A & O Centre of Excellence

Physics Year 11 Paper 2

Name:

1 Hour 30 minutes

Term 2 Exam 2015

Marks:

/40

1. Figure 1 shows an electromagnet connected to a 6.0 V d.c power supply.

switch
Insulated
wire

6.0 V dc

DC supply

Figure 1

pins
X

a) (i) What is the core made of?

[1 Mark]

(ii) State the polarity at end X when the switch is closed?

[1 Mark]

b) When the switch is closed, it was found a number of pins was attracted to end X.
(i) Suggest one way to decreasing the number of pins attracted to end X?

[1 Mark]

(ii) What will happen to the pins at end X when the switch is open?
Explain your answer.

[2 Marks]
[Total 5 Marks]

2. Figure 2 shows an alternating current generator.

Figure 2

a) (i) Name the phenomenon used to produced an e.m.f in the coil.

......
1

[1 Mark]

(ii) What is the effect on the current produced if the magnets are moved further apart from
each other? Give a reason.
.
.
.
[3 Marks]

b) Figure 3 shows the graph of the output current against time.

Current, I/A
Figure 3
2
0.04
0.08

Time, t/s

-2

i. State the value of the peak current.

......

[1 Mark]

ii. Calculate the frequency of the alternating current.

[3 Marks]

iii. On the Figure 3, sketch the graph output current against time if the coil is now rotated
at twice the speed.

[2 Marks]

c) What are the changes that need to be made to convert this generator to a direct current motor?

[2 Marks]
[Total 12 Marks]
2

3. Figure 4 shows a trace obtained on an oscilloscope screen when an a.c voltage is connected to the
Y-plates of an oscilloscope.
Scale: 1 division = 1 cm
Figure 4

The Y-gain is set at 3 V/cm

The time base is set at 5 ms/cm

(a) Explain what is meant by thermionic emission.

......

[1 Mark]

(b) Determine the peak voltage of a.c voltage.

......

[1 Mark]

(c) Determine the time for one complete oscillation on the screen.
......

[1 Mark]

(d) What is the frequency of the a.c voltage?

......

[1 Mark]

(e) With the same a.c voltage applied to the oscilloscope, the time-base setting is altered to 2.5
ms/cm and the Y-gain setting is altered to 2 V/cm. On the space below, sketch the new trace
would appear on the oscilloscope.

[3 Mark]
[Total 7 Marks]

4. Figure 5 shows a full wave bridge rectifier. The a.c supply has a frequency of 50 Hz.

Figure 5
A

(a) When the polarity of the a.c supply voltage is positive at A, state the two diodes which are
forward biased.
......

[1 Mark]

(b) When the polarity of the a.c supply voltage is negative at A, state the two diodes which are
forward biased.
......

[1 Mark]

(c) Using the axes in figure 6, sketch the voltage-time graph across the resistor, R.
Voltage/V
Time/ms
Figure 6

[2 Marks]

(d) On the figure 7, sketch the voltage-time graph across the resistor if a capacitor is connected
across the resistor if a capacitor is connected across the resistor R parallel with the resistor.
Voltage/V
Time/ms
Figure 7

[2 Marks]

(e) Explain how the capacitor causes the voltage across the resistor to vary with time in the way
that you have drawn.

[2 Marks]
[Total 8 Marks]
4

5. Some pond water becomes contaminated by the release of radioactive waste. The radioactivity of a
sample of the contaminated water is tested every week for 5 weeks. The results are shown in the table
below.
time / weeks

activity
count

800

440

240

130

70

40

(a) Plot these values above on the graph below.

[2 Marks]

(b) Draw the best curve through your points on the graph below.

[2 Marks]

(c) Use your graph to find the half-life of the radioactive material in the sample. Show clearly on the
graph how you obtained your answer. Write your answer below in space given.
Half-life of radioactive material = . weeks

[2 Marks]

(d) Suggest two major sources of background radiation.

i)
ii)
[2 Marks]
[Total 8 Marks]