OCR GCSE Physics A (Gateway) Paper 3 Higher June 2024 question paper J249/03

A molecule is made up of 10 atoms in a row.

Which measurement is a typical size for this molecule ?

1 × 10^–15 m A

1 × 10^–13 m B

1 × 10^–11 m C

1 × 10^–9 m D

A student holds a bar magnet above a paperclip. The paperclip is attracted to the bar magnet.

Which row of the table correctly describes the bar magnet and paperclip?

A student makes a circuit using five identical lamps.

A current of 5 A is measured at point P.

At which other point in the circuit is the current 5 A?

A Point Q

B Point R

C Point S

D Point T

The arrows on these scale diagrams represent forces acting on an elastic band.

In which diagram will the elastic band stretch?

Which sentence about an atom is correct?

A Most of the mass is in the nucleus.

B The nuclear radius is much larger than the rest of the atom.

C The nucleus has a neutral charge.

D The nucleus is surrounded by positively charged electrons.

An object moves in a circular path at a constant speed.

Which description is correct?

A All of the forces acting on the object are balanced.

B The object moves with a constant velocity.

C The resultant force acts away from the centre of the circle.

D The resultant force acts towards the centre of the circle.

The arrows on these scale diagrams represent forces.

Which diagram shows the largest net force?

Ice at 0 °C is heated until it turns into water at 25 °C. The mass of the ice is known.

Which extra information is needed to calculate the energy required for this change?

Use the Equation Sheet.

A Specific heat capacity of water and specific latent heat of fusion of ice

B Specific heat capacity of water and specific latent heat of vaporisation of water

C Specific heat capacity of water only

D Specific latent heat of fusion of ice and specific latent heat of vaporisation of water

In which circuit will both lamps light up?

Which devices convert current variations in electrical circuits into pressure variations in sound waves?

A Loudspeakers and headphones

B Loudspeakers and microphones

C Microphones and headphones

D Microphones only

A large rock on the dwarf planet Pluto has a mass of 200 kg and a weight of 124 N.

What is the gravitational field strength on Pluto?

Use the Equation Sheet.

A 0.62 N / kg

B 1.61 N / kg

C 76 N / kg

D 24 800 N / kg

Which statement describes a simple model of the Earth’s atmosphere?

A It covers the Earth to a height of about 700 km and is of uniform density.

B It covers the Earth to a height of about 700 km and its density increases as the distance from the Earth increases.

C It covers the Earth to a height of about 700 m and is of uniform density.

D It covers the Earth to a height of about 700 m and its density increases as the distance from the Earth increases.

Which change of state releases energy?

A Condensing

B Evaporating

C Melting

D Sublimating

A train accelerates from 20 m / s to 40 m / s in a distance of 1200 m.

What is the acceleration of the train?

Use the Equation Sheet.

0.17 m / s² A

0.50 m / s² B

0.67 m / s² C

1.0 m / s² D

Water has a density of 1000 kg / m³. 15

Water of volume 1 m³ is frozen. The volume of the ice formed is 1.09 m³.

What is the density of the ice?

Use the Equation Sheet.

0.917 kg / m³ A

1.09 kg / m³ B

917 kg / m³ C

1090 kg / m³ D

Fig. 16.1 shows a (dipping) compass used in schools.

It is currently showing the reading for the UK.

Fig. 16.1

Describe how the position of the needle changes if the compass is moved from the equator to the poles of the Earth.

What does your answer to (a)(i) suggest about the Earth’s core?

Fig. 16.2 shows the equipment a teacher sets up to demonstrate using a plotting compass to investigate the magnetic field around a current-carrying wire.

Fig. 16.2

Describe how the teacher uses this equipment to show the shape of the magnetic field around the current-carrying wire.

On Fig. 16.3 sketch the magnetic field around the current carrying wire.

Fig. 16.3

An engineer investigates the properties of a spring.

This is their method:

• Carefully add different loads to the spring.

• Measure the extension of the spring for each load.

• Repeat the experiment three times for each load.

The table shows the engineer’s results.

Calculate the missing value of the mean extension for a load of 100 N to a suitable degree of accuracy.

Plot the missing value on the graph for a load of 100 N.

Draw a line of best fit.

Calculate the gradient of the graph. Show your workings on the graph.

Gradient =........ N / cm

Use your answer to (a)(iii) to determine the spring constant for the spring.

Spring constant =........ N / cm

When the engineer repeats the experiment, they use the same method and the same equipment.

The engineer says the results show that the experiment is reproducible.

Suggest two reasons why the engineer is incorrect.

Identify one possible hazard for this experiment and the precaution the engineer should take.

Hazard........

Precaution........

This question is about electricity.

The diagrams show the electric fields between different charges. The charges are the same distance apart in both electric fields.

Electric field A Electric field B

An identical charged particle is placed in each electric field.

Explain in which electric field, A or B, the particle experiences the strongest force.

Which conditions are needed for charge to flow?

Tick (✓) two boxes.

A student has written two sentences about the resistance of different electrical components.

The student has made two mistakes about the components.

Identify the mistakes and write the correct word or words to replace each of them.

Correct word(s) 1........

Correct word(s) 2........

Calculate the current in a 180 W resistor when the potential difference across the resistor is 12 V.

Use the equation: power = potential difference × current

Calculate the energy transferred when 20 C of charge moves through a potential difference of 12 V.

Use the equation sheet.

A teacher connects a sealed syringe of gas with a moveable piston to a pressure gauge as shown in Fig. 20.1.

Fig. 20.1

State one way the teacher can increase the reading on the pressure gauge.

The teacher also has a gas enclosed in a container as shown in Fig. 20.2.

Fig. 20.2

The teacher slowly moves the piston outwards until the gas has twice its original volume. The temperature of the gas is kept constant.

Explain how and why the pressure in the container changes.

When the volume of a gas is 2.4 × 10^–4 m³, the pressure is 2.5 × 10⁴ Pa. (ii)

Calculate the volume when the pressure is 1.5 × 10⁵ Pa.

Use the Equation Sheet.

Explain why a bicycle pump gets warmer when it is used to inflate a tyre.

A student investigates floating and sinking.

The student draws a bar chart to show the densities of five objects, A, B, C, D and E.

The student places the five objects into an unknown liquid and observes if each object floats or sinks.

• Objects A and C float.

• Objects B, D and E sink.

Explain why some objects float and some objects sink in a liquid.

Use the bar chart to estimate the density of the liquid used.

Density =........ kg / m³

The student uses the internet to research the densities of five different liquids.

In which liquid would all five of the objects A, B, C, D and E float?

A swimmer in a pool dives from a depth of 0.5 m to a depth of 2.0 m.

Calculate the change in pressure the swimmer experiences.

Use the Equation Sheet.

Gravitational field strength = 10 N / kg

Density of water = 1000 kg / m³

Fig. 22.1 shows a diagram of a simple electric motor.

Fig. 22.1

Explain why the coil rotates when a current passes through it.

Fig. 22.2 shows a diagram of a dynamo and Fig. 22.3 shows a diagram of an alternator.

Describe two similarities and two differences between how these devices work.

Fig. 22.2
Fig. 22.3

Similarities

Differences

Suggest one way to increase the output of these devices.

A conductor in a magnetic field of magnetic flux density 1.5 T experiences a force of 0.81 N.

The current in the conductor is 1.2 A.

Calculate the length of the conductor.

Use the Equation Sheet.

A badminton player investigates how the velocity of a shuttlecock varies as it falls vertically to the ground.

The player drops the shuttlecock and records the velocity of the shuttlecock as it falls.

A shuttlecock

The graph shows their results.

Explain why the shuttlecock reaches a maximum velocity.

The gradient of a tangent drawn to the curved line of the graph gives the acceleration of the shuttlecock at that time.

Draw a tangent to the curved line at 1.0 s.

Use this tangent to find the acceleration of the shuttlecock at 1.0 s.

Acceleration =........ m / s²

Use the graph to find the approximate distance travelled by the shuttlecock during the 2.5 s of the experiment.