UCE physics 2009 paper 1

1. Which one of the following devices converts electrical energy to mechanical energy?

A. Thermopile. C. Dynamo.

B. Battery. D. Motor.

Answer is D

2. A razor blade floating on water sinks when a few drops of paraffin are added to the water
because

A. paraffin is denser than water.

B. surface tension of water increases.

C. surface tension of water reduces.

D. cohesion of water molecules increases.

Answer is C

3. Which one of the following is true about a periscope? It

A. gives a laterally inverted image.

B. is used to observe an obscured object.

C. is used for viewing distant objects.

D. gives a magnified image of the object.

Answer is B

4. An appliance that uses a current of 3 A is connected to the mains by wires that can carry up to
5A.

The best fuse that can be used for the appliance is

A. 2A fuse B. 3A fuse C. 4A fuse D. 5A fuse

Answer is B

For current above 3A, the fuses blows

5. In a cathode ray oscilloscope, the

 A. horizontal plates deflect the electron beam in the 7-direction.

B. electrons are accelerated towards the screen by the grid.

C. vacuum hinders the motion of the electrons.

D. electrons are emitted from heated anode.

Answer is A

6. Find the force that would give a mass of 400 g an acceleration of 8 ms-2

A. 0.05 N. B. 3.20 N. C. 20.00 N. D. 50.00 N.

Answer is B

F= ma = 0.4 x 8 = 3.2N

7. A hollow glass sphere of mass 60 g floats in water such that two-thirds of its volume is under
water of density 1g cm-3. Find the volume in cm of the sphere

A. 20. B. 40. C. 60. D. 90.

Answer is D

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 60
V= = 2 = 90cm3
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦
3

8. All electromagnetic waves

A. highly penetrate matter.

B. produce ionisation in gases.

C. cause heating effect when absorbed by matter.

D. do not require any material medium for transmission.

Answer is D

9. When a steel rod is stroked using a bar magnet, the

(i) rod attracts small steel pins.

(ii) rod will be charged.

(iii) magnetic dipoles will be aligned.

A. (i) only. B. (i) and (ii) only b C. (ii) and (iii) only. D. (i) and (iii) only.

Answer is D
226
10. The radium 88 Ra nuclide has

A. 138 protons and 88 neutrons. B. 138 neutrons and 88 protons.

C. 138 electrons and 88 neutrons. D. 138 protons and 88 electrons.

Answer is B
 No. of protons = 88

No. of neutrons = 226- 88 = 138

11. An athlete who covers 80 m in 10s is timed using the number of heart beat. If the heartbeat of
the person timing is 72 per minute, find the number of heart beat counted.

A. 7.2 B. 8.0 C. 12.0 D. 13.0

Answer is C

60s are equivalent to 72 heartbeats

72 𝑥 10
10s are equivalent to =12
60

12. The fins of a car radiator are painted black because black bodies are poor

A. transmitters of heat. B. reflectors of heat.

C. absorbers of heat. D. radiators of heat.

Answer is B

13. Which one of the following wave patterns on a CRO represents sound of the highest pitch?

Answer is D. the higher the frequency, the higher the pitch

14. Two bulbs each rated 240 V, 25 W are lit for 5 hours each day. If the cost of each unit is shs.200,
find how much it costs to run the bulbs for 30 days.

A. Shs 1,500. B. Shs l2, 000. C. Shs 60,000. D. Shs 1,500,000

Answer is A
2 𝑥 25 𝑥 5
Power used by the bulbs in kWh =
1000
2 𝑥 25 𝑥 5 𝑥 30
Cost of power = 𝑥 200 = shs. 1500
1000

15. When a body is raised above the ground its gravitational potential energy

A. is raised. B. is lowered.

C. remains constant. D. changes to kinetic energy.

Answer is A

16. Which of the following statements is true?

A. The temperature at which water freezes is - 273°C.

B. The boiling point of water is 373K.

 C. The value of the absolute zero is 0°C.

D. Evaporation is possible at a temperature of OK.

Answer is B

Water boils at 1000C or 373K

17. Figure 1 represents lines on a sheet of writing paper observed through a convex lens.

What is the magnification?

A. 0.50. B. 1.50. C. 2.0 D. 0. 3.00.

Answer is C

Magnification = distance between two lines on paper

18. The direction of the force on a current carrying conductor in a magnetic field depends on

(i) direction of current,

(ii) strength of the magnetic field.

(iii) direction of the magnetic field.

A. (iii) only. B. (i) and (ii) only. C. (ii) and (iii) only. D. (i), (ii) and (iii).

Answer is C

19. In an elastic collision,

A. bodies move with a common velocity.

B. kinetic energy is not conserved.

C. kinetic energy is conserved.

D. bodies stick together.

Answer is C

20. Find the final temperature of a gas when its pressure is doubled and volume is tripled, given
that its initial temperature is T.

1 3 2
A. T B. 6T C. T D. T
6 2 3
Answer is B
𝑃𝑉
From = constant
𝑇
 𝑃𝑉 2𝑃 𝑥 3𝑉
=
𝑇 𝑇′
6𝑃𝑉
𝑇′ = 𝑇 = 6T
𝑃𝑉

21. Two plane mirrors M1 and M2 are inclined to each other at an angle of 70°.

If the ray AB incident on M\ is reflected as shown in figure 2, find the angle of incidence, i.

A. 40°. B. 50°. C. 60°. D. 70°.

Answer is A

Answer is A

At B glancing angle = 180 –(70 + 60) = 500

At B angle r = 90 – 50 = 400

But r = I = 400

22. An a.c generator can be modified to produce d.c by

A. Increasing the number of coils.

B. increasing the number of turns in the coil.

C. using an electromagnet instead of a permanent magnet.

D. replacing the slip rings with split rings.

Answer is D

23. Figure 3 shows a constant force, F acting on a mass placed on a rough surface.

Which of the following statements about the mass is correct?

A. Acceleration is constant if F is equal to frictional force.

B. Velocity is constant if F is greater than frictional force.

C. Momentum is constant if F is equal to frictional force.

 D. It moves to the left if frictional force is greater than F.

Answer is C

24. A concrete bridge develops a notch when overloaded because it is,

A. stiff B. brittle C. elastic. D. ductile.

Answer is B

Concrete is brittle under tension

25. Three waves pass a post every minute in a lake. If the average distance between the waves is
15m, find the average speed of the waves.
A. 2700 ms-1. B. 900 ms-1. C. 300 ms-1. D. 0.75 ms-1.
Answer is D
1min or 60s is equivalent to 3wavs
3
N0. 0f waves per second or frequency, f = = 0.05
60
15
Wave length = = 5𝑚
3
Velocity = fλ = 0.05 x 5 = 0.75ms-1
26. In the circuit shown in the figure 4, the potential difference across is

A. R1 and R2 are equal. B. R1 and R4 are equal.

C. R2 and R4 are equal. D. R3 and R4 are equal.

Answer is B

Resistors R1 and R4 are in parallel

27. A car engine exerts a force of 500 N in moving 1000 m in 200 s. Calculate the power developed
by the engine.

A. 200 W B. 500 W C. 1000 W D. 2500 W

Answer is D
𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 (𝑁)𝑥 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒(𝑚) 500 𝑥 1000
P= = = 2500W
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 (𝑠) 200

28. Figure 5 shows a transverse wave. What is its wave length?

 A. 4 cm. B. 3 cm. C. 2 cm. D. 1 cm.

Answer is C

29. Calculate the charge which flows through a 600  resistor when a p.d of 20 V is applied for 30 s
across its ends.

A. 900 C. B. 600 C. C. 20 C. D. 1C.

Answer is D
𝑉
Q = It but I =
𝐼
20
Q= 𝑥 30 = 1C
600

30. Oil of volume 1.0  10-2 cm3 is dropped on the surface of clean water. If it spreads to form a
circle of radius 4 cm, find the diameter of a molecule of oil.

A. 1.99 x l0-4cm. B. 7.96 x l0-4cm. C. 1.26 x 101 cm D. 5.03 x 101 cm

Answer is A
𝑉 𝑉 1.0 𝑥 10−2
Diameter = = = = 1.99 x l0-4cm
𝐴 𝜋𝑟 2 𝜋 (4)2

31. Figure 6 shows two forces of 10 N and 8 N acting on a body. What is the value and direction of
the force needed to resolve its original shape?

A. 2 N to the left. B. 18 N to the left.

C. 2 N to the right. D. 18 N to the right.

Answer is A
32. A body which is accelerating

A. experiences zero force. B. decreases its velocity to zero.

C. travels with increasing velocity. D. travels only in a straight line.

Answer is C

33. Charge distribution on a conductor depends on,

A. the material out of which the conductor is made. B. shape of conductor.

C. quantity of charge. D. nature of the charge.

Answer is B

34. A wheel barrow that is used to carry a load across a soft ground should have a

A. narrow wheel because it exerts greater pressure on the ground.

B. narrow wheel because it exerts less pressure on the ground.

C. wide wheel because it exerts greater pressure on the ground.

D. wide wheel because it exerts less pressure on the ground.

Answer is D

35. Figure 7 shows a block of mass 0.5 kg pulled from rest a long a frictionless table by a steady
force F and attained a speed of 8m s-1 in 2 s. Find F.

A. 0.125 N. B. 1N. C. 2N. D. 4N.

Answer is C
(𝑉−𝑈) (8−0)
F𝑚 = 0.5 𝑥 = 2N
𝑡 2

36. The law of electrostatic states that

A. charges occur in pairs. B. charges repel each other.

C. like charges repel each other. D. like charges attract each other.

Answer is C

37. An element X has atomic mass of 228 and atomic number of 90. It emits a  - particle forming
an element Y. The symbol for Y is
224 228 228 228
A. 88 Y B. 90 Y C. 89 Y D. Y
91

Answer s D
 When a nucleus emits a beta particle it atomic number increases by 1 while its atomic mass
remains unchanged

38. Figure 8 shows a spring balance supporting a block being lowered into a beaker containing
water.

When the block is immersed in water, the reading of the spring balance

A. reduces B. increases

C. becomes zero. D. remains constant.

Answer is A

Reading reduces because of upthrust.

39. When a mass is hanged from a spring balance and removed, the pointer on the spring balance
does not return to the initial position because the

A. spring was too short.

B. extension of the spring was proportional to the mass.

C. spring stretched to proportional limit.

D. spring extended beyond the elastic limit.

Answer is D

40. A prefect blows a whistle and hears the echo from a wall after l.1s. If the speed of sound in air is

330 ms-1, calculate the distance of the wall from the prefect.

A. 181.5m. B. 300.0 m. C. 363.0m. D. 600.0 m.

Answer is A
1.1
Distance = speed x time = 330 x = 181.5m
2
 SECTIONS: (40 MARKS)

Answer all questions in this section. All working must be shown clearly in the spaces provided.

41. (a) Figure 9 shows a step-down transformer. Name the coils marked.

(i) A primary coil (½mark)

(ii) B secondary coil (½ mark)

(b) If the transformer is used to step down mains supply from 480 V to - 24V and coil A
has 800 turns, determine the number of turns in coil B. (03 marks)
𝑁𝑠 𝑉𝑠
From =
𝑁𝑝 𝑉𝑃

24 𝑥 800
𝑁𝑠 = = 40 turns
480

42. Two steel balls A and B of masses 2 kg and 1 kg are released from rest at the same time from
heights of 20 m and 5 m respectively. Find the difference in time taken for A and B to strike the
ground. (04 marks)
From s = ut + ½ gt2
2 𝑥 20
For A, t = √ = 4s
10

2𝑥5
For B, t = √ = 1s
10
Difference in time = 4 – 1 = 3s
43. (a) What is meant by the term radioactivity?

(b) 234 234

B 234
C 230
D
90 A 91 92 90

The above equation shows three stages (i), (ii) and (iii) of radioactive series.

(i) Name the particles emitted at stage (ii) and stage (iii) of the series. (02 marks)
Stage (ii) beta particle
Stage (iii) alpha particles
(ii) Which of the nuclei A, B, C, and D are isotopes? (01 mark)
A and D have the same atomic number but different atomic mass.
44. (a)

(a) Figure 10 shows a petrol engine. Name the parts labelled A, B, C, and D. (02 marks)

A. sparking plug

B. piston ring

C. inlet valve

D. crank shaft

(b) State what happens in the petrol engine during the power stroke. (02 marks}

During power stroke a spark jumps across the points of the sparking plug and explodes the

petrol air mixture. This forces the piston down. Both valves close

45. A steel rod of cross-sectional area 32 m2 is 4 m long. When a force of 1.6 x 105 N is applied
to the rod, its length increases by 1 mm. Calculate the

(i) stress in the rod, (02 marks)

𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 1.6 𝑥 105
Stress = = = 5.0 x 103Nm-2
𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 32

(ii) strain produced. (02 marks)

𝐸𝑥𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 1.0 𝑥 10−3

Strain= = = 2.5 x 10-4
𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 4

46. (a)
 A ray of white light is incident on a glass prism a shown in figure 11. Complete the
diagram to show effect of the glass prism on the ray. (02 marks)

(b) Find the critical angle for glass in air if the refractive index of the glass is 1.5. (02
marks)
1 1
Critical angle c =sin-1( ) = 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1 ( ) = 41.80
𝑛 1.5

47. (a) Define the ohm as a unit of resistance. (01 mark)

The Ohm is the resistance of a conductor in which the current is 1A when the p.d across the
resistor is 1V

(b)

Figure 12 shows two cells E and E of e.m.fs 1.0 V and 1.5 V and internal resistances
of 1.0 Q and 0.5 Q respectively connected in series with an 8.5Ω resistor. Calculate
the current flowing through the circuit. (03 marks)
𝑒.𝑚.𝑓 (1.5−1)
𝐼= = = 0.05A
𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 (1+0.5+8.5)
48.

Figure 13 shows the diagram of an X-ray tube.

(a) Name the part labelled E. (01 mark)

E - filament

(b) What is the function of the part labelled F? (01 mark)

Produces X-rays when truck with cathode rays

(c) Why is the X-ray tube evacuated? (01 mark)

To minimise hindrance to electrons by air molecules

(d) State two precautions to be taken when using X-rays. (01 mark)

- Avoid unnecessary exposure

- shield the operator from X-rays

49. (a) What is meant by specific latent heat of vaporisation? (01 mark)

Specific latent heat of vaporization is the amount of heat required to change 1kg of liquid
into vapour at constant temperature

(b)

Figure 14 represents a cooling curve of steam. State what takes place over regions

(i) ST, boiling point (01 mark}

(ii) UR. Freezing point (01 mark}

(c ) Why is a burn from steam more harmful than one due to boiling water? (01 mark]

Steam contains more heat energy (heat of vaporization) than water at 1000C

50. . (a) What is a longitudinal wave? (01 mark)

It is a wave in which the particle of the transmitting medium vibrate in the same direction as
that of the wave front.

(b)

Figure 15 shows a sound wave produced from a tuning fork vibrating at 800 Hz. Calculate the
velocity of the wave in the medium. (02 marks)
V = fλ

f = 800Hz λ =2 x 20 = 40cm = 0.4m

V = 800 x 0.4 = 320ms-1

(c) State two factors which determine the velocity of sound in air. (01 mark)

- density of air
- humidity
- speed of wind
-direction of wind

END