Edexcel IGCSE Physics Physics Paper 2 June 2024 question paper 4PH1/2PR

This question is about stars.

The diagram shows an incomplete Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram.

Label the axes on the diagram.

There are three shaded areas on the diagram.

State the name of the shaded area that contains the Sun.

Which star is a white dwarf?

At a standard distance from the Earth, which star is brighter than the Sun and has a greater surface temperature than the Sun?

This question is about nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.

The table gives some statements about nuclear fission, or nuclear fusion, or both nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.

Place ticks (✓) in the table to show which statements are about nuclear fission and which statements are about nuclear fusion.

Nuclear fission reactors use control rods and a moderator.

Describe the function of the control rods and the function of the moderator in a nuclear fission reactor.

control rods

moderator

A sample of liquid gallium is allowed to cool in a laboratory.

The liquid gallium freezes to become a solid.

Complete the diagram by drawing the arrangement of particles in a liquid and the arrangement of particles in a solid.

The first particle in each box has been drawn for you.

The initial temperature of the sample of liquid gallium is 80 °C.

The freezing temperature of gallium is 30 °C.

The final temperature of the solid gallium is 20 °C.

Complete the graph to show how the temperature of the gallium changes during the time that it cools to 20 °C.

Add appropriate values to the temperature axis.

The photograph shows transmission cables used for long-distance transmission of electricity.

The diagram shows a power station and a school.

Add to the diagram by drawing the structures needed to efficiently transfer energy from the power station to the school using electricity.

Power station
School

Explain how the amount of current in the transmission cables increases the efficiency of the transmission of electricity.

The diagram shows the collision between two balls, A and B.

The masses and velocities of both balls are shown before and after the collision.

Ball B is stationary before the collision.

0.265 kg
0.265 kg

Before collision
After collision

When the balls collide, ball B applies a force on ball A, which causes the velocity of ball A to change.

Ball A also applies a force on ball B during the collision.

Describe how the force applied on ball A compares with the force applied on ball B during the collision.

Calculate the momentum of ball A before the collision.

momentum of ball A before collision =_........ kg m / s

Show that the velocity, v, of ball B after the collision is about 0.6 m / s.

A collision is considered elastic if the total kinetic energy before the collision is equal to the total kinetic energy after the collision.

Using data from the diagram, deduce whether this collision is elastic.

This question is about generating electricity from renewable energy resources.

Photograph 1 shows a solar farm in the United Kingdom and photograph 2 shows a geothermal power station in Iceland.

(Source: © Marcin Jucha / Shutterstock)
(Source: © Javarman / Shutterstock)

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of generating electricity using solar power and geothermal resources.

A student investigates how the amount of light affects the output voltage of a solar cell.

Photograph 3 shows how the student sets up their equipment.

The student varies the distance between the solar cell and the lamp and measures the output voltage of the solar cell at each distance.

The student’s results are shown below.

5 cm, 0.45 V 14 cm, 0.06 V

8 cm, 0.18 V 17 cm, 0.04 V

11 cm, 0.10 V 20 cm, 0.03 V

Draw a table showing the student’s results.

Give a control variable for the student’s investigation.

The student states that the solar cell could be used as a power source for the lamp.

They suggest that this would work if

• the solar cell is connected directly to the lamp

• the light from the lamp is used to produce the output power from the solar cell

Explain, with reference to the principle of conservation of energy, why the student’s suggestion would not work.

The diagram shows two students doing an experiment to measure the speed of sound in air.

• both students stand 100 m away from a large flat wall

• student A makes a sound by hitting two blocks of wood together

• the sound waves travel to the wall and reflect back to the students as an echo

• student A hits the blocks together again when the echo is heard

• student A continues to hit the blocks together every time an echo is heard

• student B starts a timer when the blocks are hit together and stops the timer when the blocks have been hit together 20 more times

Give a reason why the students do not stand nearer to the wall.

The students repeat their method five times.

The table shows the students’ results.

The students decide that one of their tests shows an anomalous result.

Circle the anomalous result in the table.

Suggest a reason for the anomalous result.

Calculate the mean time between starting and stopping the timer.

Give your answer to a suitable number of decimal places.

The speed of sound in air can be calculated using the formula

Use the students’ results to calculate a value for the speed of sound in air.

The diagram shows a machine that can be used to measure the speed of fast‑moving protons.

At the start, the proton is attracted towards a negatively charged plate.

Give a reason why the proton is attracted to the negatively charged plate.

The proton accelerates at 1.90 × 10¹¹m / s² from rest to a speed of 1.38 × 10⁵m / s.

Show that the time taken for this acceleration is about 7 × 10^–7s.

The proton passes through a hole in the negatively charged plate and enters an area where there is a magnetic field.

The magnetic field exerts a force on the proton, as shown in the diagram.

This force causes the proton to follow a circular path without changing speed.

Give the direction of the magnetic field.

Suggest how increasing the strength of the magnetic field will affect the proton when it is moving in the magnetic field.

An oscilloscope can be used to determine the frequency of a sound wave.

Give the name of the piece of apparatus that must be connected to the oscilloscope to detect the sound wave.

The diagram shows the screen of the oscilloscope and the oscilloscope settings.

A sound wave of frequency 250 Hz is detected.

The sound wave produces a trace on the oscilloscope of amplitude 4 V.

Complete the diagram by drawing the trace of this sound wave on the oscilloscope screen.

The graph shows how the wavelength of sound waves in air varies with their frequency.

If wavelength and frequency are inversely proportional, then

wavelength × frequency = constant

Using the graph, evaluate whether the wavelength of sound waves in air is inversely proportional to their frequency.