Pearson Edexcel International GCSE
Physics — Year 10 Paper 3
School lab · mixed Topics 1–5
Time allowed: 40 minutes
Total marks: 25
Candidate name:
Centre / class:
Answer all questions. You may use a calculator. Take $g = 10\,\text{N/kg}$. Show your working. This paper samples Topics 1–5 (Double Award only).
1
Topic 1 A laboratory spring has an unstretched length of $20.0\,\text{cm}$. A $2.0\,\text{N}$ load stretches it to $25.0\,\text{cm}$.
(a) Calculate the spring constant. Assume Hooke’s law is obeyed.
[3]
(b) State what is meant by the elastic limit.
[2]
(Total for Question 1 = 5 marks)
2
Topic 2 A $12\,\text{V}$ battery is connected to a $4.0\,\Omega$ resistor and an $8.0\,\Omega$ resistor in series.
(a) Calculate the current in the circuit.
[2]
(b) Calculate the voltage across the $8.0\,\Omega$ resistor.
[3]
(Total for Question 2 = 5 marks)
3
Topic 3 A ray of light in air hits a glass block. The angle of incidence is $40^\circ$ and the angle of refraction is $25^\circ$.
(a) Calculate the refractive index of the glass.
[3]
(b) State two conditions needed for total internal reflection.
[2]
(Total for Question 3 = 5 marks)
4
Topic 4 A $2.0\,\text{kW}$ kettle is switched on for $90\,\text{s}$.
(a) Calculate the energy transferred electrically.
[2]
(b) Explain, in terms of particles, how thermal energy is transferred through the metal base of the kettle by conduction.
[3]
(Total for Question 4 = 5 marks)
5
Topic 5 A fixed mass of air is trapped in a syringe. At $100\,\text{kPa}$ the volume is $40\,\text{cm}^3$. The gas is compressed slowly to $20\,\text{cm}^3$ at constant temperature.
(a) Calculate the new pressure.
[3]
(b) Use kinetic theory to explain why the pressure increases when the volume is reduced at constant temperature.
[2]
(Total for Question 5 = 5 marks)
END OF PAPER 3 — School lab