Cambridge IGCSE™

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PHYSICS 0625/42
Paper 4 Theory (Extended) October/November 2023

1 hour 15 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

No additional materials are needed.

INSTRUCTIONS
● Answer all questions.
● Use a black or dark blue pen. You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams or graphs.
● Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page.
● Write your answer to each question in the space provided.
● Do not use an erasable pen or correction fluid.
● Do not write on any bar codes.
● You may use a calculator.
● You should show all your working and use appropriate units.
● Take the weight of 1.0 kg to be 9.8 N (acceleration of free fall = 9.8 m / s2).

INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 80.
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].

This document has 16 pages.

DC (CJ/FC) 318547/5
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1 A car accelerates uniformly in a straight line from rest at time t = 0. At t = 3.2 s, the speed of the car
is 13.0 m / s.

(a) (i) Calculate the acceleration of the car.

a=v-u/delta t
=13/3.2
=4.06
=4.1m/s

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

(ii) Explain in words what is meant by the term acceleration.

Rate of change of velocity
...........................................................................................................................................

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

(b) The car travels at 13.0 m / s from t = 3.2 s to t = 12.0 s.

(i) Plot the speed–time graph for the car from t = 0 to t = 12.0 s.

14.0

speed 12.0
m/s
10.0

8.0

6.0

4.0

2.0

0
0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0
t/s
[2]

(ii) Determine the distance travelled by the car between t = 0 and t = 3.2 s.

distance = ......................................................... [2]

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(c) The car decelerates from 13.0 m / s to 0 m / s at a constant deceleration. The mass of the car is
1350 kg. The car travels 13 m in 2.0 s as it decelerates.

Show that the work done by the car as it decelerates is approximately 1.1 × 105 J.

[4]

(d) On another day, the car in (c) travels a longer distance while it decelerates from 13.0 m / s to
0 m / s. The deceleration is constant.

Suggest and explain what causes the stopping distance to increase.

When the road is wet , the stopping distance of car will increase.
suggestion ................................................................................................................................

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

explanation There will be less friction between road and tyre of the car causes the car may slide and
...............................................................................................................................
increase the stopping distance.
...................................................................................................................................................
[2]

[Total: 13]

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2 Fig. 2.1 shows an electric tumble dryer used to dry wet clothes.

drum

hot air blows

into drum

clothes
heating element

cool air
condenser leaves condenser

water

Fig. 2.1

(a) Hot air blows into the drum. The air gains water vapour from the clothes and then leaves the
drum. The moist air enters the condenser. Cool air leaves the condenser, passes through the
heating element and enters the drum again.

(i) State the process by which the hot air removes water from the wet clothes.

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

(ii) The air is cooled as it passes through the condenser.

Describe and explain one other way in which the air leaving the condenser is different
from the air entering the condenser.
air is drier
description .........................................................................................................................
because water vapour has condensed when the air entering the condenser
explanation ........................................................................................................................
and the cool air leaving the condenser.(It changes gas to liquid)
...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) The drum of the tumble dryer rotates, lifting up the wet clothes which then fall down through
the hot air.

(i) Name the force that causes the clothes to fall down.
gravitational force
..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) When the drum rotates too fast the clothes remain in contact with the wall of the drum.

State the direction of the resultant force on the clothes during the circular motion.
perpendicular to the circular motion
..................................................................................................................................... [1]

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(c) Suggest why using a clothesline to dry clothes in the open air is better for the environment
than using an electric tumble dryer.
greenhouse gases not produced.
...................................................................................................................................................

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

[Total: 6]

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3 (a) A balloon of mass 15 g is glued to a straw. The straw is threaded onto a horizontal string, as
shown in Fig. 3.1.
The balloon is filled with air and then the air is released.

horizontal
string direction of motion of balloon

hollow straw fixed to balloon

balloon

Fig. 3.1

As the air leaves the balloon, the balloon experiences a force.

The balloon accelerates from rest until it reaches a constant speed. It then travels 0.67 m in
0.18 s at this constant speed.

(i) Explain in words what is meant by the term impulse.

Impulse is defined as force multplied by time taken.
...........................................................................................................................................

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

(ii) Calculate the resultant impulse on the balloon while it is accelerating.

impulse=delta p
=m delta v
=15 x 0.67/0.18
=0.0558
=0.056 Ns

impulse = ......................................................... [3]

(iii) Explain how momentum is conserved as the balloon accelerates.

...........................................................................................................................................
The momentum is conserved as the air released from the balloon moves in the opposite
direction to the balloon and the momentum of balloon is equal in size to momentum of the
air.
...........................................................................................................................................

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

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(b) Fig. 3.2 shows the directions of two forces acting on a different balloon as it moves.

0.40 N force

0.74 N force

Fig. 3.2 (not to scale)

Determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant force on the balloon.

magnitude ...............................................................

direction relative to horizontal force ...............................................................

[4]

[Total: 10]
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4 Fig. 4.1 shows a bottle part-filled with water. The air inside the bottle is at the same pressure as
the air outside the bottle. The bottle and its contents are at room temperature.

bottle
air

water

Fig. 4.1

(a) The temperature of the bottle and its contents are increased.

(i) Explain, in terms of particles, how the air pressure inside the bottle changes as the
temperature increases.

...........................................................................................................................................
When the temperature increased, the pressure inside the bottle increased. Temperature
increased mean the particle inside the bottle gain kinetic energy and move faster so they collide
more frequently. The larger change in momentum so it causes larger forces it means pressure
...........................................................................................................................................
increased.
...........................................................................................................................................

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

(ii) The lid is removed from the bottle.

State and explain how the air pressure inside the bottle changes.
Decreased
statement ..........................................................................................................................

explanation ........................................................................................................................
air particles and molecules escaped from the bottle into the air until pressure inside
the bottle is same as atmospheric pressure.
...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

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(b) The mass of water in the bottle is 0.18 kg. The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J / (kg °C).

Calculate the thermal energy needed to increase the temperature of the water by 20 °C.

E=mc delta t
=0.18x4200 x 20
=15120
=1.5 x 10^4 J

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

(c) Another plastic bottle is filled to the top with water. The height of the bottle is 40.0 cm. The
density of water is 1.0 × 103 kg / m3.

Calculate the pressure difference between the top and bottom of the water.

P total=P atm+ Pl
P total-P atm=Pl
Pl= pgh
=1.0 x 10^3 x 9.8 x 40/100
=3920
=3900Pa

pressure difference = ......................................................... [2]

[Total: 9]

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5 Fig. 5.1 shows a road junction, a moving car and a stationary truck. The road has high walls on
each side.

truck

car

Fig. 5.1

(a) The driver of the truck is at position X. The car moves around the corner.

On Fig. 5.1, label a point Y on the road where the truck driver first sees the car. [1]

(b) A plane mirror is placed at the road junction as shown in Fig. 5.2.

truck

car

Fig. 5.2

Show how this mirror allows the driver of the truck to see the car when it is at the position
shown in Fig. 5.2. [2]

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(c) The truck driver wears spectacles to correct long-sightedness. Fig. 5.3 shows how a blurred
image of an object O forms on the retina. Any effect of the cornea on the rays of light can be
ignored.

lens retina

cornea

Fig. 5.3

On Fig. 5.4, show how long-sightedness is corrected by:

• adding a suitable lens in front of the eye

• continuing the path of the three rays of light until they meet to form an image.

lens retina

Fig. 5.4
[4]

[Total: 7]

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6 Fig. 6.1 shows the circuit diagram for a flashlight (torch).

Fig. 6.1

The electromotive force (e.m.f.) of the battery is 4.5 V. The circuit contains a 60 Ω fixed resistor.
The current in the light-emitting diode (LED) is 0.020 A.

(a) Calculate the potential difference (p.d.) across the LED.

Voltage of LED= 4.5-( Voltage of resistor)

=4.5 - (V=IR)
=4.5 - ( 60 x 0.02)
=3.3V

3.3V
p.d. = ......................................................... [2]

(b) Explain why the LED does not light up if the battery is reversed.
Because LED become reverse-biased.
...................................................................................................................................................

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

(c) The chemical energy stored in the battery is 1050 J.

Show that the flashlight operates for approximately 3 h.

E=VIt
t=E/VI
=1050/4.5 x 0.02
=3.24
=3 hours

[2]

(d) Calculate the total charge that flows through the LED in 3600 s.

Q=It
=0.02 x 3600
=72 C

charge = ......................................................... [2]

[Total: 7]

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7 Fig. 7.1 shows some uses of electromagnetic radiation and different regions of the electromagnetic
spectrum.

use of electromagnetic region of electromagnetic

radiation spectrum

Bluetooth headset gamma rays

thermal imaging radio waves

photography of
people’s faces infrared

sterilising medical visible light

equipment

Fig. 7.1

(a) Draw a line from each use to the correct region of the spectrum. Each region of the spectrum
is used once. One line has been completed for you. [2]

(b) State the speed of electromagnetic waves in a vacuum.

3 x 10^8 m/s
speed = ......................................................... [1]

(c) A Bluetooth headset can be used to listen to music on a mobile (cell) phone without the need
for wires to connect the headset to the phone.

(i) The headset uses frequencies in the range 2.40–2.48 GHz.

Calculate the wavelength of the radio waves when the frequency is in the middle of the
frequency range.

v=f wavelength
wavelegth=v/f
=3 x 10^8/2.44 x 10^9
=0.123
=0.12m

wavelength = ......................................................... [3]

(ii) Suggest why a Bluetooth headset only works well over short distances.
Radio waves signal are weaker energy because they pass through walls
...........................................................................................................................................

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

[Total: 7]

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8 The isotope uranium-235 is represented by

235
92 U.

(a) State what the numbers 92 and 235 represent in this symbol.
proton number
92 is ..........................................................................................................................................
nucleon number
235 is ........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) Uranium-235 is a fuel used in nuclear reactors.

(i) State the process by which energy is released from uranium-235 in a nuclear reactor.

.....................................................................................................................................
nuclear fission [1]

(ii) A nuclide equation for this process is

235 1 140 94 1
92 U + 0n 54 Xe + 38 Sr + 2 0 n.

Describe the mass and energy changes that take place during this process in a nuclear
reactor.
Nucleus converted to more stable nuclei with smaller total mass. Mass difference is released
...........................................................................................................................................
and converted as thermal energy.
...........................................................................................................................................

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

(c) (i) Describe how thermal energy from nuclear reactions is used to generate electricity in a
power station.
Nuclear reactions released thermal energy. Thermal energy used to bol cold water to make
...........................................................................................................................................
steam.
Stream is at high pressure and drives a turbine. Turbine connected to a generator and drives a
...........................................................................................................................................
generator. So the electrical energy is generated.

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

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

(ii) State one advantage and one disadvantage of using nuclear fuels in a power station
instead of using fossil fuels.

advantage .........................................................................................................................
continuous supply of energy

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

disadvantage .....................................................................................................................
danger if any leak of radiations

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

[Total: 10]

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9 Table 9.1 gives information about three planets in the Solar System.

Table 9.1

planet mass average orbital gravitational field strength at surface

/ 1024 kg distance period N / kg
from Sun / days
/ 106 km

Earth 5.97 149.6 365.2 9.8

Jupiter 1898 778.6 4331 23.1

X 4.87 108.2 224.7 8.9

(a) State the name of planet X.

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

(b) Describe the relationship shown in Table 9.1 between the mass of a planet and the
gravitational field strength at its surface.

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

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

(c) Explain why ‘distance from Sun’ in Table 9.1 is an average value.

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

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

(d) Show that the average orbital speed of the Earth is approximately 30 km / s.

[3]

[Total: 6]

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10 Complete the sentences about the life cycle of stars.

(a) Protostars are formed from .......................................................................................................

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

(b) A protostar becomes a stable star when ...................................................................................

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

is balanced by ...........................................................................................................................

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

(c) The initial fuel used to power nuclear reactions in stars is .................................................... [1]

(d) Stars that are approximately the same size as the Sun become red giant stars which then

form a ........................................................................................................................................

with a white dwarf star at its centre. [1]

[Total: 5]

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