AQA GCSE Synergy Paper 4: Physical sciences Higher November 2021 question paper 8465/4H

Figure 1 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 2 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 1 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 2 shows the student’s results.

Describe improvements the student could make to the method.

Use information from:

Heating homes and businesses using natural gas produces a third of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions.

Give one energy resource that produces carbon dioxide when burnt.

Do not refer to natural gas.

Hydrogen can be burned to power cars.

Hydrogen can be extracted from seawater.

Burning 1 kg of hydrogen releases 142 MJ of energy.

Burning 1 kg of petrol releases 45 MJ of energy.

Give two advantages of using hydrogen to power cars compared with using petrol.

Scientists are investigating whether appliances that usually only burn natural gas can burn a mixture of hydrogen gas and natural gas.

Give three environmental benefits of burning a mixture of hydrogen gas and natural gas compared to just burning natural gas.

All gas appliances in the UK bought since 1996 can burn a mixture of 23% hydrogen gas and 77% natural gas.

Explain a possible problem of changing the UK gas supply to this mixture of hydrogen gas and natural gas.

A student investigated the rate of the reaction between sodium thiosulfate solution and hydrochloric acid.

The equation for the reaction is:

Sulfur dioxide causes respiratory problems.

Suggest one precaution to reduce the risk of respiratory problems for the student.

This is the method used.

1. Add 50 cm³ of sodium thiosulfate solution to a conical flask.

2. Put the conical flask on a piece of paper marked with a cross.

3. Add 5 cm³ of hydrochloric acid and start timing with a stopclock.

4. Swirl the conical flask.

5. Stop the stopclock when the cross is no longer visible.

6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 for different concentrations of sodium thiosulfate solution.

Figure 3 shows the apparatus used.

Explain why the cross is no longer visible.

Use the equation for the reaction to help you.

Suggest one change to the method that would improve the accuracy of the results.

Give one reason why the change would improve the accuracy.

Table 3 shows the results.

Plot the data from Table 3 on Figure 4.

Draw a line of best fit.

Predict the time taken for the cross to be no longer visible for a 48 g/dm³ sodium thiosulfate solution.

Use Figure 4.

Give one conclusion about the effect of changing the concentration of sodium thiosulfate solution on the rate of reaction.

Figure 5 shows a cyclist on a straight, level road.

The cyclist’s initial speed is zero.

The cyclist pushes on the pedals so that there is a constant forward force on the bike.

The force of air resistance increases as speed increases.

Explain why the speed of the cyclist reaches a maximum value.

The cyclist accelerates from 1.0 m/s to 5.0 m/s with an acceleration of 1.6 m/s².

Calculate the distance travelled during this acceleration.

In 2019 a cyclist broke a land speed record by cycling at a speed of 296 km/h.

Calculate the speed of the cyclist in m/s.

Figure 6 shows a wind turbine.

An alternating potential difference is produced when the wind turbine spins.

What is meant by ‘alternating potential difference’?

Figure 7 shows how the power output of a wind turbine varies with the length of the wind turbine blades when the wind speed is 20 m/s.

It is more economical to construct and use one wind turbine with 40-metre blades than two wind turbines with 20-metre blades.

Explain why.

Use information from Figure 7.

Predict the power output of a wind turbine with a blade length of 50 metres.

Tick (✓) one box.

10 000 kW

12 000 kW

14 000 kW

15 000 kW

The kinetic energy of the air passing the wind turbine blades each second is 73.9 MJ.

The mass of air passing the wind turbine blades each second is 236 000 kg.

Calculate the speed of the air passing the wind turbine.

Copper oxide reacts with sulfuric acid to produce copper sulfate.

What type of substance is copper oxide?

Tick (✓) one box.

Acid

Alkali

Base

Salt

A student produced a pure, dry sample of copper sulfate crystals.

This is the first part of the method.

1. Measure 100 cm³ of sulfuric acid into a beaker.

2. Gently warm the sulfuric acid.

3. Add 1.0 g of copper oxide powder to the sulfuric acid.

4. Stir the mixture.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the copper oxide is in excess.

6. Filter the mixture.

Describe the additional steps needed to produce a pure, dry sample of copper sulfate crystals.

The student added excess copper oxide.

Describe the steps that the student could include in the method to find the mass of copper oxide that reacted.

The student found that 2.4 g of copper oxide had reacted.

Copper oxide (CuO) is an ionic compound.

Calculate the total number of ions in 2.4 g of copper oxide.

Relative atomic masses (A_r): Cu = 63.5 O = 16

The Avogadro constant = 6.02 × 10²³ per mole

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

Figure 8 shows a person ten-pin bowling.

The person applied a mean force of 198 N to the ball for a time of 0.25 s.

The mass of the ball was 5.5 kg.

Calculate the velocity of the ball just after leaving the person’s hand.

The collision of the ball with the pins is an example of the conservation of momentum.

Explain how.

Figure 9 shows a simple motor.

The force on the side of the coil of wire labelled AB is 0.102 N.

The current in the motor is 6.00 A.

The length of the side of the coil labelled AB in the magnetic field is 85.0 cm.

Calculate the magnetic flux density of the magnetic field between the magnets.

Give the unit.

The direction of the force on the side of the coil of wire AB changes as the coil rotates.

Explain why.

Explain what would happen to the coil if the commutator is removed and the coil is connected directly to the wires of the circuit.