BOTSWANA EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL

in collaboration with
UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE LOCAL EXAMINATIONS SYNDICATE
Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education

CANDIDATE
NAME

CENTRE CANDIDATE
NUMBER NUMBER

PHYSICS 0571/03
Paper 3 October/November 2012

1 hour 15 minutes
Candidates answer on the Question Paper
No Additional Materials are required

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write your Centre number, candidate number and name in the spaces provided at the top of this page.
Answer all questions.
Write your answers in the spaces provided on the question paper.
You many lose marks if you do not show your working or if you do not use appropriate units.
Do not use staples, paper clips, highlighters, glue or correction fluid.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
Take the weight of 1 kg to be 10N (i.e. acceleration of free fall = 10 m/s2).

For Examiner’s Use

This document consists of 12 printed pages.

[Turn over
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Examiner’s
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1 (a) Fig. 1.1 shows part of a rule with a line A marked up to the scale.

A Fig. 1.1

What is the reading on the rule at the line A?

reading = ..............................................[1]

(b) Fig. 1.2 shows the same rule used to measure the length of an object.

object

Fig. 1.2

What is the length of the object?

length = ................................................[1]

(c) State one possible source of error when using a rule to measure length.

..........................................................................................................................................[1]

(d) Fig. 1.3 shows a stopwatch that is used to time 15 complete oscillations of a
simple pendulum.

Fig. 1.3

(i) What is the time taken to complete 15 oscillations?

time taken = .........................................[1]

(ii) Calculate the period of the pendulum.

period = ................................................[2]

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2 Fig. 2.1 shows the velocity-time graphs of two students, Tshepo and Kabo, as they cycled
from their homes to school.

8.0

7.0 Tshepo’s graph

6.0

5.0 Kabo’s graph

velocity
m/s
4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
time / minutes
Fig. 2.1

Each student takes 6 minutes to reach school.

(a) What is the distance between Kabo’s home and the school?

distance = .............................................[3]

(b) What is the acceleration of Tshepo?

acceleration = .......................................[2]

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(c) Who was accelerating faster during the first 2 minutes of the journey?
Explain your answer.

...............................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................[2]

3 (a) Fig. 3.1 shows a car accelerating along a curved road. The car is moving at a constant
speed of 20 m/s.

Fig. 3.1

(i) Explain why the car in Fig. 3.1 is accelerating.

........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................[1]

(ii) Name a force that causes this acceleration.

....................................................................................................................................[1]

(b) Fig. 3.2 shows a car pulling a caravan down a steep road.

caravan
pulling
force

carFig 3.2

Fig. 3.2

The force with which the car pulls the caravan is labelled as the pulling force.

(i) On Fig. 3.2 draw and label arrows to represent the correct position of the other
forces acting on the caravan. [2]

(ii) Name a property of the car and caravan that makes stopping difficult.

....................................................................................................................................[1]

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4 (a) Fig. 4.1 shows a microwave oven used to cook food. The inner walls of the microwave
oven are silvered.

Fig. 4.1

(i) Explain how the silvered walls improve the efficiency of the oven.

.......................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................[2]

(ii) State one other use of microwaves.

...................................................................................................................................[1]

(b) Fig. 4.2 shows wavefronts moving from deep water to shallow water.

wavefront

direction
of travel of shallow
the waves water

deep
water

Fig. 4.2

(i) Complete Fig. 4.2 to show the wavefronts and the direction of travel of the waves
in shallow water. [2]

(ii) Explain what is meant by a wavefront.

.......................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................[1]

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(iii) State whether the following quantities will increase, decrease or stay the same Use

when the wavefronts enter shallow water.

speed .........................................................................................................................

wavelength ..................................................................................................................

frequency ..............................................................................................................[3]

5 Fig. 5.1 shows Angie, of weight 200 N, and Kagiso, of weight 500 N, playing on a fixed
3.0 m long climbing frame. Angie is hanging at the centre of the climbing frame and
Kagiso is on side PQ. You may neglect the weight of the climbing frame in this question.

3.0 m
Q R

Angie
Kagiso

S
P

Fig. 5.1

(a) What is the value of the upward force on the climbing frame at P?

force = .................................................[2]

(b) Where do Angie and Kagiso have to be on the climbing frame if the upward force at P
is as low as possible?

..........................................................................................................................................[1]

(c) Kagiso leaves the frame. Angie is hanging 1.0 m from point Q.
Calculate the upward force on the climbing frame at

(i) P,

force = .................................................[2]

(ii) S.

force = .................................................[1]

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6 Fig. 6.1 shows a hydroelectric power station.

........................... energy
upper (of water in lake)
lake

lower 50 m generator
lake
turbine
......................... energy
(of turbine)

Fig. 6.1

(a) On Fig. 6.1 complete the boxes by filling in the forms of energy in the hydroelectric
power station. [2]

(b) Water of mass 100 000 kg falls 50 m from the upper lake onto the turbine.
Calculate the decrease in potential energy of the falling water.

energy = ...............................................[2]

(c) The energy output from the generator is 15% of the energy the water has in the
upper lake.
Suggest one possible way in which energy is wasted.

..............................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................[1]

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7 (a) Fig 7.1 shows a computer chip fitted with a ‘heatsink’. The ‘heatsink’ cools the
computer chip.

heatsink
black metal fins
metal base
computer chip

Fig. 7.1

Complete Table 7.1 to show how each feature is suitable for its purpose.

Table 7.1

design feature how it is suitable for its purpose

black metal fins

many fins

metal base

[3]

(b) Fig 7.2 shows a small plastic beaker floating upside down in a large beaker
containing cold water. Water in the beaker is heated but it does not boil.
small plastic
trapped air
beaker

large beaker water

bunsen burner

Fig. 7.2

State and explain what is observed as the temperature of the water increases.

observation.........................................................................................................................[1]

reason .................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................[2]

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8 (a) Fig 8.1 shows a circuit diagram for an electrical appliance with a three way switch to a
motor.
live neutral
mains
wire wire
supply
~

motor M
P•
Q
•
R•

Fig. 8.1

(i) Which position gives the fastest speed of the motor? Explain your answer.

position...........................................................................................................................

explanation ....................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................[2]

(ii) On Fig. 8.1 mark with a cross (X) the correct position of another switch that will
turn the motor ON/OFF. [1]

(b) Fig. 8.2 shows a transformer.

laminated
soft-iron core

primary secondary
coil coil

400 V 30 000 V

Fig. 8.2

(i) Briefly explain how a transformer works.

........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................[4]

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(ii) What is the purpose of laminating the soft iron core?

........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................[2]

(iii) Explain why power is transmitted at high voltages.

........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................[2]

9 Fig. 9.1 shows a light sensitive switch.

A lamp

battery

Fig. 9.1

(a) Name the components labelled A and B.

A............................................................................................................................................

B........................................................................................................................................[2]

(b) Explain how the lamp switches on when it becomes dark.

..............................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................[3]

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10 Fig. 10.1 shows a tube used to produce cathode rays.

+V
filament anode plate

fluorescent
screen

cathode vacuum
-V

Fig. 10.1

(a) Name the part where thermionic emission occurs.

..........................................................................................................................................[1]

(b) Which particles are emitted during thermionic emission?

..........................................................................................................................................[1]

(c) Explain why the vacuum is necessary?

..............................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................[1]

(d) A large potential difference (voltage) is applied across the plates as shown in
Fig. 10.1. The top plate is more positive than the bottom plate.
On Fig. 10.1, draw the path of the cathode rays. [1]

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 12 For
Examiner’s
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11 Table 11.1 shows how the activity of a radioactive isotope changes over time.

Table 11.1

activity
100 70 50 35 25
(count/sec)
time (days) 0 10 20 30 40

(a) What is meant by half-life?

...............................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................[1]

(b) Determine the half-life of the isotope.

half life...................................................[1]

(c) (i) Uranium - 234 ( 234 U) decays by emitting an alpha particle to become a new
92
element.

What is the mass number (nucleon number) and the atomic number
(proton number) of the new element?

mass number ............................................................................................................

atomic number ...........................................................................................................[1]

(ii) Explain how the fission of uranium produces heat in a nuclear reactor.

........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................[3]

Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and
cleared where possible. Every reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (BEC) to trace copyright holders, but if any
items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest
possible opportunity.

© BEC 2012 0571/03/O/N/12