XIN ZHONG SECONDARY SCHOOL

School Year 2024 – 2025

PHYSICS / ASSIGNMENT
Term 2 – Grade 9
Name/Class: DATE: Score:

DIRECTIONS: Read the questions carefully. Use the space provided to write your brief answers.
[45 Marks]

1. A girl holds a rubber ball out of a window of a tall building. The mass of the ball is 0.20 kg.
The ball is at rest 10 m above a concrete path.

(a) Calculate the gravitational potential energy of the ball relative to the concrete path.
GPE = m x g x h
= 0.20 x 10 x 10
= 20 J

gravitational potential energy = ......................................................... [2]

(b) The girl releases the ball and it falls towards the path.
The ball strikes the path and bounces vertically upwards.
Fig. 1.1 shows the ball falling towards the path.

The speed of the ball immediately before it strikes the path is 14 m/s.

The speed of the ball immediately after it strikes the path is 12 m/s.

(i) Calculate the kinetic energy of the ball immediately after it strikes the concrete path.
KE after = ½ x m x v2
= ½ x 0.20 x (12)2

= ½ x 0.20 x144
= 14.4 J
= 14 J

kinetic energy = ......................................................... [2]

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 (ii) Calculate the change in momentum of the ball when it bounces off the path.
ΔP = Δmv
= 0.20 x (14 – (-12)
= 0.20 x 26
= 5.2 kg m/s
[3]

(iii) The ball is in contact with the path for 0.25 s.

Calculate the average resultant force on the ball when it is in contact with the path.
I = ΔP
F x Δt = ΔP
F = ΔP / Δt
= 5.2 /0.25
= 20.8 N = 21 N

force = ......................................................... [2]

[Total:9]

2. (a) A ball has a mass of 2.0 kg. The ball approaches a wall at a speed of 3.0 m/s and
rebounds at a speed of 1.0 m/s.

Calculate the impulse on the wall?

I = ΔP
= Δmv
= 2.0 ( 3 – (-1)
= 8.0 Ns

Impulse= ……………………………[2]

(b) Fig. 2.1 shows a uniform plank AB of length 2.0 m suspended from two ropes X and Y.

The weight W of the plank is 210 N. The force in rope X is P. The force in rope Y is Q.
(i) State, in terms of P, the moment of force P about B.
M= F x d
= P x 1.5 [1]
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 (ii) Calculate the moment of W about B.
M=Fxd
= 210 (1.5 -0.5)
= 210 x 1.0
= 210 Nm

moment = ...........................................................[2]
(iii) Calculate the force P.
Clockwise moment = Anticlockwise moment
P x 1.5 = W x (1.5 – 0.5)
P x 1.5 = 210 X 1.0
P X 1.5 = 210
P = 210/1.5 = 140 N
force P = ...........................................................[2]
(iv) Calculate the force Q.
P+Q=W

140 + Q = 210

Q = 210 -140

Q = 70 N

force Q = ...........................................................[2]

[Total:9]

3. (a) A machine has a power input of 200 W and a useful output energy of 1 kJ in 6 minutes.
What is the efficiency of the machine?
Output energy = 1 kJ = 1000 J
Time = 6 minutes = 360 s
Input Power = 200 W
Output Power = E/t = 1000/360 = 2.78 W
Efficiency = Output power /input power x 100 %
= 2.78 / 200 x 100 %
= 1.39 % = 1.4 %
Efficiency=……………………..%
[2]
(b) Fig. 3.1 shows a wooden trolley of mass 1.2 kg at rest on the rough surface of a bench.

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 A ball of mass 0.52 g travels horizontally towards the trolley.
The ball embeds itself in the wood of the trolley. The trolley moves with an initial speed of
0.065 m/s.
(i) Calculate the impulse exerted on the trolley.
I = Δmv
= 1.2 x 0.065 = 0.078 kg m/s
impulse = ......................................................... [2]
(ii) the speed of the ball as it hits the trolley.
mb x vb + mt x vot = mb x vb + mt x vt
0.00051 x vb + 1.2 x 0 = 0.00052 x 0.065 + 1.2 x 0.065
vb = 150 m/s
speed = ......................................................... [2]

(iii) As the trolley moves across the rough surface, it slows down and stops.
Explain, in terms of the work done, the energy change that takes place as the trolley
slows down.
Work is done against/due to/ because of friction or kinetic energy of the trolley used to do
work.
KE decreases to zero and thermal energy is produced.
[3]
(c) State 2 characteristics of inelastic collision and give the equation.
1. Momentum is conserved
2. KE is not conserved (decrease than initial)
3. Eq: m1 x vo1 + m2 x vo2 = mtot x v total
[3]
[Total: 12]
4. Fig. 4.1 shows a student using a battery-powered device.

(a) State the energy store in the battery.

Chemical energy [1]

(b) The student pushes the device along the floor at a constant speed with a horizontal force of
14 N.
The student pushes the device for a distance of 4.5 m.

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 Calculate the mechanical work done by the force pushing the device.
W=Fxd
= 14 x 4.5
= 63 J
work done = ....................................................... J [2]
(c) The student uses the device for a time of 30 s. The energy input to the device is 5400 J.
Calculate the power input to the device.
Power input = Energy input /time
= 5400 /30
= 180 W
power input = ..................................................... W [3]
[Total: 6]

5. (a) Fig. 5.1 shows a load suspended from a spring.

The value of the spring constant k of the spring is 0.20 N/cm.

The spring reaches its limit of proportionality when the load is 15 N.
Calculate the extension of the spring when the load is 3.0 N.
k = 0.20 N/cm
F = 3.0 N
F = k .x
x = F/k
= 3.0 / 0.20
= 15 cm = 0.15 m
extension = ......................................................... [2]

(b) State 2 advantages of all non-renewable fuels.

1. Their high energy density (i.e. they are concentrated sources and the relatively small
size of the energy transfer device (e.g. a furnace) which releases their energy.
2. Their ready availability when energy demand increases suddenly or fluctuates season
[2]
[Total: 4]

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 6. A student is investigating the stretching of a spring.
The apparatus is shown in Fig. 6.1.

(a) On Fig. 6.1, measure the unstretched length l0 of the spring. Record l0 in the first row of
Table 1.1. l0 = 3.5 – 5.5 cm = 35 mm – 55 mm
[1]
(b) The student hangs a load L of 1.0 N on the spring and measures the new length l of the
spring. She repeats the measurements using loads of 2.0 N, 3.0 N, 4.0 N and 5.0 N. The
readings are shown in Table 1.1.
(i) For each set of readings, calculate the extension e of the spring using the equation
e = (l – l0). Record the values of e in the table.

35
24
29
34
39
43

[3]

(ii) Explain briefly one precaution that you would take in order to obtain reliable readings.
Viewing scale at right angles or use of straight edge/ set square/ pointer between bottom of
spring and scale/ruler [1]
[Total: 5]

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