Mid term SL [60 marks]

1. [Maximum mark: 1] 23M.1.SL.TZ1.26

A radioactive material has a half-life of 6 days. How long will it take for
75 % of a pure sample of the material to decay?

A. 3 days

B. 6 days

C. 12 days

D. 18 days [1]

Markscheme

C
2. [Maximum mark: 1] 23M.1.SL.TZ1.25
Three claims are made about the structure of the atom.

I. Most of the atom is empty space.

II. The positive charge of the atom is concentrated in a small volume.
III. The electrons have discrete energy levels.

Which of these claims can be deduced from the Rutherford-Geiger-

Marsden scattering experiment?

A. I and II only

B. I and III only

C. II and III only

D. I, II and III [1]

Markscheme

A
3. [Maximum mark: 1] 23M.1.SL.TZ1.24
The energy levels E of an atom are shown.

Which emission spectrum represents the transitions?

[1]

Markscheme

D
4. [Maximum mark: 1] 23M.1.SL.TZ2.24
A nucleus of platinum (Pt) undergoes alpha decay to form an osmium
(Os) nucleus as represented by the following reaction.

Pt → Os + alpha particle
175
78

What are the number of protons and the number of neutrons in the
osmium nucleus?

Number of protons Number of neutrons

A. 74 93
B. 76 93
C. 74 95
D. 76 95

[1]

Markscheme

D
5. [Maximum mark: 1] 17N.1.SL.TZ0.23
Which statement about atomic spectra is not true?

A. They provide evidence for discrete energy levels in atoms.

B. Emission and absorption lines of equal frequency correspond to

transitions between the same two energy levels.

C. Absorption lines arise when electrons gain energy.

D. Emission lines always correspond to the visible part of the

electromagnetic spectrum. [1]

Markscheme

D
6. [Maximum mark: 1] 22M.1.SL.TZ2.23
A satellite is orbiting Earth in a circular path at constant speed. Three
statements about the resultant force on the satellite are:

I. It is equal to the gravitational force of attraction on the satellite.

II. It is equal to the mass of the satellite multiplied by its acceleration.
III. It is equal to the centripetal force on the satellite.

Which combination of statements is correct?

A. I and II only

B. I and III only

C. II and III only

D. I, II and III [1]

Markscheme

D
7. [Maximum mark: 1] 22N.1.SL.TZ0.22
The centre of the Earth and the Moon are a distance D apart. There is a
point X between them where their gravitational fields cancel out. The
distance from the centre of the Earth to X is d. The mass of the Earth is
ME and the mass of the Moon is MM.

What is correct at X?

ME MM
A. d
=
D−d

ME MM
B. D−d
=
d

ME MM
C. 2
d
= 2
(D−d)

ME MM
D. d
2
= 2
D −d
2 [1]

Markscheme

C
8. [Maximum mark: 1] 22N.1.SL.TZ0.21
A mass attached to a string rotates in a gravitational field with a
constant period in a vertical plane.

How do the speed of the mass and the tension of the string compare at
P and Q?

[1]

Markscheme

D
9. [Maximum mark: 1] 22N.1.SL.TZ0.20
A car on a road follows a horizontal circular path at a constant speed.
What is the direction of the net force acting on the car and the
direction of the instantaneous velocity of the car?

[1]

Markscheme

10. [Maximum mark: 1] 23M.1.SL.TZ1.10

A tennis ball is dropped from rest from a height. It hits the ground and
bounces back to a lower height. Air resistance is negligible.

What is correct about the collision of the tennis ball with the ground?

A. Elastic because momentum of the system is conserved

B. Elastic because the kinetic energy of the system is conserved

C. Inelastic because momentum of the system is not conserved

D. Inelastic because the kinetic energy of the system is not conserved [1]

Markscheme

D
11. [Maximum mark: 1] 23M.1.SL.TZ1.9
The input power of an electric motor is 200 W. It is used to raise a mass
of 10 kg at constant speed.
If the efficiency of the motor is 40 %, through what height will the mass
be raised in 1 second?

A. 0.5 m

B. 0.8 m

C. 1.2 m

D. 2.0 m [1]

Markscheme

B
12. [Maximum mark: 1] 23M.1.SL.TZ1.8
A block of mass 2.0 kg accelerates uniformly at a rate of 1.0 m s−2 when
a force of 4.0 N acts on it.
The force is doubled while resistive forces stay the same. What is the
block’s acceleration?

A. 4.0 m s−2

B. 3.0 m s−2

C. 2.0 m s−2

D. 1.0 m s−2 [1]

Markscheme

B
13. [Maximum mark: 1] 23M.1.SL.TZ1.7
A ball attached to a string is made to rotate with constant speed along
a horizontal circle. The string is attached to the ceiling and makes an
angle of θ ° with the vertical. The tension in the string is T.

What is correct about the horizontal component and vertical

component of the net force on the ball?

Horizontal component Vertical component

A. T cos θ T sin θ

B. T sin θ T cos θ

C. T cos θ 0

D. T sin θ 0 [1]

Markscheme

D
14. [Maximum mark: 1] 23M.1.SL.TZ1.5
A ball is projected at an angle to the horizonal on Earth reaching a
maximum height H and a maximum range R. The same ball is projected
at the same angle and speed on a planet where the acceleration due to
gravity is three times that on Earth. Resistance effects are negligible.

What is the maximum range and the maximum height reached on that
planet?

Maximum height
Maximum range
reached

A. R

3
H

B. R
H

C. R
H

D. R H

3 9

[1]

Markscheme

A
15. [Maximum mark: 1] 23M.1.SL.TZ2.7
An object of mass M is accelerated vertically upwards by a motor at a
constant acceleration.
The object is initially at rest and reaches a vertical speed of 4.0 m s−1 in
2.0 s.

What is the average power output of the motor?

A. 8M

B. 24M

C. 32M

D. 48M [1]

Markscheme

C
16. [Maximum mark: 1] 23M.1.SL.TZ2.25
A car engine has a useful power output of 20 kW and an efficiency of
50 %. The engine consumes 1 × 10−5 m3 of fuel every second. What is
the energy density of the fuel?

A. 2 MJ m−3

B. 4 MJ m−3

C. 2 GJ m−3

D. 4 GJ m−3 [1]

Markscheme

D
17. [Maximum mark: 1] 23M.1.SL.TZ2.8
An object is released from rest at X and slides to Y. The vertical distance
between X and Y is 10 m. During the motion, 20 % of the object’s initial
gravitational potential energy is lost as friction.

What is the speed of the object at Y?

A. 16

√g

B. 2√ g

C. 4√ g

D. 8g [1]

Markscheme

C
18. [Maximum mark: 1] 22N.1.SL.TZ0.1
A rectangular sheet of paper has dimensions of (30.0 ± 0.5) cm and
(20.0 ± 0.5) cm.

What is the percentage uncertainty of the perimeter of the paper?

A. 1 %

B. 2 %

C. 2.5 %

D. 4 % [1]

Markscheme

B
19. [Maximum mark: 1] 22N.1.SL.TZ0.2
Two forces, F and G, act on a system.

F is reversed in direction and G is halved.

Which vector correctly represents the new resultant force?

[1]

Markscheme

D
20. [Maximum mark: 1] 22M.1.SL.TZ1.3
A student measures the time for 20 oscillations of a pendulum. The
experiment is repeated four times. The measurements are:

10.45 s

10.30 s

10.70 s

10.55 s

What is the best estimate of the uncertainty in the average time for 20
oscillations?

A. 0.01 s

B. 0.05 s

C. 0.2 s

D. 0.5 s [1]

Markscheme

C
21. [Maximum mark: 15] 23M.2.SL.TZ2.1
A toy rocket is made from a plastic bottle that contains some water.

Air is pumped into the vertical bottle until the pressure inside forces water and
air out of the bottle. The bottle then travels vertically upwards.

The air–water mixture is called the propellant.

The variation with time of the vertical velocity of the bottle is shown.

The bottle reaches its highest point at time T1 on the graph and returns to the
ground at time T2. The bottle then bounces. The motion of the bottle after the
bounce is shown as a dashed line.

(a) Estimate, using the graph, the maximum height of the bottle. [3]
 Markscheme

ALTERNATIVE 1

Attempt to count squares ✓

Area of one square found ✓

7.2 «m» (accept 6.4 – 7.4 m) ✓

ALTERNATIVE 2

Uses area equation for either triangle ✓

Correct read offs for estimate of area of triangle ✓

7.2 «m» (accept 6.4 – 7.4) ✓

(b) Estimate the acceleration of the bottle when it is at its maximum

height. [2]

Markscheme

Attempt to calculate gradient of line at t = 1.2 s ✓

«−» 9.8 «m s−2» (accept 9.6 − 10.0) ✓

(c) The bottle bounces when it returns to the ground.

(c.i) Calculate the fraction of the kinetic energy of the bottle that
remains after the bounce. [2]

Markscheme
 2
Vf inal
Attempt to evaluate KE ratio as ( V ) ✓
initial

2
4.5 1
«( 10
) =» 0.20 OR 20 % OR 5
✓

Accept ± 0.5 velocity values from graph

(c.ii) The mass of the bottle is 27 g and it is in contact with the

ground for 85 ms.

Determine the average force exerted by the ground on the

bottle. Give your answer to an appropriate number of
significant figures. [3]

Markscheme

Attempt to use force = momentum change ÷ time ✓

(4.5+10)×0.027
«= −3 = 4.6»
85×10

Force = «4.6 + 0.3» 4.9 «N» ✓

Any answer to 2sf ✓

Accept ± 0.5 velocity values from graph

(d) After a second bounce, the bottle rotates about its centre of
mass. The bottle rotates at 0.35 revolutions per second.
 [3]
The centre of mass of the bottle is halfway between the base
and the top of the bottle. Assume that the velocity of the centre
of mass is zero.

Calculate the linear speed of the top of the bottle.

Markscheme

ALTERNATIVE 1

ω = 2π(0.35) «=2.20 rad s−1» ✓

Use of v = 0.14ω ✓
0.31 «m s−1» ✓

ALTERNATIVE 2

T= 1

0.35
«= 2.9 s» ✓

2
2π(0.14) 2 4π (0.14)
V= OR
v

T 0.14
= T
2
✓

v = 0.31 «m s−1» ✓

Award [3] for BCA

(e) The maximum height reached by the bottle is greater with an
air–water mixture than with only high-pressure air in the bottle.

Assume that the speed at which the propellant leaves the bottle
is the same in both cases.

Explain why the bottle reaches a greater maximum height with

an air–water mixture. [2]

Markscheme

Mass «leaving the bottle per second» will be larger for air–water ✓

the momentum change/force is greater ✓

Allow opposite argument for air only

22. [Maximum mark: 6] 22M.2.SL.TZ1.5
(a) Describe the quark structure of a baryon. [2]

Markscheme

3 quarks / example with three quarks «e.g. up up down» ✓

integer / zero / 1 / no fractional «electron» charge

OR
held together by the strong force / gluons
OR
half integer spin
OR
baryon number = 1
OR
colour neutral ✓

(b) The Feynman diagram shows a possible decay of the K+ meson.

Identify the interactions that are involved at points A and B in

this decay. [2]

Markscheme

A «Decay of the strange antiquark is a» weak «interaction» ✓

B «Decay of the u to a gluon and eventually to d and anti-d is a» strong

«interaction» ✓
(c) The K+ meson can decay as

K + → μ+ + v μ .

State and explain the interaction that is responsible for this

decay. [2]

Markscheme

weak «interaction» ✓

strangeness is not conserved and this is possible only in weak interactions

OR
the weak interaction allows change of quark flavour
OR
only the weak interaction has a boson / an exchange particle / a W+ to
conserve the charge
OR
neutrinos are only produced via the weak interaction ✓
23. [Maximum mark: 9] 22M.2.SL.TZ2.5
An experiment is carried out to determine the count rate, corrected for
background radiation, when different thicknesses of copper are placed between
a radioactive source and a detector. The graph shows the variation of corrected
count rate with copper thickness.

(a) Outline how the count rate was corrected for background
radiation. [1]

Markscheme

background count rate is subtracted «from each reading» ✓

OWTTE

(b) When a single piece of thin copper foil is placed between the
source and detector, the count rate is 810 count minute−1. The
foil is replaced with one that has three times the thickness.
Estimate the new count rate.
 [2]

Markscheme

thickness is 0.25 «mm» ✓

380 «count min−1» ✓

MP1 and MP2 can be shown on the graph

Allow a range of 0.23 to 0.27 mm for MP1

Allow ECF from MP1.

Accept a final answer in the range 350 – 420

(c) Further results were obtained in this experiment with copper

and lead absorbers.

Comment on the radiation detected from this radioactive

source. [4]

Markscheme

lead better absorber than copper ✓

not alpha ✓

as it does not go through the foil / it is easily stopped / it is stopped by

paper ✓
 there is gamma ✓

as it goes through lead ✓

ALTERNATIVE 1

can be beta ✓

as it is attenuated by «thin» metal / can go through «thin» metal ✓

ALTERNATIVE 2

not beta ✓

it is stopped by «thin» metal ✓

(d) Another radioactive source consists of a nuclide of caesium

Cs) that decays to barium (137Ba).
137
(
55 56

Write down the reaction for this decay. [2]

Markscheme

β✓
137 137 0
Cs → Ba +
55 56 −1

+v e ✓
¯

Accept β or e in MP1.

Do not penalize if proton / nucleon numbers or electron subscript in antineutrino are missing.
24. [Maximum mark: 5] 22N.2.SL.TZ0.4
A mass is attached to one end of a rod and made to rotate with constant speed in
a vertical circle.

(a) The scale diagram shows the weight W of the mass at an instant
when the rod is horizontal.

Draw, on the scale diagram, an arrow to represent the force

exerted on the mass by the rod.

[2]

Markscheme

horizontal component of any length to the left ✓

vertical component two squares long upwards ✓

E.g.
 Ignore point of application.

Award [1] max if arrowhead not present.

(b) Explain why the magnitude of the force exerted on the mass by
the rod is not constant. [3]

Markscheme

ALTERNATIVE 1

the net/centripetal force has constant magnitude ✓

the direction of the net/centripetal force constantly changes ✓

this is achieved by vector-adding weight and the force from the rod

OR

the force from the rod is vector difference of the centripetal force and
weight ✓

ALTERNATIVE 2

at the top Frod = Fc − W ✓

at the bottom, Frod = Fc + W ✓

net F/Fc is constant so the force from the rod is different «hence is
changing» ✓

Accept reference to centripetal or net force indistinctly.

Allow reference to centripetal acceleration.

25. [Maximum mark: 5] 21M.2.SL.TZ1.2
A planet is in a circular orbit around a star. The speed of the planet is constant.

(a.i) Explain why a centripetal force is needed for the planet to be in

a circular orbit. [2]

Markscheme

«circular motion» involves a changing velocity ✓

«Tangential velocity» is «always» perpendicular to centripetal

force/acceleration ✓

there must be a force/acceleration towards centre/star ✓

without a centripetal force the planet will move in a straight line ✓

(a.ii) State the nature of this centripetal force. [1]

Markscheme

gravitational force/force of gravity ✓

(b) Determine the gravitational field of the planet.

The following data are given:

Mass of planet = 8. 0 × 10
24
kg
Radius of the planet = 9. 1 × 10
6
m. [2]

Markscheme

use of
GM

R
2
✓

6.4 «Nkg−1 or ms−2» ✓

© International Baccalaureate Organization, 2023