Past Year WACE Questions

34.
0m/s
5 turns
495N
0.69
1.5
9.69eV
7.11E5 m/s
ignore
30 degree
ignore
23.2 m/s
11.4 m
3.74E8 s
1.30E4 m/s
3.79E23 N
1.28E4 m/s
1.30 m/s
8.0E-23 N
1.30E-15 N
ignore
589
172
268 nm
ignore
ignore
7.5E3 m/s
6.1E3 s
1.2E3 N
3.3 m/s
ignore
3.2E15
38 m/s
5.4 Nm
ignore
29 m
24 m/s
4.9 s
1.2E2 m
ignore
ignore
0.90 V
0.45 A
0.068 N
3.45E18 N
23.2 m/s
6.38 days
20:1
0.31
1.0E4 V
188
0.025 T
Western Australian Certificate of Education
Examination, 2010
Question/Answer Booklet
PHYSICS
Please place your student identification label in this box
Stage 3
Student Number: In figures
In words ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Time allowed for this paper

Reading time before commencing work: ten minutes
Working time for paper: three hours
Materials required/recommended for this paper

To be provided by the supervisor
This Question/Answer Booklet
Formulae and Constants Sheet
To be provided by the candidate

Standard items: pens, pencils, eraser, correction fluid/tape, ruler, highlighters
Special items: non-programmable calculators satisfying the conditions set by the Curriculum
Council for this course, drawing templates, drawing compass and a protractor
Important note to candidates

No other items may be taken into the examination room. It is your responsibility to ensure that
you do not have any unauthorised notes or other items of a non-personal nature in the
examination room. If you have any unauthorised material with you, hand it to the supervisor
before reading any further.
2011/4068
Web version of 2010/30271 Copyright Curriculum Council 2010 Ref: 10-110
PHYSICS 2 STAGE 3
Structure of this paper

Number of Number of Suggested
Marks Percentage
Section questions questions to working time
available of exam
available be answered (minutes)
Section One:
Short answer 13 13 50 54 30
Section Two:
Extended answer 8 8 90 90 50
Section Three:
Comprehension 2 2 40 36 20
and data analysis
Total 100
Instructions to candidates
1. The rules for the conduct of Western Australian external examinations are detailed in the
Year 12 Information Handbook 2010. Sitting this examination implies that you agree to
abide by these rules.
2. Write answers in this Question/Answer Booklet.
3. You must be careful to confine your responses to the specific questions asked and to
follow any instructions that are specific to a particular question.
4. Working or reasoning should be clearly shown when calculating or estimating answers.
5. Spare pages are included at the end of this booklet. They can be used for planning your
responses and/or as additional space if required to continue an answer.
Planning: If you use the spare pages for planning,
indicate this clearly at the top of the page.
Continuing an answer: If you need to use the space
to continue an answer, indicate in the original answer space where the answer is
continued, i.e. give the page number. Fill in the number of the question(s) that you
are continuing to answer at the top of the page.
See next page

STAGE 3 3 PHYSICS
Section One: Short answer 30% (54 Marks)
This section has 13 questions. Attempt all questions.
Spare pages are included at the end of this booklet. They can be used for planning your
to continue an answer, indicate in the original answer space where the answer is continued,
i.e. give the page number. Fill in the number of the question(s) that you are continuing to
answer at the top of the page.
Suggested working time: 50 minutes.
Question 1 (4 marks)
The diagrams below show wavefronts of light incident on two different surfaces. In diagram (a)
the wavefronts are incident on a mirror. In diagram (b) the wavefronts are incident on an air-
water interface. In both diagrams a dotted line at 90 to the surface has been drawn. Complete
the diagrams showing how the wavefronts behave as they interact with the surface. In both
cases you should draw four wavefronts. The direction of travel of the wavefronts is included.
(a) (b)
Air
Mirror Water
See next page

PHYSICS 4 STAGE 3
spring balance
pulley pulley
100 N 100 N
(a) What is the reading on the spring balance? Circle your answer. (1 mark)
(i) 100 N (ii) Zero (iii) 200 N
(b) Choose one of the answers that you rejected and give your reason why you rejected it.
(2 marks)
Answer: ____________________________________________ Reason: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Particles called quarks are the building blocks of other sub-atomic particles. Table 1 lists the
names of some quarks and two of their quantum numbers; charge q and strangeness S.
Table 1: Some properties of quarks
Quark Charge, q Strangeness, S
up 0
down 0
charm 0
strange -1
top 0
bottom 0
When quarks combine their individual quantum numbers add. For example, a fictitious
particle, the Joton, made of two charm quarks and one top quark would have a charge of
and a strangeness of 0+0+0 = 0.
Use Table 1 to determine the values of the charge and strangeness quantum numbers for the
particles in Table 2.
Table 2: Properties of some sub-atomic particles
Particle Quark composition Charge, q Strangeness, S

Lambda up, down, strange
Xi up, strange, strange
Sigma minus down, down strange
See next page
STAGE 3 5 PHYSICS
Question 4 ignore (5 marks)
In April 2009 New Scientist magazine reported the discovery of several species of fish that emit
red light as a means of communication. This was surprising because these fish swim at depths
where wavelengths corresponding to red light do not penetrate but blue light does. The fish
might produce red light using a fluorescent protein that absorbs blue light and then emits red.
(a) Draw an energy level diagram showing possible electron transitions taking place in the
atoms of the fluorescent protein that could give rise to the observed phenomenon.
(2 marks)
(b) Calculate the energy in joules of a photon of blue light and a photon of red light. Blue
light has wavelength of 400 nm and red light 700 nm. Use the energy values to label
the transitions in the diagram you drew in part (a). (3 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 6 STAGE 3
The principle of inkjet printing depends on the physics of charged particles in electric fields.
The diagram below shows charged ink drops entering an electric field. The field is caused by
high voltage deflection plates. The field on the plates switches on and off to direct drops to the
paper rather than the gutter. Drops that do not impact on the page are recycled via the gutter.
paper
path of ink drops

(field on)
large positive voltage
ink drops
large negative voltage
path of ink drops
(field off)
return gutter
(a) The plates are separated by 0.025 m and the voltage difference between the plates is
1000 V. Calculate the electric field intensity. (2 marks)
4.0E4 V/m
(b) If the force required to cause a black spot on the paper is 1.00 10-8 N, calculate the
charge on each drop. (3 marks)
-2.5E-13 C
See next page

STAGE 3 7 PHYSICS
Until about 50 years ago, astronomers used visible light to observe the Universe. They now
use a variety of types of electromagnetic radiation to make their observations. With reference
to the properties of electromagnetic radiation, explain the potential advantages to an
astronomer of studying the Universe using:
(a) radio waves
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) X-rays
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

PHYSICS 8 STAGE 3
ignore
sail
wind
direction
For copyright reasons this image cannot be reproduced in the

online version of this document.
outrigger
central hull
The photograph shows the yacht BMW Oracle, which has both a length and width of 28 m.
Estimate the torque, exerted by the wind blowing on the sails, that would just begin to tip the
BMW Oracle as shown. The sail has a mass of 3.5 103 kg, the central hull 1.0 103 kg and
each outrigger 0.5 103 kg.
See next page

STAGE 3 9 PHYSICS
This question is about the gravitational field around an asteroid. The asteroid is spherical and
of uniform density. The diagram below shows lines of equal gravitational field strength as
dashed lines. There is a constant difference in the value of the field strength between each
line.
X
(a) Describe what the diagram shows about the gravitational field strength as the distance
from the asteroid increases. (1 mark)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Draw the gravitational field at points X and Y. (2 marks)
(c) The asteroid has a radius of 1.25 105 m. If the gravitational field strength on its
surface is 0.194 N kg-1, calculate the mass of the asteroid. (2 marks)
4.54E19 kg
See next page

PHYSICS 10 STAGE 3
Many hundreds of years in the future, two students are measuring the time it takes for a pulse
of light to travel between a lamp and a mirror placed on opposite sides of a spaceship. The
spaceship is 500 m wide and can travel at a speed equal to 0.80c (0.80 the speed of light).
Top down view

mirror
Student A 500 m
lamp
Spaceship moves in this direction at speed = 0.80c
Student B
Student A is in the spaceship moving at 0.80c. Student B is stationary outside the spaceship.
The students start stopwatches when a light pulse leaves a lamp closest to Student B and
stops them when it returns reflected off the second mirror furthest from B.
Student A measures the time for the pulse of light to travel to the mirror and back to be 3.30 s.
Student B measures the time for the pulse of light to travel to the mirror and back to be 5.50 s.
Both students have recorded their times correctly.
Explain why Student B measures a longer time than Student A, using a labelled diagram to aid
your explanation. Calculations are not required.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

STAGE 3 11 PHYSICS
A physics teacher set up the equipment shown below.
One tube was made of plastic and the other of aluminium. The teacher dropped a strong rare
earth permanent magnet down each tube.
strong rare earth magnet
(i) plastic tube (ii) aluminium tube
The magnet falling through the plastic tube travelled much faster than the magnet falling
through the aluminium tube.
Explain, indicating clearly the physics principles involved. (4 marks)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

PHYSICS 12 STAGE 3
The ammeter shown below can be used to measure a range of electric currents up to 500 mA
by selecting the appropriate terminals.
The coil inside the meter is not designed to take large currents. If the ammeter is required to
measure a maximum reading of 1.50 A, an additional resistor called a shunt has to be added as
shown below. The meter has a coil resistance of 5.00 This arrangement is shown here:
coil R = 5.00
input current = 1.50 A 5.00 mA
mA
shunt resistor R
Find the value of the shunt resistor R. 1.67E-2 Ohm
See next page

STAGE 3 13 PHYSICS
The graph below shows the trace of a sound displayed on a cathode ray oscilloscope (CRO).
The horizontal (x) axis is time and the vertical (y) axis is amplitude.
(a) Is the above trace noise or a musical note? Explain your reasoning. (2 marks)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Describe the effect on the trace if the sound wave was louder. (2 marks)
(i) Effect on the shape of the trace: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(ii) Effect on the amplitude of the trace: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

PHYSICS 14 STAGE 3
Below is a diagram of a wooden rod on which there are two powerful magnets, one floating
above the other.
wooden rod
magnets
(a) Indicate the north pole of the floating magnet and draw the magnetic field lines between
the magnets. (2 marks)
(b) Explain why the top magnet floats. (2 marks)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
End of Section One
See next page

PHYSICS 16 STAGE 3
Section Two: Extended answer 50% (90 Marks)
This section has eight (8) questions. You must answer all questions. Write your answers in the
spaces provided.
There are three lines in the emission spectrum of hydrogen that occur in the visible part of the
electromagnetic spectrum. These involve transitions to the n = 2 energy level.
The three lines have the wavelengths 6.60 10-7 m, 4.90 10-7 m and 4.40 10-7 m.
(a) Draw an energy level diagram to illustrate the transitions from the n = 3, 4, 5 levels to
the n = 2 level. Label the levels n = 2, 3, 4, 5. (4 marks)
(b) Which value of wavelength from the list above corresponds to the transition with the
largest energy difference? Explain your answer. (2 marks)
4.40E-7 m
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

STAGE 3 17 PHYSICS
(c) The n = 2 level has an energy of -3.4 eV. The photon with wavelength 4.9 10-7 m
corresponds to the transition between the n = 4 and n = 2 energy levels. Calculate the
energy of the n = 4 energy level in eV. -0.90eV (3 marks)
The following passage describes how the redshift of a star or galaxy can be measured:
To determine the redshift, the absorption or emission spectra of the astronomical object are
looked for. These can be compared with known spectra of various elements and compounds
existing on Earth. If the same pattern of lines is seen in a spectrum from a distant source but
occurring at shifted wavelengths, it can be identified as originating from the same element or
compound. If the same spectral line is identified in both spectra but at different wavelengths
then the redshift can be calculated.
Redshift is expressed in terms of a parameter z.
The redshift of the galaxy 8C is z = 4.25.
(d) Calculate the wavelength of the n = 4 to n = 2 transition in hydrogen that would be

observed by an astronomer studying the galaxy 8C. (2 marks)
2.6E-6 m
See next page

PHYSICS 18 STAGE 3
primary
coil
metal
object
Above is a picture of a metal detector and a metal object. A ten cent coin has been added to
give a sense of scale. The detector consists of a DC battery connected to a primary coil.
There is a secondary coil connected to a buzzer that makes a sound when the primary coil
moves over a metal object.
(a) Explain the principle of operation of this metal detector. In your answer, explain why the
coil has to be moved while locating metal objects. (4 marks)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) What type of metal can the detector find? Circle the correct answer. (1 mark)
copper and tin iron and steel any metal
See next page

STAGE 3 19 PHYSICS
(c) Use the following data to estimate the voltage in the secondary buzzer circuit. (5 marks)
Magnetic field strength within primary coil = 0.0500 Wb

Number of turns in secondary coil = 10
Time of sweep = 0.5 s
(d) How would the sound change if the metal detector was held stationary near a nail?
Give a brief reason for your answer. (2 marks)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

PHYSICS 20 STAGE 3
Analogue meters, like the one shown in the diagram below, have many applications: for
example, in pool chlorination systems. The interaction of the electric current in the coil and the
permanent magnet creates a torque. A fine spring (hair spring) provides a restoring torque.
scale
pointer
permanent
N S magnet
moveable
rectangular hair spring
coil
(a) When a current flows in the rectangular coil, a force is produced on each side of the coil
that interacts with the magnetic field. Explain the reason for this force and comment on
its direction. You must draw a diagram to illustrate your explanation. (3 marks)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

STAGE 3 21 PHYSICS
(b) The coil has a length of 0.100 m and a width of 0.0800 m and has 50.0 turns. There is a
current of 4.00 A in the coil and it is in a uniform magnetic field of 0.0100 T.
(i) Calculate the force on one of the long sides of the coil. (4 marks)
0.200 N
(ii) Hence determine the torque acting on the coil. (3 marks)

1.60E-2 Nm
(c) Why will the coil rotate? (2 marks)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(d) The loosely-coiled spring provides a torque that opposes the coils rotation. When the
coil is stationary, with a current flowing in it, state the relationship between the torque
acting on the coil because of the magnetic field, and the torque provided by the spring.
(1 mark)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

PHYSICS 22 STAGE 3
Clipart
While serving a tennis ball, a tennis player aims to hit the ball horizontally so that it lands in the
opponents court 5.50 m from the net. The height of the net is 0.900 m, the distance between
the service point and the net is 11.9 m and the ball is hit from a height of 2.80 m. Ignore air
resistance.
(a) Draw a diagram to illustrate the path of the ball with all relevant distances labelled.
(2 marks)
net ground level
(b) Calculate the time taken for the tennis ball to reach the net and the minimum initial
speed that the tennis ball would need to just clear the net. (3 marks)
0.623s , 19.1 m/s
See next page

STAGE 3 23 PHYSICS
(c) Calculate the length of time the ball is in the air. 0.756 s (3 marks)
(d) Calculate the distance from the net that the ball will land on the opponents side of the
court. If you were unable to determine an answer in part (c) you should assume that the
time of flight is 0.900 s and if you were unable to determine an answer to part (a) you
should assume that the minimum initial speed is 20.0 m s-1. (3 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 24 STAGE 3
Four identical light globes, G1, G2, G3 and G4, are connected in a circuit as shown below. The
DC supply voltage is 24.0 V and ammeter A3 connected in the circuit reads 0.096 A.
G1
A1
A3
A A
A2 A
G3
24 V G2
G4
A4
A
(a) Calculate the current in each of the ammeters A1, A2 and A4. (3 marks)
(b) Calculate the resistance of each light globe. 50 Ohm (3 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 25 PHYSICS
(c) Which light globe will be the brightest? Justify your answer. (2 marks)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(d) Calculate the total power consumed by all four light globes. If you were unable to
determine an answer to part (a) you should assume the current in ammeter A4 is
0.300 A. 6.91 W (2 marks)
(e) If globe G3 is broken, describe how the brightness of each of the light globes G1 and
G2 changes. Give a reason in each case. (4 marks)
The brightness of G1 will _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
because ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The brightness of G2 will _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
because ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

PHYSICS 26 STAGE 3
A concrete bridge structure is being built. It consists of vertical pillars that support horizontal
platforms, as shown below.
(a) The section of bridge platform labelled PQ on the diagram below is in equilibrium even
though three forces act on it. Draw and label these three forces on the diagram.
(3 marks)
central pillar
supporting cable
bridge platform
P Q
See next page

STAGE 3 27 PHYSICS
The diagram below shows a heavy truck moving along the bridge during construction. The
distances in metres from the central pillar are shown on the diagram. The centre of mass of the
truck is at the 10.0 m mark and the bridge platform extends to 35.0 m from the pillar, the top of
which is 17.5 m above the platform.
The section of bridge platform shown has a mass of 420 tonnes and the truck has a mass of
50.0 tonnes.
central pillar
supporting cable
Clipart
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 m
bridge platform
(b) Calculate the angle

26.6 degree (1 mark)
(c) By taking moments about a suitable point calculate the vertical component of the
tension. 2.19E6 N (3 marks)
Vertical component = ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(d) Using the vertical component from (c), determine the tension in the cable. If you could
not calculate the vertical component, use 4.20 106 N. (2 marks)
Tension in cable = ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

PHYSICS 28 STAGE 3
(a) Apart from the phenomenon of vibrating air columns, provide one example in which
resonance may be observed. Explain how resonance occurs in the example that you
have chosen. (3 marks)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A loudspeaker emitting a single frequency is held over a tube which has one end placed in a
cylinder of water at 25C. As the length of tube in the water is changed, the sound heard also
changes. The equipment is illustrated in the diagram below.
loudspeaker
tube d
water level
cylinder of water
The first resonance is heard when the length of the air column above the water (labelled d in
the diagram) is 17.0 cm and a second is heard when the length of the air column is 49.0 cm.
(b) Calculate the wavelength of sound in the cylinder. (2 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 29 PHYSICS
(c) Calculate the frequency being emitted by the loudspeaker. (2 marks)
(d) The diagrams below show very simple versions of a flute and a clarinet.
Player blows across this hole to

generate a note.
flute
Player places mouth
over this hole and blows
to generate a note.
clarinet
(i) The ratio of the first three frequencies heard in the flute f1:f2:f3 is 1:2:3.
Determine the ratio of the first three frequencies heard in the clarinet. (1 mark)
(ii) Using your knowledge of vibrations in air columns, explain the differences
between the frequencies heard in the flute and those in the clarinet. (3 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 30 STAGE 3
(a) The radius of the orbit of Venus around the Sun is 1.08 1011 m.
(i) Derive an expression that relates the orbital period of Venus to the orbital radius
of Venus and the mass of the Sun. (3 marks)
(ii) Calculate the time in Earth days for Venus to orbit the Sun. (3 marks)
224 days
See next page

STAGE 3 31 PHYSICS
The passage of the planet Venus between the Earth and the Sun is a predictable regular
occurrence. It is known as the transit of Venus. Captain Cook sailed to Tahiti to measure the
time Venus took to cross the Suns surface.
A is the point at which Venus appears to intersect with the surface of the Sun. This occurs at
different times for observers at different positions on the Earths surface.
Diagram is not to scale
(b) By measuring the time difference between the occurrence of A at different locations on
Earth (Tahiti and California) astronomers were able to measure the solar parallax angle
as shown in the diagram below, which is not to scale. In this way the distance from
the Earth to the Sun was calculated in 1769 with amazing accuracy.
Sun
Earth
Calculate the Earth Sun distance in kilometres if the solar parallax angle
0.00250. 1.46E8 km (3 marks)
End of Section Two
See next page

PHYSICS 32 STAGE 3
Section Three: Comprehension and data analysis. 20% (36 Marks)
This section contains two (2) questions. You must answer both questions. Write your answers
in the spaces provided.
Generation and Transmission of Electricity
Approximately 30 per cent of the energy used in Australia is generated by power stations. The
largest power station in Western Australia is Muja, which is situated close to the coalmining
town of Collie.
At Muja coal is ground to the consistency of powder and then burned to heat water until it turns
to steam. Steam at a temperature of 540oC and pressure of 16 MPa is used to drive turbines at
a rate of 3000 revolutions per minute.
Muja power station generates at a total rate of 1040 MW from its 8 generators. There are four
60 MW generators and four 200 MW generators. The 60 MW generators produce power at
11.8 kV and the 200 MW generators produce power at 16 kV. Generators feed the electricity
produced into transformers where the voltage can be increased or decreased.
Before the electricity is distributed, transformers are used to step up the voltage to 330 kV. High
voltage transmission has advantages in reducing energy lost due to the resistance of the
transmission lines. On the outskirts of Perth there is a substation that reduces the voltage to
11 kV and in the local park is a further small transformer that reduces the voltage to 240 V.
(a) On the diagram below show the voltages at the different stages of the transmission.
(4 marks)
substation
transformers
.........kV
200 MW generating station

......kV .......V
generating
.......kV transformer See next page
STAGE 3 33 PHYSICS
(b) Explain why the generator is designed to produce alternating current and not direct
current. (2 marks)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(c) Calculate the current generated in one of the 200 MW generators. (2 marks)
1.25E4 A
(d) Explain why the voltage is increased to 330 kV before it is distributed to users.
(2 marks)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

PHYSICS 34 STAGE 3
(e) Calculate the turns ratio of a transformer used to increase the voltage from a 60 MW
generator to 330 kV. 28 (2 marks)
(f) Suggest a possible difference between the 60 MW and the 200 MW generators that
would result in a difference in output voltage. (1 mark)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

STAGE 3 35 PHYSICS
Introduction
A cyclotron is a device in which heavy charged particles such as protons, deuterons (deuterium
2
nuclei, 1H ) and alpha particles can be accelerated to high energies. The high energy charged
particle beam can then be used to study nuclear reactions and can also be used in hospitals to
produce short-lived radioisotopes for diagnostic purposes. One such medical cyclotron is
located at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth. It can accelerate protons and deuterons to
very high energies.
Cyclotron
large uniform
magnetic field original source of
perpendicular to charged particle,
plane of paper point P
alternating
electric field
across gap
path of charged
particle
particle exits
to target
How a cyclotron works
A cyclotron consists of two hollow D-shaped semicircular metal electrodes (called dees), an
ion source, an electromagnet and an alternating power supply.
The dees are mounted inside a vacuum chamber that fits between the two flat pole pieces of an
electromagnet. The dees are connected to a high frequency alternating voltage supply that
provides an alternating electric field across the gap between the dees.
When charged particles are injected at the centre of the dees (point P), they are accelerated by
the electric field and then move into a semicircular path inside the hollow space of the dee
under the influence of the uniform magnetic field that acts perpendicular to the path of the
charged particles. Once inside the dee they are shielded from the electric field and thus do not
gain any further energy.
Because the dees are connected to an alternating voltage supply, the charged particles are
accelerated by the electric field each time they cross the gap, increasing their energy by a small
amount qV. Therefore their speed increases and they move into larger and larger path radii. If
the charged particles do not arrive at the gap when the polarity is correct, they will fall out of
synchronisation and the beam will be lost. So for the satisfactory operation of the cyclotron, the
frequency of the alternating voltage must be equal to the orbital or cyclotron frequency of the
charged particles. This condition is valid only when the speed of the charged particles is much
less than the speed of light. At higher particle speeds (above about 10% of the speed of light)
the frequency of the circulating particle decreases steadily due to relativistic effects. Thus the
particle goes out of step with the frequency of the oscillator and its energy stops increasing.
See next page

PHYSICS 36 STAGE 3
In the normal operation of the cyclotron, when the charged particles reach the outside
perimeters of the dees, they are deflected by the electric field of an ejector plate and strike the
outside target.
Charged particle data
Type of charged Mass of charged Charge of the particle q

particle particle (kg) (coulombs) m
electron 9.11 10-31 1.60 10-19
proton 1.67 10-27 1.60 10-19
deuteron 3.34 10-27 1.60 10-19
(a) What provides the centripetal force that acts on the charged particle? (1 mark)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) The operation of the cyclotron is based on the principle that frequency of revolution is
independent of the speed of charged particles and the radius of the circular path. Use
the equations given in the Formulae and Constants Sheet to show that frequency, f is
qB
given by f = . (4 marks)
2 m
See next page

STAGE 3 37 PHYSICS
(c) Suppose a cyclotron with a dee radius of 53.0 cm is tuned to accelerate protons at an
oscillator frequency of 12.0 MHz. Calculate the strength of the magnetic field needed to
accelerate deuterons with the same frequency. 1.6 T (3 marks)
(d) A conventional cyclotron begins to fail beyond a proton energy of 50 MeV.
(i) Explain why is this so. (2 marks)
(ii) At what electron energy will the same cyclotron begin to fail? (2 marks)
2.56 keV
See next page

PHYSICS 38 STAGE 3
(e) An unknown particle was tested and gave the following values of high voltage oscillator
frequency and the corresponding magnetic field:
Frequency of high voltage

Magnetic field B (tesla)
oscillator 106 hertz
1.0 0.10
3.2 0.42
6.0 0.78
9.0 1.20
12.0 1.62
15.0 1.95
(i) Using the graph paper on the next page, plot a straight line graph with magnetic
field on the x-axis and frequency on the y-axis. (3 marks)
(ii) Calculate the gradient of this graph. (3 marks)
charge on the particle

(iii) Use the gradient to find the ratio for the unknown particle.(3 marks)
mass of particle
(If you could not complete (ii), use a gradient of magnitude 2.9 1010.)
(iv) Circle the unknown particle involved and justify your selection. (2 marks)
(I) electron (II) proton (III) neutron (IV) deuteron
Justification: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
End of questions
STAGE 3 39 PHYSICS
If you wish to have a second attempt at this item, the graph is repeated at the end of the
examination booklet. Indicate clearly on this page if you have used the second graph and
cancel the working on the graph on this page.

Examination, 2011
PHYSICS
Please place your student identification label in this box
Stage 3
In words _______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________


Formulae and Constants Sheet

Standard items: pens, pencils, eraser, correction fluid/tape, ruler, highlighters
Special items: non-programmable calculators satisfying the conditions set by the Curriculum
Council for this course, drawing templates, drawing compass and a protractor

Copyright Curriculum Council 2011 Ref: 11-110X

STAGE 3 3 PHYSICS
Section One: Short response 30% (54 Marks)
This section has 14 questions. Answer all questions.
Planning: If you use the spare pages for planning, indicate this clearly at the top of the page.
Continuing an answer: If you need to use the space to continue an answer, indicate in the
original answer space where the answer is continued, i.e. give the page number. Fill in the
number of the question(s) that you are continuing to answer at the top of the page.
Draw the resultant electric field with at least 5 lines for each of the following situations.
Two opposite but equally-charged spheres
A charged sphere near a charged conductive plate
See next page

PHYSICS 4 STAGE 3
The diagram below shows five points, labelled A to E, in free space around a large mass M.
You may wish to use a ruler to help you answer this question.
Point Point
Which two points have the same magnitude of
and
gravitational field strength due to M?
Point Point
Which two points experience the same direction
of gravitational field due to M (as viewed in this and
diagram)?
Point E Point B
What is the ratio of the gravitational field strength
:
at E to the gravitational field strength at B?
See next page

STAGE 3 5 PHYSICS
A 12.5 cm long piece of copper wire is moved at a constant velocity of 6.56 m s-1 through a
magnetic field of 0.150 T. Calculate the potential difference between the ends of the wire and
indicate on the diagram which end of the wire is positive.
0.123 V
See next page

PHYSICS 6 STAGE 3
An air compressor is located at the open end of a closed pipe. A maintenance worker walked
away from the closed end of the pipe and noticed that the sound from the air compressor was
getting louder and quieter as he moved toward the open end of the pipe. The worker found that
the sound became louder every 1.50 metres. Calculate the frequency of the sound heard, given
that the air was at 25C.
Open end Closed end
Bathroom scales measure weight (a force) but give the reading in kilograms (mass). A
particular scale shows a persons mass as being 70 kg at the Earths equator. The spinning of
the Earth contributes to the scales reading. What would the scale read at the South Pole, with
the same person standing on it? (Circle the correct answer.)
the same less than 70 kg more than 70 kg
Explain your reasoning: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

STAGE 3 7 PHYSICS
When a radioactive isotope undergoes gamma decay, a nucleus in an excited state decays to a
lower energy state of the same isotope by the emission of a photon. This decay is similar to the
emission of light when an electron in an atom moves from a higher energy level to a lower one.
The isotope 5726 Fe can decay to the ground state in the two ways shown on the energy level
diagram below.
Calculate the wavelength of the photon emitted in the transition from the level with energy of
136 keV to the level with energy of 14.4 keV. 1.02E-11 m
136 keV
14.4 keV
0 keV
See next page

PHYSICS 8 STAGE 3
Mick is watering the lawn and wants to estimate the initial velocity of the water coming from the
hose. Use information from the photograph to estimate the magnitude of the initial velocity of
the water. Express your answer to an appropriate number of significant figures.
See next page

STAGE 3 9 PHYSICS
A crane (Diagram A) lifts a mass by raising its boom (Diagram B). Explain how this affects the
tension in the guy line as the crane shifts the mass from its initial position in Diagram A to its
position in Diagram B.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

PHYSICS 10 STAGE 3
Describe briefly how Edwin Hubbles observations of the redshifts of galaxies were used to
formulate Hubbles Law and explain how Hubbles Law is used to support the Big Bang theory.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

STAGE 3 11 PHYSICS
A uniform 100 gram, metre-long ruler is placed on a table, with most of its length overhanging
the edge. A 350 gram slotted mass is placed at the rulers 500 mm mark, and a spring balance
holds it up at one end, as shown in the diagram below.
The ruler is just lifted using the spring balance so that it touches the table in only one place. At
this point the spring balance reads 2.20 N. Indicate on the diagram the fulcrum, or pivot point,
for this action and label it A.
The ruler is then lowered slightly, changing the position of the fulcrum.
Label this new fulcrum, or pivot point, B.
When the ruler is in this position, the spring balance reads 1.65 N. Determine the distance
between the points A and B. Note that the angle that the ruler makes with the horizontal has
not changed significantly and should not be considered in your calculations.
0.201 m
See next page

PHYSICS 12 STAGE 3
The diagram below shows a cross-section of a simple dynamic microphone. Describe how a
musical note played near the diaphragm of the microphone can be detected by an amplifier.
Your description should include an explanation of how the sound is converted to an electrical
signal.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

STAGE 3 13 PHYSICS
The diagram below shows the forces acting on a car following a curve on a banked track. The
car is travelling at 17.0 m s-1 without slipping. Calculate the radius of the track. 57.2 m
See next page

PHYSICS 14 STAGE 3
Earthquakes cause seismic waves to travel through the Earth. These waves are detected by
seismometers around the Earth. Two types of seismic waves are P and S waves. P waves are
longitudinal and travel at a speed of 5.57 km s-1. S waves are transverse and travel at a speed
of 3.56 km s-1.
Give one example of a transverse wave and one example of a longitudinal wave that you have
studied (not P and S waves).
Transverse: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Longitudinal: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A seismometer records an earthquake. The P waves arrive 13.5 s before the S waves.
Calculate the distance between the seismometer and the point of origin of the earthquake
waves. 133 km
See next page

STAGE 3 15 PHYSICS
The pattern observed when monochromatic light passes through a piece of cardboard with twin
slits close together is often considered evidence for the wave theory of light. A diagram of an
experiment set up in a classroom is provided below.
Explain how the pattern of red lines is formed on the screen and why this is considered to be
evidence for the wave theory of light.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
End of Section One
See next page

PHYSICS 16 STAGE 3
Section Two: Problem-solving 50% (90 Marks)
This section has seven (7) questions. You must answer all questions. Write your answers in
the spaces provided.
An uncharged drop of oil is given 7 excess electrons. It is then introduced into the space
between two horizontal plates 25.0 mm apart with a potential difference between them of
1.50 kV. The drop of oil remains stationary.
(a) Calculate the magnitude of the electric field strength between the plates. (2 marks)
6.00E4 V/m
(b) Is the top plate positive or negative? Explain your reasoning. (2 marks)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

STAGE 3 17 PHYSICS
(c) Calculate the magnitude of the electric force acting on the oil drop. (3 marks)
6.72E-14 N
(d) Calculate the mass of the oil drop. (3 marks)

6.86E-15 kg
See next page

PHYSICS 18 STAGE 3
An apparatus that demonstrates the interactions between a current and a magnetic field is
shown below. There are two metal rails on which a metal bar is free to roll. Contact between the
rails and bar allows a current to flow through them from the power pack attached to the metal
rails. Two magnets provide a uniform magnetic field around the bar.
(a) Draw the magnetic fields associated with the following situations. (4 marks)
The bar carrying current into the The current carrying bar in a uniform
page magnetic field
north
X X
south
See next page

STAGE 3 19 PHYSICS
(b) The rails are 8.50 cm apart and the magnetic field strength due to the magnets is
B = 1.50 10-3 T.
Calculate the magnitude of the force acting on the bar when an electric current of
5.00 A is passed through the bar.
Draw and label on the photograph on page 18 the direction of the force and current. (4 marks)
6.38E-4 N
(c) The apparatus in the photograph is then tilted at a small angle to the horizontal by lifting
the left side when the current is flowing. The bar rolls toward the right-hand side, away
from where the power supply is connected, due to the effects of gravity acting on the
bar.
Describe two changes that could be made, either to the circuit or apparatus, to enable
the force due to the currents interaction with the magnetic field to hold the bar
stationary. (2 marks)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

PHYSICS 20 STAGE 3
The planet Jupiter has a mass of 1.90 1027 kg, a radius of 71 500 km and many moons.
The closest moon, Metis, has a mass of 9.56 1016 kg and a mean orbital radius of
1.28 105 km. Metis has an average planetary radius of 21.5 km.
(a) Calculate the gravitational force of attraction between Jupiter and Metis. (3 marks)
7.39E17 N
(b) Calculate the time it takes in hours for Metis to orbit around Jupiter. (4 marks)
7.10 hours
See next page

STAGE 3 21 PHYSICS
(c) Calculate the magnitude and direction of the net gravitational force acting on a
1.00 kg mass resting on the surface of Metis that faces Jupiter. (5 marks)
7.72 N
See next page

PHYSICS 22 STAGE 3
This photograph shows the information on a compliance

plate on the outside of a small transformer used in a house in
another country.
(a) Determine the ratio of windings of primary:secondary coils in the transformer. (2 marks)
40:3
(b) Using the information on the compliance plate, calculate the power output of the
transformer and use this information to determine the percentage efficiency of the
transformer.
(3 marks)
50%
(c) Explain why the input voltage must consist of an alternating current rather than direct
current. (2 marks)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

STAGE 3 23 PHYSICS
(d) The following photograph shows the coils and core inside the transformer case.
For small commercial transformers, the coils are placed

around the centre pillar of the core, which is shaped
like this:
Describe the purpose and properties of the core. (2 marks)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(e) The photograph below shows the laminae (a number of thin iron sheets separated by
non-electrically conductive material, such as plastic) that make up the core. These
laminae are used to reduce eddy currents or back emf and make transformers more
efficient.
Use the following diagrams representing the centre pillar of the transformer and any
relevant formula to explain why a transformer with a laminated core is more efficient
than a transformer with a solid core. (4 marks)
Laminated core Solid core
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

PHYSICS 24 STAGE 3
Below is a diagram of a photograph taken using a strobe light flashing at 10.0 Hz. The camera
is able to take multiple photographs of a single ball moving down a frictionless inclined plane
over a short period of time. Each square on the background grid measures
5.0 cm 5.0 cm. Ignore air resistance unless instructed otherwise.
(a) Draw and label the force(s) acting on the ball while it is on the inclined plane below.
(2 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 25 PHYSICS
(b) As the ball leaves the inclined plane, its motion changes. (4 marks)
(i) Describe the horizontal and vertical accelerations just after the ball has left the
inclined plane.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(ii) How would each of these accelerations be affected if air resistance was
considered?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(c) Use the diagram to determine the horizontal velocity of the ball after it has left the
inclined plane. Express your answer to an appropriate number of significant figures.
(3 marks)
(d) The angle of the plane to the horizontal is 14. Determine the component of gravitational
acceleration that acts along the inclined plane. (2 marks)
2.37 m/s/s
See next page

PHYSICS 26 STAGE 3
(e) Calculate the horizontal component of the balls acceleration. Given that the ball starts
from rest on the first strobe light flash and reaches the end of the inclined plane on the
eighth flash, use the horizontal component of acceleration to determine the balls
horizontal velocity component as it leaves the inclined plane. (5 marks)
1.61 m/s
(f) Use the motion of the ball to calculate the length of the inclined plane. (3 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 27 PHYSICS
Acousto-magnetic tags (pictured) are commonly

used in stores for security purposes. A radio
transmitter near the front door emits an
electromagnetic pulse of 58.0 kHz. A fixed metal
strip made of magnetostrictive material (metal
that shrinks when in a magnetic field) contained
in a tag vibrates at this frequency due to the
changing magnetic field.
When the magnetostrictive strip vibrates it causes

loose metal strips in the tag to vibrate and
produce a sound. The frequency of the
transmitter corresponds to the resonant
frequency of the metal strips in the tag. A nearby
receiver, on detecting a sound of 58.0 kHz
frequency shortly after the transmitter has
finished sending the electromagnetic pulse,
activates the alarm.
(a) The metal strips are 37.0 mm long. In the rectangle below draw the fundamental
harmonic representing the wave formed in the metal strip and calculate the speed of
sound in the metal. (3 marks)
(b) All radio frequencies cause the magnetostrictive material to vibrate at the same
frequency as the radio signal. Explain why only a frequency of 58.0 kHz will activate the
alarm. (4 marks)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

PHYSICS 28 STAGE 3
A student performed an experiment to investigate how the magnetic field strength of a bar
magnet varied with distance from the magnet along a line through the long axis of the magnet.
She measured the angle between the pointer of a plotting compass and geographic north, as
she moved the plotting compass to various distances (d) away from the magnet. She measured
the angle at intervals of 3.0 cm, as shown in Diagram A.
Diagram A
(a) On Diagram B, draw arrows on each of the plotting compasses to indicate the angle you
would expect the needle of the compass to make when it is close to, and when it is far
(more than 50 cm) from, the bar magnet. (2 marks)
Diagram B
(b) Both the Earths magnetic field and the bar magnets magnetic field affect the compass.
Draw a vector diagram that shows these two magnetic fields and the resultant magnetic
field experienced by the plotting compass shown in Diagram A. Use your diagram to
derive a relationship between the Earths magnetic field, the magnets magnetic field
and the angle . (3 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 29 PHYSICS
(c) Calculate the strength of the magnetic field due to the bar magnet at a point on the axis,
10.0 cm from the end of the bar magnet, if the value of at this point is 82, and the
Earths magnetic field strength is 2.0 10-5 T. (2 marks)
1.4E-4 T
Question 21 continues on the next page
See next page

PHYSICS 30 STAGE 3
Parts (d), (e) and (f) of this question assess your understanding of uncertainty in
measurements, interpretation of graphs and use of appropriate significant figures.
The compass that the student used to measure the angle was marked in divisions of 1. The
student could see when the needle was between divisions but could not judge accurately how
close to a division it was. The student decided to express all her measurements of with an
uncertainty of 1. The student was confident that she placed the centre of the compass on the
ruler accurately so decided not to express her measurements of d with any uncertainty.
The students results are shown in the table below.
Distance from 1
(m-2) () Tan
magnet (m) d 2
0.15 58 1 1.60
0.18 42 1 0.90 0.03
0.21 40 1 0.84 0.03
0.24 33 1 0.65 0.02
0.27 27 1 0.51 0.02
0.30 23 1 0.42 0.02
1
(d) Complete the table by filling in the values for and the uncertainty range for the value
d2
of tan for = 58. You must show your calculation for determining the uncertainty
range. (3 marks)
1
(e) Plot the graph of tan versus on the graph paper on page 31. Include error bars and
d2
a line of best fit. (5 marks)
(f) Mark and label the point on your graph where the strength of the Earths magnetic field
is equal to the strength of the magnetic field of the bar magnet. Use this point to
determine the distance from the magnet where these fields are equal. (4 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 31 PHYSICS
If you wish to make a second attempt at this item, the graph is repeated on page 43 of this
booklet. Indicate clearly on this page if you have used the second graph and cancel the working
on the graph on this page.
End of Section Two
See next page

PHYSICS 32 STAGE 3
Section Three: Comprehension 20% (36 Marks)
This section contains two (2) questions. You must answer both questions. Write your answers
in the spaces provided.
Muons and Relativity
Muons are subatomic particles that were discovered in 1936 by researchers studying cosmic
radiation. The researchers noticed some particles whose paths in a magnetic field curved in a
direction indicating negative charge, with path curvature indicating a mass between a proton
mass and an electron mass.
Researchers first thought these particles were hadrons (heavy particles made of quarks).
Hadrons such as protons and neutrons consist of three quarks and are called baryons. The
new particles were thought to be mesons, that is, hadrons containing two quarks. Hadrons may
emit either a neutrino or an antineutrino when they decay.
Further investigation showed that muons emit both a neutrino and an antineutrino when they
decay, indicating that muons are leptons fundamental particles that are not made of quarks.
The most familiar lepton is the electron. Muon decay can be summarised as
muon electron + neutrino + antineutrino
Most naturally-occurring muons are created when cosmic rays collide with atoms in the upper
106 MeV
atmosphere, approximately 10 km above the Earth. A muon has a rest mass of ,a
c2
charge of -1 and an average lifetime of 2.2 10-6 s.
See next page

STAGE 3 33 PHYSICS
(a) The table below contains information about some subatomic particles. Complete the last
column of the table by writing baryon, meson or lepton to indicate the group of particles
to which the individual particle belongs. (4 marks)
Baryon, meson
Particle Quark structure Decay products
or lepton
Lambda charm, up, down proton, pion, kaon
tau neutrino, electron,
Tau
electron anti-neutrino
Kaon+ strange, charm muon and muon neutrino
Xi up, strange, strange lambda and pion
(b) Muons travel at almost the speed of light. Calculate the average distance that a muon
created in the upper atmosphere would travel before it decayed. Assume that its speed
is equal to c and that there are no relativistic effects. (2 marks)
(c) Muons created by cosmic rays in the upper atmosphere can be detected by detectors
on the Earths surface. This means that the muons have travelled much further than
expected. An explanation of this phenomenon involves the effects of relativity.
Explain how relativity affects the muons and enables them to travel over a greater
distance than that calculated in (b). (3 marks)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

PHYSICS 34 STAGE 3
(d) Express the rest mass of a muon in kilograms, and compare this to the rest mass of a
proton. 1.88E-28 kg (3 marks)
(e) On the diagram below sketch and label two lines representing the paths you would
expect a proton and a muon to follow in the given magnetic field. Assume both particles
are injected into the field at P with the same velocity. (3 marks)
X X X X X X X X X X X X
See next page

STAGE 3 35 PHYSICS
(f) Injecting and directing a charged particle using magnetic and electric fields is a
commonly-used phenomenon. It is used in old (cathode ray tube) television technology
as well as in high technology applications such as the CERN Large Hadron Collider.
Using formulae from your Formulae and Constants Sheet, show the derivation of the
formula below that determines a particles velocity from its mass (m) and charge (q),
having been accelerated through a potential difference (V). You must show all steps.
(4 marks)
2Vq
v=
m
See next page

PHYSICS 36 STAGE 3
Adaptive Optics and Laser Guide Star
Telescopes with very large mirrors can gather a lot of light to allow viewing of dim, distant
astronomical objects. As light waves pass through the atmosphere, tiny variations in the
refractive index of the atmospheric gases distort the lights path, causing stars to appear to
change position and twinkle. Large-diameter mirrors with fixed focal points thus suffer from
image distortion when the position of an astronomical object seems to be in many different
places when viewed from different places on the mirror.
Optical wave fronts from an astronomical object may be distorted by a layer of turbulence in the
atmosphere. The amount of distortion has been exaggerated.
Adaptive optics is a technology used to improve the performance of large telescopes by

reducing the effect of wavefront distortions caused by atmospheric distortion. Adaptive optics
works by measuring the distortions in a wavefront and compensating for them with a
deformable mirror. This requires a wavefront reference source to allow the telescope to correct
the distortion of light caused by turbulence in the atmosphere. Turbulence changes the
refractive index of the atmosphere in unpredictable ways. Monitoring the apparent motions of a
bright star with known optical characteristics can provide a reference for adaptive optics. When
the atmospheres effects are subtracted, using a deformable tip-tilt mirror, the astronomical
image produced is steady and clear.
A deformable mirror can correct distorted incoming wavefronts.
See next page

STAGE 3 37 PHYSICS
Many parts of the sky lack stars bright enough to use for judging atmospheric conditions. This
limits the effectiveness of adaptive optics that use natural guide stars. A laser guide star is an
artificial star-like light source created by shining a laser into the upper atmosphere. Such an
artificial star can be positioned anywhere that the astronomer wishes to observe, allowing any
part of the sky to be viewed using adaptive optics.
The bright line is a laser beam visible only because of atmospheric scattering.
A sodium beacon is one type of laser guide star. It is created by shining a laser tuned to
589 nm (nanometres) into the upper atmosphere, exciting a naturally-occurring layer of sodium
atoms at an altitude of about 90 km. The excited sodium atoms quickly decay, re-emitting the
589 nm light and giving the appearance of a glowing star.
Often, the laser is pulsed and the light from the laser guide star is measured a very short time
after the pulse is emitted. This eliminates errors from scattered light at ground level, so that only
light that has travelled down from the sodium layer is actually detected. The light returning from
the sodium beacon, having travelled through most of the atmosphere, appears to have moved
around in the sky in the same way as the light from astronomical objects.
(a) The following diagram shows light wavefronts moving from more dense air, where it
moves slower, to less dense air, where it travels faster. Complete the diagram by
sketching four more wave fronts in the less dense air.
(2 marks)
More dense slow air Less dense fast air
See next page

PHYSICS 38 STAGE 3
(b) Calculate the time taken for a pulse from a laser to reach the sodium layer and for the
re-emitted light to return to the Earths surface. Assume that the decay time of excited
sodium atoms is negligible. 6.0E-4 s (3 marks)
(c) Calculate the energy in electron volts of a photon of light produced by the sodium
beacon laser. 2.11 eV (3 marks)
(d) When white light is shone through a gas consisting of sodium atoms and then passed
through a prism, the white lights visible spectrum has several dark lines appear, as
shown below. The scale is in angstroms (10-10 m). (4 marks)
4000 4500 5000 5500 6000 6500 7000 7500
(i) What type of spectrum is this considered to be? _______________________________________________________________________________________________
(ii) Circle the part of the spectrum that corresponds to the light emitted by a sodium
beacon laser.
(iii) Astronomers observe light that has passed through gases, such as in a nebula
(a gas cloud in space) or a planets atmosphere. Explain how the characteristics
of this light are used to to determine the composition of the gases.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

STAGE 3 39 PHYSICS
Fluorescent angiography is a technique for examining the circulation of blood in the retina of the
eye using a dye-tracing method. It involves the injection of sodium fluorescein, which circulates
through the whole body, including the eye. The eye is then illuminated using blue light of
wavelength 490 nm. The sodium fluorescein fluoresces, emitting yellow-green light that is
photographed to create an angiogram.
(e) Using the energy level diagrams below, determine and draw on the diagrams the photon
absorption and emission transitions for:
A the sodium beacon laser guide star
and
B the fluorescent angiography. You must show the calculations used for determining the
absorption transition.
The energy level diagrams are simplified. A sodium atom has many energy level
transitions available and therefore not all energy levels are shown. (5 marks)
A Laser guide star transitions B Fluorescent angiography transitions
3.6 eV 3.6 eV
3.2 eV 3.2 eV
2.5 eV 2.5 eV
2.1 eV 2.1 eV
0 eV 0 eV
End of questions
Examination, 2012
PHYSICS Please place your student identification label in this box
Stage 3
In words


Number of additional
answer booklets used
Formulae and Data Booklet (if applicable):
Standard items: pens (blue/black preferred), pencils (including coloured), sharpener,
correction tape/fluid, eraser, ruler, highlighters
Special items: non-programmable calculators approved for use in the WACE examinations,
drawing templates, drawing compass and a protractor

Copyright School Curriculum and Standards Authority 2012
Ref: 12-130
*PHY3* PHY3
PHYSICS 2 STAGE 3

Marks Percentage
available of exam
Section One:
Short response 11 11 50 54 30
Section Two:
Problem-solving 7 7 90 90 50
Section Three:
2 2 40 36 20
Comprehension
Total 100
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA AS IT WILL BE CUT OFF

1. The rules for the conduct of Western Australian external examinations are detailed in
the Year 12 Information Handbook 2012. Sitting this examination implies that you
agree to abide by these rules.
2. Write your answers in this Question/Answer Booklet.
3. When calculating numerical answers, show your working or reasoning clearly. Give
final answers to three significant figures and include appropriate units where applicable.

When estimating numerical answers, show your working or reasoning clearly. Give final
answers to a maximum of two significant figures and include appropriate units where
applicable.
5. Spare pages are included at the end of this booklet. They can be used for planning
your responses and/or as additional space if required to continue an answer.
Planning: If you use the spare pages for planning, indicate this clearly at the top
of the page.
Continuing an answer: If you need to use the space to continue an answer, indicate
in the original answer space where the answer is continued, i.e. give the page
number. Fill in the number of the question(s) that you are continuing to answer at the
top of the page.
6. The Formulae and Data booklet is not handed in with your Question/Answer Booklet.
See next page

STAGE 3 3 PHYSICS
Section One: Short answers 30% (54 Marks)
This section has eleven (11) questions. Answer all questions.
When calculating numerical answers, show your working or reasoning clearly. Give final answers
to three significant figures and include appropriate units where applicable.
When estimating numerical answers, show your working or reasoning clearly. Give final answers
to a maximum of two significant figures and include appropriate units where applicable.
Question 1
ignore (3 marks)
The diagram below shows a string 250 cm long vibrating in its fundamental mode between two
fixed points.
a c
The string is vibrating with a frequency of 100 Hz.

For each of the positions a, b, and c, indicate whether these are nodes or antinodes, and
calculate the speed of the wave.
a:
b:
c:
See next page

PHYSICS 4 STAGE 3
The figure below shows three simplified absorption spectra for ionised calcium. Many of the
absorption lines and the background colour have been removed. In all three spectra the same
two absorption lines, a and b, are shown. The top spectrum is an example of a spectrum
recorded in a laboratory on Earth; the lower two have been recorded from two different galaxies.
a b
Our Suns calcium absorption spectrum

as seen from Earth.
(nm) 390 410
a b

The calcium absorption spectrum of
Galaxy NGC 2903.
(nm) 390 410
a b
The calcium absorption spectrum of
Galaxy NGC 3147.
(nm) 390 410
(a) Explain why absorption spectra appear as dark lines on an otherwise continuous
electromagnetic spectrum. (3 marks)
(b) Which galaxy is further away from Earth? Justify your answer. (3 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 5 PHYSICS
The two diagrams below show wavefronts incident on gaps of different width. On each diagram
draw five (5) wavefronts to show how the waves behave after they have passed through the gap.
See next page

PHYSICS 6 STAGE 3
The diagram below shows a section lengthwise through a bird whistle capable of making sounds
over a large range of frequencies. The frequency can be changed by moving the plunger inside
the whistle. The longest length of the whistle is 8.7 cm.
8.7 cm
Plunger

You should assume that air at 25C is in the whistle.
Determine the distance moved by the plunger when changing the fundamental note from 18 kHz
to 21 kHz, and draw a diagram of the fundamental wave in the whistle.
See next page

STAGE 3 7 PHYSICS
The diagram below shows a side view of a laptop computer resting on an outdoor table. The
mass of the base of the laptop is 2.00 kg and the mass of the screen is 600 g. They are both
22.0 cm long. There is an angle of 50.0 between the horizontal and the screen. The computer is
blown over by wind.
Assume that the base and screen both have a uniform mass distribution.
Wind
22
cm
50
22 cm
Calculate the minimum single equivalent wind force on the centre of the screen needed to tip the
laptop over.
20.7 N
See next page

PHYSICS 8 STAGE 3
The diagram below shows a tenpin bowler propelling a bowling ball which has a velocity of
11.5 m s1 when released. The distance from the bowlers shoulder to the top of the ball is
0.700 m and the ball has a diameter of 0.250 m. The ball has a mass of 6.00 kg.
The bowler approaches the lane at 3.00 m s1.
3 m s1

0.700 m
(a) Calculate the tension in the bowlers arm, due to the bowling ball, as the ball is released.
You should assume the ball is released horizontally from the lowest point. (4 marks)
584 N
(b) Draw an arrow on the diagram to show the direction of the force exerted on the bowlers
arm by the shoulder joint. (1 mark)
See next page

STAGE 3 9 PHYSICS
An electron moving with an initial velocity u, has initial kinetic energy EKi . It enters a uniform
electric field with field strength E, as shown in the diagram below. The electrons final kinetic
energy EKf is equal to 4EKi.
u v
e
The electric field strength is now doubled. If another electron, having initial kinetic energy EKi
enters the field, determine this electrons final kinetic energy in terms of EKi.
You should ignore the effects of gravity.
See next page

PHYSICS 10 STAGE 3
A GPS system uses the signals from four satellites to establish a position on the Earths surface.
The satellites have an orbital period of 12.0 hours but they are in different planes of orbit. Each
satellite has an atomic clock that allows a signal to be emitted at prescribed intervals. The time
difference between the four signals is used by the receiver to establish a position.
(a) By equating the relationship for centripetal force and gravitational force show that the
orbital velocity of each satellite is close to 3.90 103 m s1. (5 marks)
2r
Hint: v =
T
Show all your workings.

(b) The manufacturers of the satellites deliberately build in a correction to the rate at which
the clocks tick so that they run a little fast before they are put into orbit. Explain why
they do this. (2 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 11 PHYSICS
A uniform beam of length 2.00 m and mass 1.00 kg sits horizontally on a table. Two balls, A and
B, are initially stationary on the left edge of the beam. Ball A has a mass of 2.00 kg and Ball B
has a mass of 0.250 kg. This is summarised in Diagram 1 below.
Side view Front view
Ball B Ball A Ball A

1m
Ball B
Diagram 1
Beam
Table
Ball A is pushed to the right and begins to move toward with a constant velocity, v. This is shown
in Diagram 2 below.
Front view
v
Ball B
Ball A
Diagram 2 Beam
Table
Determine, in terms of v, the time at which Ball B begins to move.
Hint: Consider the positions of the balls at the moment that Ball B begins to move.
See next page

PHYSICS 12 STAGE 3
Your use of appropriate significant figures will be assessed in this question.
The photograph shows a motorcyclist riding around a roundabout on a flat road.

(a) Show that the angle between the motorcyclist and the road is independent of the mass
of the motorcyclist. Draw a vector diagram to assist your answer. (3 marks)
(b) Using an appropriate calculation, estimate the velocity of the motorcyclist in the
photograph. Use the photograph as a guide. (3 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 13 PHYSICS
Your use of appropriate significant figures will be assessed in this question.
The photograph shows a swimming pool toy that sprays water when the plunger is pressed into
the barrel containing water. A boy, using the toy, sprays water vertically from a height of 1 m and
counts the time from the last drop of water leaving the barrel to it hitting the ground and finds it
to be 3 s.
Plunger Barrel
Estimate the angle at which the toy should be held if it is to be used to spray water from the
surface of a swimming pool onto a person 4 m away. Assume that air resistance is negligible and
show all your workings.
4m
Person with Pool surface Person being

plunger aimed at
Hint: You may need to use the trigonometric identity sin 2 = 2 sin cos to answer this question.
5 degree
End of Section One
See next page

PHYSICS 14 STAGE 3
This section has seven (7) questions. Answer all questions. Write your answers in the spaces
provided.
Planning: If you use the spare pages for planning, indicate this clearly at the top of
the page.

Photovoltaic cells are used to generate electricity from sunlight. Photons in sunlight hit the cell
and are absorbed by a semiconducting material and electrons are raised to a higher energy level
and become conducting electrons. A common material in photovoltaic cells is monocrystalline
silicon, which has a band gap energy of 1.1 eV.
A solar panel consists of 72 photovoltaic cells each with dimensions of 0.125 m 0.125 m.
Under test conditions the panel generates electricity at a rate of 190 W. During a test, 1000 W m2
falls on a panel, and the energy includes a full range of solar wavelengths.
(a) Calculate the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the silicon, which
causes electrons to become conducting electrons. State which part of the
electromagnetic spectrum this wavelength belongs to. (3 marks)
1.10E-6 m
See next page

STAGE 3 15 PHYSICS
(b) Calculate the efficiency of the solar panel. Assume that there is no gap between the cells
on the panel. (3 marks)
16.9%
A wind turbine generates electricity at a rate of 2000 kW at a voltage of 690 V. The turbine is
connected to a transformer which increases the voltage to 33 kV before connecting it to the
electricity grid.
(c) Determine the turns ratio for the transformer connected to the wind turbine. (2 marks)
48:1
(d) Explain why the voltage is increased before it is transmitted. (3 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 16 STAGE 3
A and B are two identical very small particles. They are both positively charged with charge
+ Q. They are fixed in position 10 units apart.
(a) On the diagram below draw the resultant electric field around the charged particles.
You should draw at least five (5) field lines around each particle. (3 marks)
A
+Q

+Q
B
See next page

STAGE 3 17 PHYSICS
(b) C and D are two particles with identical mass and volume to A and B but they have
charge Q. Draw particles C and D on the diagram below so that the four particles will
be in static equilibrium. (3 marks)
A
+Q
+Q
B
(c) On the diagram above draw and label three (3) arrows on particle C to indicate the forces
acting on particle C due to the other three particles. (3 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 18 STAGE 3
The Kepler NASA mission aims to search for planets orbiting stars in other solar systems.
The star named Kepler 20 has been observed to have several planets orbiting it. Kepler 20 is
950 light-years from Earth.
Information about Kepler 20 and some of the planets orbiting it is summarised in the table below.
Astronomical Orbital period around

Radius Mass
object Kepler 20
Star Kepler 20 0.944 radiusSUN 0.912 massSUN
Planet Kepler 20b 2.40 radiusEARTH 290 days
Planet Kepler 20e 0.87 radiusEARTH 6.1 days
Planet Kepler 20f 1.03 radiusEARTH 19.6 days

(a) A light-year is an astronomical unit of distance. It is defined as the distance travelled
by light in one year. Calculate the distance from Kepler 20 to Earth in kilometres.
8.99E15 km (2 marks)
(b) Astronomers express the mass of Kepler 20 as (0.912 0.035) massSUN.

Calculate the maximum value astronomers expect for the mass of Kepler 20. (2 marks)
1.88E30 kg
(c) Calculate the orbital radius of Kepler 20e around Kepler 20. You should use the mass
for Kepler 20 quoted in the table and assume the orbit is circular. (4 marks)
9.48E9 m
See next page

STAGE 3 19 PHYSICS
(d) The mass of Kepler 20b is unknown but it has been speculated that it may have a
density similar to that of Earth, 5520 kg m-3. Calculate the surface gravity of Kepler 20b
if its density is 5520 kg m-3. 23.6 m/s/s (4 marks)

Reminder:
mass
density = volume

4
volume of a sphere = 3 r3

The Kepler mission is particularly concerned with finding planets that lie within the
habitable zones of stars. A planet in a stars habitable zone receives the right amount
of energy from the star to maintain liquid water on its surface, provided it also has an
appropriate atmosphere.
(e) By comparing the Kepler 20 system and our own solar system, suggest which planet
in the Kepler 20 system is most likely to lie in the habitable zone. Explain your answer.
(3 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 20 STAGE 3
Two parallel metal rails are connected by a resistor. A vehicle made of copper allows current to
flow between the rails and moves from rest at Position I to Position V.
I II III IV V
Top view
B
I II III V
Side view R = 0.750 m

IV
Permanent magnet
(a) The vehicle moves between Position I and Position II in 3.00 s, driven by a 3.00 V,
20.0 mA motor. The energy conversion efficiency of the vehicle is 70.0% and the mass
of the vehicle is 120 g. Ignore air resistance and frictional forces.
Show that the velocity of the vehicle at Position II is 1.45 m s-1. (3 marks)
(b) The motor is switched off at Position II and the vehicle continues to move from Position
II to Position V, and then back through Position IV. The metal rails are 0.170 m apart and
have a radius of curvature of 0.750 m as shown in the diagram. A magnetic field, B, is
arranged so that the field strength acting anywhere between Position IV and Position V is
perpendicular to the rails, and has magnitude 0.550 T.
Calculate the magnitude of the emf induced across the vehicle as it first passes through
Position IV. 0.383 V (4 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 21 PHYSICS
(c) Draw a labelled free body diagram to show the forces acting on the vehicle at Position IV.
(3 marks)
(d) Sketch a graph of the magnitude (absolute value) of induced EMF versus position as the
vehicle moves from Position IV to Position V and then back again to IV. (3 marks)
Absolute magnitude of induced emf (V)
IV V IV
Position
See next page

PHYSICS 22 STAGE 3
In the diagram below, the arrow represents a stream of electrons, moving with velocity v,
entering a solid copper strip. The electrons are moving in the direction M to N. A magnetic field
of strength B, perpendicular to the strip is switched on.
x x x x x N
x x x x x
x x x x x
x x x x x
x x x x x Magnetic field

d B into page
x x x x x
x x x x x
x x x x x
x x x x x
M
x x x x
(a) Explain why electrons will begin to collect on the right hand edge of the strip and why an
electric field develops across the strip. Express the voltage (V) due to the electric field in
terms of the electric field strength (E) and the distance across the strip (d). (4 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 23 PHYSICS
The phenomenon of a voltage being produced across a current carrying conductor due to the
presence of a magnetic field is called the Hall effect, and the voltage is termed the Hall voltage.
It is utilised in probes used to measure magnetic field strength.
(b) For the probe in the diagram below draw an arrow to indicate the direction of the
electric field in the strip. (1 mark)
B
Electrons
IB
(c) The Hall voltage can be calculated using the equation V = tne
where
I = electric current
B = magnetic field strength
t = thickness of the strip
n = number of electrons per m3
e = charge on an electron

Calculate the magnetic field strength when V = 2.25 mV, I = 1.80 A, t = 1.25 10-4 m and
n = 1.52 1025 m-3. (3 marks)
0.380 T
(d) Calculate the magnetic force exerted on the electrons if they are moving with velocity
1.17 m s1. (2 marks)
7.11E-20 N
See next page

PHYSICS 24 STAGE 3
Below is a photograph of a brick saw on a stand. The saw is powered by a 2.2 kW single
phase AC electric motor that draws current from the 240 V and 50 Hz mains supply. There is a
very tight belt around the shaft of the blade and the shaft of the electric motor and this is how
the spinning motor makes the blade spin. Bricks are cut by placing them on the platform and
pushing them through the spinning blade.
Motor

Spinning blade
Platform
(a) Calculate the current used by the saw when it is operating normally. (2 marks)
9.20 A
(b) Calculate the size of the EMF generated by the coil if the supply is exactly 240 V and
the losses due to inefficiency are 28 V. 2012 V (2 marks)
(c) When the motor is switched on, it speeds up until it reaches a maximum. Explain how
the EMF generated in the coil restricts the speed of the motor. (4 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 25 PHYSICS
(d) While the saw is operating it suddenly stops spinning because it gets stuck in a brick. The
current through the saw will (3 marks)
(i) increase.
(ii) decrease.
(iii) remain the same.
Circle your answer and explain your reasoning.

(e) On the axes below sketch the current in the saw when the saw is operating normally
and when it gets stuck in a brick. (3 marks)
Normal operation Stuck in brick

Current
Current
Time Time
See next page

PHYSICS 26 STAGE 3

This page has been left blank intentionally
See next page

STAGE 3 27 PHYSICS
In the diagram below a copper rod is free to slide down two parallel electrical contact rails which
are mounted on an inclined plane. The inclined plane is a strong magnet. The angle, ,
between the inclined plane and the horizontal can be changed. The electrical contact rails are
connected to a galvanometer.
Copper rod
B (perpendicular to the inclined plane)

v
Electrical contact rails

G
As the rod slides, it first accelerates but eventually reaches a constant, terminal speed.
(a) Explain why a current is detected by the galvanometer when the copper rod moves.
(2 marks)
(b) Explain why there is a force opposing the rods motion down the rails. (2 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 28 STAGE 3
STAGE 3 27 PHYSICS
A group of students investigate the relationship between the terminal speed of the rod and the
A group
angle of students
of inclination. Theyinvestigate relationship
measure the terminal speedbetween
of the the
rod terminal speed
using data of the
logging rod and the
equipment
and the angle of inclination with a protractor. They plot their data on a graph. This graphequipment
angle of inclination. They measure the terminal speed of the rod using data logging is
and the angle
reproduced below.of inclination with a protractor. They plot their data on a graph. This graph is
reproduced below.
1.6
1.4
1.2
Terminal speed (cm s1)
0.8

0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
sin
(c) (c) Express

Express the
the value
value of
of terminal
terminal speed,
speed, when sin ==0.5
when sine 0.5ininthe
theform
formyyy,
y,where
whereyyisis the
value theofvalue of terminal speed and y is the uncertainty in the measurement.
terminal speed and y is the uncertainty in the measurement. (2 (2 marks)
marks)
(d)Describe the trend in uncertainty for the terminal speed and the sine of the angle .
(4 marks)
(d) Describe the trend in uncertainty for the terminal speed and for the sin of the angle .
(4 marks)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

See next page
See next page
STAGE 3 29 PHYSICS
(e) When drawing the line of best fit the students chose not to include the two largest
terminal speed measurements from their data because they thought these two
measurements were less reliable. Refer to the graph to explain why they thought this.
(3 marks)
(f) Draw a line of best fit onto the graph and determine the gradient of the line. (3 marks)
(mg sin)R
(g) The rods terminal speed can be calculated from the equation vts = where
l 2B2
m = 44.0 g, R = 1.4 10-4 and l = 20.0 cm. Use your value of the gradient to calculate
a value of the magnetic field strength B. If you were unable to determine a value for the
gradient you should use 1.57 cm s1. (2 marks)
End of Section Two
See next page

PHYSICS 30 STAGE 3
This section has two (2) questions. You must answer both questions. Write your answers in
the spaces provided.
the page.

Radio Telescopes and Interferometry
Light Interferometry
An interferometer is a device that can split a light beam into two parts and recombine them to
form an interference pattern after they have travelled over different paths. A light interferometer
can be used to accurately determine wavelengths or distance.
A simplified diagram of an interferometer is shown below. A beam of light is incident on a
half-silvered mirror. Some of the light is reflected from this mirror and is incident on Mirror 1. The
remaining light is transmitted through the half silvered mirror and is incident on Mirror 2. Light
from both mirrors is then reflected back and received at the detector.
An observer at the detector may see an interference pattern consisting of a series of bright and
dark lines. The spacing of the lines depends on the distances the two light beams, arriving at the
detector, have travelled.
Mirror 1
Mirror 2
Light source
Half-silvered mirror
Detector
Resolving Power
The resolving power of a telescope is a measure of its ability to distinguish between objects
separated by a small angular distance. Point like sources that are separated by an angle
smaller than the resolving power of the telescope will not be seen as separate.
See next page

STAGE 3 31 PHYSICS
57.3
The angular resolution of a telescope can be approximated to R = D
where is the wavelength of the observed radiation, D is the diameter of the aperture or lens
used in the telescope and R is the distance between the objects being observed in degrees.
A way of increasing the resolving power of a telescope is to use interferometry. An array of

telescopes arranged in a grid can all look at the same region of the sky. The signals from the
telescopes are combined and the interference pattern can be interpreted to determine the exact
location of a source in the sky.
57.3
The resolution of an array of telescopes can be calculated using R = B
where B is the distance between telescopes in the array.
The Square Kilometre Array is a radio telescope that will be built in southern Africa and Western
Australia. It is thought that both of these regions offer the best opportunity for observing without
interference from other radio sources. When it is complete it will have a total collecting area of
more than 1 square kilometre and the maximum distance between the central core of receivers
and the most distant will be approximately 3000 km.
(a) Explain why a series of dark and light fringes may be observed at the detector of an
interferometer. (3 marks)
(b) In an interferometer the distance from the half-silvered mirror to Mirror 1 is 1.5 m. The
distance from the half-silvered mirror to Mirror 2 is 1.85 m. The light used in the
interferometer has a wavelength of 694 nm. Calculate the difference in path length
between the light beams arriving at the detector in terms of number of wavelengths.
You should express your answer to 1 significant figure. 1E6 (2 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 32 STAGE 3
(c) Two stars, separated by an angle of 0.5, are both emitting radio waves with a frequency
of 1 106 Hz. Can they be seen as separate sources by a telescope with a diameter of
76 m? You should show the calculations you have used to justify your answer. (4 marks)

(d) Determine the resolution of two telescopes, 5 km apart receiving radio waves with a
wavelength of 1.71 m. 0.0196 degree (2 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 33 PHYSICS
(e) Give three (3) reasons why radio waves are used to explore very distant regions of the
Universe instead of visible light by comparing the characteristics of the two regions of the
electromagnetic spectrum. (4 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 34 STAGE 3
Measuring the age of the Universe
In 1929 Edwin Hubble published a claim that the recession velocities of galaxies are proportional
to their distance from any observer in the Universe. The red shift of a galaxy is a measure of its
recession velocity. The plot below shows Hubbles 1929 data.
1200
1000
Recession velocity ( km s1)
800
600

400
200
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
200 Distance (Mpc)
The gradient of the fitted line is 464 km s1 Mpc1 and is now known as the Hubble constant, H0.
A parsec is an astronomical unit of distance and a megaparsec, Mpc, is equivalent to
3.086 1019 km. Since both kilometres and megaparsecs are units of distance, the simplified
units of H0 are s1.
The assumption that the relationship between recession velocity and distance is linear, implies
that the value of H0 is constant throughout the Universe. If this is not true then the position that
we collect our data from is unique, the only point in the Universe where the red shift is measured
to be the same in all directions i.e. the central point of the Universe.
1
The age of the Universe should be equivalent to H . In 1929 the age of the Universe was
0
measured using other methods and determined to be over 10 gigayears. The discrepancy
between the age of the Universe determined from Hubbles constant and the previously
measured value led to scepticism over the cosmological models based on Hubbles data and
motivated the development of the Steady State model of the Universe.
See next page

STAGE 3 35 PHYSICS
(a) Use the gradient of Hubbles graph to calculate a value of H0 in yr 1. (3 marks)

(b) Use the plot of Hubbles data to explain why there would be scepticism about his
proposed relationship between the velocities of the galaxies and the distance from the
observation point. (2 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 36 STAGE 3
Question 20 (continued)
Later work found that Hubble had confused two different kinds of Cepheid variable stars that
are used for calibrating distances, and also that what Hubble thought were bright stars in distant
galaxies were actually large nebulae where large stars were beginning to form.
Improvements in data collection and astronomical observation techniques have led to revisions
of the value of Hubbles constant. The table below contains more recent data for Cepheid
variable stars.
Distance (Mpc) Recession velocity (km s1)

28.60 2120
81.00 5150
129.0 7880

171.0 10 900
235.0 14 800
381.0 20 900
476.0 28 800
(c) Use the data from the table to plot a straight line graph on the grid provided. (4 marks)
(d) Using the graph, calculate the value for Hubbles constant in yr 1 provided by this set
of data. (3 marks)
(e) Use the value of Hubbles constant, derived from the data above, to calculate the age of
the Universe in years. (2 marks)
(f) Indicate on your graph the extent of the data collected by Hubble in 1929. Refer to this
to explain why Hubbles value for the age of the Universe was so different from current
estimates. (3 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 37 PHYSICS
If you wish to have a second attempt at this item, the graph is repeated at the end of the
Question/Answer Booklet. Indicate clearly on this page if you have used the second graph
and cancel the working on the graph on this page.
See next page

PHYSICS 38 STAGE 3
Question 20
(g) An alternative to the Big Bang model is called the Steady State model, which states
that our Universe looks the same from every spot in it and at every time. A Steady State
Universe has no beginning or end. The Steady State model states that although the
Universe is expanding it does not change its look over time because new matter must be
formed to keep the density equal over time. The implication of the Steady State model for
Hubbles data is that the Earth is in a unique position in the Universe; i.e. the only point
from which the expansion would look the same in all directions, allowing a linear
relationship between recession velocity of a galaxy and its distance from the observer.
If we were located anywhere else in the Universe, the data would produce a quadratic
relationship between the recession velocities of galaxies and their distances away from
the observer.
The table below shows four key points about the Steady State model. Use this table
to compare the Big Bang model of the Universe with the Steady State model. (4 marks)

Steady State
Big Bang model
model
The Universe
is expanding.
The Universe
has no
beginning
or end.
The Earth is
in a unique
position in
the Universe.
The Universe
does not
change its
look over time.
End
Seeofnext
questions
page
Examination, 2013
PHYSICS
Stage 3 Please place your student identification label in this box
In words
Time allowed for this paper answer booklets used
(if applicable):

Formulae and Data Booklet

correction fluid/tape, eraser, ruler, highlighters

No other items may be taken into the examination room. It is your responsibility to ensure
that you do not have any unauthorised notes or other items of a non-personal nature in the
Ref: 13-124
*PHY3* PHY3
STAGE 3 3 PHYSICS
number of the question that you are continuing to answer at the top of the page.
Mindy flicks a coin across a desk. The coin leaves the edge of the desk and lands at a point
0.455 m below the desk top and 1.45 m from the edge of the desk. Calculate the velocity in m s1
of the coin as it leaves the desktop. 4.76 m/s
See next page

PHYSICS 4 STAGE 3
A distant star is seen by an astronomer using a powerful telescope to be travelling toward the
Earth with a velocity of 0.1c.
(a) At what velocity does the light reach the telescope? (1 mark)

(b) What is it about the starlights spectrum that tells the astronomer that the star is
approaching? Explain your answer. (2 marks)
Explain, using an appropriate formula, why high-voltage power lines are used when transporting
electrical power over large distances.
See next page

STAGE 3 5 PHYSICS
Table of quarks
Name Symbol Electrostatic charge
Up u +e
Down d - e
Strange s - e
Charmed c +e
Bottom b - e
Top t +e
Table of baryons
Particle Composition
p +
uud
n udd
+
uus
0
uds
-
dds
- sss
(a) Use the information in the above tables to explain why the electrostatic charge on the 0
particle is neutral. (2 marks)
(b) It is possible for another baryonic particle to exist in nature with a positive electrostatic
charge equal to that of the proton. What would its quark composition be, given that this
particle contains two up quarks and is not a proton? (1 mark)
See next page

PHYSICS 6 STAGE 3
metre rule
chair
desk
rotation
direction

A
A
S
S
C
C
S
S
Photograph A Photograph B
(a) The photographs above show the same chair in two different positions. A metre rule is
included to provide scale. Photograph A shows the chair in the instant after the person
holding it in place let go.
In Photograph A the chair will begin to rotate and fall to the floor as soon as the hand is
removed, while in Photograph B the chair will stay in the position as shown. Explain why
the chair will rotate in Photograph A but not in Photograph B. (3 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 7 PHYSICS
(b) On the photograph below, indicate the direction of the force that you could apply at Point
X in order to prevent the chair from rotating. Estimate the magnitude of this force, stating
clearly any assumptions that you make. (5 marks)
X
A
S
C
S
A car is driving over a hill with a radius of 250 m at a speed of 30.0 m s-1. Determine the
magnitude of the net force experienced between a 65.0 kg passenger and their seat or seat
belt.
See next page

PHYSICS 8 STAGE 3
The element helium gets its name from the Greek sun-god Helios. This is because helium is the
only element to have been discovered in the Sun before it was isolated on the Earth. Helium was
identified from unknown lines in the solar spectrum.
With reference to the discovery of helium, explain the origin and significance of lines in the solar
spectrum.

When a satellite is launched it is placed in an initial circular orbit around the Earth. Later some
small jets on board the satellite will fire compressed gas for a set period of time to move it to
the precise final circular orbit required. These gas jets point backward relative to the satellites
motion only and not toward or away from the Earth.
How can backward facing gas jets be used to raise the satellite to a higher final circular orbit?
See next page

STAGE 3 9 PHYSICS
Use a labelled free body diagram to help explain why a runner or a cyclist needs to lean when
making a turn.

A geostationary satellite orbits the Earth at an altitude of 35 000 km. It travels at a speed of
approximately 3000 m s-1.
Relativistic effects may cause a clock on board the satellite to run a little slower or a little faster
than the same clock on the surface of the Earth. Considering the factors that may lead to
relativistic effects, complete the table below.
Factor leading to Change Effect on time

relativistic effect in factor shown by clock
gravitational field decreased faster
See next page

PHYSICS 10 STAGE 3
Inductive charging is becoming more popular for mobile devices such as phones. A simplified
diagram of the charging system is shown below.
Secondary coil
in mobile device
Primary coil in
charging device

(a) Assume that one such charging system runs directly from the mains power (240 V AC)
to charge a device that requires an input of 4 V. Describe the transformer and the
relationship between the two coils. (3 marks)
(b) Use appropriate formulae or relationships to explain how this inductive charging system
works. (3 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 11 PHYSICS
A satellite orbits 4.22 107 m above the Earths centre. At a certain point in its orbit around
the Earth, the satellite and the Moon line up as shown in the diagram below. Show that in this
position the influence of the Moon on the satellite is negligible, compared with the influence of
the Earth.
Earth Satellite Moon

End of Section One
See next page

PHYSICS 12 STAGE 3
This section has six (6) questions. Answer all questions. Write your answers in the spaces
provided.

Gary is playing in a park and decides to kick a ball over a branch of a large tree. He places the
ball on the ground to kick it. The path of the ball is shown in the diagram. The tree is 10.0 m
away. Gary kicks the ball with a velocity v at an angle of 23.5 to the horizontal. The ball will just
clear the branch.
v m s1
23.5
10.0 metres
(a) Draw the force(s) acting on the ball just after it has been kicked. (2 marks)
Direction of velocity
See next page

STAGE 3 13 PHYSICS
(b) The ball is in the air for 1.33 s. Assuming no air resistance, determine:
(i) the initial velocity of the ball in m s-1 16.4 m/s (4 marks)
(ii) the height of the branch 2.17 m (3 marks)
(iii) the distance in metres on the opposite side of the tree that Gary should place his
sister so she can catch the ball when it is 1.25 m above the ground. (5 marks)
6.50 m
See next page

PHYSICS 14 STAGE 3
An ammeter is a device that is used to determine the magnitude of an electric current. The
unknown current is passed through a coil of wire in a magnetic field. The turning effect of the
current-carrying coil is balanced by a spring and a corresponding value is read from the meter.
(a)
Use the photograph below of an ammeters scale to determine the magnitude of the
current passing through it, as well as the absolute and relative uncertainty for this value.
(3 marks)

A
S
C
S
Current: mA
Absolute uncertainty:
Relative uncertainty:
(b) A simplified diagram representing one current-carrying wire of the ammeters coil
between two magnets, is shown below. Draw at least five field lines to show the
resultant magnetic field between the magnets. (4 marks)
N S
See next page

STAGE 3 15 PHYSICS
(c) Calculate the magnitude of the force, in newtons, acting on the wire carrying a current of
1.45 A in the simplified diagram on page 14, given that the magnetic field strength is
4.25 10-2 T and the length of the wire in the field is 2.50 10-2 m. (2 marks)
1.54E-3 N
(d) The actual ammeter shown has 250 turns of wire that form a square coil with sides of
3.20 10-2 m. Determine the magnitude of the current in amperes, given that the spring
provides a restoring torque of 2.65 10-2 N m in the magnetic field strength of 4.25 10-2 T.
(4 marks)
2.44 A
(e) When the ammeter is disconnected, the spring rotates the coil so that the marker needle
returns to zero. This causes a change in flux of 2.18 10-5 Wb to occur in the coil in
0.115 s. Determine the average potential difference induced in the coil during this
change. Include the units in your answer. (3 marks)
4.74E-2 V
See next page

PHYSICS 16 STAGE 3
Andrew and Sarah were at the park and noticed a tyre-swing

hanging in a tree. They realised that it would behave as a
pendulum and would complete one swing (return to its starting
point for one complete cycle) with a period (T) in seconds.
They had previously discussed pendulums in class and
been given the equation:
L
T = 2 tyre
g
A
S
[Where = length in metres]
C
S

(a) The tyre swung with a period of 3.84 s. Determine the length of the rope in metres.
3.66 m (2 marks)
(b) Andrew and Sarah decided to conduct an investigation to determine the relationship
between the length of a pendulum and its period.
An incomplete table of results for this investigation is shown below:
Length of Time for ten Time for one Period squared

pendulum (m) swings (s) swing T (s) T2 (s2)
0.10 5.5
0.20 6.9
0.30 10.9
0.40 12.5
0.50 15.0
0.60 18.5
(i) Complete the above table. (2 marks)
(ii) Use the data from the table to plot a straight line graph on the grid provided to
demonstrate the relationship between the length of the pendulum and the square
of the period (plot on the x-axis). (4 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 17 PHYSICS
If you wish to make a second attempt at this item, the graph is repeated an the end of this
Question/Answer Booklet. Indicate clearly on this page if you have used the second graph and
cancel the working on the graph on this page.
See next page

PHYSICS 18 STAGE 3
(b) (iii) Use your graph to determine the pendulum length that gives a period of 1.0 s.
(3 marks)
(iv) Determine the gradient of your graph using a line of best fit. (4 marks)

(v) Use your gradient to determine the experimental value of g. (3 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 20 STAGE 3
An electron gun is a very important component of many devices, including particle accelerators,
electron microscopes and cathode-ray tubes. A schematic diagram of an electron gun is shown
below.

Assume the average initial velocity of a thermal electron is zero. The anode voltages are
V1= 1500 V and V2 = 4500 V and the distances between the cathode and anodes are as shown
above.
(a) Calculate the velocity in m s-1 of the thermal electrons as they pass through the first
anode. 2.30E7 m/s (4 marks)
(b) Calculate the average acceleration in m s-2 of an electron in the region between the
cathode and the first anode. (3 marks)
1.32E15 m/s/s
See next page

STAGE 3 21 PHYSICS
(c) Complete the sketches that qualitatively represent the situation on the axes below. The
first graph, of distance versus potential difference, has been completed for you. (6 marks)
V (V)
(d) Calculate the electrical work done by the electric field in moving one electron from the
first anode to the second anode. Include units with your answer. (3 marks)
4.80E-16 J
See next page

PHYSICS 22 STAGE 3
An aircraft is flying horizontally with a constant speed of 600 km h-1 at an altitude of 5000 m. The
upward (lift) force provided by the wings that is necessary to keep the aircraft in level flight is
9.80 104 N.
(a) Show that the mass of the aircraft must be 1.00 104 kg. (3 marks)

(b) The pilot begins a turn by tilting the aircraft so that its wings are at 15.0 to the horizontal
as shown. Assume that the airspeed does not change, and that the size and angle to the
wing of the lift force remain constant.
Draw a free body diagram below labelling the forces acting on the aircraft. Ignore
drag/friction and thrust forces directed into and out of the page. (2 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 23 PHYSICS
(c) Calculate the horizontal radius of the aircrafts turn, assuming the airspeed does not
change. (5 marks)
1.10E4 m
(d) Describe any effects that this turn will have on the altitude of the aircraft. No calculations
are required. (2 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 24 STAGE 3
An electron moving at 0.9c enters a region of space and follows a path that has a constant
radius of 0.348 m while in the magnetic field shown on the diagram, before striking a target
anode.


(a) Draw the magnetic field enclosed in the indicated space. (2 marks)
mv
(b) (i) Derive the formula B = qr . (2 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 25 PHYSICS
(ii) Use this formula to calculate the field strength needed to direct an electron along
this path. Include units in your answer. 4.42E-3 T (4 marks)
(iii) Describe how each of the changes below affect the charged particles path in the
magnetic field. (4 marks)
Property changed Effect on radius of the path
Particles charge is reversed
Particles charge is
increased
Particles velocity is
increased
Magnetic field is increased
(c) Relativistic effects were not considered when calculating the electrons path. Outline
briefly the effects that special relativity predicts about the radius of the electrons motion.
(2 marks)
End of Section Two
See next page

PHYSICS 26 STAGE 3
This section has two (2) questions. You must answer both questions. Write your answers in the
spaces provided.

Question 19 optional (20 marks)
The club-winged manakin
Manakins are birds that perform spectacular song-and-dance acts in the middle of a tropical
forest. While all manakins produce vocal calls, about half of the 40 known species also make
music at lower frequencies by moving their body parts.
Scientists knew that the wings were the source of the sound but did not know exactly how the
process worked. The manakins movements were recorded on a video camera operating at
a thousand frames per second. Viewing the video in slow motion showed that the bird was
knocking its wings together 107 times a second. Examining the manakins feathers under a
microscope showed that each wing has a specialised feather with seven separate ridges.
An adjacent feather rubs against the ridged feather in a plectrum-like1 action. A single note is
produced when the wings come together and then move apart.
The club-winged manakin has nine hollow feathers with enlarged shafts that are closed at both
ends and held adjacent by a ligament on each wing. Two of these are specialised feathers
that produce a note as described above. The scientists found that when these two specialised
feathers are excited at their resonant frequency, all nine hollow feathers resonate as a unit to
create a violin-like fundamental note. The wing also produces a second harmonic at a similar
volume.
Bone density appears to be critical in the production of this sound. Scientists who studied
manakin wings discovered that the wing bones are solid. Most birds have hollow bones which
make it easier for them to fly. The manakins solid bones are likely to have evolved in order to
support the knocking action of the specialised feathers.
1
plectrum: in music, a plucking device such as a guitar pick
See next page

STAGE 3 27 PHYSICS
(a) Using the information contained in the passage, calculate the frequency of the sound
(including units) the feathers produce. (4 marks)
(b) The sound produced by a manakins wings is shown interacting with a gap below (left).
Draw at least five wave fronts, showing the difference in the interaction as a manakins
vocal call passes through a similar gap, using the diagram on the right. (3 marks)
Wing sound Vocal call
See next page

PHYSICS 28 STAGE 3
(c) The two specialised feathers produce standing waves when excited.
(i) Using the boxes provided, draw the two standing waves as described in the
passage. Each box represents the resonant space inside a hollow specialised
feather. (2 marks)

(ii) Determine the length of a specialised feathers air space. (4 marks)

0.115 m
See next page

STAGE 3 29 PHYSICS
(d) The average speed of sound in bone is 3000 m s-1. The length of the manakins longest
solid bone is about 5 cm.
(i) Determine the lowest frequency of sound that would be present. (3 marks)
3.00E4 Hz
(ii) One scientist hypothesised that the bones are solid so that they can be resonant
structures. Explain what resonance means and explain whether this is a
reasonable hypothesis in this context. (4 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 30 STAGE 3
How plasma displays work
A plasma display panel typically comprises of millions of tiny compartments called sub-pixels
between two glass panels. Each sub-pixel contains a mixture of unreactive gases, mostly neon
and xenon. These gases have electron energy levels suitable for the emission of ultraviolet (UV)
photons when their atoms are excited. This occurs when a potential difference across a
sub-pixel creates a current in the gas.
As electrons move through a sub-pixel, some strike gas atoms, causing the gas to emit UV
photons. The UV photons then strike a phosphor layer that coats the inside of the sub-pixel, and
the phosphor molecules fluoresce. An outer-orbit electron in a phosphor molecule momentarily
moves from a stable lower-energy state to an unstable higher-energy state. The excited electron
then returns to the stable state by a series of decays, emitting photons of lower energy than UV.
These lower-energy photons are about 60% infrared and 40% visible.

Different phosphors produce different colours of visible light. A group of three sub-pixels, each of
which produces one of the primary colours of visible light (red, green and blue), makes up a pixel
in a plasma display.
The electrodes are strips of electrically-conducting material that also lie between the glass
plates, in front of or behind the sub-pixels.
A plasma display panel

front electrode
back plate glass
back electrode
pixel
phosphor coating in
front plate glass plasma sub-pixels
Control circuitry creates a voltage difference between the electrodes at the front and back of a
sub-pixel. This sends a pulse of current through the sub-pixel. Some of the gas atoms in the
sub-pixel become ionised, creating an electrically-conducting plasma consisting of atoms, free
electrons and ions.
By varying the voltages across the sub-pixels, the control circuitry increases or decreases the
intensity of each sub-pixel colour. The hundreds of different possible combinations of red, green
and blue intensities allow the plasma screen to produce perceived colours across the entire
visible spectrum.
See next page

STAGE 3 31 PHYSICS
(a) Use the simplified sketch of an atoms energy levels below to explain how a phosphor
produces visible light. (3 marks)
E4
E3
E2
Ground state E1

(b) Explain how plasma screens are able to create different colours of light by varying the
potential difference across the individual cells. (3 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 32 STAGE 3
(c) The first ionisation energy of xenon is 1.94 10-18 J. Determine the minimum speed in
m s-1 of an electron that can ionise the xenon atom through collision. (3 marks)
2.06E6 m/s

(d) Given that one ampere is equivalent to a charge transfer rate of one coulomb per second,
determine the current flow needed in a plasma sub-pixel to generate 1.00 W of red light
at a frequency of 4.00 1014 Hz. (7 marks)
1.50E-6 A
End of questions
See next page

Examination, 2014
PHYSICS
Place one of your candidate identification labels in this box.
Stage 3
Ensure the label is straight and within the lines of this box.
In words
(if applicable):



Ref: 14-116
*PHY3* PHY3
PHYSICS 2 STAGE 3

Marks Percentage
available of exam
Section One:
13 13 50 54 30
Short response
Section Two:
7 7 90 90 50
Problem-solving
Section Three:
2 2 40 36 20
Comprehension
Total 100

3. When calculating numerical answers, show your working or reasoning clearly. Give final
answers to three significant figures and include appropriate units where applicable.
applicable.
the page.
Continuing an answer: If you need to use the space to continue an answer, indicate in
the original answer space where the answer is continued, i.e. give the page number.
Fill in the number of the question that you are continuing to answer at the top of the
page.
6. The Formulae and Data booklet is not to be handed in with your Question/Answer
Booklet.
See next page

STAGE 3 3 PHYSICS
Astronomers study stars using a variety of electromagnetic frequencies. Place the following
sections of the electromagnetic spectrum in order from longest wavelength to smallest:
visible, infra red, X-ray and radio.
Electromagnetic radiation (emr) is said to have both wave and particle properties. State and
describe an example of each of these properties of emr.
See next page

PHYSICS 4 STAGE 3
An exotic hadron, initially seen over 40 years ago, has recently been confirmed at the European
Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). The Z(4430) particle consists of four quarks: a
charm, an anti-charm, a down, and an anti-up.
Use the following table to show the calculation required to determine the charge of the
Z (4430) particle.
Table of quarks
Name Symbol Electrostatic charge
Up u +e
Down d - e

Strange s - e
Charm c +e
Bottom b - e
Top t +e
A space probe travels along a line from the Earth to Uranus at a constant speed of 0.95c relative
to the solar system. Just as it reaches midway between the two planets, it sends laser beams
out to the Earth and Uranus at the same time. At what speed do the laser beams approach the
Earth and Uranus, respectively?
Speed of laser beam approaching the Earth:
Speed of laser beam approaching Uranus:
To an observer on Uranus, will the light from the space probe appear red shifted, or blue shifted?
Circle the correct answer.
red shifted blue shifted
See next page

STAGE 3 5 PHYSICS
An aircraft attempts to land along a north-south aligned landing strip. It approaches from the
south and has an air speed of 133 km hr 1. The wind is blowing from the west at 45.0 km hr 1.
Draw a vector diagram to show the direction the aircraft needs to head and calculate its actual
velocity, in m s1, relative to the runway. Show all workings. 34.7 m/s North
The images below show hydrogen spectra.
Image 1: Bright lines on a black background.
Image 2: Dark lines on a continuous spectrum.
For each, name the type of spectrum and describe how it is created.
Image 1 spectrum type:
Created:
Image 2 spectrum type:
Created:
See next page

PHYSICS 6 STAGE 3
PHYSICS 6 STAGE 3
Shown below are three diagrams A, B and C representing fields. Use the diagrams to fill in the
Drawn below are diagrams representing three fields. Use the information contained in the
blanks in the following sentences. Any field diagram can be used more than once.
diagrams to fill in the blanks of the following sentences.
A B C
A
S
C
S

Diagram __________ represents the gravitational field of a mass.
Diagram could represent the gravitational field of a mass.
Diagram __________ represents a positively charged particle.

Diagram could represent the electric field around a positively charged particle.
Diagram __________ represents a negatively charged particle.

Diagram could represent the electric field of a negatively charged particle.
Diagram __________ represents a current carrying wire directed ________________ the page.
Diagram could represent the magnetic field around a wire carrying current that
is directed the page.
Briefly describe the qualitative aspects of the special theory of relativity as it applies to the
mass-energy equivalence principle of an accelerating object and its relation to the speed of
Question 8
light. (3 marks)
Describe briefly the relationship between the mass and energy of an accelerating object as its
speed approaches, but cannot exceed, the speed of light in vacuum, c.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

See next page
STAGE 3 7 PHYSICS
Use the information given in the Formulae and Data Booklet to calculate the orbital period, in
seconds, of the Moon around the Earth.
During a chase scene in a movie, an actor drops onto the top of an elevator that is descending
at a constant speed of 1.00 m s-1. The time taken to land on top of the elevator is 6.10 10-1 s.
Determine the distance in metres the elevator is below the actor when she starts her drop. Show
all workings. 1.21 m
See next page

PHYSICS 8 STAGE 3
Shown are a photograph and diagram of a childs swing suspended 7.00 metres below the
branch of a large tree. The wooden seat has a mass of 1.00 kg and is supported by ropes as
shown in the diagram below. When the seat is horizontal, the ropes that attach to the seat each
make an angle of 15.0 to the vertical.

A
S
C
S
Calculate the maximum tension in each of the angled sections of the rope that attach to the seat
when a 27.0 kg boy is sitting on the swing and moving with a tangential velocity of 4.00 m s-1.
Show all workings. 87.6 N
See next page

STAGE 3 9 PHYSICS
STAGE 3 9 PHYSICS
Hubbles law can be used to estimate the maximum size of the observable Universe. The graph
Question
below 12 the relationship between recessional speed of a star (or galaxy) and the(5distance
indicates marks)
to that star (or galaxy).
Use Hubbles law to estimate the maximum size of universe. The figure below indicates the
relationship between recessional speed of star (or galaxy) and distance to star (or galaxy)
Distances are given in megaparsecs (Mpc) where 1 Mpc = 3.26 light years.
45000
45 000
40000
40 000
35 000
35000
s-1) s )
1
30 000
30000
(km (km
25 000
25000
Redshift
Redshift
20 000
20000
15 000
15000
10 000
10000
5000
5000
00
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Distance (Mpc)
Distance (Mpc)
(a) The vertical axis is labelled redshift with units for velocity (km s-1). Explain briefly how
(a) The vertical axis is labelled redshift with units for velocity (km s-1). Explain briefly the
redshift is used to determine the speed of the object. (2 marks)
relationship between redshift and the speed of the object. (2 marks)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Use the data provided to extrapolate a value for the maximum distance for a galaxy to
(b) Use the gradient
be from earth in of
Mpcthe graph to extrapolate a value for the maximum distance, in(3Mpc,
marks)
for a galaxy to be observed from the Earth. Show all workings. (3 marks)
See next page
See next page

PHYSICS 10 STAGE 3
PHYSICS 10 STAGE 3
A thin metal rod is bent into a right angle and hangs on a nail in a wall, as shown in the
Adiagram. Assume
thin metal thereinto
rod is bent is no contact
a right between
angle the rod
and hung on aandnailwall.
fromThe longer
a wall, side (Lin
as shown 2) is
the0.800 m
and makes
diagram. an angle
Assume thatofthere
14.0
is to
nothe vertical.
contact The rod
between thehas
roduniform density
and wall. and constant
The longer side (L2) is
thickness.
0.800 Calculate
m long the length
and makes an angleof the shorter
of 14.0 sidevertical.
to the (L1) in m.
The rod has uniform density and
constant thickness. Calculate the length of the shorter side, L1. Show all workings.
0.399 m
L1 Nail
L2

14.0
End
End of
of Section
Section One
One
See next page

See next page
STAGE 3 11 PHYSICS
provided.
This space has been left blank intentionally
See next page

PHYSICS 12 STAGE 3
Along the sides of some roads are rumble strips made of raised painted markers that are intended
to get a drivers attention if a car strays across them. One part of a strip is photographed below.
A metre ruler has been included to give an idea of scale.

A
S
C
S
(a) Estimate the frequency of the vibration if a car is travelling at 95 km hr 1. Use appropriate
significant figures and unit for the value. Show all assumptions and workings. (5 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 13 PHYSICS
(b) An old car slows down to stop on the side of the road. As it crosses the rumble strip, the
frequency of sound decreases along with the speed and the vibrations cause the
dashboard to rattle. The intensity of vibration of the dashboard varies and becomes very
loud at one particular frequency. Explain this phenomenon, using appropriate physics
terminology and concepts. (4 marks)
(c) In another car, a test signal with a constant frequency and amplitude is being played on
the radio. This test signal matches closely the frequency produced while driving over the
rumble strip at a constant speed. Despite both sounds maintaining a constant frequency
and amplitude, a fluctuation in the amplitude can be heard by the cars occupants, for
whom the sounds grow louder and quieter. Explain this phenomenon, using appropriate
physics terminology and concepts. (3 marks)
ignore
See next page

PHYSICS 14 STAGE 3
Clown 1 is standing on a seesaw. As part of the circus act a heavy clown will jump from a height
and land on the opposite side of the seesaw to Clown 1. This will launch Clown 1 into the air with
a velocity of 7.00 m s-1 at an angle of 15 to the vertical.
Clown 1 will travel through the air and land on the shoulders of Clown 2, following the trajectory
shown with a dotted line (diagram is not drawn to scale). The centre of mass of Clown 1 is
shown with an X.

A
S
C
S
(a) On the diagram above, draw an arrow to show the direction of acceleration of Clown 1s
centre of mass at the point of maximum height. (1 mark)
(b) Describe qualitatively two effects of air resistance on projectile motion in this case.
(2 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 15 PHYSICS
(c) Show by calculation that the total time Clown 1 is in the air is just over 1.1 s. Ignore air
resistance. (4 marks)
(d) Determine the initial horizontal distance between Clown 1 and Clown 2. Ignore air
resistance. Show all workings. 1.99 m (3 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 16 STAGE 3
The diagram below shows a data projector with a mass of 7.00 kg. The projector is mounted on
its uniform horizontal support arm at a distance of 0.500 m from the wall plate. The support arm
itself is 0.900 m long and has a total mass of 1.00 kg.
0.900 m
0.500 m
Support arm
Bolts
Projector

Wall plate
A
S
C
S
The assembly is held in place by bolts as shown in the diagram above. The upper bolt is 4.00 cm
above the support arm and the lower bolt is 4.00 cm below the support arm. The wall plate does
not touch the wall and is supported only by the bolts.
(a) Calculate the horizontal force in newtons exerted by the upper bolt used to attach this
projector to the wall. Show all workings.
Hint: Take the bottom bolt of the wall plate as a pivot point. (4 marks)
484 N
See next page

STAGE 3 17 PHYSICS
(b) Explain quantitatively the effect on the centre of mass of the projector/support arm
system as the projector is moved further away from the wall. (3 marks)
(c) Explain quantitatively the effect on the horizontal force exerted by the upper bolt as
the projector is moved further away from the wall, assuming the system maintains its
stability. (3 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 18 STAGE 3
As a rectangular coil loop (UVXY) is moved from left to right, it enters a uniform magnetic field,
B, as shown in the diagram below. The plane of the loop is perpendicular to the magnetic field
lines. According to Faradays law, an emf must be induced in the loop. Assume that the emf
induced in the U-V-X-Y direction is negative, while in the Y-X-V-U direction the emf is positive.
V X V X
U U
Y Y
v
(a) A meter is connected to the loop to measure the emf generated in the circuit during one

movement through the field. Fill in the following details of the meter: (2 marks)
Type of meter: Unit of measurement:
(b) During a second movement through the field, a light globe is attached between U and
Y, making a circuit. Explain why the loop requires a force when entering and leaving the
magnetic field. (4 marks)
(c) Given that the velocity of the loop is constant, complete the graph below for the emf
induced in the loop over the time that it moves into and out of the field. (4 marks)
emf
time
See next page

STAGE 3 19 PHYSICS
(d) Another method of generating an emf is to move the magnet in a circular motion as
shown in the diagram below.
loop of wire
(i) Complete the graph below for the emf induced in the loop of wire over one
complete rotation of the magnet. (3 marks)
emf
time
(ii) The loop of wire above is a square 5.00 5.00 cm. If the magnet rotates once
every 1.00 s and has a magnetic field strength of 0.789 T, calculate the magnitude
of the maximum emf generated. Assume that the field is completely reversed in
the loop during the magnets rotation. Show all workings. (4 marks)
1.24E-2 V
See next page

PHYSICS 20 STAGE 3
A hydrogen atom, in an excited energy level, undergoes relaxation by emitting a photon. The
13.6
energy values are given by En = n2 eV. The initial state of the electron is in energy level
n = 4 and the final state after relaxation is ground state (n = 1).
(a) Does the average radius of the electron orbital remain the same, increase or decrease in
value during this transition? Circle the correct answer. (1 mark)

remains the same increases decreases
13.6
(b) Use the formula En = n2 eV to complete the energy level diagram below. The
diagram is not drawn to scale. (2 marks)

n=4 _________________ E4 = eV
n=3 _________________ E3 = -1.51 eV
n=2 _________________ E2 = -3.40 eV
Ground state n=1 _________________ E1= eV
(c) On the diagram above, draw in all the possible transitions when an electron undergoes
relaxation from n = 4 to the ground state. (3 marks)
(d) (i) Calculate the wavelength of the photon emitted from the E3 to E2 transition. Show
all workings. 6.58E-7 m (4 marks)
(ii) The transitions of E4 to E2 and E3 to E2 produce red and green photons. Explain
which transition produces which colour. (3 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 21 PHYSICS
A string linking two balls M1 and M2, (shown in the figure below) allows them to revolve in circular
motion on the horizontal plane with radii R1 and R2. The periods of revolution of M1 and M2 are
the same and equal to T. Ignore gravitational force and air resistance force.
R1 M2
M1
P
R2
(a) Draw a free body diagram for M1. (3 marks)

(b) Complete the following for M1 and M2.
(i) Write an appropriate expression for the tangential velocity v1 of M1 in terms of R1,
R2 and T. (2 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 22 STAGE 3
(ii) Write an appropriate expression for the tension F1 acting in the string between M1
and M2, in terms of the mass m2, the radius R2 and the period T. (2 marks)

(iii) Write an appropriate expression for the tension F2 acting in the string between P
and M1, in terms of the masses m1 and m2, the radii R1 and R2 and the period T.
(3 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 23 PHYSICS
Jake wanted to determine the strength of a magnetic field by conducting an investigation. In this
investigation, two identical cylindrical permanent magnets, each 2.0 cm in diameter, were placed
opposite each other on either side of an aluminium channel. A current was passed along a
20 cm copper rod, which in turn was placed perpendicularly in the magnetic field. The interaction
between the permanent magnets and the current-carrying wire produced a downward force
acting on the magnets which was measured using a digital balance. Photographs of the
equipment are shown below, as is a schematic diagram of the circuit.
+
A
S
C
S
Close up of magnets and copper rod on digital balance
Copper
Strong magnets
R
(a) Using the photograph above, for magnets labelled Q and R, write either North or South
in the space below to indicate which pole the magnet would need to have next to the
channel to provide the magnets with a force directed downward (into the pan of the
balance). (2 marks)
For magnet Q, the pole would be next to the channel.
For magnet R, the pole would be next to the channel.
See next page

PHYSICS 24 STAGE 3
(b) A table of results for this investigation is shown below:
Potential Current Scale reading Force

difference (V) (A) (g) (N)
0.00 0.00 0.00 0.0
2.0 0.94 0.30
4.0 1.81 0.70 6.9 10-3
6.0 2.67 0.90
8.0 3.66 1.3 1.3 10-2
12 5.30 1.9 1.9 10-2

(i) Complete the last column in the table above with values expressed to two
significant figures. (2 marks)
(ii) Use the data from the table to plot a straight line graph on the grid provided,
demonstrating the relationship between the current and force. (4 marks)
(iii) Use your graph to determine the force that should be measured when a current
of 4.0 A flows through the copper rod. Express your answer using appropriate
significant figures. (3 marks)
(iv) Determine the gradient of your line of best fit. Include units in your answer.
(3 marks)
(v) Use your gradient to determine the experimental value of the magnetic field
strength. Include units in your answer. Show all workings. (4 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 25 PHYSICS
If you wish to make a second attempt at this item, the grid is repeated at the back of this
Question/Answer booklet. Indicate clearly on this page if you have used the second grid and
cancel the working on the grid on this page.
End of Section Two
See next page

PHYSICS 26 STAGE 3
This section has 2 questions. You must answer both questions. Write your answers in the
spaces provided.

It is generally accepted that around 65 million years ago the Earth was struck by a fast-moving
object approximately 10 km in diameter. This impact is believed to have left a scar on the
Earth in the form of the Chicxulub Crater and to have been responsible for the extinction of the
dinosaurs.
In 2013 the Chelyabinsk meteor entered the Earths atmosphere over Russia. This meteor had
a mass of approximately 12 kilotonnes, measured about 20 metres in diameter and released
about 1.8 1015 J, causing extensive damage, though mostly to arable land and not populated
cities.
Events such as this have sparked interest in cataloguing such Near Earth Objects (NEOs)
and then determining if they have an orbit that might put them on a collision course with the
Earth. If a NEO is deemed to have an orbit that puts it on a collision course with the Earth then
various possibilities exist for preventing the collision. These methods of prevention fall into two
categories, either deflection or destruction of the NEO. With either method, early intervention is
desirable. The Earth is orbiting the Sun at 30.0 km s-1 and to avoid an impact scientists have to
ensure that the NEO and the Earth are not in the same position in space at the same time. The
section of the Earths orbit in which a collision is possible is known as the impact window.
Essentially deflection strategies seek to alter the velocity of the NEO so that it intersects the
Earths orbit before or after the Earth is in that position. It is estimated that a velocity change of a
NEO of 3.5 10 m s1 is sufficient to avoid a collision where t is the time in years to impact.
2
t
One possible method of deflecting a NEO is to use a gravity tractor. A gravity tractor is a
massive spacecraft that is brought near to the NEO. Gravity will act between the spacecraft
and the NEO and both objects will mutually attract each other. In time the NEO will gradually
change the direction of its orbit. Once the NEO moves out of its normal path and comes close to
the spacecraft, thrusters fire, moving the spacecraft further away from the NEO and allowing the
spacecraft to continue to act as a gravity tractor. The gravity tractor method requires the earliest
of interventions.
See next page

STAGE 3 27 PHYSICS
(a) Estimate the velocity of the of the Chelyabinsk meteor. Give your answer to an
appropriate number of significant figures. Show all workings. (4 marks)
1.7E4 m/s
(b) (i) The width, in Earth diameters, of the impact window is (circle your answer):
(1 mark)
less than one one more than one
(ii)
Calculate the length of time that an impact window has for any collision of an
object with the Earth to occur. Ignore the size of the object. Show all workings.
(3 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 28 STAGE 3
(c) The NEO Apophis is on an orbit that will bring it close to the Earth in 2036. It has an
assumed mass of 4.00 1010 kg and diameter of 325 m.
(i) Suppose that a spacecraft arrives and begins interacting with Apophis in 2016.
Determine the change in velocity required to avoid a collision with the Earth.

1.75E-3 m/s (3 marks)

(ii) If a gravity tractor type of intervention is decided upon, and does not begin
interacting until 2021, then Apophis will require a change in velocity of
2.33 10-3 m s-1. Determine the mass of the gravity tractor spacecraft needed,
given that the centres of mass will be 175 m apart. (4 marks)
2.26E3 kg
See next page

STAGE 3 29 PHYSICS
(d) When using a gravity tractor, explain why the earliest of interventions is desirable if an
asteroid is to be deflected sufficiently to avoid collision with the Earth. (3 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 30 STAGE 3
An X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS) measures the energy distribution of electrons

emitted from a sample material. The essential components of an XPS are an X-ray source, a
sample holder, an electrostatic lens, an energy analyser and a detector, all in an ultra-high
vacuum. This is shown in the diagram below.
X-ray source
Energy analyser
Sample holder
Electrostatic lens

Detector Photoelectron path
Schematic diagram of an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy unit

(vacuum system and cooling system are not shown for clarity)
In the X-ray source, electrons are accelerated through a large potential difference, then stopped
suddenly. The change in kinetic energy of these electrons creates a range of very high-energy
X-ray photons, which are directed at the sample to be analysed in the XPS. In the sample,
atoms absorb the incident photons and then emit electrons (photoelectrons). By using a wide
range of incident photon energies, an XPS can measure with great accuracy the kinetic energies
of photoelectrons emitted from the outermost to the deepest energy levels of the atoms in a
sample.
The minimum energy needed to release a photoelectron from the outermost energy level of a
sample is called the work function, W. The maximum kinetic energy Ek of a photoelectron emitted
from the outermost energy level is related to the work function by the equation:
W = hf Ek
where h is Planks constant and f is the frequency of the incident photon. W is usually quoted in
electron volts. Using h = 4.14 1015 eV s allows calculation in electron volts without the need for
conversion to joules.
The binding energy (Eb) of an electron at any energy level in an atom is the energy needed to
move the electron from its original level to the outermost level, as in the equation below:
Ek = hf Eb W.
An XPS that can scan a wide range of photoelectron kinetic energies, from a few to thousands of
electron volts, can identify the chemical composition of a sample, since electron binding energies
in each element are distinctive.
See next page

STAGE 3 31 PHYSICS
(a) The spectrum produced by an X-ray tube consists of two features. One is a smooth curve
due to bremsstrahlung (the electron losing its energy as high energy photons). The
second consists of peaks which are characteristic for the metal in the target of the tube.
Explain what is meant by characteristic peaks, with reference to the diagram below.
(3 marks)

See next page

PHYSICS 32 STAGE 3
(b) A 1486.6 eV X-ray is used for (i), (ii) and (iii) below, which relate to X-ray photoelectron
spectrometry.
(i) Determine the minimum accelerating potential difference required to produce

1486.6 eV photons in the X-ray tube, rounding your answer to two significant
figures. 1.5E3 V (2 marks)
(ii) Calculate the wavelength of the 1486.6 eV X-rays. Show all workings. (2 marks)

8.35E-10 m
(iii) The 1486.6 eV X-rays are directed onto a sample containing silicon, which has a
work function of 4.50 eV. A photoelectron from a distinct energy level with binding
energy of 99.7 eV is ejected from the sample. Calculate the kinetic energy and
speed of this photoelectron. Show all workings. (5 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 33 PHYSICS
(c) Complete the simplified electrostatic lens diagram below. The electron shown is initially
moving from left to right. Write the appropriate charge sign in each box to make the
electron move along the path shown. Draw the field in the space between the boxes to
aid your diagram. (3 marks)
e
(d) The energy analyser section of an XPS consists of parallel, curved plates that can be
electrically charged. A photoelectron passing between these plates is affected by them.
Explain how the voltage on the plates results in only photoelectrons having a specific
energy reaching the detector. (3 marks)
End of questions
See next page

Examination, 2015
PHYSICS
Place one of your candidate identification labels in this box.
Stage 3
Ensure the label is straight and within the lines of this box.
In words
(if applicable):



Ref: 15-113
*PHY3* PHY3
PHYSICS 2 STAGE 3

Marks Percentage
available of exam
Section One:
11 11 50 56 30
Short response
Section Two:
7 7 90 88 50
Problem-solving
Section Three:
2 2 40 35 20
Comprehension
Total 100

3. When calculating numerical answers, show your working or reasoning clearly. Give final
answers to three significant figures and include appropriate units where applicable.
applicable.
the page.
Continuing an answer: If you need to use the space to continue an answer, indicate in
the original answer space where the answer is continued, i.e. give the page number.
Fill in the number of the question that you are continuing to answer at the top of the
page.
6. The Formulae and Data Booklet is not to be handed in with your Question/Answer
Booklet.
See next page

STAGE 3 3 PHYSICS
A child on a playground swing swings higher and higher as a friend pushes.
Circle the correct answers.
The swing is undergoing
free oscillation. forced oscillation. natural oscillation.
The swings behaviour is best described as
resonance. a standing wave. an antinode.
The Milky Way galaxy (our galaxy) and the Andromeda galaxy are approximately 250000 light
years apart, and they are approaching each other at a rate of 110 km s-1. Scientists know this
because of the blue-shift of light coming from the Andromeda galaxy.
Read the following statements and circle True or False.
Light reaching the Milky Way from the Andromeda galaxy arrives
True False
slightly faster than 3 108 ms-1.
Light reaching the Andromeda galaxy from the Milky Way galaxy
True False
would be red-shifted.
The Andromeda galaxy must be on a collision course with the
True False
MilkyWay galaxy.
See next page

STAGE 3 3 PHYSICS
PHYSICS 4 STAGE 3
Question
STAGE 3 3 I will sketch a diagram here. Can3we get this drawn professionally please. PHYSICS
(6 marks)
STAGE 3 I will sketch a diagram here. Can3we get this drawn professionally please. PHYSICS
I will sketch a diagram here. Can we get this drawn professionally please.
A
S
C
S
Twostudents
Two students are
are playing
playing aa game
gameofofping-pong
ping-pong(Table
(tableTennis).
tennis). The
Theball
ballisisserved
servedand
andbegins
begins its

its path from point A, which is 40 cm above the level of the table. The trajectory then taken by
path from Point A, which is 40 cm above the level of the table. The trajectory then taken by the
the ball is also shown on the diagram above.
ball is also shown on the diagram above.
Eachstudents
Two player hits
arethe ball with
playing the same
a game force. Ignore
of ping-pong (Tableany effect The
Tennis). of friction
ball is/ served
resistance
andbetween
begins
Each
its player
thepath
table andhits
from thetheA,ball
ball
point and and gives
air,iswhen
which 40 cmit above
the same
answering speed.
thethe Ignore
questions
level of the any
below.
table. effect
The of friction
trajectory then or resistance
taken by
between
the ball isthe table
also shownandon the
theball and air
diagram when answering the questions below.
above.
Each
Two player
Consider
(a) thehits
students
Consider arethe ball
playing
instantaneous
the with the same
a game
motion
instantaneous force.
ofofping-pong
the
motion Ignore
ballofat(Table any
theball
the ateffect
Tennis).
moment of
Thefriction
the itmoment
has ball is
maximum/ served
resistance
that hasand
itcontactbetween
begins
with the
maximum
the
its table
path and
from
table atcontact the ball
A, and air,
which iswhen
40 cmanswering
above the the questions
level of the below.
point Bwith the table at Point B. By circling the appropriate arrows, indicate theby
point table. The trajectory then taken direction
the ballofisits
also shown on the diagram above.
CIRCLE THE CORRECT ANSWER
Each player
Consider thehits the ball withmotion
instantaneous the same force.
of the Ignore
ball at any effectit of
the moment hasfriction / resistance
maximum contactbetween
with the
the table and
table ati) point the
B ball
velocity. and air,
The Velocity is: when answering the questions below.

Consider the instantaneous motion of the ball at the moment it has maximum contact with the
table atii)
i) point The
netB Net Acceleration
acceleration.
The Velocity is: is:

iii) The Net Force is:
ii)
i) net The Net
force.
The Acceleration
Velocity is: is: (3 marks)
At which
(b) At point ,A or C does the does
ball experience the greatest acceleration, give a clear
ii) which
iii)
justification for
point
The
The
your
Net
Net(A or C)
Force is:
Acceleration
answer? is: the ball experience the greater acceleration? Justify your
answer. (3 marks)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
At which iii)point ,A
Theor CForce
Net does is:
the ball experience the greatest acceleration, give a clear
justification for your answer?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
At which point ,A or C does the ball experience the greatest acceleration, give a clear
justification for your answer?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
See next page

See next page
See next page

STAGE 3 5 PHYSICS
A car wheel is held in place by four nuts. Each nut was put on by a machine that tightened it with
a torque of 3.00 102 Nm.
The photograph below shows the 30.0 cm long horizontal lever that is used to remove the nuts
from the wheel.
A
S
C
S
Assuming that it also takes 3.00 102 Nm to undo the nut, show (by calculation) that if a person
of 90.0 kg stands on the end of the lever without bouncing, the weight is not enough to turn the
wheel nut.
See next page

PHYSICS 6 STAGE 3
In the diagram below, I indicates a wire carrying a direct current (DC) into the page. There is also
a pair of parallel electrostatically charged plates. The voltage across the parallel plates is V. An
electron, e, is fired into the set-up, travelling into the page as shown below. The ratio of electric
F
force (Fe) to magnetic force (Fm) exerted on the electron is 0.6, i.e. e = 0.6 . Ignore the effect of
Fm
the Earths magnetic and gravitational fields.

Sketch and label in the diagram above the relative magnitudes and directions of the:
magnetic force on the electron (F )
m
electric force (F ) on the electron
e
resultant force acting on the electron.
See next page

STAGE 3 7 PHYSICS
A ball of mass 1.50 10-2 kg rolls along a rail that includes a vertical loop of radius R=0.500m
as shown. There is negligible friction.
At Point A the ball is just in contact with the rail. Draw a free body diagram of the ball when it is
at Point A, and calculate the minimum velocity, v, required to keep it in contact with the rail at this
point. Show all workings. 2.21 m/s
Free body diagram:
Calculation:
See next page

PHYSICS 8 STAGE 3
In order to drop a parcel, an aircraft flying horizontally 150 m above sea level with a speed of
216 km h-1 approaches from behind a surfaced submarine that is moving in the same direction.
The speed of the surfaced submarine is 36.0 km h-1 and its deck is just at sea level. Ignore air
resistance.
Calculate the time taken for the parcel to drop from the aircraft onto the surfaced submarine, and
hence determine the horizontal distance from the submarine at which the aircraft must be when
it releases the parcel. Show all workings. 277m
See next page

STAGE 3 9 PHYSICS
Maxine placed two speakers 12.0 m apart and facing one another. She connected them both
to a sound generator, set it to 86.5 Hz, and turned it on. Then she walked at a steady speed of
0.800 m s-1 in a straight line from one speaker to the other.
Determine how many maximum loudness locations she walked through, and hence calculate the
time it took for Maxine to walk from one maximum loudness point to the next.
See next page

PHYSICS 10 STAGE 3
A physics student sets up an electrical circuit that includes a small toy called a slinky, which
is essentially a light, coiled metal spring. When the switch is closed and a current is passed
through the coil from a small DC battery, the student discovers that a magnetic field exists
around the slinky.
(a) On the diagram below, sketch the shape and direction of the magnetic field that will exist
around the slinky when the switch is closed. (4 marks)

A
S
C
S
(b) The student also notices that at the moment that the switch is closed, there is a small
movement in the slinky. Describe this movement. (1 mark)
See next page

STAGE 3 11 PHYSICS
An electron travelling at 1.26 107 m s-1 entered a uniform magnetic field of intensity
1.5010-3T at right angles to the field lines, as shown in the diagram.
Magnetic field
B into page
S R
Electron
An electron detector located along the line SR recorded an interaction with the electron.
Calculate the distance between the entry point and the detector.
9.57E-2 m
See next page

PHYSICS 12 STAGE 3
The first five energy levels (not to scale) of a hydrogen atom are shown in the figure below.
Energy (eV)
0.0 n=
0.54 n=5
0.85 n=4
1.51 n=3
3.39 n=2
13.60 n=1
(a) Calculate the highest and lowest frequency photons that an excited electron in the n=5
level within a hydrogen atom can emit. Show all workings. (4 marks)

3.15E15 Hz ,
7.48E13 Hz
Highest: Hz Lowest: Hz
(b) In the diagram below, indicate the possible pathways by which an electron at energy level
n=3 can return to ground state. (3 marks)
Energy (eV)
0.0 n=
0.54 n=5
0.85 n=4
1.51 n=3
3.39 n=2
13.60 n=1
End of Section One
See next page

STAGE 3 13 PHYSICS
provided.
See next page

PHYSICS 14 STAGE 3
An exoplanet is a planet that revolves around a star that is not our Sun. As one such exoplanet
revolves around a distant star, it causes the star to oscillate, or wobble, in its path as the star
and the exoplanet orbit their common centre of mass.
In the following calculations, assume that the centre of the exoplanets orbit coincides with the
stars centre of mass, and that the orbit is circular.
Some details of the star and the exoplanet are shown below:
Mass of star Ms = 2.15 1030 kg

Mass of exoplanet Mp = 1.95 1027 kg
Distance between centre of planet and centre of star dsp = 7.50 109 m.

(a) Show that the magnitude of the gravitational force acting on the exoplanet is
4.971027N. (3 marks)
(b) Calculate the exoplanets orbital velocity. Show all workings. (3 marks)
1.38E5 m/s
See next page

STAGE 3 15 PHYSICS
(c) Calculate the exoplanets orbital period, and express your answer in hours. Show all
workings. (3 marks)
94.7 hours
(d) About 20% of exoplanets discovered so far have a period of 120 hours or less. Explain
briefly how red shift and blue shift can be used to identify which stars have such
exoplanets. (3 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 16 STAGE 3
A mobile phone, of resistance 4.00 was connected to a charger (actually a small step-down
transformer). The details of the charger are shown below.
Assume the charger to be 100% efficient.
PRIMARY COIL SECONDARY COIL

Input voltage: 240 V AC 50 Hz Output voltage 5.00 V AC 50 Hz
Turns: 432 Turns: 9
Power: 6.25 W
The 5.00 V AC output of the charger was rectified to 5.00 V DC before charging the battery in
the phone. 6.25 W
(a) State the power output of the secondary coil of the charger. W (1 mark)

(b) Calculate the current flowing through the secondary coil while the battery was charging.
Show all workings. 1.25 A (2 marks)
(c) When the mobile phone is charging, 5.00 V DC is used to charge the battery.
(i) State the number of joules carried by each coulomb of charge. (1 mark)
5.00 J
(ii) Calculate the amount of energy, in joules, carried by each electron as it charges
the battery. Show all workings. (3 marks)
8.00E-19 J
See next page

STAGE 3 17 PHYSICS
(d) The graph below shows the change in flux experienced by the secondary coil over one
complete cycle.
By calculating any required values, and showing all workings, determine the magnitudes
of the
2.00E-2 s
(i) time interval AE: s. (1 mark)
(ii) time interval AB: s. 5.00E-3 s (1 mark)
(iii) flux value F at time B: Wb. 2.50E-3 Wb (3 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 18 STAGE 3
Power P
Sound intensity is defined as sound power per unit area, Intensity = Area (I = A ) . Hence, the
further away from a source, the more area (spherical area = 4 r 2) the sound is spread across,
and the less intense a sound appears to a person.
A physics student was asked to verify the formula I = P/A. The experimental set-up was as
follows.

The student used a microphone to monitor the level of the intensity of the sound at various
distances. As the student moved the microphone along the track, the values were recorded in a
table as follows.
Intensity, I (W m-2) Distance from speaker, r (m) 1/ (m-2)

r2
48 1 0.5 4.0
10 1 1.0 1.0
51 1.5
31 2.0 0.25
21 2.5
(a) Complete the last column in the table above with values expressed to two significant
figures. (3 marks)
(b)
Use the data from the table to plot a straight line graph (including error bars) on the grid
provided, demonstrating the relationship between the intensity (W m2) and 1/r 2 (m-2).
(5 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 19 PHYSICS
If you wish to make a second attempt at this item, the grid is repeated at the end of this
Question/Answer Booklet. Indicate clearly on this page if you have used the second grid and
cancel the working on this page.
See next page
PHYSICS 20 STAGE 3
(c) Determine the gradient of your line of best fit. Show all workings, and include units in
your answer. (3 marks)
(d) Use your graph to determine the intensity at a distance of 0.70m from the source. Show
all workings, and express your answer using appropriate significant figures. (3 marks)

(e) Using the answer from (d), calculate the power output of the source. Show appropriate
units. (2 marks)
(f) Using your answers to (c) and (e), did the physics student verify the formula I = P/A?
(1 mark)
See next page

STAGE 3 21 PHYSICS
This page has been left blank intentionally
See next page

PHYSICS 22 STAGE 3
A 3.00 m long plank with a mass of 10.0 kg is held by a cable at Point P, 0.200 m away from the
upper end of the plank. The angle between plank and ground is 20.0 and the angle between
plank and cable is 30.0. A 2.00 kg cat moves up the plank up to Point Q, 2.40 m from the
bottom, Point O.

A
S
C
S
(a) Assuming that Point O is the pivot, calculate the tension in the cable. Show all workings.

1.30E2 N (6 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 23 PHYSICS
A
S
C
S
(b) The cable is then moved up from Point A to Point B while maintaining the angle between
the plank and cable at 30.0. The angle between the plank and ground increases to
25.0, as in Figure 2. Assume Point O as the pivot.
(i) State whether the tension in the cable increases or decreases. (1 mark)
(ii) Justify your answer. (3 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 24 STAGE 3
Somnang is an engineer and designed a road that had a horizontal curved section of radius
(50 5) m. After construction, it was necessary to check that the curvature of the road was
constructed within tolerance.
To test the curvature of the road, Somnang hung a small mass of 1.00 102 g from the rear-view
mirror of his car using a light string. He then travelled at a constant speed of 35.0kmh-1 around

the curve. Somnang observed that the string holding the mass settled at an angle of 10.0 to the
vertical.
(a) On the diagram above, draw and label the forces acting on the hanging object. (2 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 25 PHYSICS
(b) Calculate the tension in the light string. Show all workings. 0.995 N (3 marks)
(c) Calculate the centripetal force experienced by the hanging mass. Show all workings.

0.173 N (3 marks)
(d) From the information supplied and your previous answers, determine whether the
curvature of the road was correct. Show all workings. (5 marks)
See next page

PHYSICS 26 STAGE 3
A permanent magnet slides down a plastic track and passes through two solenoid coils.
The coils are connected in series and their windings are in the same direction. A centre-zero
galvanometer (a very sensitive ammeter) is also connected in series with the coils. Assume that
the contact between the magnet and plastic track is frictionless.

A
S
C
S
(a) Explain why a current is induced in a coil when the magnet enters and leaves it. (4 marks)
(b) State the expected reading on the galvanometer G as the magnet travels inside Coil 2.
Justify your answer. (2 marks)
Reading:
Justification:
See next page

STAGE 3 27 PHYSICS
(c) Sketch the graphs of current versus time and velocity of the magnet versus time on the
axes provided below. (8 marks)
If you wish to make a second attempt at this item, the axes are repeated at the end of this
Question/Answer Booklet. Indicate clearly on this page if you have used the second set of axes
and cancel the working on this page.
See next page

PHYSICS 28 STAGE 3
The recession speed of a Cepheid variable star was determined as 28800 kms-1 moving away
from the Earth. Assume that the stars motion was due only to the expansion of space.
The stars recession speed vrec is linked to Hubbles constant, H0, by the relationship vrec = H0 d
where d is the distance of the star from the observer.
(a) Using appropriate assumptions and Hubbles constant of 1.86 10-5 kms-1 light-year -1,
determine the stars distance from an observer on the Earth. Include units in your answer,
and show all workings. (3 marks)
1.55E9 ly

(b) Estimate the stars current distance from the Earth (in light-years), taking account of the
distance that the star travelled while the light from the star travelled to Earth. Show all
assumptions and workings. (5 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 29 PHYSICS
(c) Estimate how long it would take for light to travel from the current position of the star to
an observer on Earth. Explain why this must be an estimate. (2 marks)
End of Section Two
See next page

PHYSICS 30 STAGE 3
This section has two (2) questions. You must answer both questions. Write your answers in the
spaces provided.

Cathode ray tube (CRT) television screens worked by firing a stream of electrons through a
vacuum at a phosphor-coated screen. The electrons left the cathode and were accelerated by
a uniform electric field toward the anode. Some passed through the very small hole at a high
velocity. These electrons then travelled at a constant speed toward the screen.
These moving electrons excited the electrons within the phosphor atoms on the screen. Each
phosphor-electron then emitted green, red or blue light as that phosphor-electron decayed back
to its ground state.
A feature of the CRT technology was that a person who touched the screen during, or
immediately after, operation could experience a mild electric shock, often accompanied by a
spark, or a crackling sound.
See next page

STAGE 3 31 PHYSICS
(a) Calculate the force experienced by each electron as it left the cathode. Show all
workings. 8.00E-16 N (2 marks)
(b) Calculate the kinetic energy of each electron just prior to it colliding with a phosphor
atom. Show all workings. 1.60E-16 J (3 marks)
(c) Calculate the velocity of each electron as it struck the phosphor, assuming that these
electrons began their journey from rest (and were free of their parent atoms). Show all
workings. (3 marks)
1.87E7 m/s
See next page

PHYSICS 32 STAGE 3
(d) These electrons collided with the phosphor screen to produce a red light of wavelength
700 nm. Calculate the difference, in joules, between energy levels of the phosphor atoms
associated with this emission. Show all workings. (5 marks)
2.84E-19 J

(e) Not all of the electrons kinetic energy was passed on to the phosphor atom to cause the
emission of visible light. Give two possible ways in which the missing energy might be
dissipated. (2 marks)
One:
Two:
(f) Would the cathode ray tube work if its interior was not a vacuum? Justify your answer.
(2marks)
(g) Explain the effects experienced by a person who touched the screen of a CRT while it
was operating. (4 marks)
See next page

STAGE 3 33 PHYSICS
Positron emission tomography (PET) is a modern technique used in medicine for imaging
soft tissue. The patient lies within a detection ring of approximately 1m diameter. A sugar-like
substance called fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is injected directly into their bloodstream. The FDG
molecule is absorbed into various tissues within the body in about an hour. This FDG molecule
has a radioactive isotope 18F added to it which undergoes radioactive decay, emitting a positron.
A positron is identical to an electron except that it carries an equal but opposite charge.
The positron travels about 1mm through the soft tissue of the patient losing virtually all of
its kinetic energy as it travels. Eventually, when moving slowly enough, it interacts with an
electron from within the tissue. At this point the electron and the positron annihilate1 each other,
producing a burst of two gamma rays, each with 512 keV of energy. These two gamma rays
leave the site of the annihilation in opposite directions and are detected by the detection ring
surrounding the patient.
A
S
C
S
The gamma rays arrive on opposite sides of the detection ring at approximately the same time
and are known as temporal pairs. The line that connects where the two temporal gamma
rays were detected is known as the line of response (LOR). The source of emission must lie
somewhere along the LOR.
If the source of the gamma rays is in the exact centre of the LOR, then the rays arrive
simultaneously. If the source of emission is not in the centre of the LOR, there is a slight delay in
the arrival of one of the temporal gamma rays. Sophisticated electronics analyse the signal from
the detection ring to isolate the true temporal pairs and ignore any background noise. Modern
PET scanners can detect temporal pairs of gamma rays that arrive within 500picoseconds of
each other.
annihilate destroy completely

1
See next page

PHYSICS 34 STAGE 3
(a) Determine the energy, in joules, of a single emitted gamma ray. (1 mark)
8.19E-14 J
(b) Using the masses of the particles involved, show by calculation that the energy of each
gamma ray is 512 keV. (5 marks)

(c) How far from the centre of a LOR would the source of emission be if the temporal gamma
rays (travelling at the speed of light) arrived 500 picoseconds apart? Show all workings.
(4 marks)
0.0750 m
See next page

STAGE 3 35 PHYSICS
(d) As the gamma rays leave the patients body (mostly water) and travel through air to the
detection ring, a slight change in velocity occurs. Name this phenomenon and explain the
reason for it. (2 marks)
(e) What evidence is there for the particle nature of electromagnetic radiation (emr) in the
quoted text? (2 marks)
End of questions
See next page

PHYSICS 36 STAGE 3
Additional working space
Question number:
See next page

STAGE 3 37 PHYSICS
Additional working space
Question number:
See next page

PHYSICS
Question 14
38
See next page

STAGE 3

PHYSICS
See next page

39
Question 17
STAGE 3
This document apart from any third party copyright material contained in it may be freely copied, or communicated on an
intranet, for non-commercial purposes in educational institutions, provided that it is not changed and that the School Curriculum and
Standards Authority is acknowledged as the copyright owner, and that the Authoritys moral rights are not infringed.
Copying or communication for any other purpose can be done only within the terms of the Copyright Act 1968 or with prior written
permission of the School Curriculum and Standards Authority. Copying or communication of any third party copyright material can be
done only within the terms of the Copyright Act 1968 or with permission of the copyright owners.
Any content in this document that has been derived from the Australian Curriculum may be used under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Australia licence.
Published by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority of Western Australia

303 Sevenoaks Street
CANNINGTON WA 6107

Past Year WACE Questions

Загружено:

Сведения о документе

Оригинальное название

Авторское право

Доступные форматы

Поделиться этим документом

Поделиться или встроить документ

Параметры публикации

Этот документ был вам полезен?

Это неприемлемый материал?

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

Past Year WACE Questions

Загружено:

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

34.

Student Number: In figures

Time allowed for this paper

Materials required/recommended for this paper

To be provided by the candidate

Important note to candidates

Structure of this paper

2. Write answers in this Question/Answer Booklet.

4. Working or reasoning should be clearly shown when calculating or estimating answers.

See next page

Section One: Short answer 30% (54 Marks)

This section has 13 questions. Attempt all questions.

Suggested working time: 50 minutes.

See next page

(i) 100 N (ii) Zero (iii) 200 N

Answer: ____________________________________________ Reason: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Particle Quark composition Charge, q Strangeness, S

Question 4 ignore (5 marks)

See next page

path of ink drops

See next page

(a) radio waves

See next page

For copyright reasons this image cannot be reproduced in the

See next page

(b) Draw the gravitational field at points X and Y. (2 marks)

See next page

Top down view

Spaceship moves in this direction at speed = 0.80c

See next page

A physics teacher set up the equipment shown below.

strong rare earth magnet

(i) plastic tube (ii) aluminium tube

Explain, indicating clearly the physics principles involved. (4 marks)

See next page

Find the value of the shunt resistor R. 1.67E-2 Ohm

See next page

Question 12 ignore (4 marks)

(i) Effect on the shape of the trace: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(ii) Effect on the amplitude of the trace: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

See next page

(b) Explain why the top magnet floats. (2 marks)

End of Section One

See next page

Section Two: Extended answer 50% (90 Marks)

Suggested working time: 90 minutes.

Question 14 (11 marks)

See next page

Redshift is expressed in terms of a parameter z.

The redshift of the galaxy 8C is z = 4.25.

(d) Calculate the wavelength of the n = 4 to n = 2 transition in hydrogen that would be

See next page

Question 15 (12 marks)

copper and tin iron and steel any metal

See next page

Magnetic field strength within primary coil = 0.0500 Wb

See next page

Question 16 (13 marks)

See next page

(ii) Hence determine the torque acting on the coil. (3 marks)

(c) Why will the coil rotate? (2 marks)

See next page

Question 17 (11 marks)

Answer: Reason: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________