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Physics · Edexcel 4PH1 · Physics Paper 1 · regional · January 2021

Edexcel IGCSE Physics Physics Paper 1 January 2021 question paper 4PH1/1PR

2h 110 marks

Practise the past exam questions by topic

Edexcel 4PH1 · Paper 1P (R)

12 questions
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Question 1

(a)

The boxes give some situations and some energy stores.

Draw one straight line from each situation to the energy store that decreases for that situation.

The first one has been done for you.

Figure for question 1

(4)

(b)

Energy is transferred when a filament lamp is connected to a battery.

(b)(i)

Which method of energy transfer takes place between the battery and the lamp?

Question 1, shown as an image

(1)

(b)(ii)

Which method of energy transfer takes place between the lamp and the surroundings?

Question 1, shown as an image

(1)

Question 2

The diagram shows the apparatus used to demonstrate the existence of electromagnetic radiation just beyond the visible spectrum.

Electromagnetic radiation from the Sun passes through a slit and a prism.

The electromagnetic radiation refracts through the prism onto the screen.

Five thermometers are placed in front of the screen.

Figure for question 2
(a)

Complete the table to show the missing parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.

ThermometerPart of electromagnetic spectrum
P
Qred light
R
Sviolet light
T

(3)

(b)

Suggest why the lower part of each thermometer should be painted black.

(2)

(c)

The equipment is left for a short period of time.

The thermometers now show higher temperatures than before.

State the part of the electromagnetic spectrum in this demonstration that would give the largest temperature increase.

(1)

Question 3

The diagram shows two objects orbiting a star.

Figure for question 3
(a)

Object X has a circular orbit around the star.

State the type of object that has a circular orbit around a star.

(1)

(b)

Object Y has an elliptical orbit around the star.

State the type of object that has an elliptical orbit around a star.

(1)

(c)

Object X completes an orbit of the star in 35 days.

The radius of its orbit is 1.5 × 1011m.

Calculate the orbital speed of object X.

(3)

Question 4

The diagram shows apparatus used to investigate how the pressure of a gas varies with temperature.

Figure for question 4
(a)

The volume of the gas is kept constant by the flask.

The volume of the gas is a control variable.

State why it is important to keep a control variable constant throughout the investigation.

(1)

(b)

The pressure of the gas changes as its temperature increases.

The graph shows the results.

Figure for question 4

– 400 – 300 – 200 – 100 0 100 200

(b)(i)

Explain how these results show that there is a linear, but not proportional, relationship between the pressure of the gas and its temperature in °C.

(2)

(b)(ii)

Use the graph to determine the value for absolute zero.

(2)

(b)(iii)

Explain how the pressure of the gas changes as its temperature increases.

Include ideas about particles in your answer.

(3)

(c)

The pressure of the gas is 112 kPa when its temperature is 35 °C.

The gas is heated to 340 °C using some different apparatus.

(c)(i)

Calculate the pressure of the gas when its temperature is 340 °C.

Assume the gas has a constant volume.

(4)

(c)(ii)

The volume of the gas is constant in the investigation.

Give the name of the other quantity that must be constant for the calculation to be correct.

(1)

Question 5

A student does an investigation to show how the velocity of a toy car changes when the car rolls down a ramp onto a table and hits a wooden block.

The graph shows how the velocity of the toy car changes with time.

Figure for question 5
(a)

Calculate the distance travelled by the car during the first 0.4 seconds.

(4)

(b)(i)

Calculate the acceleration of the car between 0.40 s and 0.45 s.

acceleration =........ 2

(3)

(b)(ii)

State the formula linking resultant force, mass and acceleration.

(1)

(b)(iii)

The car has a mass of 0.13 kg.

Calculate the resultant force on the car as it slows down.

(2)

(c)

A piece of soft material is fixed to the front of the toy car.

Explain how this will affect the gradient of the velocity-time graph after the car hits the block.

(3)

Question 6

The diagram shows a ray of light travelling from air into glass.

Figure for question 6
(a)

Use a protractor to determine the angle of refraction.

angle of refraction =........ degrees

(1)

(b)

State the formula linking refractive index, angle of incidence and angle of refraction.

(1)

(c)

Calculate the refractive index of this glass.

(3)

Question 7

A glass contains fizzy water.

Bubbles of carbon dioxide form at the bottom of the glass and rise to the surface.

(a)

The graph shows the relationship between the volume of a bubble and the pressure of the gas in the bubble.

Figure for question 7
Question 7, shown as an image
(a)(i)

Describe the relationship shown by the graph.

(2)

(a)(ii)

State the formula linking pressure difference, height, gravitational field strength and density.

(1)

(a)(iii)

The depth of the fizzy water in the glass is 22 cm.

The density of the fizzy water is 1080 kg/m3.

Calculate the pressure difference at the bottom of the glass due to the fizzy water.

(2)

(a)(iv)

Calculate the pressure of the gas in the bubble when the bubble is at the bottom of the glass.

[atmospheric pressure = 101 000 Pa]

(1)

(a)(v)

When a bubble is at the top of the glass, the pressure of the gas in the bubble is equal to 101 000 Pa and the bubble has a volume of 0.084 cm3.

Calculate the volume of the gas in the bubble when the bubble is at the bottom of the glass.

Assume the temperature of the gas remains constant.

volume =........ 3

(3)

(b)

A force called upthrust acts vertically upwards on the bubble.

When the bubble is released, it accelerates vertically upwards.

Draw two labelled arrows on the diagram to show the forces on the bubble as it is released.

Figure for question 7

(3)

Question 9

The diagram shows two students holding a piece of string with a box attached.

The box has a buzzer inside and can move along the string.

Figure for question 9

The buzzer in the box emits a loud sound of constant frequency.

The box moves away from student A at a constant speed.

Explain why the sound heard by student A has a different frequency to the sound emitted by the buzzer.

(5)

Question 10

(a)

Uranium-235 captures a neutron and undergoes nuclear fission in a chain reaction.

The equation shows a possible nuclear fission reaction.

Question 10, shown as an image

Calculate x, the number of neutrons released by this fission reaction.

(2)

(b)

Describe what is meant by a chain reaction.

(3)

(c)

Iodine-129 is an isotope found in radioactive waste from nuclear power stations.

Iodine-129 has a half-life of approximately 15 million years.

A sample of iodine-129 has an activity of 72 kBq.

Show that the time required for the sample to have an activity less than 5 kBq is approximately 60 million years.

(3)

(d)

Some radioactive waste from nuclear power stations has a very long half-life.

Discuss precautions that must be taken when disposing of this radioactive waste.

(5)

Question 11

A student uses this apparatus to investigate the force needed to pull a block along a ramp.

Figure for question 11
Question 11, shown as an image
(a)(i)

State the formula linking work done, force and distance moved in the direction of the force.

(1)

(a)(ii)

The student pulls the block 0.89 m along the ramp with a force of 26 N.

Show that the work done on the block by the 26 N force is about 23 J.

(2)

(a)(iii)

The block has a mass of 1.3 kg and moves vertically upwards 0.11 m.

Calculate the increase in the gravitational potential energy (GPE) store of the block between the bottom and the top of the ramp.

(3)

(a)(iv)

Explain why the work done to move the block along the ramp is greater than the increase in the GPE store of the block.

(2)

(b)

The student suggests it is better to use a less steep ramp to raise the block through the same vertical height.

Discuss an advantage and a disadvantage of using a less steep ramp.

(4)

Question 12

The diagram shows some apparatus used to find the mass of an object.

The two pieces of metal foil act as a variable resistor.

When more mass is added, the elastic string stretches and the small piece of metal foil moves to the right.

Figure for question 12
(a)(i)

Draw the circuit diagram for this electrical circuit.

The variable resistor has been drawn for you.

Figure for question 12

(4)

(a)(ii)

Draw a voltmeter on the diagram to measure the voltage of the variable resistor.

(2)

(b)

Explain how the voltage across the variable resistor changes if more mass is added to the end of the elastic string.

(4)

(c)

The student extends the investigation by keeping the mass constant and replacing the cell with a variable power supply.

The student measures the current in the circuit for different voltages.

These are the results.

Voltage in VCurrent in mA
0.00.0
2.04.0
4.07.0
6.011.0
8.014.0
(c)(i)

State the independent variable in the student’s investigation.

(1)

(c)(ii)

Plot the student’s results on the grid.

(3)

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