Solved Problems IGCSE Physics

Mr. Anas Elgaud

Attempt the questions before checking the answers:

1. State the three basic quantities of Physics, and their SI units

1. Length (meter); Mass (kilogram); Time (second)
2. Convert the following length to metres:
1500 cm; 150 cm; 15 cm; 1.5 cm
2. 15 m, 1.5 m, 0.15 m; 0.015 m
3. A student records the time taken for 20 complete swings of a pendulum to
be 32 seconds. What is the period of the pendulum?
3. 32 seconds/20 swings = 1.6 seconds per swing
4. How many bricks of size 5 cm x 2 cm x 3 cm would a child need to build a
rectangular block of dimensions 15 cm x 15 cm x 10 cm?
4. Volume of smaller blocks is a three-dimensional value, which is 30 cm3.
Volume of large rectangular block is 2250 cm3. Therefore the answer is
2250/30=75 blocks.
5. Circle the correct SI unit of density
g/cm2; g/m3; kg/m3; kg/cm3
6. A block of ice has dimensions 2 cm x 2 cm x 2 cm and a mass of 7.36 g.
Calculate the density of the ice.
6. Mass = 7.36 g. Volume = 8 cm3. Density = Mass / Volume = 0.92 g/cm3
7. The density of air is 1.3 kg/m3. What is the mass of air in a room of
dimensions 3 m x 4 m x 2.5 m?
7. Mass =? Volume = 30 m3. Density = 1.3 kg/m3. Density = Mass / Volume.
Therefore Mass = Density x Volume = 39 kg.
8. A metal spanner has a mass of 200 g. It is lowered into a measuring
cylinder of water until it is completely submerged. If the original level of the
water was 50 cm3 and the final level is 75 cm3, calculate: the volume of the
metal; the density of the metal
8. Volume of metal = 75 cm3 - 50 cm3 = 25 cm3
Density of metal = Mass / Volume = 200g/25cm3 = 8 g/cm3
9. Give the weight of the following masses. Take the acceleration of free fall to
be 10 m/s2.
15 kg; 50 g; 0.3 g
9. 150 N; 0.5 N; 0.003 N

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Solved Problems IGCSE Physics

Mr. Anas Elgaud

10. On the Earth the acceleration of free fall is about 10 m/s2. On the moon the
acceleration of free fall is about 1.6 m/s2 (which is about one-sixth the
acceleration on the Earth).
A man weighs 800 N on the Earth. Give his mass measured on the moon, and
the weight measured on the Moon
10. Weight on the Earth = 800 N. W = mg, therefore m = W/g = 80 kg. Mass on
the Earth = Mass on the Moon = 80 kg;
Weight measured on the moon = m x g on moon = 128 N
11. A mass of 0.5 kg extends a spring by 10 cm. When an unknown mass M, is
hung on the spring, the extension is 15 cm. What is the value of M?
11. A mass of 0.5 kg extends a spring by 10 cm, from this use F = kx, solve
for k. k = F / x. My F here is the force of weight (W =mg=5N)
Then, k = 5N/0.1m=50N/m.
Now I have my k, I can use it with an extension of 15 cm, to find the required
weight (from which I find the required mass)
F = k x = 50 N/m x 0.15 m = 7.5 N; Mass of weight 7.5 N is 0.75 kg
12. Which see-saw in the diagram below is balanced? In which direction will
the unbalanced see-saw tip?

12. To solve any problems containing moments, we start by finding the

moments in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions, and then we
compare them.
A. CW = 10 N x 2.5 m = 25 Nm; CCW = 150 N x 2.5 m = 375 Nm
CCW moment is larger than CW moment. Therefore it tips in CCW direction
B. CW = 200 N x 2 m = 400 Nm; CCW = 150 N x 2.5 m = 375 Nm
CW moment is larger than CCW. Therefore it tips in CCW direction
C. CW = 300 Nm. CCW = 300 Nm. CW = CCW. Therefore it is balanced.
D. CW = 350Nm. CCW = 375 Nm. Tipping in CCW

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Solved Problems IGCSE Physics

Mr. Anas Elgaud

13. A dog pulls a sledge across a flat snowfield for a distance of 500 m.
Calculate the work done if the dog exerts a steady force of 120 N on the
sledge.
13. Work done = force x distance moved = 120 N x 500 m = 60 KJ (Note: work
done = energy transferred)
14. An electrical appliance has a power input of 500 W. If it transfers energy
at a rate of 350 W, calculate its efficiency. What happens to the lost energy?
14. Efficiency = 70%; Lost energy is not really lost, its transferred to nonuseful heat.
15. A man lifts a weight of 60 N through a vertical distance of 1.2m. How
much work is done? If the man takes 2 minutes to lift 16 boxes each of weight
60 N vertically through 1.2 m, at what power is he working?
15. Work done = energy transferred = force x distance = mg x h = 60 N x 1.2 m
= 72 Joules.
For 16 boxes, the work (energy) is 72 J x 16 = 1152 J. Time is 120 seconds.
Hence, power = 1152 J per 120 seconds = 1152J/120s=9.6 Watt
16. A lift raises a load of 9000 N to a height of 20 m in 15 seconds. Calculate
the work done, and the power of the lift
16. Work = 180Kilojoules. Power= 12Kilowatt
17. A 3 kg mass falls with its terminal velocity. Which of the combinations A to
E gives its weight, the air resistance and the resultant force acting on it?

Answer is D, the body feels weightless in free-fall at terminal velocity because

the forces balance on it. So its velocity is not increasing, but it is still moving
(at constant velocity, i.e. the terminal velocity)

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Solved Problems IGCSE Physics

Mr. Anas Elgaud

18. Which one of the following statements is not true?

A
Pressure is the force acting on unit area.
B
Pressure is calculated from force/area.
C
The SI unit of pressure is the pascal (Pa) which equals 1 newton per
square metre (1 N/m2).
D
The greater the area over which a force acts the greater is the
pressure.
E
Force = pressure area.
Answer: This is an easy one; clearly it is D since P = F / A, if we increase A, P
decreases (Logic 101)
19. A woman cycles, along a level road, a distance of 2.4 km in 10 minutes.
What is the womans average speed? The woman does work during her cycle
ride. Against what force has this work been done?
19. Average speed = Total distance / time taken = 2400 m / 600 s = 4 m/s;
work has to be done against friction between the wheels and the road.
20. A bus starts from rest and accelerates smoothly. After 10 s the bus reaches
a speed of 8 m/s, a) find the acceleration of the bus. b) If the bus continues to
travel at 8 m/s and then decelerates smoothly as it approaches a bus stop,
and the deceleration is 8 m/s2, find the time over which the bus decelerates
before it comes to rest
20. a) a = (v-u) / t = (8m/s 0m/s) / 10 s = 0.8 m/s2.
b) a now = - 8 m/s2. Since the bus is coming to a stop (decelerating).
a = (v-u) / t; HENCE, t = (v-u) / a = (0m/s 8m/s) / (-8 m/s2) = 1 s
21. In the following page, a graph showing at the top the distance-time graph
for a girls bicycle ride and the bottom you are given the axes for the
corresponding speed-time graph.
(i) What is happening to the distance from the starting point between A and
B?
(ii) What can you say about the speed of the bicycle?
(iii) On the speed-time axes on the bottom graph, draw a thick line that could
show the speed during AB.
(iv) Find the speed during BC and CD; and draw the lines for the speed-time
portions accordingly

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Solved Problems IGCSE Physics

Mr. Anas Elgaud

- Graphs for question 21

21. Distance is increasing between A and B, and speed is constant. Since the
distance returned back to zero, it is clear that the cyclist returned to the
original position. For the speed, if it was constant, the lines are horizontal, no?

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Solved Problems IGCSE Physics

Mr. Anas Elgaud

22. Define Brownian motion, with a scribble of a graph. SB-P72

23. Describe Bimetallic strip with a sketch. SB- P82
24. Write formulas of Specific heat capacity SB- P88, and specific latent heat
(SB-P92) Can you describe experiments to measure both c and L? If its not
any trouble, of course.

Comment: These are some general revision questions that should help
consolidate your understanding of our current coursework in Physics. If you
have any points to be clarified reach me on our deserted fb group.
Mr. Anas Elgaud
IGCSE Physics
4/4/2016

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