Q1.
A variable capacitor has a capacitance which can be varied from 6.0 × 10–12 F to 3.0 × 10–12 F. The capacitor is set to its maximum capacitance and fully charged using a 48 V supply. The capacitor is then disconnected from the supply and isolated. Finally the capacitance is reduced to its minimum value without any charge being lost by the capacitor.
Which line, A to D, in the table correctly shows the potential difference (pd) across the capacitor and the charge it stores after the capacitance has been reduced?
 
 	pd / V	Charge / C	
A	48	2.9 × 10–10	
B	24	2.9 × 10–10	
C	96	2.9 × 10–10	
D	96	1.4 × 10–10	
(Total 1 mark)
Q2.
A particle oscillates with undamped simple harmonic motion. The acceleration of the particle;
 
A	is always in the opposite direction to its velocity.		
B	decreases as the potential energy increases.		
C	is proportional to the frequency.		
D	is least when the speed is greatest.		
(Total 1 mark)
Q3.
Two planets X and Y are in concentric circular orbits about a star S. The radius of the orbit of X is R and the radius of orbit of Y is 2R .
 
The gravitational force between X and Y is F when angle SXY is 90°, as shown in the diagram.
What is the gravitational force between X and Y when they are nearest to each other?
 
A	2 F	
B	3 F	
C	4 F	
D	5 F	
(Total 1 mark)
Q4.
The temperature of a hot liquid in a container falls at a rate of 2 K per minute just before it begins to solidify. The temperature then remains steady for 20 minutes by which time all the liquid has all solidified.
What is the quantity   ?
 
A	 	 	
B	 	 	
C	10 K–1	 	
D	40 K–1	 	
(Total 1 mark)
Q5.
X and Y are two gas bottles that are connected by a tube that has negligible volume compared with the volume of each bottle.
 
Initially the valve W is closed.
X has a volume 2V and contains hydrogen at a pressure of p.
Y has a volume V and contains hydrogen at a pressure of 2p.
X and Y are both initially at the same temperature.
W is now opened. Assuming that there is no change in temperature, what is the new gas pressure?
 
30		 	
B		 	
C		 	
D		 	
(Total 1 mark)
Q6.
The gravitational constant, G, is a constant of proportionality in Newton’s law of gravitation. The permittivity of free space, ε0, is a constant of proportionality in Coulomb’s law.
When comparing the electrostatic force acting on a pair of charged particles to the gravitational force between them, the product ε0G can appear in the calculation.
Which is a unit for ε0G?
 
A	C2 kg–2	
B	C2 m–2	
C	F kg2 N–1 m–2	
D	it has no unit	
(Total 1 mark)
Q7.
For a nuclear reactor in which the fission rate is constant, which one of the following statements is correct?
A       There is a critical mass of fuel in the reactor.
B       For every fission event, there is, on average, one further fission event.
C       A single neutron is released in every fission event.
D       No neutrons escape from the reactor.
(Total 1 mark)
Q8.
The graph shows how the flux linkage, NΦ, through a coil changes when the coil is moved into a magnetic field.
 
The emf induced in the coil
 
A	decreases then becomes zero after time t0.		
B	increases then becomes constant after time t0.		
C	is constant then becomes zero after time t0.		
D	is zero then increases after time t0.		
(Total 1 mark)
Q9.
The graph shows how the binding energy per nucleon varies with the nucleon number for stable nuclei.
 
What is the approximate total binding energy for a nucleus of  ?
 
A	1.28 pJ	 	
B	94.7 pJ	 	
C	103 pJ	 	
D	230 pJ	 	
(Total 1 mark)
Q10.
The electric potential at a distance r from a positive point charge is 45 V. The potential increases to 50 V when the distance from the point charge decreases by 1.5 m. What is the value of r?

A 	1.3m 	 	
B 	1.5m 	 	
C	7.9m 		
D	15m	 	
(Total 1 mark)

Mark schemes
Q1.
C
[1]
Q2.
D
[1]
Q3.
B
[1]
Q4.
A
[1]
Q5.
C
[1]
Q6.
A
[1]
Q7.
B
[1]
Q8.
C
[1]
Q9.
D
[1]
Q10.
D
[1]