Name………………………………………………………. ADM No………..

Class…………
Candidates Signature…………… Date…………………………….
SCHOOL……………………………………

232/2
Physics
Paper 2
Time: 2 hours

MATETE SUB-COUNTY EXAMINATION

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E)

Instructions
i. Write your name, index number and name of your school in the spaces provided above.
ii. This paper consists of two sections, section I and II. Answer all the questions in both sections.
iii. Mathematical tables and silent non – programmable calculators may be used.
iv. This paper consist of 12 printed pages. Ensure all the pages are printed.

For examiners’ use only

Maximum Candidate’s
section Question
score score
I 1 – 11 25
12 11
13 11

II 14 11

15 10

16 12
Total 80

Page 1 of 11
 Section I (25 marks)
Answer all the questions in this section
1) What is the reading shown by the pointer in the figure below, if the full scale range is;

1.5
1.0 2.0
0.5
0 3 2.5
2 5
0 1 4

mA

a) 0 - 2.5 (1 mark)

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b) 0 – 5 (1 mark)

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2) The following diagram shows two mirrors inclined at an angle  to each other. A ray of light is
incident on one of the mirrors and finally reflected from the second mirror parallel to the first mirror
find the angle between the mirrors. (2 marks)

300
ɵ

3) It is not possible to charge an electroscope by contact method using a metal rod. Explain
(2 marks)
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4) A car battery is rated 40 Ah and it is expected to supply a constant current for 120 minutes.
a) What is the strength of the current delivered? (2 marks)
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b) Explain why eight dry cells in series cannot be used to start a car engine even though they have the
same e.m.f. (1 mark)
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5) A coil of insulated wire is wound around a u – shaped soft iron core X Y and connected to a battery as
shown below.

X Y

State the polarities of the ends X and Y. (2 marks)

X ……………………………………

Y……………………………………

6) The figure below shows a coil carrying a current flowing in the direction shown in a magnetic field.

On the same diagram draw the magnetic field lines across the coil. (1 mark)

7) a) State the basic law of magnetism. (1 mark)

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 (b) The figure below shows how magnets are stored in pairs with keepers at the ends.
N S
Keeper Keeper
Bar magnets
S N

Explain how this method of storing helps in retaining magnetism longer. (2 marks)

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8) Loudspeaker placed between two wall A and B is sending out constant wave pulses. Determine how far
the loudspeaker is from wall B if it is 100m from wall A, and the time between the two echoes received
is o.2 seconds (speed of sound is 340m/s) (3 marks)
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9) The following table shows part of the electromagnetic wave spectrum.

Ultraviolet rays
Microwaves
X-rays
Visible light

(a) On the right column of the table, arrange the waves in the order of decreasing energy. (1 marks)

(b) Give an application of each of the following electromagnetic waves. (2 marks)

i) Ultraviolet rays:
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ii) Microwaves:
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10) A 4  resistor is connected in series to a battery of e.m.f 6V and negligible internal resistance.
Determine the power dissipated by the resistor. (2 marks)
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11) State any two laboratory safety rules that deal with electrical safety in the lab. (2 marks)

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Section II (55 marks)

Answer all the questions in this section.
12) a) Define term focal length as used in thin lenses (1 mark)
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b) Give the functions of the following parts of a lens camera. (3 marks)

i. Shutter: …………………………………………………………………………………...
ii. Film: ………………………………………………………………………………………
iii. Diaphragm: …………………………………………………………………………………
c) A compound microscope with objective lens L1 of focal length 0.8cm and an eyepiece lens L2 of
focal length 2.5cm is shown in figure below. An object O is placed in front of the objective lens at a
distance u1 of 1.2cm. The system forms a final image I2 at a distance of 10cm from L2. Determine
the distance of separation of lenses L1 and L2. (4 marks)

L2
L1

I2
O Fo Fo Fe

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d) The figure below (figure 9) shows an object placed in front of a convex lens. Complete the ray
diagram to show the position of the image. (3 marks)

13) a) State Snell’s law (1 mark)

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b) A student prepares to swim to the bottom of a pool to pick a coin on the bed. It is only while under
the water that she realizes the presence of a sharp object beside the coin that she had not seen.
Explain a possible reason why it was not visible in clear swimming pool water. (1 mark)
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c) The figure below shows a ray of light travelling

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 i) Calculate the refractive index of water with respect to glass given the refractive index of glass
and water are 3/2 and 4/3 respectively. (3 marks)

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ii) Calculate the angle Ɵ (2 marks)
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d) Using a well-labeled diagram, describe how optic fibers are used for communication. (4 marks)

14) a) Define the term capacitance. (1 mark)

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b) The figure below shows two charged plates close to each other
++ + + + + + + + ++ + + +

--------------------- - - -

(i) Complete the diagram to show the electric field patterns between the plates (1 mark)

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 (ii) Without changing the area of overlap, suggest any two ways of increasing the capacitance of a
parallel plate capacitor. (2 marks)
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c) You have been provided with THREE identical capacitors each of capacitance 12  F. State and
show how you would combine them to get the following effective capacitance

(i) 36µF (2marks)

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(ii) 4µF (3marks)

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(iii)8µF (3marks)

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15 State two ways through which the rate of evaporation of a liquid may be increased. (2 marks)

(b) A metal of mass 10kg is heated to 120ºC and then dropped into 2kg of water. The final temperature of
the mixture is found to be 50ºC. Calculate the initial temperature of the water. (Specific heat capacity of
the metal and water is 450JKgˉ¹Kˉ¹ and 4200JKgˉ¹Kˉ¹ respectively). (3mks)

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 (c) Give the property of water which makes it suitable for use as a coolant in machines. (1 mark)

(d) Formation of ice on roads during winter in cold countries is known to hamper vehicles. State two ways
in which the melting point of ice may be lowered to solve this problem. (2 marks)

(f) Some ether is put in a combustion tube and two glass tubes inserted into the tube through

a cork as shown in the figure below. The combustion tube is then put into a small beaker containing
some water and a thermometer dipped in the water. When air is blown into the ether as shown, the
reading in the thermometer lowers. Explain this observation. (2 marks

16 (a) (i) What is the difference between longitudinal and transverse waves?
(2mk) …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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(ii) State two distinctions between the way sound waves and electromagnetic waves are
Transmitted (2mk)
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A mineworker stands between two vertical cliffs 400m from the nearest cliff. The cliffs are X distance apart. Every time
he strikes the rock once, he hears two echoes, the first one after 2.55 , while the second follows 2s later. From this
information; calculation:
(i) The speed of the sound in air (3mk)

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(ii) The value of X

b) In an experiment to observe interference of light waves a double slit is placed close to the
source. See figure 5

(i) State the function of the double slit

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(ii) Describe what is observed on the screen (2 mks)
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C State what is observed on the screen when

i). The slit separation S1S2 is reduced (1mk)

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ii) White light source is used in place of monochromatic source (1mk)

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