AQA GCSE Synergy Paper 4: Physical sciences Foundation November 2021 question paper 8465/4F

Energy resources are renewable or non-renewable.

Which two energy resources are non-renewable?

Tick (✓) two boxes.

Coal

Nuclear

Tidal

Wave

Wind

Why has the electricity demand per person in the UK decreased over the past five years?

Tick (✓) one box.

Energy-efficient appliances are being bought.

Power stations are generating more electricity.

The number of electric cars in the UK has increased.

Which energy resource releases carbon dioxide when burnt?

Tick (✓) one box.

Crude oil

Hydroelectric

Solar

Uranium

Some heating appliances burn natural gas.

Burning natural gas produces a third of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions.

Scientists are investigating whether these heating appliances can burn a mixture of hydrogen gas and natural gas.

In a 2.0 kg mixture of hydrogen gas and natural gas there is 0.4 kg of hydrogen gas.

Calculate the percentage by mass of hydrogen gas in this mixture.

Burning a mixture of hydrogen gas and natural gas releases less carbon dioxide compared with burning only natural gas.

Explain one advantage of releasing less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Ten-pin bowling is a game where a ball is rolled along the floor to knock over some wooden pins.

Figure 1 shows a person ten-pin bowling.

The speed of the ball was 8.0 m/s just after leaving the person’s hand.

The mass of the ball was 5.5 kg.

Calculate the kinetic energy of the ball.

Use the equation:

kinetic energy = 0.5 × mass × (speed)²

When the ball collides with the pins, energy is conserved.

What is meant by ‘conservation of energy’ when the ball collides with the pins?

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The gravitational potential energy of the pins is the same before and after the collision.

The kinetic energy of the ball is the same before and after the collision.

The total energy of the ball and pins is the same before and after the collision.

A machine returns the ball to the person.

The machine takes 25.0 s to return the ball to the person.

The useful power output of the machine is 660 W.

Calculate the work done by the machine in returning the ball to the person.

Use the equation:

work done = power × time

The machine has an efficiency of 0.60

The useful power output of the machine is 660 W.

Calculate the total power input to the machine.

Use the equation:

The machine has several moving parts.

What is the name of the force caused by the moving parts rubbing together?

What happens to the wasted energy from the machine?

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The wasted energy cools the surroundings.

The wasted energy heats the surroundings.

The wasted energy is destroyed.

This question is about the reaction between hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide solution.

A student investigated the effect of changing the volume of sodium hydroxide solution on the temperature change during the reaction.

This is the method used.

1. Measure 30 cm³ of hydrochloric acid into a polystyrene cup.

2. Measure the temperature of the hydrochloric acid.

3. Add 5 cm³ of sodium hydroxide solution.

4. Stir the mixture.

5. Measure the highest temperature the mixture reaches.

6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 three more times and calculate the mean temperature change.

7. Repeat steps 1 to 6 with different volumes of sodium hydroxide solution.

What two pieces of equipment should be used in this investigation?

Tick (✓) two boxes.

Balance

Measuring cylinder

Ruler

Stopclock

Thermometer

Table 1 shows the results for one volume of sodium hydroxide solution.

Calculate value X in Table 1.

Which type of error is reduced by repeating the tests and calculating the mean?

Tick (✓) one box.

Random

Systematic

Zero

A different student did the same investigation.

Figure 2 shows the results.

What was the mean temperature change when the volume of sodium hydroxide solution was 15 cm³?

Use Figure 2.

Give one conclusion from the results in Figure 2.

The reaction between hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide is exothermic.

Exothermic reactions give out energy.

Which reaction profile shows an exothermic reaction?

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Calculate the relative formula mass (M_r) of sodium hydroxide (NaOH).

Relative atomic masses (A_r): Na = 23 O = 16 H = 1

This question is about electrolysis.

A student investigated the electrolysis of aqueous solutions using inert electrodes.

Figure 3 shows the apparatus used.

The electrodes are made of graphite.

Which element is graphite a form of?

Tick (✓) one box.

Aluminium

Carbon

Copper

Silicon

The electrodes are inert.

What does ‘inert’ mean?

What is meant by an ‘aqueous solution’?

The student electrolysed four aqueous solutions.

Table 2 shows some of the results.

Complete Table 2.

Choose answers from the box.

What would you use to test for chlorine gas?

Tick (✓) one box.

A burning splint

A glowing splint

Damp litmus paper

Figure 4 shows a student holding a magnet near another magnet.

Which of the following describes the force between the two magnets?

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An electrostatic force

A frictional force

A non-contact force

Figure 5 shows three metal bars, 1, 2 and 3.

Two of the bars are permanent magnets and the other bar is made of iron.

The student recorded whether the bars were attracted or repelled when different ends were placed near to each other.

Which metal bars are magnets?

Tick (✓) one box.

Bars 1 and 2

Bars 2 and 3

Bars 3 and 1

Give a reason for your answer.

When there is a current in a wire there is a magnetic field around the wire.

Which diagram shows the magnetic field around the wire?

Tick (✓) one box.

Figure 6 shows the equipment a student used to investigate the strength of an electromagnet.

This is the method used.

1. Wrap insulated wire around an iron bar.

2. Connect the wire to a battery to make an electromagnet.

3. Hold paperclips near to the bottom of the electromagnet.

4. Count the number of paper clips the electromagnet picks up.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for different values of current.

Give one way the size of the current in the circuit in Figure 6 can be changed.

Figure 7 shows the results.

Draw a line of best fit on Figure 7.

The student used an interval of 2 A for current in the investigation.

Explain why the student should have used a smaller interval for current.

Figure 8 shows an electromagnet being used to separate metals to be recycled.

Explain the advantage of using an electromagnet instead of a permanent magnet.

This question is about magnesium oxide.

What type of substance is magnesium oxide?

Tick (✓) one box.

Compound

Element

Mixture

Magnesium reacts with oxygen to produce magnesium oxide.

Balance the equation for the reaction.

What does the state symbol ‘(s)’ represent?

A student reacted magnesium with oxygen.

Figure 9 shows the apparatus used.

Figure 9

This is the method used.

1. Measure the mass of the empty crucible and lid.

2. Put magnesium into the crucible.

3. Measure the mass of the crucible, lid and magnesium.

4. Heat the crucible strongly.

5. Lift the lid occasionally.

6. Heat until the magnesium stops glowing.

7. Measure the mass of the crucible, lid and magnesium oxide.

Give one safety precaution the student should use.

The magnesium reacted with oxygen.

Suggest where the oxygen comes from.

The student lifted the lid several times.

Why did lifting the lid allow the magnesium to react completely?

Table 3 shows the results.

Calculate the mass of magnesium put into the crucible.

Use Table 3.

Calculate the mass of oxygen that reacted with the magnesium.

Use Table 3.

Figure 10 shows a cyclist on a straight, level road.

At one point in the journey the cyclist’s velocity changed from 5.0 m/s to 9.0 m/s in a time of 2.5 s.

Calculate the acceleration of the cyclist.

Use the equation:

Choose the unit from the box.

The maximum speed of the cyclist was 15 m/s.

The cyclist travelled at this speed for 60 s.

Calculate the distance travelled by the cyclist during this time.

Use the equation:

distance travelled = speed × time

The maximum speed of this cyclist is much higher than the typical mean speed of a cyclist.

What is the typical mean speed of a cyclist?

Tick (✓) one box.

1.5 m/s
3.0 m/s
6.0 m/s

Give two factors that would decrease the maximum speed of a cyclist on a journey.

At the end of the journey the cyclist decelerates from a speed of 15 m/s and stops.

The deceleration of the cyclist is 5 m/s².

Calculate the distance travelled while decelerating.

Use the Physics Equations Sheet.

Figure 11 shows a steam engine pulling a train.

One type of steam engine burns coal as the fuel source.

The energy from the coal is used to accelerate a train.

Describe how the energy stores of the coal and the train change as the train accelerates.

Which equation links energy (E), power (P) and time (t)?

Tick (✓) one box.

A steam engine has a power output of 8000 W.

Calculate the energy output of the steam engine in 3600 seconds.

In the 18th century the power output of steam engines was measured in a unit called ‘horsepower’.

Suggest why the unit of horsepower was used.

This question is about the reaction between copper carbonate and nitric acid.

Carbon dioxide is produced when copper carbonate reacts with nitric acid.

Give the test for carbon dioxide gas.

Give the result of the test if carbon dioxide is present.

The word equation for the reaction between copper carbonate and nitric acid is:

copper carbonate + nitric acid X + Y + carbon dioxide

Name the products X and Y.

A student investigated the rate of the reaction between copper carbonate and nitric acid.

Describe a method to show the effect of changing the temperature of the nitric acid on the rate of reaction.

Your method should include measuring the volume of carbon dioxide gas produced.

The student concluded that:

‘An increase in temperature increases the rate of reaction.’

The student’s conclusion was correct.

Explain why an increase in temperature increases the rate of reaction.

You should refer to particles and collisions in your answer.

Figure 12 shows the equipment a student used to investigate the effect of weight on the distance a box slides.

This is the method used.

1. Put a 1.0 N weight in the box.

2. Pull the box backwards until it reaches the start line, extending the rubber band by 10 cm.

3. Release the box.

4. When the box stops moving, measure the distance the box has slid using the metre rule.

5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 using a weight of 2.0 N and then 3.0 N.

The extension of the rubber band was a control variable in the investigation.

Suggest one other control variable in the investigation.

Table 4 shows the results when the weight inside the box was 1.0 N.

What was the uncertainty in the distance measurements when the weight inside the box was 1.0 N?

Tick (✓) one box.

±0.1 cm
±0.4 cm
±0.8 cm
±1.0 cm

The rubber band was extended by 10 cm.

The rubber band behaves like a spring with a spring constant of 36 N/m.

Calculate the elastic potential energy stored by the rubber band.

Use the Physics Equations Sheet.

What is the maximum possible value for the kinetic energy of the box?

Table 5 shows the student’s results.

Describe improvements the student could make to the method.

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