UACE PHYSICS PAPER 2016

Instructions to the candidates:

Answer five questions taking at least one from each of the sections A, B, C and D, but not more than
one question should be chosen from either section A or B

Any additional question (s) will not be marked.

Mathematical tables and squared paper will be provided

Non programmable calculators may be used.

Assume where necessary

Acceleration due to gravity, g 9.81ms-2

Electron charge, e 1.6 x10-19C

Electron mass 9.11 x 10-31kg

Plank’s constant, h 6.6 x 10-34Js

Speed of light in the vacuum, c 3.0 x 108ms-1

Specific heat capacity of water 4.200Jkg-1K-1

Avogadro’s number, NA 6.02 x 1023mol-1

1
The constant, 9.0 x 109F-1m
4𝜋𝜀0

Permittivity of free space, μ0 4.0π x 10-7Hm-1

Permittivity of free space, ε0 8.85 x 10-12Fm-1

One electron volt 1.6 x 10-19J

Resistivity of Nichrome wire at 250C 1.2 x 10-6Ωm

SECTION A

1. (a) (i) Describe how the focal length of a convex mirror can be measured using a convex lens of
known focal length. (04marks)

(ii) The plane mirror, P, in the figure below is adjusted to a position20cm from optical pin, the
image of the pin in P coincides with its image in M.

Calculate the focal length of the convex mirror. (04marks)

(b) A pin is clamped horizontally above a concave mirror with its tip along the principal axis.
When the pin is adjusted, it coincides with its image at a distance R from the mirror. When
a small liquid of refractive index, n, is put on the mirror, the pin again coincides with its
image at a distance R’ from the mirror. Show that the refractive index, n, is given by
𝑅
n= (04marks)
𝑅′

(c)(i) Explain the term eye-ring as applied to the telescope. (02marks)

(ii) Draw a ray diagram to show the formation of final image in Galilean telescope in normal
adjustment. (03marks)

(iii) Explain two advantages and one disadvantage of the telescope in (c)(ii) above.
(03marks)

2. (a)(i) When does light pass through a prism symmetrically? (01marks)

(ii) Find the angle of incidence, i, on an equilateral prism of refractive index 1.5 placed in air,
when light passes through it symmetrically. (03marks)

(iii) Describe what happens to the deviation of light passing through a prism in (a) (ii) when the
angle of incidence is increased from a value less than i to a value greater than i. (02marks)

(b) Describe how the refractive angle of a prism can be determined using optical pins. (05marks)

(c) (i) Draw a sketch ray diagram showing formation of the image of a finite size real object by a
concave lens. (02marks)

(ii) A concave lens of focal length 15.0cm is arranged coaxially with a concave mirror of focal
length 10.0cm, a distance of 4.0cm apart. An object is placed 20.0cm in from of the lens
on the side remote from the mirror. Find the distance of the final image from the lens.
(04marks)
 (d) With the aid of a sketch ray diagram explain spherical aberration in a concave lens, and state
how it is minimized. (03marks)

SECTION B

3. (a) What is meant by the following as applied to waves

(i) Resonance (01mark)
(ii) Frequency(o1mark)
(b) Explain with the aid of a diagram the term fundamental note and overtone as applied to
vibrating air in closed pipe.(05marks)

(c) Describe how you would determine the speed of sound in air using a resonance tube and
several tuning forks. (05marks)

(d) (i) Explain the formation of beat. (02marks)

(ii) Derive expression for beat frequency.(03marks)

(e) Two observers A and B are provided with sources of sound of frequency 750Hz. If A remains
stationary while B moves away at a velocity of 2.0ms-1, find the number of beats heard per
second by A. (Velocity of sound in air is 330ms-1) (03marks)

4. (a) What is meant by diffraction?

(b) Explain using Huygens’s principle the diffraction pattern produced by a single slit. (06marks)

(c) Light of wavelength 5.0 x 10-7m falls on a grating with 600 lines per mm, determine the
highest order of diffraction that can be observed. (04marks)

(d) (i) Explain what is meant by plane of polarized light?

(ii) A liquid of refractive index 1.3 is used to produce polarized light by reflection. Calculate
the angle of incidence of incidence on the liquid surface. (02marks)
(e) (i) Describe how polarized light can be produced by reflection
(ii) State two uses of polarized light.

SECTION C

5. (a) (i) what is the difference between a motor and a dynamo? (01mark)
(ii) Describe with the aid of a labelled diagram the structure and mode of operation of a d.c
generator. (06marks)

(iii) Describe briefly the factors that determine the peak value of the induced e.m.f. (03 marks)

(iv) How can a d.c. generator be converted into an a.c. generator. (01mark)
 (b) Figure below shows two wires AB and Cd of length 5.0cm each currying a current of
10.0A in the direction shown. A long conductor carrying a current of 15A is placed parallel
to the wire CD 2.0cm below it.

(i) Calculate the net force on the long wire (06marks)

(ii) Sketch the magnetic field pattern between the long wire and wire CD after removing
wire AB. Use the field pattern to define a neutral point (03marks)

6. (a) What is meant by the following as applied to the earth’s magnetic field?
(i) Magnetic meridian (01mark)

(ii) Magnetic variance (01mark)

(b) Describe the structure and mode of action of the deflected magnetometer (06marks)

(c) A circular coil of four turns and diameter 11cm has its plane vertical and parallel to the
magnetic meridian of the earth. Determined the resultant magnetic flux density at the center
of the coil when a current of 0.35A flows in it.

(Take the horizontal component of the earth’s magnetic flux density to be 1.6 x 10-5T)
(04marks)

(d) (i) Define self-induction and mutual induction (02marks)

(ii) Give the causes of power loss in an a.c. transformer and state how each can be
minimized. (04marks)

(iii) Explain why the current in the primary coil of a transformer increases when the
secondary is connected to the load.

7. (a) Define root mean square (rms) value of alternating voltage (01mark)

(b) A resistor of resistance 100Ω is connected across an alternating voltage, V = 20sin120πt.

(i) Find the frequency of the alternating voltage (01mark)

(ii) Calculate the mean power dissipated in the resistor. (03marks)

(c) (i) Show that when an inductor s connected to an a.c supply voltage of V = V0sin2πft, the
resulting current lags the voltage by 900. (04marks)

(ii) Sketch on the same axes the variation with time of the voltage and current is a
capacitor is connected to the voltage supply in (c)(i). (02marks)
(d) (i) Describe how thermocouple meter works. (04marks)
(ii) Explain any precautionary measure taken in the design of thermocouple meter (02mark)

(e) A capacitor of capacitance 60μF is connected to an a.c. voltage supply of frequency 40Hz. An a.c
ammeter connected in series with the capacitor reads 2.2A. Find the p.d across the capacitor.
(03marks).

SECTION D

8. (a)(i) Define electrical resistivity. (01mark)

(ii) Explain how length and temperature of a conductor affect its resistance. (04marks)
(iii) The figure below shows a circuit-voltage graphs for a metallic wire at two different
temperatures T1 and T2.

State in which of the two temperatures resistance is greater and explain your
answer (03marks)

(b) (i) Derive the balance condition when using a meter bridge to measure resistance.
(03marks)

(ii) State two precautions taken to achieve an accurate measurement. (02marks)

(c) The figure below shows two resistors P and Q of resistance 5Ω and 2Ω respectively
connected in the two gaps of the meter bridge.
 A resistor X of cross-sectional area 1mm2 is connected across P so that the balance point is
66.7cm from A. if the resistivity of wire X is 1.0 x 10-5Ωm and the resistance wire AB of the
meter bridge is 100cm long, calculate the length of X. (04marks)

(d) Explain how electrons attain a steady drift velocity when current flows through a conductor.
(02marks).

9. (a) (i) Explain equipotential surface. (04marks)

(ii) Give an example of an equipotential surface (01mark)

(b) (i) State coulomb’s law. (01 marks)

(ii) With the aid of a diagram, explain the variation of electric potential with distance from
the centre of charged metal sphere (03marks)

(iii) Two metal plates A and B, 30cm apart are connected to a 5kVdic supply as shown in the
figure below.

When a small charged sphere, s, of mass 9.0 x 10-3kg is placed the plates, it remains
stationary. Indicate the forces acting on the sphere and determine the magnitude of
the charge on the sphere. (04marks)

(c) (i) Define electric field intensity. (01marks)

(ii) With the aid of a diagram, explain electrostatic shielding. (04marks)

(d) Explain briefly why a neutral metal body is attracted to a charged body when brought
near it. (02marks)

10. (a) (i) What is meant by capacitance of a capacitor? (01mark)

(ii) A parallel plate capacitor is connected across a battery and charged fully. When a
dielectric material is now inserted between its plates, the amount of charge stored in
the capacitor changes. Explain the change. (04marks)

(iii) Describe an experiment to determine the relative permittivity of a dielectric.

(04marks)

(b) A network of capacitors of capacitances 40μF, 50μF and 70μF is connected to a battery of
9V as shown in the figure below
 Calculate

(i) Charge stored in the 50μF capacitor. (05marks)

(ii) Energy stored in the 40μF (03marks)

(c) Explain corona discharge

END