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Cambridge International AS & A Level

* 1 7 4 5 8 0 0 9 6 6 *

PHYSICS 9702/23
Paper 2 AS Level Structured Questions 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.

INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 60.
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].

This document has 20 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

DC (EF/CB) 313484/3
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Data

acceleration of free fall g = 9.81 m s–2

speed of light in free space c = 3.00 × 108 m s–1

elementary charge e = 1.60 × 10–19 C

unified atomic mass unit 1u = 1.66 × 10–27 kg

rest mass of proton mp = 1.67 × 10–27 kg

rest mass of electron me = 9.11 × 10–31 kg

Avogadro constant NA = 6.02 × 1023 mol–1

molar gas constant R = 8.31 J K–1 mol–1

Boltzmann constant k = 1.38 × 10–23 J K–1

gravitational constant G = 6.67 × 10–11 N m2 kg–2

permittivity of free space ε0 = 8.85 × 10–12 F m–1

1
( = 8.99 × 109 m F–1)
4rf0

Planck constant h = 6.63 × 10–34 J s

Stefan–Boltzmann constant σ = 5.67 × 10–8 W m–2 K–4

Formulae

uniformly accelerated motion s = ut + 12 at 2

v2 = u 2 + 2as

hydrostatic pressure ∆p = ρg∆h

upthrust F = ρgV

fs v
Doppler effect for sound waves fo = v!v
s

electric current I = Anvq

resistors in series R = R1 + R2 + ...

1 1 1
resistors in parallel = + + ...
R R1 R2

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1 (a) Table 1.1 lists some physical quantities. Complete the table by placing a tick (✓) next to the
scalar quantities.

Table 1.1

acceleration

charge

momentum

power

upthrust

[1]

(b) A uniform cylinder has diameter D, length L and mass M.

The density ρ of the cylinder is given by

4M
ρ= .
πD2 L

Table 1.2 shows the data obtained from an experiment to determine the density of the cylinder.

Table 1.2

quantity measurement percentage uncertainty

D (26.2 ± 0.1) mm
................%

L (162 ± 1) mm
................%

M (247 ± 1) g 0.4%

(i) Calculate the percentage uncertainties in D and L. Write your answers in Table 1.2.

[1]

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(ii) Calculate the density of the cylinder. Give your answer to three significant figures.

density = .............................................. kg m–3 [2]

(iii) Calculate the percentage uncertainty in the density.

percentage uncertainty = ......................................................% [2]

[Total: 6]

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2 A ball on horizontal ground is kicked towards a vertical wall. Fig. 2.1 shows the path of the ball.

path of ball

horizontal h
u
ground
wall
38°

9.0 m
ball

Fig. 2.1 (not to scale)

The ball has an initial velocity u at an angle of 38° to the ground. The ball travels a horizontal
distance of 9.0 m before striking the wall at a height h above the ground. The horizontal
component uH of the initial velocity of the ball is 9.5 m s–1.

Air resistance is negligible.

(a) (i) Show that the time t for the ball to reach the wall is 0.95 s.

[1]

(ii) Calculate the vertical component uV of the initial velocity of the ball.

uV = ................................................ m s–1 [2]

(iii) Determine h.

h = ...................................................... m [2]

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(b) The speed of the ball just after striking the wall is less than its speed just before striking the
wall.

State what this indicates about the nature of the collision of the ball with the wall.

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

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

[Total: 6]

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3 (a) State the conditions for a system to be in equilibrium.

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

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

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

(b) Fig. 3.1 shows an airship in flight. The airship is propelled by identical fans that can be angled
to control the motion of the airship.

airship

fans

Fig. 3.1

The upthrust on the airship is 93 000 N.

The density of the surrounding air is 1.2 kg m–3.

(i) Calculate the volume of air displaced by the airship.

volume = .................................................... m3 [1]

(ii) When fully loaded, the weight of the airship is greater than the upthrust.
To maintain horizontal flight, the fans provide a total vertical force of 3.0 × 103 N upwards
on the airship.

Calculate the mass of the airship.

mass = ..................................................... kg [2]

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(c) At a certain time, the airship in (b) is stationary. The thrust force exerted by a fan on the
airship is 2800 N.

To produce this force, a mass of 64 kg of air is propelled through the blades of the fan in a
time of 0.50 s. Assume that this air is initially stationary at the entrance to the fan.

Calculate:

(i) the change in momentum ∆p of the air propelled through the fan blades in this time

∆p = ............................................ kg m s–1 [2]

(ii) the speed of the air as it leaves the fan

speed = ................................................ m s–1 [2]

(iii) the total kinetic energy of this air due to its movement through the fan.

kinetic energy = ....................................................... J [2]

[Total: 11]

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10

4 Fig. 4.1 shows the variation with extension x of the tensile force F for two wires, G and H, made
from the same material.

3.5
H
3.0 G
F/N
2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
x / mm

Fig. 4.1

The elastic limit has not been exceeded for G or H.

(a) For the lines in Fig. 4.1:

(i) state what is represented by the gradient

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

(ii) explain why the area under the line represents the elastic potential energy of the wire.

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

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

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

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

(b) Wires G and H are joined together end‑to‑end to form a composite wire of negligible weight.
The composite wire hangs vertically from a fixed support.

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A block of weight of 2.0 N is attached to the end of the wire, as shown in Fig. 4.2.

fixed
support block,
H
weight 2.0 N

Fig. 4.2

(i) Use Fig. 4.1 to determine:

● the extension xG of wire G

xG = ........................................................ mm

● the extension xH of wire H.

xH = ........................................................ mm
[1]

(ii) Calculate the total elastic potential energy EP of the composite wire due to the weight of
the block.

EP = ....................................................... J [2]

(iii) The original length of wire G is L and the original length of wire H is 1.5 L.

Calculate the ratio

cross‑sectional area of wire G
.
cross‑sectional area of wire H

ratio = ......................................................... [3]

[Total: 9]

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5 Two point sources, A and B, produce coherent electromagnetic waves. The waves from A and B
are emitted in phase and have wavelength λ, as shown in Fig. 5.1.

A B

Fig. 5.1 (not to scale)

The lines on Fig. 5.1 represent wavefronts. All the points on a wavefront are in phase.

(a) On Fig. 5.1, mark with a cross (×):

(i) the position of an interference maximum (label this cross Y) [1]

(ii) the position of an interference minimum (label this cross Z). [1]

(b) The waves in air have a wavelength of 2.9 × 10–5 m.

An interference pattern is detected along a line parallel to AB and at a perpendicular distance

of 140 m from AB. The spacing between adjacent interference maxima is 1.2 cm.

(i) Calculate the separation a of the sources A and B.

a = ...................................................... m [3]

(ii) State the principal region of the electromagnetic spectrum to which the waves belong.

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

[Total: 6]

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6 A train travels at constant speed along a straight horizontal track towards an observer standing
adjacent to the track, as shown in Fig. 6.1.

train observer
track

Fig. 6.1

The train sounds its horn continuously as it approaches the observer. The horn emits a sound of
constant frequency 251 Hz. The frequency of sound heard by the observer is 291 Hz. The speed
of sound in air is 340 m s–1.

(a) Calculate the speed of the train.

speed = ................................................ m s–1 [2]

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(b) The train approaches and then passes the observer. The intensity I of the sound heard by the
observer varies with the distance d of the horn from the observer.

When the horn is at a distance x0 from the observer, the intensity I of the sound heard is I0
and the amplitude A of the sound wave at the observer is A0.

Fig. 6.2 shows the variation with d / x0 of I / I0 as the train moves away from the observer.

1.0 1.0

I / I0 A / A0

0.8 0.8

0.6 0.6

0.4 0.4

0.2 0.2

0 0
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
d / x0 d / x0

Fig. 6.2 Fig. 6.3

(i) State the relationship between amplitude A and intensity I for a progressive wave.

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

(ii) On Fig. 6.3, sketch the variation with d / x0 of A / A0. [2]

[Total: 5]

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7 (a) State Ohm’s law.

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

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

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

(b) A battery of electromotive force (e.m.f.) 6.2 V and negligible internal resistance is connected
in a circuit to a uniform resistance wire, a voltmeter, a fixed resistor and a switch, as shown
in Fig. 7.1.

6.2 V

S
wire of resistance 18 Ω

Fig. 7.1

The resistance wire has resistance 18 Ω, length 0.94 m and cross‑sectional area 7.2 × 10–8 m2.
The slider S is positioned half‑way along the length of the wire.

(i) Calculate the resistivity ρ of the material of the resistance wire.

ρ = .................................................. Ω m [2]

(ii) The switch is open.

State the reading on the voltmeter.

voltmeter reading = ...................................................... V [1]

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(iii) The switch is now closed.

State whether there is an increase, decrease or no change to:

● the current in the battery

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

● the voltmeter reading.

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

(iv) The switch remains closed. The slider S is moved along the resistance wire so that the
voltmeter reading is 3.1 V.

On Fig. 7.1, draw a cross (×) on the resistance wire to show a possible new position of
the slider. [1]

(c) The circuit in (b) is altered by changing the battery for one of a different e.m.f.
The switch is open.

A student records the following data for the resistance wire:

current in the wire 0.93 A

mean drift speed of charge carriers 1.3 × 10–3 m s–1
number density of charge carriers 9.0 × 1028 m–3.

(i) Determine the charge q of a charge carrier in the wire suggested by this data.

q = ...................................................... C [2]

(ii) With reference to the value of q, explain why the data recorded by the student cannot be
correct.

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

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

[Total: 11]

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23
8 (a) The nuclide 12 Mg is an isotope of magnesium that undergoes β+ decay to form a new
nuclide X according to the equation

23 ........ ........ + 0
12
Mg X + β + 0
ν.
........ ........

Four numbers are missing from the equation.

23
(i) For the nuclide 12 Mg, state what is represented by the numbers 23 and 12.

23 represents: ...................................................................................................................

12 represents: ...................................................................................................................
[2]

(ii) Complete the equation by inserting the missing numbers. [2]

(iii) State the name of the group (class) of fundamental particles to which the positron and
neutrino belong.

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

(b) A radioactive source emits particles from its nuclei when it decays.
Fig. 8.1 shows, for the source, the variation with kinetic energy of the number of particles
emitted.

number of
particles
emitted

0
0
kinetic energy of emitted particles

Fig. 8.1

State how Fig. 8.1 shows that these nuclei do not undergo beta‑decay.

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

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

[Total: 6]

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