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Pearson Edexcel International GCSE
Physics — Topic 5 Paper 1
Solids, liquids and gases · specification 5.1, 5.3–5.7, 5.15–5.22
Time allowed: 30 minutes
Total marks: 25
Candidate name:
Centre / class:
Answer all questions. You may use a calculator. Show your working. Take $g = 10\,\text{N/kg}$. The density of water is $1000\,\text{kg/m}^3$ unless a question gives another value.
1
A student finds the density of an irregular river rock. The mass of the rock is $180\,\text{g}$. The volume of water displaced by the rock is $75\,\text{cm}^3$.
(a) Describe a method the student should use to find the volume of the rock using a eureka can and a measuring cylinder.
[4]
(b) Calculate the density of the rock in $\text{kg/m}^3$.
[2]
(Total for Question 1 = 6 marks)
2
A diver stands on the bottom of a freshwater lake.
(a) One of the diver’s fins exerts a force of $400\,\text{N}$ on an area of $0.0020\,\text{m}^2$ of mud. Calculate the pressure of the fin on the mud.
[3]
(b) The diver’s mask is $4.0\,\text{m}$ below the surface. Calculate the pressure difference due to the water at this depth.
[3]
(Total for Question 2 = 6 marks)
3
A sealed rigid flask contains a fixed mass of air.
(a) Explain, in terms of particles, how the air exerts a pressure on the walls of the flask.
[3]
(b) The flask is heated so that the temperature of the air increases. The volume of the flask does not change. Explain what happens to the pressure of the air.
[3]
(Total for Question 3 = 6 marks)
4
A student traps a sample of air in a syringe. The pressure of the air is $100\,\text{kPa}$ and its volume is $40\,\text{cm}^3$. The student pushes the piston in slowly until the volume is $20\,\text{cm}^3$. The temperature of the air remains constant. The mass of air is constant.
(a) State the equation that links $p_1$, $V_1$, $p_2$ and $V_2$ for this change.
[1]
(b) Calculate the new pressure of the air.
[3]
(c) Explain, in terms of particles, why the pressure increases when the volume decreases at constant temperature.
[3]
(Total for Question 4 = 7 marks)
END OF PAPER 1
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE
Physics — Topic 5 Paper 2
Solids, liquids and gases · specification 5.1, 5.3–5.7, 5.15–5.22
Time allowed: 30 minutes
Total marks: 25
Candidate name:
Centre / class:
Answer all questions. You may use a calculator. Show your working. Take $g = 10\,\text{N/kg}$.
1
A student determines the density of a regular rectangular block of stone. The block measures $8.0\,\text{cm} \times 4.0\,\text{cm} \times 2.0\,\text{cm}$. Its mass is $173\,\text{g}$.
(a) Describe a method the student should use to find the density of this regular solid. Name the measuring instruments.
[3]
(b) Calculate the volume of the block in $\text{m}^3$ and its density in $\text{kg/m}^3$.
[3]
(Total for Question 1 = 6 marks)
2
A diver swims in the sea. The density of seawater is $1020\,\text{kg/m}^3$. Atmospheric pressure is $1.00 \times 10^5\,\text{Pa}$.
(a) Calculate the pressure difference due to the seawater at a depth of $2.5\,\text{m}$.
[3]
(b) Calculate the total pressure on the diver at this depth.
[2]
(c) State the direction(s) in which this fluid pressure acts on the diver.
[1]
(Total for Question 2 = 6 marks)
3
A bicycle pump contains a fixed mass of air. The rider pushes the piston in so that the volume of the trapped air decreases. The temperature of the air stays constant.
(a) State what is meant by the pressure of a gas, in terms of force and area.
[1]
(b) Explain why the pressure of the air increases when its volume decreases at constant temperature. Use ideas about particles.
[4]
(c) Name the relationship $p_1V_1=p_2V_2$.
[1]
(Total for Question 3 = 6 marks)
4
A sealed metal can has a constant volume. It contains air at a pressure of $120\,\text{kPa}$ and a temperature of $20^\circ\text{C}$. The can is placed in boiling water and the air is heated to $100^\circ\text{C}$. The mass of air does not change.
(a) Convert $20^\circ\text{C}$ and $100^\circ\text{C}$ to kelvin.
[2]
(b) Calculate the new pressure of the air in the can.
[3]
(c) Explain why the temperatures in (b) must be in kelvin, not in °C.
[2]
(Total for Question 4 = 7 marks)
END OF PAPER 2
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE
Physics — Topic 5 Paper 3
Solids, liquids and gases · specification 5.1, 5.3–5.7, 5.15–5.22
Time allowed: 30 minutes
Total marks: 25
Candidate name:
Centre / class:
Answer all questions. You may use a calculator. Show your working. Take $g = 10\,\text{N/kg}$.
1
A student finds the density of a sample of cooking oil. She pours $45.0\,\text{cm}^3$ of oil into a measuring cylinder. The mass of this oil is $40.5\,\text{g}$.
(a) Describe how the student should obtain an accurate value for the volume of the oil in the measuring cylinder.
[2]
(b) Describe how she should obtain the mass of the oil (the cylinder is not of negligible mass).
[2]
(c) Calculate the density of the oil in $\text{kg/m}^3$.
[2]
(Total for Question 1 = 6 marks)
2
A person of weight $800\,\text{N}$ walks on snow. First they wear snowshoes of total contact area $0.040\,\text{m}^2$. Later they wear boots of total contact area $0.010\,\text{m}^2$.
(a) Calculate the pressure on the snow when the person wears the snowshoes.
[2]
(b) Calculate the pressure on the snow when the person wears the boots.
[2]
(c) Explain why the person is less likely to sink into the snow when wearing snowshoes.
[2]
(Total for Question 2 = 6 marks)
3
A teacher discusses the kelvin temperature scale with a class.
(a) State the value of absolute zero on the Celsius scale and on the kelvin scale.
[2]
(b) State what happens to the kinetic energy of gas particles at absolute zero.
[1]
(c) Write the equation that converts a Celsius temperature $\theta$ to a kelvin temperature $T$.
[1]
(d) Explain why temperatures must be in kelvin when using $p_1/T_1=p_2/T_2$.
[2]
(Total for Question 3 = 6 marks)
4
Air is trapped in a tyre pump. The pressure of the air is $250\,\text{kPa}$ and its volume is $8.0 \times 10^{-4}\,\text{m}^3$. The piston is pulled out slowly until the volume is $1.0 \times 10^{-3}\,\text{m}^3$. The temperature remains constant.
(a) State two quantities that must remain constant for $p_1V_1=p_2V_2$ to apply.
[2]
(b) Calculate the new pressure of the air.
[3]
(c) State whether the new pressure is larger or smaller than $250\,\text{kPa}$, and give a particle reason.
[2]
(Total for Question 4 = 7 marks)
END OF PAPER 3