Energy PP Questions Topic 3

Q1. Which statement describes conservation of energy in a closed system?

(1)
A when there are energy transfers, the total energy reduces
B when there are energy transfers, the total energy does not change
C when there are no energy transfers, the total energy reduces
D when there are no energy transfers, the total energy increases

Q2. Before a car brakes it has kinetic energy. The kinetic energy decreases as it brakes.
State what happens to the kinetic energy during braking.
(1)
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The next 3 questions are about the same experiment with a boy placing a toy car on a ramp.
Q3. A student lifts a toy car from a bench and places the toy car at the top of a slope as shown

Describe an energy transfer that occurs when the student lifts the toy car from the bench and places the
toy car at the top of the slope.
(2)
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Q4. The student needs to develop the experiment to determine the loss in potential energy and the
gain in kinetic energy as the toy car is rolling down the slope. State the other measurements the
student must make.
(2)
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Q5. When the toy car rolls down the slope, some energy is transferred to the surroundings as thermal
energy. State how the student could calculate the amount of energy transferred to the surroundings.
(1)
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Q6. Which of these is a non-renewable source of energy?
(1)
A geothermal
B natural gas
C tidal
D solar

Q7. Expanded polystyrene, used to

insulate buildings, has different densities.

The figure shows how the thermal

conductivity of expanded polystyrene
changes with the density of expanded
polystyrene.

Using the graph in the figure, describe how

the thermal conductivity of expanded polystyrene changes with the density of expanded polystyrene.
(2)
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Q8. A kettle is used to heat water.

The kettle has an efficiency of 91% in supplying energy to the water.
The thermal energy of the water increases by 3.3 × 105 J in 200 s.

Calculate the total amount of energy supplied to the kettle in the 200 s.

(2)

total amount of energy supplied = ........................................................... J

Q9. A stone is held at rest above the ground. The stone is released and falls until its velocity is 17 m / s.
Calculate the distance the stone has fallen when its velocity has reached 17 m / s.
(2)

distance = ........................................................... m
Q10. Shot-put is an Olympic event. The shot is a heavy ball. An athlete throws the shot as far as
possible. A sports scientist analyses an athlete's throw to help improve performance. In one throw, the
shot continues to rise by another 1.3 m after it leaves the athlete's hand. The mass of the shot is 7.26 kg.
Calculate the amount of gravitational potential energy gained by the shot.
(2)

gravitational potential energy gained = ........................................................... J

Q11. Moving air can be used to

generate electricity using a wind turbine.

The figure is a graph of kinetic energy

against wind speed for a mass of
moving air.

Just before the air reaches a wind

turbine it has a wind speed of 15 m/s.

When the air has gone through the

turbine it has a wind speed of 13 m/s.

As the air moves through the turbine some of its kinetic energy is transferred to the turbine.

Use the graph to determine the percentage of the kinetic energy transferred to the turbine from the air.
(3)

percentage of kinetic energy transferred from the air = ........................................................... %

Q12. Explain why renewable sources provide an increasing fraction of the electricity supply for many
countries.
(2)
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Q13. The figure shows a submarine being propelled forward underwater.

The thrust and the resistive forces are represented in magnitude and direction by the arrows in Figure 7.

Suggest two advantages of using nuclear-powered submarines compared to diesel-powered submarines.

(2)
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Q14. The figure shows a Mars rover, a vehicle used for exploring the
surface of the planet Mars.
The power supply in a Mars rover is called an RTG.
The RTG contains a radioactive isotope that releases thermal energy
as it decays.
The RTG uses the thermal energy released in the decay to provide
electrical power for the rover.
(i) An RTG has an efficiency rating of only 7%.
Calculate the useful energy transferred by the RTG when 1300 J of thermal energy is released in the
decay.
(2)

useful energy transferred = ........................................................... J

(ii) Suggest, with a reason, one property the isotope must have to be suitable for use in the RTG.
(2)
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Q15. The Figure shows a football kicked against a wall.

The football has a mass of 0.42 kg.

(i) The football gains 11 J of

gravitational potential energy as it
moves from the ground to the wall.
Calculate the height at which the ball
hits the wall.
(3)
Gravitational field strength = 10 N / kg

height = ........................................................... m

(ii) Calculate the kinetic energy of the football when it is moving at a velocity of 12 m / s.
(2)

kinetic energy = ........................................................... J

(iii) Describe the energy transfers that happen when the ball hits the wall.
(2)
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Q16. (i) An aircraft lands with a velocity of 71 m/s. The mass of the aircraft is 3.6 × 105 kg.
Calculate the kinetic energy of the aircraft as it lands.
(2)

kinetic energy of aircraft = ........................................................... J

(ii) When the aircraft has come to a stop, all the kinetic energy has been transferred to the surroundings.
Give one way that the energy has been transferred to the surroundings. (1)
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 Q17. In a science fiction story, lightning is used as an energy
source for accelerating a car. In the story, the car has a kinetic
energy of 960 kJ at a speed of 40 m/s.

(i) Calculate the mass of the car.

(4)

mass = ........................................................... kg

(ii) Only 5% of the energy of the lightning bolt is transferred to the kinetic energy of the car.
Calculate the total energy of the lightning bolt in MJ.
(2)

energy = ........................................................... MJ
Q18. A kettle is used to heat water.
The figure shows a graph of temperature against time for the water in the kettle.

Calculate the rate of increase in temperature at a time of 150 s, by drawing a tangent to the curve in
Figure 11 at a time of 150 s.
(3)

........................................................... °C / s
Q19. A student uses the apparatus in Figure 3 to find out which of two materials, sand or sawdust, is the
better insulator.

The student also has a kettle to boil water, a thermometer and a stop clock.

(i) Draw a labelled diagram to show how the student should set up the equipment to investigate which
material is the better insulator.
(3)

(ii) Give three factors that the student must control in this investigation.
(3)
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Q20. (a) Here are some forms of energy:

(i) Use words from the box to complete the

tabe. Each word may be used once, more
than once, or not at all. The first one has been
done for you.
(3)

(ii) In the electric motor only some of the electrical energy is transferred into kinetic energy.

State what happens to the remaining electrical energy.

(1)
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(b) Many appliances are sold with an energy efficiency rating. A-rated appliances are the most energy
efficient. Here is some information about two types of electric lamp.

(i) Calculate how much energy is wasted in one second by the compact fluorescent lamp (CFL).
(1)

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(ii) Use the energy transfer diagrams to explain why the CFL lamp has a better efficiency rating than
the halogen lamp.
(2)
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 (c) The photograph shows an electric heater used to warm
garages.

When the heater is switched on, it quickly warms up and then

stays at a constant temperature.
Explain why the heater stays at a constant temperature.
(2)
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Q21. The International Space Station (ISS) has several solar

panels called wings.

(a) The wings convert energy from the Sun into a form
useful in the ISS.
(1)
A transverse and electromagnetic
B electromagnetic but not transverse
C transverse but not electromagnetic
D neither transverse nor electromagnetic

(b) In one second, the useful energy available from one wing is 34.3 kJ.
The energy incident on the wing from the Sun is five times this amount.
What is the percentage efficiency of the wing?
(3)

efficiency = ........................................................... %

(c) A wing is in direct sunlight.

The ISS is not receiving energy from the wing.
The temperature of the wing remains constant.
Explain why the temperature of the wing remains constant in these conditions.
(2)
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Q22. Electricity can be generated using a water turbine.
(i) Water gains kinetic energy by falling from the top of a dam.
Calculate the minimum height that 7.0 kg of water must fall to gain 1300 J of kinetic energy.
(3)

minimum height = ........................................................... m

(ii) As water enters the turbine at the bottom of the dam, the kinetic energy of 8.0 kg of moving water is
1100 J. Calculate the speed of the moving water as it enters the turbine.
(3)

speed = ........................................................... m/s

Q23. The figure shows wind turbines, used to generate

electricity for the National Grid.
The wind turns the turbine blades.

The wind is a renewable source of energy.

(i) State two other renewable sources of energy.

(2)
1 ..................................................................................

2 .....................................................................................

(ii) For one turbine

• the energy input per second from the wind is 6.2 kJ
• the energy output per second to the National Grid is 2.2 kJ.
Calculate the efficiency of this turbine.
(2)

efficiency = ...........................................................
(iii) Suggest a reason why it is impossible for the turbine to use all the kinetic energy of the wind.
(1)
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Q24. The figure shows a way of projecting a small trolley up a sloping track.

When the button is pressed, a spring is released in P that projects the trolley up the track.

The trolley travels up the track, stops and then rolls back down.

The spring in P always exerts the same force when projecting the trolley.

A student investigates how the mass of the trolley affects the maximum vertical
height, h, reached by the trolley.

State the measurements the student should make to complete the investigation.

You should make use of the equipment shown in the figure and any other
equipment that is needed.
(4)
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Q25. A student uses a solar powered battery charger to charge some batteries.

(a) The diagram is an energy transfer diagram for a battery being charged.
Use words from the box to complete the energy transfer diagram.

(b) The diagram shows how much energy is usefully transferred by the battery charger.

(i) Calculate the amount of wasted energy.

(1)

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(ii) Calculate the efficiency of the battery charger.
(2)

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