04 AL Physics/M.C./P.

2004 Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination

AL Physics
Multiple Choice Questions

1. A small object at point O is kept in static

equilibrium by a horizontal thread OA and (1) (2) (3)
a light spring OB which makes an angle  A. M=m M=m M << m
with the vertical as shown. B. M=m M << m M >> m
C. M=m M >> m M << m
D. M << m M >> m M << m
B

3. The figure shows the barrel of a gun that
aims directly at a point P 40 m from the
muzzle of the gun. The barrel makes an
angle  with the vertical.
O
II
A
I

If the thread is suddenly cut, what are the

direction and magnitude of the
acceleration of the object at that instant?

Direction Magnitude
A. I g sin  If the speed of the bullet is 50 ms -1 when it
B. I g tan  leaves the gun, calculate the separation
C. II g sin  between the bullet and point P when the
D. II g tan  bullet is vertically below P. (Neglect air
resistance.)

2. A. 3.2 m
m M B. 4.8 m
u C. 7.8 m
A B D. It cannot be found as the value of  is
not known.

Two spheres A and B of the same size, 4.

which have masses m and M respectively.
A moves horizontally with a speed u and
makes a head-on elastic collision with B,
which rests on a smooth horizontal surface
as shown. Referring to each of the
following descriptions about B, how is m
compared with M?
(1) B attains the greatest kinetic energy
after collision
(2) B attains the greatest magnitude of
momentum after collision
(3) B attains the greatest speed after
collision
0.5 m
v
ball
Suppose a looping the loop experiment is
performed on the moon, where the
gravitational field strength is 1.6 Nkg -1 on
its surface. If the radius of the circular
loop is 0.5 m, find the minimum speed v to
launch the ball at the lowest point of the
smooth track so that it can complete
looping without leaving the track.
 04 AL Physics/M.C./P.2

A. 0.9 ms-1
B. 1.8 ms-1
C. 2.0 ms-1 C.
D. 4.0 ms-1
F

5. (1) (2)

0 x

D.
F
2m

m
Figure (1) shows a block of mass m
suspended by a light spring. The
extension of the spring is e. The spring is
then cut into two identical parts and 7.
connected in parallel as shown in Figure
(2). If a block of mass 2m is suspended by
this set-up as shown, what is the extension
of each spring?
A. 2e
B. e
e D.
C.
2
e 8.
D.
4 whether the ring of Saturn is a rigid body
6. An object vibrates with simple harmonic
motion. Which of the following graphs
describes correctly the variation of the
resultant force F acting on the object with
the displacement x?
0 x
A planet has a diameter 2 times that of the
earth and a mass 3 times that of the earth.
What is the approximate gravitational field
strength, in Nkg-1, on the planet’s surface?
A. 7.5
B. 10
C. 15
30
Long ago, astronomers wanted to find out
or a group of satellites revolving around
Saturn. The linear speeds v of different
layers of the ring were measured and how
v varies with the distance r from the centre
of Saturn was determined. Which of the
following relations between v and r
supports the suggestion that

A. (1) the ring is a rigid body,

F (2) the ring is a group of satellites
revolving around Saturn ?

(1) (2)
1
0 x A. vr v
r
1
B. vr v
r
B. 1
C. v r v
F r
1
D. v r v
r

0 x
 04 AL Physics/M.C./P.3

9. 11. A Young's double-slit experiment was

displacement
performed using a monochromatic light
source. Which of the following methods
would result in a greater fringe separation
P on the screen?

(1) Using a monochromatic light source

0 of longer wavelength
time
(2) Using a double slit with greater slit
Q
separation
(3) Using a double slit with larger slit
width
Two waves P and Q of equal amplitude
and frequency arrive at the same point X. A. (1) only
The figure shows the displacement-time B. (1) and (2) only
graphs of waves P and Q at point X. What C. (2) and (3) only
is the phase difference between the D. (1), (2) and (3)
resultant wave and wave P at point X?

A. 30 12. In the figure, P and Q are two

B. 45 monochromatic light rays. One is red and
C. 60 one is blue. They are parallel to the
D. 90 principal axis of the glass lens L before
being refracted by the lens.

L
10. (1)
P
Q

(2)

Which of the following deductions are

correct?
P Q R
(1) P is the red light ray.
(2) L is a concave lens.
Figure (1) shows two transverse pulses (3) Q travels faster than P in the lens.
travelling towards each other along a
stretched string. They are identical and A. (1) and (3) only
symmetric in shape but one is inverted. At B. (1) and (2) only
the moment when the pulses overlap, the C. (2) and (3) only
string becomes straight as shown in Figure D. (1), (2) and (3)
(2). P, Q and R are points on the string
situated symmetrically within the
overlapping part. At the instant when the
string is straight, which of the following
statements about the string’s motion at P,
Q and R is correct?

A. P, Q and R are moving.

B. P, Q and R are at rest.
C. Only Q is moving.
D. Only Q is at rest.
 04 AL Physics/M.C./P.4

13. A vibrating tuning fork is held near the and B, threads AO and BO make 30 and
mouth of a glass tube as shown. 60 respectively with the vertical as
shown. Find the ratio mA: mB.

A. 3 :1
B. 2 : 3
C. 2 : 1
D. It cannot be found as the charge on
each particle is not known.

Which of the following deductions is 16.

INCORRECT if resonance of the air
column is observed?
A. The observed loudness is greater than
just with the fork alone.
B. There is a longitudinal stationary
wave set up inside the tube.
C. There is a pressure antinode at the
closed end of the tube.
D. The fundamental frequency of the air
column in the tube must be equal to
the frequency of the tuning fork.
+Q
A C B
In the above figure, a point charge +Q is
placed at A. The resulting electric
potential at B is V. If a point charge -2Q is
now placed at C, the mid-point between A
and B, what is the electric potential at B
produced by both point charges? (Assume
that the electric potential at infinity is
zero.)

A. -4V
14. Given: B. -3V
Atmospheric pressure near the earth’s C. -2V
surface = 100 kPa D. 0
Density of air near the earth's surface =
1.3 kg m-3
Radius of the earth = 6 400 km 17.

Which of the following is the best estimate B’

for the total mass of the earth’s B
atmosphere? P
A
A. 5  1012 kg
B. 5  1015 kg
C. 5  1018 kg A parallel-plate capacitor with plates A
D. 5  1021 kg and B is connected to a battery as shown.
Plate A is earthed. P is a point between
the plates. If plate B is shifted upwards
15. slightly to position B’ while the capacitor
O remains connected to the battery, what
would happen to each of the following
physical quantities?
60
E : the electric field strength at P
30
B V : the electric potential at P
W : the energy stored in the capacitor
A
E V W
A. decrease increase decrease
Two positively charged particles A and B B. decrease decrease decrease
of masses mA and mB respectively are C. remain unchanged decrease decrease
suspended by two insulating threads of the D. remain unchanged increase increase
same length from O. Due to the
electrostatic repulsive forces between A
 04 AL Physics/M.C./P.5

18. A positively charged particle is projected C.

with a certain initial velocity into the
electric field due to a charge fixed at O. A
Part of its trajectory (curve AB) is
sketched as shown. Which of the
following deductions is correct?
V
A

O
D.

B
A
A. The trajectory must be a part of an
ellipse.
B. The acceleration of the particle at B is V
greater than that at A.
C. The kinetic energy of the particle at B
is greater than that at A.
D. The electrical potential energy of the
particle at B is greater than that at A.
20.

19. The resistance of a reverse-biased diode is B R C

to be determined by the ammeter-
voltmeter method using moving-coil 1 k R
meters. Which of the following circuits is
correctly connected? S
A D
A.
In the above network of resistors, the
A resistance of S is infinitely large and the
two resistors R are identical. If the
equivalent resistance across CD is 2.5 k,
V what is the equivalent resistance across
AC?

A. 2.5 k
B. 3.5 k
C. 5.0 k
B. D. infinitely large

A
21.

The graph shows the I-V characteristic of

 04 AL Physics/M.C./P.6

two light bulbs X and Y, which are marked wire, the charge on sphere A will
respectively as ‘200 V, 100 W’ and ‘200 decrease.
V, 60 W’. If X and Y are connected in
series to a 200 V mains supply, what is the
approximate power dissipated in each 25. Two circuits, (1) and (2), each connects
bulb? two identical capacitors with a d.c. supply
of e.m.f. E and two identical resistors as
X Y shown.
A. 12 W 36 W
B. 15 W 25 W (1)
C. 40 W 20 W
D. 50 W 30 W C C

22. R R
6 V, 2  E
R

(2)
S
R R
6
In the above circuit the battery has an C C
e.m.f. of 6 V and internal resistance 2 .
S is a standard load resistor of 6  and R E
is a rheostat. What will the setting of R be
if the power delivered by the battery to the
load resistor S is at a maximum?
Find the ratio of the total electrical energy
A. 0 stored in the capacitors in circuit (1) to
B. 2 that in circuit (2) when a steady state is
C. 4 reached.
D. 6
A. 2:1
B. 1:2
23. A basic meter of 100 A full-scale C. 4:1
D. 1:4
deflection and 1 k internal resistance is
converted into a d.c. voltmeter of 5 V full-
scale deflection. What is the internal
26. The Hall effect
resistance of this voltmeter?
(1) provides evidence that the charge
A. 100 k
carriers in metals are negatively
B. 50 k charged.
C. 25 k (2) can be used to determine the density
D. 5k of free electrons in a metal.
(3) can be used to determine the flux
density of the magnetic field due to an
24. Two isolated metal spheres, A and B, each a.c. only.
has a net charge +Q distributed uniformly
over its surface. The radius of sphere A is Which of the above statements are
smaller than that of sphere B. Which of correct?
the following statements is INCORRECT?
A. (1) and (3) only
A. Sphere A is at a higher potential. B. (1) and (2) only
B. Sphere B has a larger capacitance. C. (2) and (3) only
C. Sphere B stores more electrical D. (1), (2) and (3)
energy.
D. If spheres A and B are connected by a 27. For the relation
 04 AL Physics/M.C./P.7

secondary voltage 29. Three long, parallel, straight current-

primary voltage carrying wires P, Q and R are placed in
the same plane in air as shown.
no. of turns in the secondary
= 1A
no. of turns in the primary
P
to hold for a transformer, which of the
d 2A
following conditions are necessary?
Q
(1) The flux leakage of the iron core is d 2A
negligible. R
(2) The energy loss in the primary coil is
negligible. If F is the force per unit length between
(3) The secondary coil is on open circuit. two long, parallel, straight wires, placed a
distance d apart and each carrying a
A. (1) and (3) only current of 1 A, what is the net force per
B. (1) and (2) only unit length acting on the wire R shown?
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3) A. 0
B. F
C. 2F
28. The figure shows a secondary coil placed D. 3F
at one end of a solenoid, which is
connected to an a.c. source. The changing
magnetic flux in the solenoid induces an 30.
alternating voltage in the secondary coil,
which is connected to a CRO.

L C R

In the above LCR series circuit, L is a pure

inductor. Which of the following
statements is INCORRECT?

A. Energy is dissipated in resistor R but

Which of the following changes will NOT
not in C or L.
affect the amplitude of the induced voltage
B. Electrical energy is transferred
in the secondary coil?
between C and L.
C. The impedance of the circuit depends
A. Increasing the frequency of the a.c. in
on the frequency of the a.c. supply.
the solenoid
B. Increasing the number of turns on the D. The current through C is 180 out of
secondary coil phase with that through L.
C. Placing the secondary coil in the
middle of solenoid, without changing
its orientation 31.
D. Replacing the solenoid with one of I/A
greater cross-sectional area while
2
keeping the same current

0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 t/s

The figure shows how a half-wave

rectified sinusoidal a.c. flowing through a
resistor varies with time. What is the
value of a steady d.c. that gives the same
heating effect as the rectified a.c.?
 04 AL Physics/M.C./P.8

1
A. A
2
35. The annual world fuel consumption C
1
B. A increases every year. It is asserted that C
2 has increased exponentially in the past
C. 1A twenty years (i.e. C = C0ekt where k is a
D. 2 A positive constant and t is the time). Which
of the following mathematical procedures
are suitable for testing this assertion?
32. A beam of blue light fal1s on the cathode
of a photocel1 so that electrons are (1) Plot a graph of log C against time and
emitted. The blue beam is then replaced see whether it is a straight line.
by a yel1ow one with the same intensity (2) Plot a graph of C against time and see
and electrons are also emitted. What whether it takes the same period of
would happen to each of the fol1owing time for the value of C at any time to
physical quantities when the blue beam is double.
replaced by the yel1ow beam? (3) Calculate a series of values of
C for a certain year
and
K : the maximum kinetic energy of the C for the previous year
electrons emitted see whether they are the same.
I : the magnitude of the photoelectric
current A. (1) and (3) only
B. (1) and (2) only
K I C. (2) and (3) only
A. increase remain unchanged D. (1), (2) and (3)
B. decrease remain unchanged
C. decrease increase
D. decrease decrease 36. In which of the following graphs does the
shaded area represent an amount of
energy?
33. The ionization energy for a hydrogen atom
in ground state is 13.6 eV. If the atom is (1)
in the first excited state, the energy for
ionizing it should be V

A. 3.4 eV.
B. 4.5 eV.
C. 6.8 eV.
D. 10.2 eV.
0 Q

34. Which of the following descriptions about Q = charge on a capacitor

spectra is/are correct? V = p.d. between plates

(1) The emission spectrum from a very (2)

hot liquid is continuous. F
(2) The dark lines in the solar spectrum
illustrate that the elements
corresponding to these dark lines are
absent from the sun.
(3) The dark lines in the solar spectrum
are due to the solar radiation being
absorbed by the elements in the 0 e
earth's atmosphere corresponding to e = extension of a wire
these dark lines. F = force causing the extension

A. (1) only
B. (3) only
C. (1) and (2) only
D. (2) and (3) only
 04 AL Physics/M.C./P.9

(3) A. (1) and (3) only

B. (1) and (2) only
p C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3)

39.

0
1 k
V = volume occupied by a gas RB
p = pressure exerted by the gas 6V
C

A. (1) only B
B. (3) only E
C. (1) and (2) only
D. (2) and (3) only

37. An ideal gas of volume V and pressure p The figure shows a transistor in a simple
undergoes a change from state X to state Z voltage-amplifier circuit operating
via state Y along the path as shown in the satisfactorily such that the quiescent
p-V plot. collector-emitter voltage is half the
voltage of the battery connected. The
p base-emitter junction voltage VBE is +0.6
V and the transistor d.c. current gain is 50.
X Find the resistance value of the base-bias
resistor RB if the load is 1 k.
Y
A. 45 k
Z
B. 50 k
C. 90 k
0 V
D. 100 k
Which of the following descriptions about
the gas at X, Y and Z is correct? 40.
R2
A. The gas is at its coolest at X and is at
its hottest at Y. R1
_ +9V
B. The gas is at its coolest at X and is at
its hottest at Z. +
C. The gas is at its coolest at Y and is at -9V
its hottest at X. V0
D. The gas has the same degree of
hotness at X, Y and Z.

The above circuit is used to generate

38. The advantages of having negative square waves from sinusoidal waves. The
feedback in a voltage amplifier are that it amplitude of the a.c. input voltage is 3 V.
Which values for resistors R1 and R2 will
(1) produces a voltage gain which is produce the best square wave output?
independent of the characteristics of
the amplifier. R1/k R2/k
(2) increases the range of frequency over A. 1 2
which the gain is constant. B. 1 10
(3) ensures that the waveform of the C. 2 1
output voltage matches the shape of D. 10 1
the waveform of the input voltage.
 04 AL Physics/M.C./P.10

41. Which of the following relations about 44. The following nuclear reaction represents
units is/are correct? the two deuterons, 21 H , which combine
3
(1) 1 F = 1 s-1 to form a helium isotope, 2 He , with the
(2) 1 H = 1 s release of energy.
(3) 1 Wb = 1 Vs-1
2 21 H  23 He  X  energy
A. (1) only
B. (1) and (2) only
Which of the following statements are
C. (2) and (3) only
correct?
D. (1), (2) and (3)
(1) This is an example of nuclear fusion.
42. The activity of a freshly prepared sample (2) The total mass of 23 He and X is
of 60Co is 1.0  106 Bq. The half-life of 2
60
greater than that of the two 1H .
Co is 5.3 years. Estimate the number of
60 (3) X is a neutron.
Co nuclei in the sample that decay in the
first day.
A. (1) and (3) only
B. (1) and (2) only
A. 5.2  102
C. (2) and (3) only
B. 3.2  108 D. (1), (2) and (3)
C. 8.6  1010
D. It cannot be estimated as the initial
number of nuclei in the sample is not 45. In which of the following would the
given. application of the measuring instrument
affect the physical quantity being
43. A -source is placed in front of a GM tube measured?
connected to a counter. The corrected
count rate recorded is NOT equal to the (1) Using a moving-coil voltmeter to
activity of the source because measure the voltage across a resistor
in a circuit
(1) most -particles cannot pass through (2) Using a mercury-in-glass
the mica end-window of the GM tube. thermometer to measure the
(2) not all the -particles are emitted in temperature of a beaker of hot water
the direction of the GM tube. (3) Using a spring balance to measure the
(3) -particles arriving within the dead weight of an object
time of the GM tube cannot be
resolved. A. (1) only
B. (3) only
A. (1) and (3) only C. (1) and (2) only
B. (1) and (2) only D. (2) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3)

- End of Paper -
 04 AL Physics/M.C./P.11

Question No. Key Question No. Key

1. D (34) 26. B (60)

2. C (40) 27. D (21)
3. A (24) 28. D (35)
4. C (42) 29. D (53)
5. C (21) 30. D (44)

6. B (80) 31. C (28)

7. A (82) 32. C (35)
8. B (46) 33. A (48)
9. B (68) 34. A (31)
10. D (31) 35. D (22)

11. A (78) 36. C (71)

12. B (40) 37. A (43)
13. D (39) 38. B (41)
14. C (40) 39. C (56)
15. A (62) 40. B (55)

16. B (76) 41. B (38)

17. B (49) 42. C (25)
18. D (33) 43. C (65)
19. D (34) 44. A (74)
20. B (57) 45. C (36)

21. A (9)
22. A (57)
23. B (80)
24. C (57)
25. D (61)