84 AL/Structural Question/P.

HONG KONG ADVANCED LEVEL EXAMINATION

AL PHYSICS
1984 Structural Question

1. Figure 1 shows the force-extension graph for a length of steel wire A. The wire
obeys Hookes law over the range of extensions considered.

force/N

10
A
8

extension/mm
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0

Figure 1

(a) If the wire has a diameter of 0.40 mm and its unstretched length is 2.0 m,
calculate the Young modulus of the steel.

(b) A second wire B is made of the same steel. It has the same unstretched length
as A, but twice the diameter. Draw accurately on the axes of Figure 1 the
force-extension graph for this wire. Label your graph B.

(c) A student discovers that for a given force within the range considered above,
the elastic energy stored by wire A is four times greater than that stored by wire
B. Use the two graphs, or some other theoretical argument, to explain this
fact.

(d) If the breaking stress of the steel is 5.0 108 N/m2, calculate the maximum
force which can be applied longitudinally to wire A.

(6 marks)
 84 AL/Structural Question/P.2

2.

Earth
perigee apogee

Diagram not to scale

Figure 2

A satellite of mass 1 000 kg is describing an elliptical orbit around the Earth. The
minimum height of the orbit above the Earths surface is 250 km (at perigee) and
the maximum height above the Earths surface is 1 200 km (at apogee).

(a) On the following diagram sketch the variation of the kinetic energy of the
satellite with the height above the Earths surface from perigee to apogee.

kinetic
energy
of
satellite

Height above
the Earth's surface / km
250 1200

(b) (i) If the velocities of the satellite at apogee and at perigee are va and vp
respectively, use the conservation of angular momentum equation to find
va in terms of vp.

(ii) By considering the conservation of energy equation, hence determine the

value of va.

( Gravitational constant = 6.67 10-11 N m2 kg-2,

Mass of Earth = 6 1024 kg
Radius of Earth = 6.4 106 m.) (7 marks)

3. In Figure 3, the loudspeakers L1 and L2 placed 3 m apart are fed from a signal
generator G, whose frequency is 680 Hz, so that they emit sound waves in phase.
The speed of the sound waves is 340 m/s.
 84 AL/Structural Question/P.3

X
L1
Z

3m G A B

L2
Figure 3 Y

(a) Describe the variation in the signal detected by a microphone when it moves
slowly as follows:

(i) along line AB, the perpendicular bisector of L1L2.

(ii) along line XY, parallel to L1L2 and about 20 m away from it.

(b) Point Z in Figure 3 represents a point at which a minimum intensity sound is

heard. When the loudspeaker L2 is temporarily disconnected, a student finds
that the intensity of the sound heard at Z increases. He finds this difficult to
understand, as disconnecting L2 presumably means that the total output energy
from the loudspeakers decreases. Write a short note explaining the result to
the student and explaining why it does not conflict with the law of conservation
of energy.

(c) The loudspeaker L2 is now reconnected, but with the connections to its
terminals interchanged, so that it emits sound waves in antiphase with those
form loudspeaker L1. Describe what effect, if any, this will have on the signal
received by a microphone placed along XY compared with the arrangement in
(a)(ii).

(7 marks)

4. Figure 4 represents the energy levels of a hypothetical hydrogen-like atom:

zero energy level

4
3
2 Energy
Diagram not to scale

Figure 4

(a) Mark on Figure 4 the ground state of the atom.

(b) Briefly explain what is meant by the ground state of the atom.
 84 AL/Structural Question/P.4

(c) What is the significance of the zero energy level?

(d) During the transition from level 3 to level 2 of the atom, photons of wavelength
600 nm are emitted. Calculate the ionisation potential for the atom.

(e) Determine the energy (in eV) corresponding to levels 1, 2 and 3.

( Electron charge = 1.6 10-19 C

Planck constant = 6.6 10-34 Js) (9 marks)

5. In fine weather there is a uniform electric field near the Earths surface of about
130 V/m, the Earth being negatively charged and the lower atmosphere being
positive. The equipotentials are shown in Figure 5:

Height / m Potential / V
5 650
4 520
3 390
2 260
1 130
0 0

Figure 5

(a) Consider the case where a man is standing on open ground. Explain why the
potential difference between his head and his feet is not in the region of 200 V
as expected. Why doesnt he receive a shock?

(b) Sketch, on Figure 6, the equipotentials in the vicinity of a clock tower on a fine
day.

1 000 V 1 000 V

500 V 500 V

Figure 6

(c) A thunder cloud with a large flat square base measuring 3 000 m 3 000 m
passes over an area on level ground. Assuming the cloud carries a total charge
of 40 C which is spread evenly over its base and is at a height of 0.5 km above
the ground, estimate the potential of the cloud relative to the ground.
 84 AL/Structural Question/P.5

(Permittivity of free space 0 = 8.85 10-12 F/m)

(d) If the cloud in (c) discharges completely in a single lightning stroke lasting 10 -3
s, calculate

(i) the mean discharge current, and

(ii) the energy released.

(9 marks)

6. A sinusoidal alternating voltage of 3.0 V r.m.s. and frequency 50 Hz is applied to

the circuit shown in Figure 7, which consists essentially of a resistor R and
capacitor C connected in series. The ammeter reads 0.3 A r.m.s. The two
voltmeters V1 and V2 are designed to read r.m.s. voltages.

R V1
a.c.
3.0 V
r.m.s.
C V2

Figure 7

(a) If the resistance of R is 8 , calculate the readings of the voltmeters V1 and V2,
and account for the fact that they do not add up to give 3.0 V.

(b) On the spaces provided on the next page, and with the scales chosen as shown,
sketch two cycles of

(i) the time-variation of the voltage across R,

voltage across R / V

0 time / 10-2 s
1 2 3 4

-5

(ii) the corresponding time-variation of the voltage across C, and

 84 AL/Structural Question/P.6

voltage across C / V

-2
0 time / 10 s
1 2 3 4

-5

(iii) the corresponding time-variation of the voltage across R and C.

voltage across R and C / V

-2
0 time / 10 s
1 2 3 4

-5

(c) (i) Explain, without making any detailed calculations, how you would expect
the reading of the ammeter to change when the frequency of the applied
alternating voltage is increased if the amplitude is kept constant.

(ii) What is the maximum r.m.s. value of the current in the circuit that could
be obtained by adjusting the frequency of the voltage if the amplitude is
kept constant? Explain briefly.

(12 marks)

7.
+6V +6V
1k 1k
10 k
10 k Input 1

10 k
Input 2 V

0V 0V

Figure 8 Figure 9
 84 AL/Structural Question/P.7

(a) The circuit in Figure 8 shows an NPN silicon transistor and two resistors
connected to a 6 V d.c. power supply. The current gain of the transistor is 100.

(i) Calculate the value of the base current, stating clearly any assumptions
you make.

(ii) Calculate the value of the collector current. Give your reasoning.

(iii) What is the potential difference between the collector and the emitter?

(b) The same transistor is now used in the circuit in Figure 9. Inputs 1 and 2 can
be connected to either +6 V d.c. or to 0 V. If an input is connected to +6 V
d.c. it is said to be HIGH and if connected to 0 V it is said to be LOW. The
output of the circuit is HIGH when the voltmeter reading is approximately 6 V
and LOW when the reading is close to 0 V. Complete the following table for
the circuit shown in Figure 9:

Input 1 Input 2 Output

LOW LOW
LOW HIGH
HIGH LOW
HIGH HIGH

(c) A student is now given two light-dependent resistors (LDRs) and a small d.c.
buzzer. The buzzer can be connected to the output of the circuit in Figure 9
and emits a loud noise when the output is high but no noise when it is low.

The student is asked to add the two LDRs and the buzzer to the circuit in
Figure 9 to produce an alarm system. This system should emit a warning sound
when the length of an object passing along a conveyor belt is greater than the
distance l between the two LDRs (see Figure 10 below).
LDR
suface leads
of LDR

surface
of LDR
l
object

light light
beam beam

Figure 10

Each LDR is mounted in a cardboard tube and is illuminated by a light beam

falling directly onto its surface. When illuminated the resistance of the LDRs is
very low (a few ohms), but when the passing object interrupts a beam the
 84 AL/Structural Question/P.8

resistance of the LDR in the path of the beam becomes very high (several
megohms).

Complete the circuit diagram in Figure 11 below showing how the two LDRs
should be connected to perform the necessary task. Use the symbol for an
LDR shown in Figure 12. Briefly explain your reasoning.

+6V

1k
10 k

10 k d.c.
buzzer

0V
Figure 12
Figure 11
Complete this circuit Use this symbol for
by adding two LDRs an LDR

(10 marks)

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