Alternative to Practical: use the printed diagrams and show construction/graph working. The printed 1(d)(i) table entry has no separate mark; the four graph marks belong to 1(d)(ii) despite a mark-scheme numbering error.
(a)(i)Fig. 1.1 shows a heavy rod clamped outside the base of a stand. Explain why this is not the best way to support the rod.
Answer guidance
Explain Give reasons, not just what happens. Each distinct reason is usually worth a mark.
[1 mark]
(a)(ii)On Fig. 1.1 sketch a better orientation of the stand, boss and clamp to support the heavy rod.
[1 mark]
(b)(i)Fig. 1.2 shows a rod held about 60 cm above the bench. Draw how a metre rule and two set-squares can check that the rod is horizontal.
Answer guidance
Draw Accuracy is being marked. Use the figure and be precise about position and labels.
[1 mark]
(b)(ii)Explain how the metre rule and set-squares show that the rod in Fig. 1.2 is horizontal.
Answer guidance
Explain Give reasons, not just what happens. Each distinct reason is usually worth a mark.
[1 mark]
(c)(i)Fig. 1.3 shows a suspended metre rule over a half-metre rule. Describe how to check that end A is exactly over the 0 cm mark.
Answer guidance
Describe Say what happens, in order. Reasons are not required unless the question also asks why.
[1 mark]
(c)(ii)In Fig. 1.3, end A is released from over the 10 cm mark. The numbers of swings until it no longer passes the 5 cm mark are 53, 55, 52, 51 and 53. Calculate their average N_av to two significant figures.
Answer guidance
Calculate Show your working. The method can earn marks even when the final value is wrong, and a bare answer often cannot.
[1 mark]
(d)(ii)A square card is attached to the end of the rule as Fig. 1.4 shows. Fig. 1.5 gives (card side l/cm, N_av): (19.0,3), (15.0,6), (11.0,12), (7.0,22), (3.0,35), (0, blank). First copy your 1(c)(ii) result into the zero-mark blank. On Fig. 1.6 plot l/cm on the y-axis against N_av on the x-axis, starting at (0,0), and draw a smooth best-fit curve.
[4 marks]
(d)(iii)The graph shows l decreases as N_av increases. Use two pairs from Fig. 1.5 or your Fig. 1.6 graph to show N_av is not inversely proportional to l.
Answer guidance
Using You must use the thing it names. An answer that reaches the right value another way may not score.
[2 marks]
(d)(iv)Why does the student start with the Fig. 1.4 square card of side 19 cm and cut it smaller, rather than start at 3 cm?
[1 mark]
5054/42/M/J/16Cambridge O Level Physics 5054 · May/June 2016 · Paper 4 variant 2 · Question 1