Physics 9702/12 October/November 2023: question paper and mark scheme
Cambridge AS & A Level Physics (9702), Paper 1 Multiple Choice, October/November 2023. Read both free below, or download them. Done the paper? Get it marked by AI against this mark scheme.
A student estimates the maximum speed of some different moving objects.
Which maximum speed is not a reasonable estimate?
A container ship: 10 m s–1
B Olympic sprinter: 0.1 km s–1
C racing car: 9000 cm s–1
D snail: 0.01 km h–1
A student takes measurements to determine the constant acceleration of a model car moving from rest in a straight line. The measured values with their absolute uncertainties are shown.
measured quantity uncertainty value
displacement 16.5 m ± 0.1 m time 15.0 s ± 1.0 s
The student uses the equation s = 21 at 2 to calculate the acceleration of the car.
What is the acceleration and its absolute uncertainty?
A (0.11 ± 0.01) m s–2
B (0.11 ± 0.02) m s–2
C (0.15 ± 0.01) m s–2
D (0.15 ± 0.02) m s–2
An aeroplane is moving at a constant speed in a straight line at an angle θ to the horizontal.
Four forces act on the aeroplane: thrust force T, weight W, lift force L and resistive force R.
L T
R
W
Which two equations must be correct?
A L = W cos θ and T = R + W sin θ
B L = W sin θ and T = R + W cos θ
C L = W cos θ and T = R – W sin θ
D L = W sin θ and T = R – W cos θ
What is the definition of acceleration?
A the rate of change of displacement
B the rate of change of kinetic energy
C the rate of change of momentum
D the rate of change of velocity
An astronaut on the Moon, where there is no air resistance, throws a ball. The ball’s initial velocity has a vertical component of 8.00 m s–1 and a horizontal component of 4.00 m s–1, as shown.
initial velocity
path of ball
8.00 m s–1
4.00 m s–1
The acceleration of free fall on the Moon is 1.62 m s–2.
What is the speed of the ball 9.00 s after being thrown?
A 6.58 m s–1 B 7.70 m s–1 C 10.6 m s–1 D 14.6 m s–1
Two blocks, of mass 0.20 kg and 0.50 kg, are connected by a light inextensible string that passes over a frictionless pulley.
rough block, horizontal mass 0.20 kg surface pulley
block, mass 0.50 kg
The blocks are initially held stationary. The block of mass 0.20 kg rests on a rough horizontal surface.
The block of mass 0.50 kg is suspended in air. Air resistance is negligible.
When the blocks are released, they have an acceleration of magnitude 2.0 m s–2.
What is the magnitude of the frictional force between the block of mass 0.20 kg and the rough surface?
A 3.5 N B 3.9 N C 4.5 N D 6.3 N
A resultant force causes an object to accelerate.
What is equal to the resultant force?
A the acceleration of the object per unit mass
B the change in kinetic energy of the object per unit time
C the change in momentum of the object per unit time
D the change in velocity of the object per unit time
An object falls from a stationary helicopter and reaches terminal velocity.
What happens to the acceleration of the object between leaving the helicopter and reaching terminal velocity?
A It decreases to 9.81 m s–2.
B It decreases to zero.
C It increases to 9.81 m s–2.
D It remains constant at 9.81 m s–2.
Two balls, of masses m and 2m, travelling in a vacuum with initial velocities 2v and v respectively, collide with each other head-on, as shown.
m 2v v 2m
After the collision, the ball of mass m rebounds to the left with velocity v.
What is the loss of kinetic energy in the collision?
A 3
4 mv2 B 3
2 mv2 C 9
4 mv2 D 9
2 mv2
A force F is applied at an angle of 45° to a door handle at a distance d from the pivot of the handle, as shown.
d
45 F pivot handle
What is the moment of the force about the pivot?
A Fd B Fd C Fd 2 D 2Fd
2
A couple consists of two forces, each of magnitude F, that act in opposite directions in the same plane.
The perpendicular distance between the two forces is d.
F d
F
What is the torque of the couple?
Fd F
A B C Fd D 2Fd
2 d
The diagram shows an experiment to determine the force exerted on a ball by a horizontal air flow.
30
ball air flow
The ball is suspended by a light string and weighs 0.15 N.
The deflection of the string from vertical is 30°. The ball is in equilibrium.
What is the force on the ball from the air flow?
A 0.075 N B 0.087 N C 0.26 N D 0.30 N
Two solid cylindrical objects X and Y are held fully submerged in a liquid, as shown.
surface of liquid
Y
X
The objects have the same volume. The density of the material of Y is twice the density of the material of X. Both objects are stationary.
Which statement is correct?
A The force due to the liquid acting on the top surface of X is greater than that acting on the top surface of Y.
B The pressure difference due to the liquid between the top and bottom surfaces of X is the same as that for Y.
C The upthrust acting on X is the same as the upthrust acting on Y.
D The weight of X is the same as the weight of Y.
An electric car travels at a constant speed of 70 km h–1 for 80 km on a straight horizontal road and uses energy E from its battery.
The total resistive force acting on the car is proportional to (speed)2. Assume that the electric motor is 100% efficient.
How much energy is used from the battery when the car travels at a constant speed of 60 km h–1 for 80 km on the straight horizontal road?
A 0.73E B 0.86E C 1.2E D 1.4E
What is meant by the efficiency of a system?
A the total energy input to the system divided by the useful energy output by the system
B the useful energy output from the system divided by the energy wasted by the system
C the useful energy output from the system divided by the total energy input to the system
D the energy wasted by the system divided by the total energy input to the system
When an object of mass m is raised through a vertical height ∆h, the gain of its gravitational potential energy is ∆EP.
∆EP and ∆h are related by the equation
∆EP = mg∆h,
where g is the acceleration of free fall.
The definition of which physical quantity is needed to derive this equation?
A acceleration
B momentum
C power
D work done
Three identical springs, each with the same spring constant, are connected together in four different arrangements, as shown.
Which arrangement has the largest combined spring constant?
A B C D
The force–extension graph for a wire is shown.
X Y
force
Z
0
0 extension
Which row could identify the labels X, Y and Z?
limit of region of elastic region of plastic proportionality deformation deformation
A X Y Z
B Z Y X
C Y Z X
D Z X Y
X and Y are two points on the surface of water in a ripple tank. A source of constant frequency generates a wave which travels past X and Y, causing them to oscillate vertically.
direction of wave travel
Y water surface
X
What is the phase difference between X and Y?
A 45° B 135° C 180° D 270°
A transverse wave on a rope has wavelength λ and period T.
The graph shows the variation of the displacement of the particles of the rope with distance in the direction of travel of the wave at time t = 0.
direction displacement of travel
X
0
0 λ distance
A particle X is labelled.
Which graph shows the variation of the displacement of particle X with time t ?
A B
displacement displacement
0 0
0 T t 0 T t
C D
displacement displacement
0 0
0 T t 0 T t
A source of sound waves is moving at a constant speed directly towards a stationary observer.
The sound waves have a speed of 340 m s–1 and a frequency of 480 Hz. The observer hears sound waves of frequency 650 Hz.
What is the speed of the source?
A 89 m s–1 B 120 m s–1 C 250 m s–1 D 340 m s–1
A student is investigating two electromagnetic waves, X and Y, in a vacuum.
Wave X has a wavelength of 5.2 × 10–7 m. Wave Y has a frequency of 9.4 GHz.
Which principal regions of the electromagnetic spectrum contain waves X and Y?
X Y
A radio wave ultraviolet
B ultraviolet visible
C visible microwave
D microwave radio wave
A plane polarised light wave of intensity I0 is incident normally on a polarising filter. The initial intensity of the transmitted wave is 0.
A second polarising filter is then inserted between the source and the first filter. Its transmission axis is at 45° to the transmission axis of the first filter, as shown.
transmission axis of second filter at 45 to transmission axis source of polarised light, of first filter intensity I0
transmission axis of first filter
45 direction of travel of light wave
What is the intensity of the transmitted wave from the filter combination?
I0 I0 I0
A 0 B C D
8 4 2
A pipe has a length of 2.0 m. It is open at one end and closed at the other end.
A stationary sound wave is set up within the pipe. There are four nodes (N) and four antinodes (A) within the length of the pipe.
N A N A N A N A
2.0 m
What is the wavelength of the sound wave?
A 0.57 m B 1.1 m C 1.3 m D 1.6 m
A teacher is explaining diffraction to a group of students.
Which piece of apparatus is most appropriate for the teacher to use to demonstrate diffraction?
A a long spring
B a ripple tank
C a rope
D a stretched string
Coherent light of constant wavelength is incident normally on a double slit. Interference fringes are formed on a screen that is a fixed distance from the double slit. The screen is parallel to the double slit.
The separation of the slits is varied.
Which graph best shows the variation with slit separation a of the spacing x of the interference fringes?
A B x x
0 0
0 a 0 a
C D x x
0 0
0 a 0 a
Light of wavelength 690 nm passes through a diffraction grating with 300 lines per mm, producing a series of bright spots (maxima) on a screen.
screen
diffraction grating
What is the total number of bright spots that are produced?
A 4 B 5 C 8 D 9
A fine mist of oil droplets is sprayed into air. As the oil droplets leave the nozzle of the spraying device they can become electrically charged.
What is not a possible value for the charge on an oil droplet?
A zero
B 1.0 × 10–19 C
C 4.8 × 10–19 C
D 8.0 × 10–19 C
In the circuit shown, a fixed resistor X is connected in series with a battery and a variable resistor.
X
The power dissipated in resistor X is 7.2 W when a current of 3.0 A passes through it.
The variable resistor is adjusted so that the power dissipated in X increases by 50%.
What is the new current in the circuit?
A 2.4 A B 3.7 A C 4.5 A D 14 A
The potential difference across a metal wire is kept constant. The length l and the diameter d of the wire are both varied. The type of metal is kept the same.
How is the current in the wire related to l and d ?
A It is directly proportional to l and inversely proportional to d.
B It is directly proportional to l and inversely proportional to d 2.
C It is inversely proportional to l and directly proportional to d.
D It is inversely proportional to l and directly proportional to d 2.
A student sets up a circuit. The circuit diagram shows how the positive and negative terminals of a voltmeter are connected to the circuit. The voltmeter has an initial reading that is positive.
+ –
V
Which changes, if any, in temperature and light intensity would cause the voltmeter reading to decrease?
temperature light intensity
A increase increase
B no change decrease
C decrease no change
D decrease decrease
Some resistors and a battery of electromotive force (e.m.f.) E and negligible internal resistance are connected in series, as shown.
E
Which statement is correct?
A The e.m.f. across each resistor equals the potential difference across the battery.
B The potential difference across each resistor equals the e.m.f. E of the battery.
C The sum of the e.m.f.s across the resistors equals the potential difference across the battery.
D The sum of the potential differences across the resistors equals the e.m.f. E of the battery.
The diagram shows a network of resistors. Each resistor has a resistance of 6.0 Ω.
X Y
What is the total resistance of the network between points X and Y?
A 3.0 Ω B 5.0 Ω C 7.2 Ω D 18 Ω
In the circuit shown, a battery of negligible internal resistance is connected in series with a pair of fixed resistors R1 and R2.
R1 60 Ω
6.0 V
X
R2 20 Ω
Y
The circuit is to be used to test whether the electromotive force (e.m.f.) of a particular cell is 1.5 V.
The cell is connected between terminals X and Y in parallel with R2 and in series with a galvanometer.
Which statement about the test is correct?
A Any non-zero reading on the galvanometer means the cell has an e.m.f. of 1.5 V.
B The battery does not need to have an e.m.f. of 6.0 V.
C The cell may be connected either way round between X and Y.
D The galvanometer does not need a scale calibrated in amperes.
Two nuclides are different isotopes of the same element.
Which statement about the nuclides is correct?
A Neutral atoms of the nuclides have the same number of electrons.
B Nuclei of the nuclides have different numbers of protons.
C Nuclei of the nuclides have the same number of nucleons.
D Nuclei of the nuclides have the same number of neutrons.
The charge-to-mass ratio r of a particle is given by the equation shown.
charge on particle r= mass of particle
The value of r is determined for an α-particle, a β+ particle and a proton p.
Which list shows the particles in order of increasing magnitude of r from left to right?
A α → β+ → p
B α → p → β+
C p → α → β+
D p → β+ → α
It's multiple choice: one mark for each correct answer, and nothing taken off for a wrong one. The mark scheme is the answer key.
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Where can I find the 9702/12 October/November 2023 mark scheme?+
On this page, free: the mark scheme for AS & A Level Physics 9702/12, October/November 2023 (9702_w23_ms_12), and the question paper (9702_w23_qp_12), to read or download, with each question's marking points written out underneath.
How many marks is 9702/12 out of?+
Physics 9702/12 for October/November 2023 is out of 40 marks, with 1 hour 15 minutes to answer it.
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Yes. Upload your answers to 9702/12/O/N/23 as a PDF or photos, and CIE Buddy marks every question against this paper's official mark scheme, using Cambridge's marking rules. You get your score, each lost mark explained on your own script, and the topics to revise. It's a guide, not an official Cambridge grade.