50 or so Paper 2 IGCSE Physics facts

Question 1

What is the difference between scalar and vector quantities?

Answer 1

Vectors have a direction as well as a magnitude (size)

Question 2

Magnets can attract?

Answer 2

Magnetic materials (and other magnets too)

Question 3

What are the disadvantages of hydroelectric power?

Answer 3

Floods a large area,

disrupts people and animals

Question 4

Name some vector quantities

Answer 4

Velocity,

displacement,

acceleration,

force,

momentum,

moment,

current

Question 5

What experiment can be done to demonstrate charging by friction?

Answer 5

Rub a plastic rod with a cloth, show charge on coulombmeter or repel/attract other charged things.

Rub a balloon on jumper / hair stick to wall.

Question 6

Energy transferred per unit charge is known as?

Answer 6

Voltage

Question 7

Magnets can attract or repel?

Answer 7

Other magnets

Question 8

What are some advantages of digital signals?

Answer 8

Can carry more information

Easier to clean the signal (remove noise)

Question 9

How can electrostatic charge cause a fire at a petrol station.

Answer 9

Charge builds up on car while driving

a spark when person touches car

+ fuel vapour = explosion

Question 10

What are the advantages of hydroelectric power?

Answer 10

Renewable,

no air pollution,

low running costs, no fuel costs

Question 11

Name some scalar quantities

Answer 11

Speed,

mass,

volume,

time,

energy,

charge,

pressure,

power

Question 12

What is the difference between analogue and digital signals

Answer 12

Analogue signals can have any value.

Digital signals can ONLY be on or off

Question 13

What are the advantages of geothermal power?

Answer 13

Renewable,

no air pollution,

low running costs, no fuel costs

Question 14

What has the following magnetic field shape?

Answer 14

Field around a current carrying wire

Question 15

What are the advantages of solar cells?

Answer 15

Renewable,

no air pollution,

low running costs, no fuel costs

Question 16

What are the advantages of wind power?

Answer 16

Renewable,

no air pollution,

low running costs, no fuel costs

Question 17

Which support provides more force? Why?

Answer 17

Moments about the person are equal.

A closer to person, so needs bigger force to provide same moment as B.

Question 18

What is happening to this wave?

Answer 18

Diffraction; wave is spreading out

Question 19

What are the advantages of nuclear power?

Answer 19

Reliable (not weather dependent),

already established,

high power output

Question 20

What has the following magnetic field shape?

Answer 20

Field around a flat coil

(looks like an owl)

Question 21

What are the general advantages of renewable sources of power?

Answer 21

Renewable,

no air pollution,

low running costs, no fuel costs

Question 22

A charged partical experience no force due to a magnetic field when?

Answer 22

Moving parallel to field

Question 23

Magnetically hard materials….

Answer 23

Are difficult to magnetise but keep their magnetism

Question 24

What is the missing force?

Answer 24

Question 25

What force is felt by the charged particle

Answer 25

No force felt as particle is moving parallel to field.

Question 26

Give some useful uses of electrostatic charges

Answer 26

Paint spraying, Chimney precipitator (smoke cleaner), Photocopier, Ink Jet Printer

Question 27

How does a material gain a negative electrostatic charge?

Answer 27

Object gains electrons to gain a negative charge

Question 28

What are the disadvantages of geothermal power?

Answer 28

Only works in very specific places, deep drilling difficult and expensive

Question 29

What are the advantages of fossil fuels?

Answer 29

Reliable (not weather dependent), already established, high power output

Question 30

What are the advantages of solar heating systems?

Answer 30

Renewable, no air pollution, low running costs, no fuel costs

Question 31

Maximum diffraction happens when the gap size is?..

Answer 31

similar to the wavelength

Question 32

How can fires be prevented when refuelling aircraft (linked to electrostatic charge)

Answer 32

Attach Earthing strap (to discharge aircraft) before beginning to refuel

Question 33

What are the disadvantages of solar heating systems?

Answer 33

Unreliable (doesn't work at night), may need additional boiler to produce hot water

Question 34

How does a material gain a positive electrostatic charge?

Answer 34

Object loses electrons to gain a positive charge

Question 35

What are the disadvantages of solar cells?

Answer 35

Unreliable (doesn't work at night or when cloudy), large area needed to replace a typical power station, inefficient

Question 36

Magnetically soft materials...

Answer 36

Are easy to magnetise but lose their magnetism quickly

Question 37

What are the general disadvantages of renewable sources of power?

Answer 37

Unreliable (weather dependent), large amount of land needed to replace a typical power station

Question 38

How does a stretching seatbelt reduce injury

Answer 38

Increases collision time, lower deceleration (a=V/t), lower force (F=ma)

Question 39

The frequency of a sound wave is linked to its?.

Answer 39

pitch

Question 40

The amlitude of a sound wave is linked to its?.

Answer 40

volume

Question 41

What are the disadvantages of nuclear power?

Answer 41

Produces long lasting radioactive waste which must be securely stored, mining hazardous

Question 42

What is the resultant force in each case?

Answer 42

Question 43

What are the benefits of using electrostatically charged spray paint

Answer 43

Paint has same charge so repels = fine mist, no clumps. Object has opposite charge, attracts paint into corners and around the back

Question 44

One volt is equal to one?..

Answer 44

One joule per coulomb

Question 45

How are electromagnets made?

Answer 45

A coil of wire around an iron core

Question 46

When two objects with a positive electrostatic charge are close together they?

Answer 46

Repel as like charges repel

Question 47

How can digital signals carry more information?

Answer 47

Multiplexing (e.g. different coloured light in fibre optics) Increase the frequency of the transmitter

Question 48

How can you find the frequency of a sound wave from an oscilloscope trace

Answer 48

Measure time period T (of one wave) Use f = 1/T (careful with milli seconds) e.g T = 3ms so f = 1/0.003 = 333Hz

Question 49

Why is a current induced in the secondary coil?

Answer 49

The secondary coil sees a changing magnetic field; electrons experience a force and move; which induces a current

Question 50

What are the disadvantages of wind power?

Answer 50

Unreliable (only works when windy), needs lots of land, visual pollution, a large number needed to replace a typical power station

Question 51

How can electrostatic charge be used to clean smoke in a chimney?

Answer 51

Smoke particles charged by wires and attracted to charged plates

Question 52

What can happen to waves when they pass an edge or go through a gap?

Answer 52

Diffraction; waves spread out

Question 53

What two pieces of equipment are needed to display a sound wave?

Answer 53

Microphone and oscilloscope

Question 54

What has the following magnetic field shape?

Answer 54

Field around a solenoid (same shape as a bar magnet)

Question 55

What are the disadvantages of fossil fuels?

Answer 55

Release CO₂ and air pollution, mining hazardous

Question 56

How can magnetism be induced in a magnetic material?

Answer 56

Placing a magnet close to a magnetic material will induce magnetism in the magnetic material