Physics - Physics Form 1 - Marking Scheme
Physics - Physics Form 1 - Marking Scheme
Term 3 - 2023
PHYSICS
FORM ONE (1)
MARKING SCHEME
Instructions to Candidates
Write your name, admission number, class and signature in the spaces provided at the top of
the page. This paper consists of two sections; A and B.
Answer ALL the questions in the spaces provided.
Mathematical tables and electronic calculator may be used.
All working MUST be clearly shown.
This paper consists of 12 printed pages.
Candidates should answer the questions in English and check to ensure that no question(s) is
missing.
FOR EXAMINER’S USE ONLY
Candidates should check and ascertain that all questions are printed as indicated and that no
questions are missing.
SECTION A (25 MARKS)
1. A thin wire was wound 10 times closely over a boiling tube. The total length of the wire
wound around was found to be 440mm. Calculate the radius of the boiling tube in SI
units. (3 Marks)
Thread
Cylinder
Figure 1
440𝑚𝑚
𝐶𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = = 44𝑚𝑚, 0.044𝑚, 4.4𝑐𝑚
10
𝑟 = 0.007𝑚, 𝑜𝑟 0.7𝑐𝑚
2. State what the following branches of physics deals with:
(i) Mechanics. (1 mark)
It deals with the study of motion under the influence of force.
It deals with the transformation of heat to and from other forms of energy and the
accompanying changes in pressure, volume etc.
3. A bag of sand is found to have the same weight on planet earth as an identical bag of
cotton on planet Jupiter. Explain why the masses of the two bags must be different.
(2 marks)
Mass is constant while weight varies from one planet to another because the planets
have different gravitational field strengths.
If the weight is found to be the same on different planets with different gravitational
field strengths, then their masses must be different.
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4. Explain why brakes fail in a hydraulic brake system when air gets in to the system.
(1mark)
Air is compressible, and therefore can not transmit pressure through the hydraulic
system.
5. Water was added to fill a flask containing some mass of salt. The container was sealed
with a cork and shaken thoroughly to dissolve the salt. It was noticed that the level of
the liquid dropped.
Initial level
Final
Water
Level
Salt
Salt solution
Figure 2
X Y
Figure 3
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7. Recharging is one of the practices of maintenance of accumulators. State two
measurements, which need to be taken to help you decide when an accumulator is due
for charging. (2 marks)
The accumulator should be charged when the e.m.f of the cell drops below 1.8 V and
when the relative density of the acid is falls below 1.12
8. The figure 4 below shows a charged rod held close to the cap of an uncharged leaf
electroscope.
++
++
Figure 4
If the cap is momentarily earthed before removing the charged rod, what charge is left on the
electroscope? (1mark)
NEGATIVE
9. A pinhole camera forms an image of size 10cm. The object is 5m tall and 20m away
from the pinhole. Find the length of the pinhole camera. (3 marks)
𝐻𝐼𝑀𝐴𝐺𝐸 𝑉
= 𝑈
𝐻𝑂𝐵𝐽𝐸𝐶𝑇
10𝐶𝑀 𝑉
= 2000𝐶𝑀
500𝐶𝑀
10𝐶𝑀×2000𝐶𝑀
𝑉= = 40𝐶𝑀
500𝐶𝑀
10. The height of mercury column in a barometer is found to be 76cm at a certain place.
What would be the height on a water barometer in the same place? (Density of water is
1000kg/m3 and density of mercury is 13600kg/m3). (3 marks)
0.76𝑀 × 13600 × 10 = ℎ × 100 × 10
0.76×13600×10
ℎ=
1000×10
ℎ = 10.336𝑚
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11. The Figure 5 below shows a hot water bath with metal rods inserted through one of its
sides. Some wax is fixed at the end of each rod.
Metal rods
Wax
Figure 5
(i) What property of metals could be tested using this set-up? (1mark)
Conduction
(ii) Besides the length of the rods that is kept constant, what else should be kept
constant when comparing the property for the different metal rods. (2marks)
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SECTION B (55 MARKS)
The experiment is performed using a can with three identical holes A, B and C at different depths
along a vertical line. When the container is filled with water, jets issue out of the holes as in the
following diagram
Jet A issues out with the greatest pressure, followed by B, then C. This shows that pressure in a
liquid increase with depth
c.) The gravitational pull in planet Jupiter is 24.8 N/kg. Calculate the weight of an
object in Jupiter given that its weight on earth is 550 N. (3 marks)
𝑤 550𝑁
𝑚= = = 55𝐾𝑔
𝑔 10
𝑤 = 𝑚𝑔 = 55 × 24.8 = 1240𝑁
d.) A metal pin was observed to float on the surface of pure water. However, the pin
sank when a few drops of soap solution were carefully added to the water. Explain.
(2 marks)
The pin floats because of surface tension. Impurities reduce surface tension of a liquid. Soap
(detergent) weakens the cohesive forces between surface liquid molecules and therefore reducing
surface tension.
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e.) Distinguish between a scalar and a vector quantity, giving an example of each.
(2 marks)
A scalar quantity is one with magnitude only but no direction e.g. Time, Temperature,
Energy, Speed, Area, Volume, Length, Mass, Distance. While a vector quantity is one
with both magnitude and direction e.g. Weight, Force, Velocity, Momentum,
Acceleration ,Displacement
13. a.) Differentiate between heat and temperature. (2 marks)
Temperature is the degree (extent) of hotness or coldness of a body on some chosen scale
while Heat is a form of energy which flows from a point of higher temperature to another
point of low temperature.
b.) The figure 6 below shows a box with two glass tubes A and B projecting from the top
of a rectangular wooden box with removable glass front.
Figure 6
(i) What will be the direction of the smoke through the box? (1 mark)
It is observed that the smoke is sucked into the box through chimney A and exits through
chimney B.
(ii) What conclusion can be made from the observation? (1mark)
This is due to convection currents which are set up when the air in the box is heated.
c.) Why are the ventilations for a room made high up the roof? (1 mark)
Warm air exhaled by the occupants of the room rises and gets out through ventilators since it
is less dense. Fresh cold air flows into the room through windows and doors. This way
convection current is set up and there is always supply of fresh air.
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d.) You are provided with the following items; Boiling tube containing water, ice wrapped in a
wire-gauze, Bunsen burner. Describe how you would use them to conduct an experiment to
show that water is a poor conductor of heat. (4 marks)
Ice is wrapped in a wire gauze and gently placed in a boiling tube. The boiling tube is filled with
water and heated at the tip for some time.
Water will be observed to boil at the top while ice remains at the bottom (without melting).
This shows that water is a poor conductor of heat.
e.) State two advantages of mercury over alcohol as a thermometric liquid. (2marks)
-Mercury is visible since it is opaque and silvery while alcohol is transparent and therefore has to
be colored to make it visible.
- Mercury thermometers are best for use in high temperature because of its high boiling points
(3570c) but cannot be used in very low temperature because it has a relatively high freezing point
(-390c).
- Mercury is a good thermal conductor while alcohol is a poor thermal conductor.
14. a.) Figure 7 below shows a ray of light being incident on a mirror.
480
Figure 7
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b.) State two differences between images formed by pinhole camera and a Plane mirror. (2marks)
-Pinhole cameras form images that are real while plane mirrors form images that are virtual.
- pinhole cameras form images that are inverted/upside down while mirrors form images that are
upright.
c.) A student placed three cards each with a small hole at the Centre in a straight line as
shown below.
Figure 8
(i) State the aim of the experiment. (1 mark)
To show that light travels in a straight line.
(ii) If one of the cards was displaced slightly to the left, state what would be observed. (1 mark)
When the cardboard is displaced by moving it slightly to the one side, the eye will not see the
lamp.
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d.) The figure 9 below shows an object placed Infront of a pinhole camera. Using rays, show
how the image is formed on the screen.
(3marks)
Screen
Pinhole
Object
Figure 9
-two correct rays with arrows on them. image formed that is upside down
e.) When two mirrors are placed at an angle to each other, five images are formed between
the mirrors. Calculate the angle between the mirrors. ( 3 marks)
360
𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑠, 𝑛 = − 1
𝜃
360
5= − 1
𝜃
360
𝜃= = 60°
6
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15. a.) Explain why repulsion is the surest test for electrostatic charges. (2 marks)
-Attraction happens between unlike charges and between charged bodies and
uncharged bodies whereas repulsion only occurs between like charges.
Or
Like charges repel, indicating both objects are charged. Attraction shows either
objects have unlike charges or one is uncharged (neutral).
b.) State and explain two uses of a gold-leaf electroscope. (2 marks)
To distinguish between conductors and insulators
To identify charge
Estimate the amount of charge in a body
To determine if material is charged or not
Any two correct
c.) A perfume can be smelled some distance away. Explain. (1 mark)
Because of Diffusion; the process by which particles spread from region of high
concentration to a region of low concentration.
d.) In the figure 10 below, ammonia gas and hydrochloric acid gas diffuse and react.
Figure 10
State and explain the observation made after sometime. (2 marks)
A white deposit is formed near the cotton wool soaked in concentrated in hydrochloric
acid. The ammonia gas is less dense and has light particles thus it will diffuse faster
than the hydrochloric gas which is dense.
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e.) The behavior of smoke particles in air was observed using the apparatus shown
below
Figure 11
(i.) Why are smoke particles suitable? (1 mark)
Smoke is used here because smoke particles are light and bright.
(ii) Briefly describe what would be observed when the smoke-cell is viewed using a
microscope.
(1 mark)
The bright specks are observed moving randomly in the smoke cell.
(iii) What would be the difference on smoke particles if viewed when the temperature is
increased.
(1 mark)
The smoke particles would be observed to move more vigorously/rapidly.
16. a.) Distinguish between a primary cell and a secondary cell. (2 marks)
Primary cells are cells which cannot be recharged for use again while secondary are cells
which can be recharged for use again .
b.) State the two common defects in a simple cell. (2 marks)
local action and polarization.
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c.) Explain how the defects in b) are minimized. (2 marks)
Ways of correcting Polarization defect:
Addition of potassium dichromate (depolarizer). Oxygen from the depolarizer combines with
the hydrogen atoms to produce water.
Removing copper plate and brushing off the gas bubbles. 1corect
Ways of correcting Local action defect:
Use of pure zinc.
Coating zinc with mercury (amalgamation). 1 correct
d.) Calculate the amount of charge passing through a point in a circuit if a current of 5A
flows for 1.5 minutes. (3 Marks)
𝑄 = 𝐼𝑡
𝑄 = 5𝐴 × 1.5 × 60
𝑄 = 450𝐶𝑂𝑈𝐿𝑂𝑀𝐵𝑆
e.) The table below shows some devices used in simple circuits alongside their symbols.
Complete the table as necessary. (2 marks)
Device Symbol
Cell
Battery
Switch
END.
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