UACE PHYSICS PAPER 2002

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) State the laws of reflection of light. (02marks)

(ii) Show, with the aid of a ray diagram, that the radius of curvature of a concave mirror is
twice the focal length of the mirror. (05marks)

(b) An object is placed 20cm in from of a diverging lens place coaxially with a concave mirror of
focal length 15cm. When the concave mirror is 20cm from the lens, the final image coincides
with the object.

(i) Draw a ray diagram to show how the final image is formed. (02marks)

(ii) Determine the focal length of the diverging lens. (04marks)

(c) (i) Define angular magnification of an optical instrument. (01mark)

(ii) What is meant by exit pupil of a compound microscope? (02marks)

(iii) Describe with the aid of a diagram, the structure and action of a compound microscope in
normal adjustment. (04marks)

2. (a) (i) What is meant by a refractive index of a material? (01marks)

(ii) Mono chromatic light incident on a block of material placed in a vacuum is refracted through
an angle θ. If the block has a refractive index, n and is of thickness, t, show that light takes
𝑛𝑡𝑠𝑒𝑐 𝜃
a time to emerge from the block where c is the speed of light in the vacuum.
𝑐
(03marks)

(b)

In the figure above, a layer of liquid is confined between two transparent plates X and Y of
refractive indices1.54 and 1.44 respectively. A ray of monochromatic light making an angle of
400 with the normal to the interface between X and the liquid is refracted through an angle of
500 by the liquid. Find the

(i) Refractive index of the liquid (03marks)

(ii) Angle of refraction, r, in the medium, Y. (02marks)
(iii) Minimum angle of incidence in medium X for which the light will not emerge in Y
(04marks)

(c) (i) A ray of monochromatic light is incident at a small angle of incidence on a small angle prism
in air. Obtain the expression, d = (n-1)A for deviation of light by the prism (05marks)
 (ii) Light of two wavelengths is incident at a small angle on a thin prism of refractive angle 50 and
refractive indices 1.52 and 1.50 for the two wavelength. Find the angular separation of the
two wavelengths after refraction by the prism. (03marks)

3. (a) Why is light referred to as a transverse wave? (01mark)

(b) (i) State Huygens’ Principle. (02marks)
(ii) Use Huygens’ Principle to show that refractive index of medium 2 relative to medium 1
is given by
𝑣1
1n2 = where v1 and v2 are the velocities of light in medium 1 and 2 respectively.
𝑣2
(07marks)

(c) (i) What is meant by division of wave fronts as applied to interference of waves (02marks)

(ii) Two slits A and B are separated by a distance d and illuminated with light of
wavelength, λ. Derive an expression for separation between successive fringes on a
screen placed a distance D from slits, (05marks)

(iii) In Young’s double slit experiment, the 8th bright fringe is formed 5mm away from the
center fringe system when the wavelength of light is 6.2 x 10-7m. Calculate the
separation of the two slits if the distance from slits to the screen is 80cm. (03marks)

4. (a) Explain the term interference of light (04marks)

(b)

In the experiment to observe diffraction, the set up in figure 2 is used.

(i) Describe what you would see at E if the aperture is gradually reduced (04mark)

(ii) Explain your observation in (b)(i) above. (04marks)

(c) A diffraction grating has 550lines per mm. when illuminated normally by monochromatic
light, the angle between the central maximum and the first maximum is 19.10. Find the

(i) wavelength of light (04marks)

(ii) number of diffraction maxima obtained (02marks)

(c) State two uses of diffraction of light. (02marks)

SECTION B

5. (a) Distinguish between self-induction and mutual induction. (03marks)

(b) (i) explain the factors which affect the efficiency of a transformer. (04marks)

(ii) Power of 6000W is produced at 100V is to be transmitted over a distance of 2km

through cables of resistance 0.2Ω. Determine the voltage at the output of transformer
needed to transmit the power so that only 5% of it is lost.
(assume the transformer is 100% efficient) (05 marks)

(c)

In the diagram above, C is a coil of large number of turns connected in series with a center
zero meter, A and a resistor R across cell E. The switch K is closed for some time and then
opened.
(i) Sketch a graph to show the variation of current with time observed on the ammeter
from the moment K was first closed. (01mark)
(ii) Explain the variation of current observed in in (c)(i) (05marks)
(iii) Describe the effect of placing a bunch of soft iron wire inside the coil, on the observations
in (c)(i) and (c)(ii) (02marks)

6. (a) (i) Write down the expression for the force on a charge q coulombs moving with velocity V
at an angle, θ, to a uniform magnetic field of flux density, B.
(ii) Use the expression in (a)(i) above to deduce the force on a conductor carrying a
current in magnetic field. (03marks)
(iii) Two thin, long parallel wires A and B carry current of 5A and 2A respectively in
opposite directions, if the wires are separated by a distance of 2.5cm in vacuum,
calculate the force exerted by wire B on 1m of wire A (03 marks)

(b) With the aid of a diagram, explain the terms angle of dip and magnetic meridian, as
applied to earth’s magnetic field. (04marks)

(c)(i) Describe, using an appropriate circuit diagram, an expression to investigate the

dependence of magnetic flux density at the center of circular coil on the current
through the coil. (07mark)

(ii) State two other factors on which the magnetic flus density in (c)(i) depends. (02marks)
7. (a)(i) Define magnetic flux. (01mark)
(ii) Describe an experiment to investigate the relationship between the force on a current
conductor situated in a uniform magnetic field and the current, using the ampere/current
balance. (06marks)

(b)

A circular loop of wire of radius, r, is placed in a uniform magnetic field of flux density, B,
with the axis to the field as shown above. Explain what happens to the loop when current
starts to flow in it a clockwise direction if the loop is pivoted about the axis POQ. (04marks)

(c) A vertical coil of side 5cm has 100 turns and carries a current of 1A. Calculate the torque

(c) Explain why a moving coil galvanometer should have a radial magnetic field, fine springs and
many turns. (06marks)

SECTION C

8. (a) State ohm’s law (01mark)

(b) Describe with the aid a circuit diagram, an experiment to determine the relationship
between the resistance and the length of the wire. (06marks)

(c) A dry cell gives a balance length of 84.8cm on a potentiometer wire. When a resistor of
resistance 15Ω is connected across the terminals of the cell, a balance length of 75.0cm is
obtained. Find the internal resistance of the cell. (04marks)

(d) A battery of e.m.f 18.0V and internal resistance 3.0Ω is connected a resistor of resistance
8Ω. Calculate the:
(i) Power generated (02marks)

(ii) efficiency. (02marks)

(e) If the 8Ω resistor in (d) is replaced by a variable resistor, sketch graphs to show the
variation of power and efficiency with the load. (03marks)

(f) Explain why a metal wire gets hot when current is passed through it. (02marks)
9. (a) Define electric potential. (01mark)

(b) Obtain an expression for the electric potential at a point a distance, r, from a point charge,
Q, situated in a vacuum. (04marks)

(c)

Two point charges A and B of charges +0.10μC and +0.05μC are separated by a distance
of 8.0cm along the horizontal as shown in the figure above. Find the electric potential at
P. (09marks)

(d) Sketch the electric field pattern due to the charge distribution in (c). (02marks)
(e) Explain how a lightning conductor works. (04marks)

10. (a) Sketch the electric field lines between two large parallel metal plates across which a p.d is
applied. (01mark)

(b) (i) Describe, with aid of a diagram, how you would investigate the factors which affect the
capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor. (07marks)

(ii) Calculate the capacitance of parallel capacitor whose plates are 10cm by 10cm separated
by an air gap of 5mmm. (02marks)
(c) A hollow spherical conductor of diameter 21.4cm carrying a charge of 6.9 x 10-10C is
raised to a potential of 50V. Find the permittivity of surrounding medium.
(d) (i) show that the effective capacitance, C, of two capacitances, C1 and C2, connected in
𝐶1 𝐶2
series is given by 𝐶 = (04marks)
𝐶1 + 𝐶2
(ii) A 20μF capacitor is charged to 40V and then connected across uncharged 60μF
capacitor. Calculate the potential difference across the 60μF capacitor. (03marks)

END