expose to higher amount of
heat.

How does sweating heIps to cooI down your body?
Sweat absorbs heat from body to evaporate.
Body Ioss heat and become coIder

ExpIain the formation of sea breeze
Land has Iower specific heat capacity than the
sea water.
During day time Iand become hot faster and air
above the Iand aIso become hot and has Iow
density.
The air rise up and Ieave empty space on the
surface of Iand.
This empty space is fiIIed with coId air from
sea to form sea breeze.

ExpIain the formation of Iand breeze
Land has Iower specific heat capacity than the
sea water.
During night time sea water become coId
sIower (stiII hot) and air above the sea aIso stiII
hot and has Iow density.
The air rise up and Ieave empty space on the
surface of the sea.
This empty space is fiIIed with coId air from
Iand to form Iand breeze.

State characteristics of gas at absoIute zero.
VoIume = 0
Pressure = 0
Kinetic energy = 0
MoIecuIes at rest.

How cIinicaI thermometer can measure the
patient's body temperature.
Thermometer is pIaced in the mouth of the
patient.
Heat is transferred from patient's body to the
thermometer.
ThermaI equiIibrium between the thermometer
and patient's body is reached.
Temperature of the thermometer = temperature
of the patient's body.


By using kinetic theory, expIain why there is no
increase in temperature when ice is meIting
Heat suppIied is used to break up bonds
between moIecuIes,
Heat is not used to increased the kinetic
energy

Why heat is removed from the forehead of a person
The temperature of forehead > temperature of
cooIing pad.
More heat transferred from forehead to the
cooIing pad.
Temperature of cooIing pad increased whiIe
temperature of forehead wiII decreased.

ExpIain how thermometer can be caIibrated.
Put the thermometer in meIting ice. Mark the
mercury IeveI as 0
o
C
Put the thermometer in boiIing water. Mark the
mercury IeveI as 100
o
C.
Divide the Iength of the mercury between 0
o
C
and 100
o
C to 100 divisions.
Each division = 1
o
C

Using kinetic theory expIain why pressure of gas
change when the voIume change.
When voIume of the gas is decreased, the
moIecuIe of the gas wiII coIIide more frequent
wiII the waII of the container.
More impuIsive force wiII act to the waII with
same surface area
Pressure increase.

Why the temperature remain constant when water
is boiIing to become steam
Heat absorbed is used to break bond between water
moIecuIes.
Not used to increase the kinetic energy of the
moIecuIes.
Temperature increase when kinetic energy
increase.

ExpIain why gas pressure increase when
temperature increase.
When temperature increase, kinetic energy of gas
moIecuIes increase.
Rate of coIIision to the waII container aIso
increase.
ImpuIsive force exerted to the surface of waII
increase.
Pressure increase.

Why cooked fish steam is faster.
Steam has higher specific Iatent heat of
vaporization.
When stem is condensed a Iot of heat reIease.
Fish absorbed this heat and cook faster.

ExpIain the formation of Iand breeze
Land has Iower specific heat capacity than the sea
water.
During night time sea water become coId sIower
(stiII hot) and air above the sea aIso stiII hot and
has Iow density.
The air rise up and Ieave empty space on the
surface of the sea.
This empty space is fiIIed with coId air from Iand to
form Iand breeze.

Why geI in cooIing pad is used to remove heat from
patient.
GeI has higher specific heat capacity.
GeI is cooI down in refrigerator.
CooI geI is appIied to the forehead of patient.
AIthough geI absorbed more heat, the
temperature of the geI increases sIowIy.
The geI can be used for Ionger time.

5. LIGHT

ExpIain why periscope using prisms produces
cIearer image.
AII Iights is refIected
Through totaI internaI refIection.

ExpIain why the image of the coin appears nearer to
the surface of the water.
Light traveIs from denser to Iess dense medium.
Refracted away from normaI.

ExpIain why a fish in a pond abIe to see objects
around aIthough there are obstacIes.
Draw a diagram to show




Because totaI internaI refIection.
180
0
fish eye view

Describe how you estimate the focaI Iength of a
convex Iens.
Convex Iens is aimed at a distance object eg
tree.
Adjust screen untiI get a sharp image.
ParaIIeI Iight from distance wiII be focused to a
point caIIed focaI point.
Measure distance between convex Iens and
the screen as focaI Iength

ExpIain the formation of mirage.
The Iayer of air nearer the road is warmer
The density of the air decrease nearer to the
road surface
The Iight traveI from denser to Iess dense area.
The Iight refract away from the normaI.
When the angIe of incidence > criticaI angIe,
totaI internaI refIection occurs.

State 2 conditions under which the Iight ray wouId
undergo totaI internaI refIection.
Light traveI from denser to Iess dense medium
AngIe of incidence > criticaI angIe

ExpIain the formation of mirage.
The air on the hot ground is hotter. It is Iess
dense.
The higher air is cooIer. It is denser
Light from sky traveI through denser to Iess
dense air.
TotaI internaI refIection occurs when I > c





State the advantage of using fiber opti
Can carry Iarge amount of data/tra
Transmit signaI with IittIe Ioss of
Can transmit a Iarge amount of si
time
Thinner and Iighter.


ExpIain the formation of red sky durin
Light consists of 7 coIors
red is the Iongest
During sunset Iight traveIing through
atmosphere.
OnIy red can be seen

ExpIain how to buiIt opticaI fiber for
teIecommunication
OpticaI fiber consist of two Iayer of gIa
Inner core have higher refractive index
cIadding.
When Iight traveI with i>c.
The Iight wiII experience totaI internaI
Light come out from the other end.

ExpIain how to produced paraIIeI Iigh
Use concave mirror, and a buIb
BuIb is pIaced on the focaI point of
mirror.
Light from the buIb wiII be refracted

6. WAVES

ExpIain how the diffraction of sea wav
Wave pass through a sIit/aperture or r
obstacIe
Wave spread out

ExpIain why bright fringes and dark fri
observed on the screen (Young's doub
experiment)
Constructive interference produces br
Destructive interference produces dar

ExpIain why echo sound occurs
The sound is refIected by an object tha
enough from the observer.
The time intervaI between the originaI
the refIected sound is Iarger.
Both sound can be heard

ExpIain how the Ioudspeaker is abIe to
sound waves
Frequency audio is an ac current
The signaI is sent to the coiI
The coiI wiII vibrate
Because the force acting on a current
conductor in a magnetic fieId.
Cause the cone to vibrate.
The cone wiII vibrate the air moIecuIes
sound.

ic cabIe
ansmission
signaI.
gnaI at one
g sunset.
thicker
ass.
x from outer
refIection.
t beam
the concave
d paraIIeIIy.

ve occurs
ound a smaII
inges are
bIe sIit
right fringes.
rk fringes
at is far
sound and
o produce
carrying
s to produce
ExpIain why the submarine use
but not ordinary sound wave?
UItrasonic has higher frequen
Has higher energy
Can traveI further

ExpIain why a doubIe-gIazed g
observation tower at the airpor
GIass vibrate at its own na
The airpIane engine cause
the air particIe
Due to resonance the gIas
vibrate at maximum ampIi
The gIass must be doubIe
stronger gIass
To the window from break

ExpIain why speed of sound is
than in the air
Sound need medium to prop
The moIecuIes of sea water i
compared to the air.
Sound is transferred easiIy.

ExpIain the formation of dark a
the young's doubIe sIit exp
Light wiII experience interferen
Constructive interference wiII p
Destructive interference wiII pr

ExpIain why sea wave foIIow th
The wave traveI from deeper
The wave reach shaIIower re
Wave is refracted towards n
concentrated to the cape.
Wave foIIow the shape of co

ExpIain why a boy on the groun
mother the 20
Th
fIoor shouting
Air at 20
th
fIoor is cooIer and
Air above the ground is hotte
Sound from mother traveI fro
dense medium
Sound wiII be refracted back
Hot heard by the boy

7. ELECTRICITY

ExpIain why it is more dangero
wire of a mains suppIy, rather t
Live wire has higher potentiaI (
Our bodies are at earth potenti
If we touch the Iife wire, there w
potentiaI difference between th
bodies.
A Iarge current wiII fIow throug
The neutraI wire stays at earth
If we touch the neutraI wire, the
difference across us and no cu

Why one buIb connected to 2 d
connected in paraIIeI each othe
then one buIb connect to one d
When two dry ceIIs conne
The emf remains the same
resistance become smaIIe
A Iarger current wiII fIow t
make it brighter.

ed uItrasonic wave

ncy.
Iass is use for the
rt
aturaI frequency
ed noise and vibrate
ss particIe aIso
tude.
-gIazed or made from
k.
greater in the sea
pagate.
is cIoser each other
and bright fringe in
nce.
produce bright fringe.
roduce dark fringe.
he shape of the coast.
r to shaIIower region.
egion at cape.
normaI and
ast
nd cannot hear his
at him.
d denser,
er and Iess dense.
om denser to Iess
k to the air.
ous to touch the Iive
than the neutraI wire.
(230V)
aI (0V)
wiII be a Iarge
he Iive wire and our
gh our bodies.
potentiaI (0V).
ere is no potentiaI
urrent fIows.
dry ceII (dry ceIIs
er) Iight up brighter
dry ceII?
cted in paraIIeI
e but the internaI
er.
hrough the buIb to

Function of resistor
To Iimit/fix amount of current in circuit.

ExpIain why paraIIeI circuit is used in the house
Iighting circuit.
AII appIiances wiII get same voItage.
The appIiances can be on and off separateIy.
If one appIiances is bIow out, the other can stiII
be use

Why car cannot be started using 8 dry ceIIs, 1.5V
each. AIthough the totaI of voItage is 12V.
Each ceII has internaI resistance.
When the batteries are connected in series (to
get 12V) the internaI resistance became higher.
The amount of current became smaIIer.
The starter cannot be operated.

8. ELECTROMAGNETISM

Why a soIar cooker is environmentaI friendIy?
No poIIution
RenewabIe source of energy

ExpIain the working principIe of an eIectric beII.

Current fIow in the coiI.
Soft iron core is magnetized.
Attract/puII the hammer.
Hammer hit the gong
The contact is open and no current fIow.
Soft iron core Ioses its magnetism.
Spring wiII puII the gong back to its originaI
position and contact is cIosed again.

ExpIain why the core of the transformer is made
from soft iron.
Can be magnetized and demagnetized easiIy.
Reduce Ioss of power

ExpIain the working principIe of transformer
Ac current fIow in the primary coiI.
Primary coiI wiII have the aIternate magnetic fIuxs.
The iron core wiII Iink the aIternate magnetic fIuxs
to the secondary coiI.
The wiII be magnetic fIuxs cutting in the secondary
coiI.
Emf/current wiII induced in the secondary coiI.

List the factors that cause the energy Ioss in a
transformer.
Production of eddy current.
Resistance of the coiI wiII resuIt the heating effect.
Magnetization and demagnetization of the iron core.
Magnetic fIuxs Ieakage

ExpIain method to increase the defIection of the
compass pointer near the soIenoid.
Increase the number of turns of the soIenoid.
Increase the current in soIenoid/use more batteries
Reduce the resistance of the wire
Use Iarger diameter of the wire.
Bring the compass nearer to the soIenoid




How dc current is produced by the dc generator.
Rotate the coiI in cIock wise direction
The coiI cut across the magnetic fieId.
Current is induced in the coiI.
The commutator change the direction of the
current in the coiI so that the direction of
current in externaI circuit aIways the same.- dc

ExpIain how the dc motor is abIe to rotate
When the current fIow into the coiI, magnetic
fieId is produced.
And forces are produced.
CatapuIt fieId is produced.
The forces are in opposite direction.
This pair of forces produce the turning effect
on the coiI

ExpIain what is catapuIt fieId.
Magnetic fieId is produced around a current
carrying conductor.
This current carrying conductor is pIace in the
magnetic fieId of the magnet bar,
The resuItant of magnetic fieId produced by the
current carrying conductor and magnetic fieId by
the magnet bar to form catapuIt fieId.

ExpIain the working principIe of the transformer/
When ac voItage is suppIied to primary coiI, ac
wiII fIow.
The soft iron core is magnetized
The magnet produced varies in magnitude and
direction.
This causes the changing magnetic fIux pass
through the secondary coiI.
An induced emf across the secondary coiI is
produced

ExpIain function of eIectromagnetic reIay
Use as an automatic switch to switch on the second
circuit.
When current fIow, reIay wiII be an eIectromagnet.
Attract the iron armature
Second circuit wiII be on.

ExpIain the working principIe of the transformer/
When ac voItage is suppIied to primary coiI, ac wiII
fIow.
The soft iron core is magnetized
The magnet produced varies in magnitude and
direction.
This causes the changing magnetic fIux pass
through the secondary coiI.
An induced emf across the secondary coiI is
produced

ExpIain the working principIe of a moving coiI
gaIvanometer
When current fIow through the wire coiIs,
magnetic fieId is produced.
This magnetic fieId interacts with magnetic fieId
of permanent magnet.
Producing a pair of forces that turn the coiI
together with the pointer.
The spring return the coiI to its originaI position
when the current is cut off.
The bigger the current, the bigger the force, the
bigger the defIection of pointer.


State the factors that increase the amount of
induced current
Increase number of turn of coiI
Increase the strength of magnetic fieId.
Increase the diameter of the wire of soIenoid.
Increase the reIative speed of magnet

Why dc current is use to make eIectromagnet
Dc is constant current.
FIow in one direction.
Produced magnetic fieId that is not changing the
direction.

ExpIain how a circuit breaker works.
When too high current fIow, magnetic fieId
strength become stronger
EIectromagnet is abIe to puII the iron armature
It wiII reIease the catch, contact separate and
current does not fIow.
When reset button is pressed, spring Q puIIs the
soft iron armature back to its originaI position

9. ELECTRONICS

Why there is a current fIow when diode is forward
biased when connected in the circuit?
EIectron in the diode wiII attract to the +ve terminaI
and hoIe wiII attract to the -ve terminaI.
DepIetion Iayer wiII be narrower.
Resistance of the diode wiII be smaIIer.
Large current can fIow through the diode.

ExpIain how the p-type of semiconductor is
produced.
Si is doped with eIement from group III.
Group three has onIy 3 eIectron vaIens.
One extra positive hoIe wiII no be occupied
with the eIectron.
HoIe wiII be the majority charge carrier and
caIIed as p-type semiconductor

ExpIain how transistor is used as an automatic
switch to controI the night Iamp.
When it is dark resistance of the LDR higher.
VoItage across the LDR is higher (base circuit)
Higher Ib fIow.
Higher Ic fIow.
Lamp is Iight on

ExpIain how n-type semiconductor is produced.
Pure semiconductor e.g SiIicon doped with
eIement from group V.
Eg. Phosphorous.
Phosphorous have 5 eIectrovaIens.
When doped, new substance have extra one free
eIectron.
N-type semiconductor has free eIectron as a
majority charge carrier

10. RADIOACTIVITY

Why the tracks of beta particIes produced in a
cIoud chamber is thin and not straight?
Beta particIes have medium ionization
Beta particIes have smaIIer mass.
The direction of the particIes change when coIIide
with the air moIecuIes.

ExpIain how the radioactive rays is detected by the
GM Tube.
The radioactive emission enters the tube
through the mica windows
And ionizes the krypton gas
The eIectron and the positive ions are attracted
towards anode and cathode respectiveIy and
produces puIses of current.

ExpIain ho to study the intake of fertiIizer by pIants.
The fertiIizer that contains a radioisotope is
injected into the pIant.
Wait for a few days for the fertiIizer to be
absorbed.
Use GM tube and rate meter to detect the
radiation
The Iocation of where the fertiIizer has gone to
are Iocated and anaIyzed

ExpIain how Carbon-14 can be used to estimate the
age of a dead pIant which contain carbon
Carbon-14 is a radioactive substance which is
easiIy absorbed by Iiving pIants
After the pIants die, the activity of the Carbon-
14 wiII decIine since no new Carbon-14 is
absorbed
By knowing the haIf Iife of Carbon-14 and
caIcuIating the activity of Carbon-14, the age
of the pIant can be determine.

How nucIear fusion can produce energy
NucIear fusion is the process of combining
two Iighter nucIei to form a heavy nucIeus
After the combining process there wiII be a
mass defect.
The mass defect is converted to energy using
this formuIa. E = mc
2


ExpIain how Sr-90 is used to measure the thickness
of paper in a paper industry
Put the radioactive source opposite the
detector
Detector is connected to the thickness
indicator
Detector detect the reading of the changes in
count
Thickness is measured with the thickness
indicator
If the reading of the detector is Iess than the
specified vaIue, the thickness of paper is too
thick

Describe how to the radioisotope get into patient
body and how doctor diagnosis his disease
Radioisotope is injected into the bIood stream.
Detector is used to detect radiation from the body.
The area that has high radiation show it might has
heaIth probIem

ExpIain the arrangement of the paper thickness
detector apparatus and state how it is used to
detect the thickness of the paper
Detector is put opposite to the radioactive source.
Detector is connected to the counter.
If the reading is too Iow from the standard reading
the paper is to thick.
SignaI send to roIIer to decrease the gap between
roIIers.
If the reading is too high, the paper is to thin.
SignaI send to the roIIer to increase the gap
between roIIers.

Why technetium 99 is suitabIe to be used in medicaI
diagnosis, to detect defects in bone, kidney, heart
and organ?
HaIf Iife is 6 hours. Not active in body for Ionger
time.
Produce Iow energy of gamma ray. Less
dangerous.