T A S M A N I A N Physics

C E R T I F I C A T E Subject Code: PHY315109

O F E D U C A T I O N 2012 Assessment Report

The answers to the 2012 paper are at the end of this report.

This year they are presented in hand written form by the respective markers on the actual
paper so that future candidates can better appreciate the detail the marking examiners were
TASMANIAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

looking for in the solutions. They are not necessarily the only responses that were given
credit by the marking examiners.

About 15% of candidates didn’t complete Part 4, leaving the majority of questions 20 and 21
blank and sacrificing 14 marks. This was the case in the other three parts as well, but to a
lesser extent.

The format for the ‘show that’ questions continues to work very well. The only issue is some
candidates did not show their final value to 3 significant figures as requested and were thus
penalised.

As usual, the quality of communication varied widely but there were no illegible scripts and
the use of significant figures and appropriate units seemed better. Not giving a direction for
vectors was still far too prevalent. Too many candidates did not show complete working and
thus could only be given 0 when the answer was wrong. In order to give credit when an
answer is wrong markers need to be able to follow the working.

As usual, many candidates completed the appropriate calculation to answer a question but
then failed to complete their answer by making an appropriate statement relating their
calculated result back to what the question was asking.

PART 1 – Criterion 5

Question 1

This question was very poorly answered possibly because it was a little different. As can be
seen from the solutions it is reasonably straightforward when the correct approach is adopted.

Question 2

a) OK, but a common mistake was stating ‘Fnet = 0 as there was constant speed’.
b) A large proportion confused weight with mass but otherwise well done.
c) The diagram was often poor and not supported by a clear explanation based on an
appropriate equation.

2012 Assessment Report

 Physics 2
Subject Code: PHY315109

Questions 3 and 4

Well done by the majority of candidates. Note: A jet does not operate by the exhaust material
striking something to give the thrust!

Question 5

Generally well done. In Part (d) the diagram was often not used as requested! Part (e) was a
real discriminator, with few candidates completing the section successfully even though they
started with the appropriate proportionality.

Question 6

A relatively easy question that was done poorly or not attempted by far too many candidates,
suggesting more practice is needed on this type of question.

PART 2 – Criterion 6

Question 7

The vector nature of the field was ignored by far too many and not taking directions into
account when answering questions involving vectors was disappointing. Part (c), which
should be a gift of easy marks at this level, was poorly answered. This suggests more
attention to drawing these types of diagrams is needed.

Question 8

Obtaining the mass and charge of an alpha particle from the Information Sheet was a
stumbling block for a significant number of candidates. There were a lot of calculator errors
in this section and candidates are encouraged to look at their answers to check that they are
reasonable.

Question 9

a & b The circular and vector nature of the fields were not appreciated by many candidates
resulting in these parts being badly done.
c) Converting to the correct units were an issue with this part.
d) Well done.

2012 Assessment Report

 Physics 3
Subject Code: PHY315109

Question 10

a) Poorly done. The angle of dip was not well understood. Many candidates did not know
that field lines come out of the ground in the Southern Hemisphere.
b) Well done.
c) Rarely correct with totally erroneous explanations abounding.

Question 11

a & b Well answered by the majority.

c &d Not well done at all by candidates. Field lines were labelled going the wrong way and
very few helixes were shown as the subsequent path of the particle.

PART 3 – Criterion 7

Question 12

a) Good but too many candidates had an incorrect phase change.

b) Poorly done with the most common error being candidates not referring to Newton's
Laws as requested in the question.
c) Well done.
d) Poorly done; candidates did not follow the instruction to refer back to the previous
three parts.

Question 13

A well-answered question apart from part (b)(ii), where the maths got the better of a number
of candidates.

Question 14

Well answered.

Question 15

a) This was poorly done. There was lots of confusion about the meaning of the symbols in
the formula, suggesting not enough practice.
b) Well done.
c) Poorly answered. Most commonly candidates calculated how many wavelengths of red
light there were in 4.5mm, showing confusion between path difference and W.

2012 Assessment Report

 Physics 4
Subject Code: PHY315109

Question 16

This question brought out a real weakness in the candidates' understanding of standing
waves, beats and harmonics. Very few gave sufficiently detailed explanations.

PART 4 – Criterion 8

Question 17

Generally well done. In these graphical questions it is expected that candidates use the values
calculated earlier when answering the subsequent parts. In this case the value of h calculated
in part (a) should have been used in latter calculations rather than the value given on the
Information Sheet. Also the use of a ruler would have helped some candidates.

Question 18

a) Many wanted to discuss penetration, without really understanding the penetrating

ability of X-rays. too often statements without consequences, or statements without
reasons, were made eg. ‘X-rays are safer’ or ‘X-rays can be controlled’.
b) Very few addressed the word minimum, which was in bold in the question, but the rest
was well done.
c) Well done, but for some reason many only gave their answer to one significant figure.
d) Very few candidates recognised this as a conservation of energy question! This needs
addressing in future teaching.
e) Well done.

Question 19

a) Well done.
b) Arrows everywhere was a common answer. Most went up rather than down!
c) Candidates showed they could calculate a frequency but because of mistakes in Part b
they didn’t calculate the correct three.
d) Many candidates were not sufficiently specific in their answers. The difference between
ground state and energy levels was important, not the energy level in isolation. This
point was not clear in many answers.

Question 20

This question was quite well done. A very common error was the omission of units on the
decay constant. This led to issues in Part e where non-compatible values, in terms of time
units, for activity and the decay constant were used.

2012 Assessment Report

 Physics 5
Subject Code: PHY315109

Question 21

This question was left blank by a lot of candidates but those that attempted it did a good job.

2012 Assessment Report

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PHY315109 Physics

ASSESSMENT PANEL REPORT

Award Distribution

EA HA CA SA Total

This year 23o/o (56) 22o/o (54) 15Vo (37) 4OYo (1OO) 247

Last year 2Oo/o (62) 23o/o (70) 25Yo (78) 31% (e6) 306

Last year (all

examined 11 o/o
19% 39 o/o
30 o/o

subjects)

Previous 5 years 21 o/o

23 o/o
29 o/o
27 o/o

Previous 5 years
(all examined o/o o/o o/o o/o
11 19 4Q 30
subjects)

Student Distribution (SA or better)

Male Female Year 11 Year L2

This year 79o/o (196) 21o/o (51) 0%o (1) 1O0o/o (246)

Last year 81o/o (248) 1e% (58) 0o/o (1) 100% (305)

Previous 5 years 77o/o 23o/o 0% lOOo/o