Please write clearly in block capitals.

Centre number Candidate number

Surname

Forename(s)

Candidate signature
I declare this is my own work.

H
GCSE
PHYSICS
Higher Tier Paper 1

Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes

Materials For Examiner’s Use
For this paper you must have:
• a ruler Question Mark
• a scientific calculator 1
• the Physics Equations Sheet (enclosed). 2

Instructions 3
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen. Pencil should only be used for drawing. 4
• Fill in the boxes at the top of this page. 5
• Answer all questions in the spaces provided.
• Do not write outside the box around each page or on blank pages. 6
• If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end of 7
this book. Write the question number against your answer(s). 8
• Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not want to
9
be marked.
• In all calculations, show clearly how you work out your answer. 10
11
Information
• The maximum mark for this paper is 100. TOTAL
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
• You are expected to use a calculator where appropriate.
• You are reminded of the need for good English and clear presentation in
your answers.

*jun2184631H01*
IB/M/Jun21/E16 8463/1H
 2

Do not write
There are no questions printed on this page outside the
box

DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAGE

ANSWER IN THE SPACES PROVIDED

*02*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 3

Do not write
outside the
Answer all questions in the spaces provided. box

0 1 Figure 1 shows an electric car being recharged.

Charging station
Figure 1

Power cable

0 1 . 1 The charging station applies a direct potential difference across the battery of the car.

What does ‘direct potential difference’ mean?

[1 mark]

Question 1 continues on the next page

Turn over ►

*03*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 4

Do not write
0 1 . 2 Which equation links energy transferred (E), power (P) and time (t)? outside the
box
[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

power
energy transferred =
time
time
energy transferred =
power

energy transferred = power × time

energy transferred = power2 × time

0 1 . 3 The battery in the electric car can store 162 000 000 J of energy.

The charging station has a power output of 7200 W.

Calculate the time taken to fully recharge the battery from zero.
[3 marks]

Time taken = s

*04*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 5

Do not write
outside the
0 1 . 4 Which equation links current (I), potential difference (V) and resistance (R)? box
[1 mark]

Tick () one box.

I=V×R

I = V 2× R

R=I×V

V=I×R

0 1 . 5 The potential difference across the battery is 480 V.

There is a current of 15 A in the circuit connecting the battery to the motor of the
electric car.

Calculate the resistance of the motor.

[3 marks]

Resistance = Ω

Question 1 continues on the next page

Turn over ►

*05*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 6

Do not write
0 1 . 6 Different charging systems use different electrical currents. outside the
box

• Charging system A has a current of 13 A.

• Charging system B has a current of 26 A.
• The potential difference of both charging systems is 230 V.

How does the time taken to recharge a battery using charging system A compare with
the time taken using charging system B?
[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

Time taken using system A is half the time of system B

Time taken using system A is the same as system B

Time taken using system A is double the time of system B 10

*06*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 7

Do not write
outside the
Turn over for the next question box

DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAGE

ANSWER IN THE SPACES PROVIDED

Turn over ►

*07*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 8

Do not write
0 2 Energy from the Sun is released by nuclear fusion. outside the
box

0 2 . 1 Complete the sentences.

[2 marks]

Nuclear fusion is the joining together of .

During nuclear fusion the total mass of the particles .

0 2 . 2 Nuclear fusion of deuterium is difficult to achieve on Earth because of the high

temperature needed.

Electricity is used to increase the temperature of 4.0 g of deuterium by 50 000 000 °C.

specific heat capacity of deuterium = 5200 J/kg °C

Calculate the energy needed to increase the temperature of the deuterium

by 50 000 000 °C.

Use the Physics Equation Sheet.

[3 marks]

Energy = J

*08*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 9

Do not write
outside the
0 2 . 3 The idea of obtaining power from nuclear fusion was investigated using models. box

The models were tested before starting to build the first commercial nuclear fusion
power station.

Suggest two reasons why models were tested.

[2 marks]

0 2 . 4 Generating electricity using nuclear fusion will have fewer environmental effects than
generating electricity using fossil fuels.

Explain one environmental effect of generating electricity using fossil fuels.

[2 marks]

Turn over for the next question

Turn over ►

*09*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 10

Do not write
0 3 Student A investigated how the current in resistor R at constant temperature varied outside the
box
with the potential difference across the resistor.

Student A recorded both positive and negative values of current.

Figure 2 shows the circuit Student A used.

Figure 2

0 3 . 1 Describe a method that Student A could use for this investigation.

[6 marks]

*10*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 11

Do not write
outside the
box

0 3 . 2 Student B repeated the investigation.

During Student B’s investigation the temperature of resistor R increased.

Explain how the increased temperature of resistor R would have affected

Student B’s results.
[2 marks]

Question 3 continues on the next page

Turn over ►

*11*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 12

Do not write
Figure 3 shows the scale on a moving coil ammeter at one time in the investigation. outside the
box

Figure 3

0 3 . 3 What is the resolution of the moving coil ammeter?

[1 mark]

Resolution = A

*12*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 13

Do not write
outside the
0 3 . 4 Student B replaced the moving coil ammeter with a digital ammeter. box

Figure 4 shows the reading on the digital ammeter.

Figure 4

The digital ammeter has a higher resolution than the moving coil ammeter.

Give one other reason why it would have been better to use the digital ammeter
throughout this investigation.
[1 mark]

10

Turn over for the next question

Turn over ►

*13*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 14

Do not write
0 4 A student investigated the density of different fruits. outside the
box

Table 1 shows the results.

Table 1

Fruit Density in g/cm3

Apple 0.68

Kiwi 1.03

Lemon 0.95

Lime 1.05

0 4 . 1 The student determined the volume of each fruit using a displacement can and a
measuring cylinder.

What other piece of equipment would the student need to determine the density of
each fruit?
[1 mark]

*14*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 15

Do not write
outside the
0 4 . 2 Write down the equation which links density (ρ), mass (m) and volume (V). box
[1 mark]

0 4 . 3 The mass of the apple was 85 g.

The density of the apple was 0.68 g/cm3.

Calculate the volume of the apple.

Give your answer in cm3.

[3 marks]

Volume = cm3

0 4 . 4 The student only measured the volume of each fruit once.

The volume measurements cannot be used to show that the method to measure
volume gives precise readings.

Give the reason why.

[1 mark]

Turn over ►

*15*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 16

Do not write
0 5 . 1 During one year, 1.25 × 1018 J of energy was transferred from the National Grid. outside the
box

number of seconds in 1 year = 3.16 × 107

Calculate the mean energy transferred from the National Grid each second.

Give your answer to 3 significant figures.

[2 marks]

Energy each second (3 significant figures) = J

Figure 5 shows a house with a solar power system.

The solar cells generate electricity.

When the electricity generated by the solar cells is not needed, the energy is stored in
a large battery.

Figure 5

*16*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 17

Do not write
outside the
0 5 . 2 The charge flow through the cable between the solar cells and the battery in 24 hours box
was 27 000 coulombs.

Calculate the mean current in the cable.

[4 marks]

Mean current = A

0 5 . 3 At one time, the total power input to the solar cells was 7.8 kW.

The efficiency of the solar cells was 0.15

Calculate the useful power output of the solar cells.

[3 marks]

Useful power output = W

Question 5 continues on the next page

Turn over ►

*17*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 18

Do not write
0 5 . 4 It is unlikely that all of the electricity that the UK needs can be generated by solar outside the
box
power systems.

Explain why.
[2 marks]

11

*18*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 19

Do not write
outside the
Turn over for the next question box

DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAGE

ANSWER IN THE SPACES PROVIDED

Turn over ►

*19*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 20

Do not write
0 6 Figure 6 shows the mass number and the atomic number for the nuclei of five outside the
box
different atoms.
Figure 6

0 6 . 1 How many neutrons are there in a nucleus of atom A?

[1 mark]

*20*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 21

Do not write
outside the
0 6 . 2 Which two atoms in Figure 6 are the same element? box
[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

A and B

A and C

C and D

D and E

Question 6 continues on the next page

Turn over ►

*21*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 22

Do not write
0 6 . 3 Nucleus B decays by emitting an alpha particle. outside the
box

Draw an arrow on Figure 7 to represent the alpha decay.

[2 marks]

Figure 7

0 6 . 4 What is meant by the ‘random nature of radioactive decay’?

[1 mark]

*22*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 23

Do not write
outside the
0 6 . 5 A polonium (Po) nucleus decays by emitting an alpha particle and forming a box
lead (Pb) nucleus.

Po → Pb + α
The lead (Pb) nucleus then decays by emitting a beta particle and forms a bismuth
(Bi) nucleus.

Pb → Bi + β
The bismuth (Bi) nucleus then decays by emitting a beta particle and forms a
polonium (Po) nucleus.

Bi → Po + β

Explain how these three decays result in a nucleus of the original element, polonium.
[3 marks]

Turn over for the next question

Turn over ►

*23*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 24

Do not write
0 7 A student investigated how the current in a series circuit varied with the resistance of outside the
box
a variable resistor.

Figure 8 shows the circuit used.

Figure 8

Figure 9 shows the results.

Figure 9

*24*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 25

Do not write
outside the
0 7 . 1 The battery had a power output of 230 mW when the resistance of the variable box
resistor was 36 Ω.

Determine the potential difference across the battery.

[4 marks]

Potential difference = V

0 7 . 2 The student concluded:

‘the current in the circuit was inversely proportional to the resistance of the variable
resistor.’

Explain how Figure 9 shows that the student is correct.

[2 marks]

Question 7 continues on the next page

Turn over ►

*25*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 26

Do not write
0 7 . 3 Figure 10 shows a circuit with a switch connected incorrectly. outside the
box

Figure 10

Explain how closing the switch would affect the current in the variable resistor.
[2 marks]

*26*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 27

Do not write
outside the
Turn over for the next question box

DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAGE

ANSWER IN THE SPACES PROVIDED

Turn over ►

*27*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 28

Do not write
0 8 Figure 11 shows a toy car in different positions on a racing track. outside the
box

Figure 11

0 8 . 1 The toy car and racing track can be modelled as a closed system.

Why can the toy car and racing track be considered ‘a closed system’?
[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

The racing track and the car both have gravitational potential energy.

The racing track and the car are always in contact with each other.

The total energy of the racing track and the car is constant.

*28*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 29

Do not write
outside the
0 8 . 2 The car is released from rest at position A and accelerates due to gravity down the box
track to position B.

mass of toy car = 0.040 kg

vertical height between position A and position B = 90 cm

gravitational field strength = 9.8 N/kg

Calculate the maximum possible speed of the toy car when it reaches position B.
[5 marks]

Speed = m/s

Question 8 continues on the next page

Turn over ►

*29*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 30

Do not write
Figure 11 is repeated below. outside the
box

Figure 11

0 8 . 3 At position C the car’s gravitational potential energy is 0.20 J greater than at

position B.

How much kinetic energy does the car need at position B to complete the loop of
the track?

Give a reason for your answer.

[2 marks]
Tick () one box.

Less than 0.20 J

Exactly 0.20 J

More than 0.20 J

Reason

*30*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 31

Do not write
outside the
Turn over for the next question box

DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAGE

ANSWER IN THE SPACES PROVIDED

Turn over ►

*31*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 32

Do not write
0 9 A teacher demonstrated the relationship between the pressure in a gas and the outside the
box
volume of the gas.

Figure 12 shows the equipment used.

Figure 12

This is the method used.

1. Record the initial volume of gas in the syringe and the pressure reading before
any weights are attached.

2. Attach a 2.0 N weight to the syringe.

3. Record the volume of the gas and the reading on the pressure gauge.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until a weight of 12.0 N is attached to the syringe.

0 9 . 1 What was the range of force used?

[1 mark]

From N to N

0 9 . 2 Give one control variable in the investigation.

[1 mark]

*32*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 33

Do not write
outside the
0 9 . 3 When the volume of gas in the syringe was 45 cm3, the pressure gauge showed a box
value of 60 kPa.

Calculate the pressure in the gas when the volume of gas in the syringe was 40 cm3.
[4 marks]

Pressure = kPa

0 9 . 4 When the volume of gas in the syringe increased, the pressure on the inside walls of
the syringe decreased.

Explain why.
[3 marks]

Turn over for the next question

Turn over ►

*33*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 34

Do not write
1 0 Figure 13 shows some overhead power cables in the National Grid. outside the
box

Figure 13

1 0 . 1 Explain the advantage of transmitting electricity at a very high potential difference.

[3 marks]

*34*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 35

Do not write
outside the
1 0 . 2 It is dangerous for a person to fly a kite near an overhead power cable. box

Figure 14 shows a person flying a kite.

Figure 14

The person could receive a fatal electric shock if the kite was very close to, but not
touching the power cable.

Explain why.
[3 marks]

Question 10 continues on the next page

Turn over ►

*35*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 36

Do not write
A scientist investigated how the potential difference needed for air to conduct charge outside the
box
varies with the distance between a cable and earth.

Figure 15 shows the results.

Figure 15

1 0 . 3 The data in Figure 15 gives the relationship between potential difference and distance
when the air is dry.

When the humidity of air increases the air becomes a better conductor of electricity.

Draw a line on Figure 15 to show how the potential difference changes with distance
if the humidity of the air increases.
[2 marks]

*36*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 37

Do not write
outside the
1 0 . 4 Figure 16 shows a cross-section through a power cable. box

Figure 16

A 1 metre length of a single aluminium wire is a better conductor than a 1 metre

length of the steel wire.

The individual wires behave as if they are resistors connected in parallel.

Explain why the current in the steel wire is different to the current in a single
aluminium wire.
[2 marks]

10

Turn over for the next question

Turn over ►

*37*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 38

Do not write
1 1 A student investigated how the temperature of a lump of ice varied as the ice was outside the
box
heated.

The student recorded the temperature until the ice melted and then the water
produced boiled.

Figure 17 shows the student’s results.

The power output of the heater was constant.

Figure 17

1 1 . 1 The specific heat capacity of ice is less than the specific heat capacity of water.

Explain how Figure 17 shows this.

[2 marks]

*38*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 39

Do not write
outside the
1 1 . 2 The specific latent heat of fusion of ice is less than the specific latent heat of box
vaporisation of water.

Explain how Figure 17 shows this.

[2 marks]

1 1 . 3 A second student did the same investigation and recorded the temperature until the
water produced boiled.

In the second student’s investigation more thermal energy was transferred to

the surroundings.

Describe two ways the results of the experiment in Figure 17 would have been
different.
[2 marks]

Question 11 continues on the next page

Turn over ►

*39*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 40

Do not write
1 1 . 4 When the water was boiling, 0.030 kg of water turned into steam. outside the
box

The energy transferred to the water was 69 kJ.

Calculate the specific latent heat of vaporisation of water.

Give the unit.

[5 marks]

Specific latent heat of vaporisation =

Unit 11

END OF QUESTIONS

*40*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 41

Do not write
outside the
There are no questions printed on this page box

DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAGE

ANSWER IN THE SPACES PROVIDED

*41*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 42
Do not write
outside the
box
Question Additional page, if required.
number Write the question numbers in the left-hand margin.

*42*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 43
Do not write
outside the
box
Question Additional page, if required.
number Write the question numbers in the left-hand margin.

*43*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H
 44
Do not write
outside the
box
Question Additional page, if required.
number Write the question numbers in the left-hand margin.

Copyright information

For confidentiality purposes, all acknowledgements of third-party copyright material are published in a separate booklet. This booklet
is published after each live examination series and is available for free download from www.aqa.org.uk.

Permission to reproduce all copyright material has been applied for. In some cases, efforts to contact copyright-holders may have
been unsuccessful and AQA will be happy to rectify any omissions of acknowledgements. If you have any queries please contact the
Copyright Team.

Copyright © 2021 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

*216g8463/1H*
*44*
IB/M/Jun21/8463/1H