Centre Number

Student Number

2014
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION

Physics
General Instructions
Reading time 5 minutes
Working time 2 hours
Write using black or blue pen
Draw diagrams using pencil
Use the multiple-choice answer sheet
provided
Write your Centre Number and Student
Number at the top of this page and on
the multiple-choice answer sheet

Total marks 75
This paper has two parts, Part A and Part B
Part A 20 marks
Attempt Questions 1-20
Allow about 35 minutes for this part
Part B 55 marks
Attempt Questions 21-29
Allow about 1 hour and 25 minutes for this
part

Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to prepare this Examination in accordance with the Board of Studies documents. No guarantee or warranty is made or
implied that the Examination paper mirrors in every respect the actual HSC Examination question paper in this course. This paper does not constitute
advice nor can it be construed as an authoritative interpretation of Board of Studies intentions. No liability for any reliance, use or purpose related to
this paper is taken. Advice on HSC examination issues is only to be obtained from the NSW Board of Studies. The publisher does not accept any
responsibility for accuracy of papers which have been modified.
PHYPRE14_EXAM

PHYPRE14_EXAM

2014 PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION

PHYSICS
Part A 20 marks
Attempt Questions 1-20
Allow about 35 minutes for this part
Use the multiple-choice answer sheet provided for Questions 1-20
Select the alternative A, B, C or D that best answers the question. Fill in the
response oval completely.
Sample
2 + 4 = (A) 2
(B) 6
(C) 8
(D) 9
A
B
C
D
If you think you have made a mistake, put a cross through the incorrect answer and
fill in the new answer.
A
B
C
D
If you have changed your mind and have crossed out what you consider to be the
correct answer, then indicate this by writing the word correct and drawing an
arrow as follows:
correct

Why does a driver need to maintain pressure on the accelerator of a car to drive at a
constant speed of 60 km/h?
(A) A constant net force is required for a vehicle to maintain a constant speed.
(B) Force from the engine is required to balance air resistance and friction.
(C) Energy is required to power the radio, lights, and other devices in the car.
(D) The car is going around a corner, requiring a centripetal acceleration.

Which is the object with the greatest kinetic energy?

(A) A 1500 kg car travelling at 30ms-1.
(B) A 3000kg SUV travelling at 15ms-1.
(C) A 40g bullet travelling at 380ms-1.
(D) A 200 kg motorbike travelling at 60 ms-1

PHYPRE14_EXAM

In NSW the government recommends that drivers secure loose items in a car.
What is the reason for this?
(A) They may distract the driver or other passengers.
(B) They are easily damaged by colliding with other objects.
(C) They may cause injury or interfere with vehicle control.
(D) They can get caught in confined spaces and need special tools to release.

A car travelling at 40 km/h hits an icy patch on a straight road. What is the most likely
result for the car?
(A)It will spin off to the side of the road.
(B) It will speed up due to reduced friction on the road.
(C) It will crash into a nearby object, such as another car.
(D) It will continue at a constant velocity.

A car travelling at 100 km/h south measures the speed of a northbound truck as 180 km/h.
According to the car driver what is the trucks velocity?
(A) 80 km/h south.
(B) 100 km/h north
(C) 80 km/h north
(D) 180 km/h south.

A satellite in orbit must communicate with a controller on the ground. Which is the best
waveband to use for this communication?
(A) Gamma
(B) Infrared
(C) Microwave
(D) Ultraviolet

PHYPRE14_EXAM

A student measures a light intensity of 300 lux at a distance of 1.73 m. At what distance
would the student measure an intensity of 100 lux?
(A) 0.58 m
(B) 3.00 m
(C) 5.20 m
(D) 9.00 m

The image shows the waveform of an encoded signal.

By which means has the signal been encoded?

(A) Amplitude modulation
(B) Frequency modulation
(C) Superposition
(D) Pulse Code Modulation

PHYPRE14_EXAM

What are the conditions required for Total Internal Reflection?

Angle of incidence
(A) Greater than critical angle

Higher than external medium

(B)

Less than critical angle

Higher than external medium

(C)

Greater than critical angle

Lower than external medium

(D) Less than critical angle

10

Refractive index of
internal medium.

Lower than external medium

The diagram shows a sound wave moving through a string of particles. The wave is
travelling from left to right as shown.

Which of the graphs below best represents the horizontal displacement of the particles
over time?

11

P2, (A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

What is the main difference between an insulator and a conductor?

(A) Conductors are made of metals while non-metals are insulators.
(B) Conductors allow the flow of electricity while insulators do not.
(C) Conductors cannot be used to protect against electric shock.

12

(D) Conductors are required to build up a static charge on an object.

Why are different circuits used for lighting, cooking and general power outlets in
household wiring?
(A) Heat resistant materials can be used for supplying ovens and lighting.

PHYPRE14_EXAM

(B) Switching off a power point does not switch off the lights in the room.
(C) Thick and expensive cables are only used for high power applications.
(D) Extra power outlets can be added to a circuit without upgrading the fuse.
13

How can electric currents best be defined?

(A) The amount of energy used by a circuit each second.
(B) The rate at which charge flows under the influence of an electric field.
N
(C) The ratio of applied voltage to resistance in a circuit.
W
E
(D) The power of a circuit divided by its voltage.
S

14

A compass is placed on top of a conductor carrying a large DC current as shown. The

current is flowing from left to right.
I
In which direction
will the needle on the compass point?
(A) North
(B) East
(C) South
(D) West

PHYPRE14_EXAM

15

A student generates the following unlabelled graph.

Which are the most likely pair of variables to produce this graph?
(A) Resistance of a conductor vs cross sectional area.
(B) Current vs input voltage for a 12V, 10W lamp.
(C) Electricity bill cost vs number of circuits.
(D) Change in energy source vs time.
16

Who was the astronomer who first made accurate and precise observations of stars and
orbiting planets using a range of measuring instruments?
(A) Aristarchus.
(B) Brahe.
(C) Kepler.
(D) Galileo.

17

How are sunspots best described?

(A) Regions where large amounts of material are ejected from the surface of the Sun.
(B) Unchanging regions of darker colour on the surface of the Sun.
(C) Evidence of damage to the eyes caused by direct observation of the Sun.
(D) Regions of strong magnetic activity and lower temperature.

18

What is the main force which caused the accretion of galaxies and stars?
(A) Dark energy.
(B) Gravitational attraction between particles.
(C) Particle kinetic energy.
(D) Electrostatic repulsion.

PHYPRE14_EXAM

19

Which statement best describes matter in the early universe?

(A) Matter was absorbed by the expanding Universe from the surrounding space.
(B) Matter was present as fundamental particles at the moment of the Big Bang.
(C) Matter was neither created or destroyed, but rearranged to make new forms.
(D) Matter was produced by the transformation of energy into matter.

20

An electric field of strength E produces a force of 1.2 x 10-18 N upward on an electron.

An electric field of strength 2E and the same direction will produce what force on an
alpha particle?
(A) 2.4 x 10-18 N downward
(B) 2.4 x 10-18 N upward
(C) 4.8 x 10-18 N upward
(D) 4.8 x 10-18 N downward

PHYPRE14_EXAM

2014 PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION

PHYSICS

Centre Number

Student Number
Part B 55 marks
Attempt Questions 21-29
Allow about 1 hour and 25 minutes for this part
Answer the questions in the spaces provided.
Show all relevant working in questions involving calculations.

Question 21 (5 marks)

Marks

Radiation from moving objects appears to have a shift in frequency to a stationary observer.
Police use this concept to determine the speed of vehicles by bouncing electromagnetic
radiation from them and measuring the change in frequency of the reflected waves.
(a)

Which astronomer first used this concept to identify relative motion of galaxies?

.
.
(b) Outline how the astronomer used this information to determine the age of the Universe.

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(c)

A car is moving toward the police officer. Compare the wavelength and speed of the
reflected waves with the waves sent by the police officer.
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.

PHYPRE14_EXAM

Question 22 (7 marks)

Marks

An SUV of mass 4.0 tonnes is moving west at 3.0 ms-1. It collides with a 1500 kg car
moving east at 4.0 ms-1 and the two vehicles stick together. The collision takes 0.40 s.
(a)

Calculate the total momentum of the vehicles before the collision.

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(b) Calculate the total momentum of the vehicles after the collision.

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(c)

Calculate the final velocity of the car.

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(d) Calculate the average force applied to the car during the collision.
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PHYPRE14_EXAM

Question 23 (7 marks)

Marks

Air bags and crumple zones are found in modern cars.

(a)

Identify the reason for the use of ONE of these features.

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.
(b) Explain using relevant formulae how the feature you chose operates with respect to
the concepts of momentum and impulse.

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(c)

Evaluate the effectiveness of ONE other safety device in a modern car.

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PHYPRE14_EXAM

Question 24 (6 marks)

Marks

The diagram shows a ray of light entering a block of an unknown substance.

Air
Air

(a)

Block

Measure the wavelength of the wave in air.

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(b) Use the change in wavelength to calculate the refractive index of the material.

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(c)

The block is moved so that the incident ray meets the surface at 60o. Determine the
angle of refraction.
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PHYPRE14_EXAM

Question 25 (7 marks)
New technologies have helped physicists to develop new models to understand the
Universe. In turn, new concepts from physics have been used to develop new
technologies which have become key parts of our modern society.
(a) Outline how one NAMED technology led to an increased understanding of the
Universe.

Marks

(b) Outline the work of one NAMED scientist which led to an increased
understanding of electricity.

(c)

Assess the importance of continuing physics research to modern society.

...

PHYPRE14_EXAM

PHYPRE14_EXAM

Question 26 (6 marks)
The circuit diagram shown was used by a student to investigate the change in
electric potential around a DC circuit. The power supply is set to 10V.

Marks

Both lamps are rated at 6V, 1W.

(a)

Draw a voltmeter on the circuit diagram above to measure the potential difference
across lamp 2.
(b) Calculate the potential difference across lamp 2 when the switch is closed.

1
1

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(c)

Calculate the resistance of lamp 2.

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(d) Determine the current in the circuit when the switch is closed.

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Question 27 (7 marks)
The standard voltage for mains electricity in Australia is 240 V AC.
PHYPRE14_EXAM

Marks

(a)

Explain how accidental contact with mains electricity can be dangerous.

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(b) Explain how one NAMED safety device can protect against electrical dangers.

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(c)

Outline why the kilowatt-hour is used to measure electrical energy consumption

rather than the joule.
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PHYPRE14_EXAM

Question 28 (6 marks)

Marks

The Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram is used in astrophysics to discuss the

varying energy sources of different types of stars.
(a)

In the space provided sketch an HR diagram.

(b) Outline the energy source of one NAMED type of star.

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PHYPRE14_EXAM

Question 29 (4 marks)
Parabolic dishes can be used to receive signals from satellites by concentrating the
incident electromagnetic radiation.
(a)

Marks

In the space provided draw a diagram to show how a satellite dish

concentrates the signal.

(b) Identify two types of data that might be transferred digitally.

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PHYPRE14_EXAM

BLANK PAGE

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Centre Number
Student Number
PHYSICS MULTIPLE-CHOICE ANSWER SHEET
ATTEMPT ALL QUESTIONS
Question

PHYPRE14_EXAM

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

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