THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA
NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL
CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION
031/1 PHYSICS 1
(For Both School and Private Candidates)
TIME: 3 Hours Thursday 16th October 2008 a.m.
Instructions
1. This paper consists of sections A, B and C.
2. Answer all questions in sections A and B and two (2) questions from section C.
3. Electronic calculators are not allowed in the examination room.
4. Cellular phones are not allowed in the examination room.
5. Write your Examination Number on every page of your answer booklet(s).
6. Where necessary the following ants may be used.
(i) Density of gold = 19.3 g/cm3
(ii) Density of silver = 10.5 g/cm3
(iii) 1 year = 366 days
This paper consists of 8 printed pages.
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SECTION A (20 marks)
Answer all questions in this section.
1. For each of the items (i) – (x) choose the correct answer among the given alternatives
and write its letter beside the item number.
(i) When using a measuring cylinder one precaution to be taken is to
A check for zero error
B look at the meniscus from below the level of the water
C obtain more readings by looking from more than one direction
D position the eye in line with the base of the meniscus
E make sure that the measuring cylinder is clean
(ii) A machine is able to lift 200 kg of bricks vertically up to a height of 30 m above
the ground in 50 seconds. This implies that, the power of the machine in
kilowatts is
A 0.12
B 1.2
C 6
D 1,200
E 3.
(iii) When a liquid changes into a gas at a constant pressure, the temperature is
known as its
A absolute zero
B boiling point
C evaporation point
D dew point
E melting point
(iv) A typist uses a new carbon paper under her top typing paper for making a copy
of a letter. When she holds the carbon paper close to a plane mirror she can read
the letter. This happens because the mirror
A forms an image of the same size
B produces an inverted image
C produces a laterally inverted image
D forms a virtual image
E forms an image behind the mirror.
(v) Planets are held and made to revolve around the Sun by the force of attraction
A between the Sun and the planets
B among the planets
C among all bodies
D between the Sun and the Earth
E between the Earth and the planets.
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(vi) In the circuit below, all resistors have equal resistance R. What is the effective
resistance between P and Q?
Figure 1
R
A
2
2
B
R
3R
C
2
2R
D
3
E 3R
(vii) During electromagnetic induction, the magnitude of the induced current
depends on
A the strength of the magnet, number of turns of the coil and the magnetic
flux
B the speed with which the magnet is moved in the field, the strength of the
magnetic field and the magnetic flux
C the number of turns of the coil, the speed with which we turn the coil and
the magnetic flux
D number of turns of the coil, the direction of the magnetic field, and the
speed with which we turn the coil
E the cross-section area of the coil, the speed of t he coil and the direction of
the magnetic field.
119
(viii) A radioactive nucleus 123
60𝑍 decays to give 58𝑌 . Mention the type of radiation
being emitted.
A Beta particle only
B Alpha and Beta particles only
C Gamma rays only
D Alpha particle only
E Beta and gamma rays only
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(ix) Electrons can be emitted from the surface of metal by thermionic emission only
if the kinetic energy of the electrons exceeds
A a certain value called the work function of the metal
B the highest energy that must be supplied to remove an electron from the
surface of the metal
C the least energy that electrons can acquire when they are at rest
D the maximum energy any free electron has when it is just at a point of
escaping from the surface of the metal
E the possible energy an electron can attain after leaving the metal surface.
(x) A P-N junction diode acts as a rectifier when it
A converts a.c. to d.c.
B converts d.c. to a.c.
C improves the amplitude of the input a.c. signals
D improves the amplitude of the input d.c. signals
E amplifies a.c. signals.
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2. Match items in List A with responses in List B by writing the letter of the correct
response beside the item number.
LIST A LIST B
(i) γ-rays A. produced by thermionic emission, has short
(ii) α-particle wave length and high penetrating power
(iii) Cathode ray tube B. has long wavelength and low penetrating
(iv) Infra-red radiation power
(v) Hard x-ray C. very poor penetration power, easily absorbed
(vi) Capacitor by matter
(vii) Transistor D. very high penetrating power and highly
(viii) P-type semi-conductor ionizing agent
(ix) Extrinsic semi-conductor E. very high penetrating power and very poor
(x) Cathode ray ionizing agent
F. it is negatively charged (electron)
G. works by the principle of natural radioactivity
H. works by the principle of thermionic emission
I. positively charged particle (proton)
J. originates from fairly high energy changes in
the electron structure of atoms
K. originates from low energy changes in the
electron structure of atoms
L. device made from semi-conductor materials
which amplifies current or voltage
M. device made from semi-conductor materials
which rectifies current or voltage
N. one which has a majority of holes and a
minority of electrons
O. one which has a majority of electrons and a
minority of holes
P. pure semi-conductor
Q. impure semi-conductor
R. a device for storing electric charges
S. it is used to generate batteries
T. produce heat on striking a metal target
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SECTION B (60 marks)
Answer all questions in this section
3. (a) (i) “The relative density of brass is 8.5”. Explain the meaning of this
statement. (1 mark)
(ii) Find the mass of 500 cm3 of brass if the density of water is 1 g/cm3
(3 marks)
(b) A cup made of an alloy of gold and silver has a volume of 60 cm3 and a mass of
1050 g. Find the mass of gold contained in the cup. (6 marks)
4. (a) (i) State the conditions under which two forces form a couple. (1 mark)
(ii) Give two examples of couples. (2 marks)
(b) A force of 60 N is acting at an angle of 30° to the horizontal. Find its horizontal
and vertical components. Draw a vector diagram of the force and its
components. (7 marks)
5. (a) (i) Explain why in a very cold morning a piece of metal bar feels much colder
to the hand than a piece of wood. (3 marks)
(ii) Clinical thermometers should not be sterilized in boiling water. Give
reasons. (3 marks)
(b) A piece of lead of mass 500 g falls from a height of 25 m. Assuming that all the
energy changes into internal energy in the lead when it strikes the ground,
calculate the rise in temperature of the lead if its specific heat capacity is 130
J/kgK. (g = 10 N/kg). (4 marks)
6. (a) Many high buildings are protected from lightning by lightning conductor.
(i) Give the meaning of lightning conductor. (1 mark)
(ii) Why does the lightning conductor have a sharp pointed top?
(1 mark)
(b) (i) Give four (4) examples of household appliances that are based on the
heating effect of current. (4 marks)
(ii) The resistance of a wire of length l is 4 ohms. Calculate the new resistance
of the wire when its length is doubled and its volume unaltered.
(4 marks)
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7. (a) (i) Define atomic number. (2 marks)
(ii) Explain the effect of emission of β-particle from an atom of radioactive
phosphorus of atomic number 15 and mass number 32. (3 marks)
(b) A radioactive element has a half life of 3 minutes. If the initial count rate is 512
per minute, find the time needed to reach a count rate of 8 per minute.
(5 marks)
8. (a) (i) Define solar system. (1 mark)
(ii) Describe the force(s) which keep the solar system from breaking apart
(intact). (1 mark)
(b) Distinguish between
(i) a planet and a star (2 marks)
(ii) a comet and a meteor. (2 marks)
(c) The Earth takes one year to orbit the Sun. The distance between the Earth and
the Sun is 150 x 106 km. Calculate the speed of the Earth in the orbit.
(4 marks)
SECTION C (20 marks)
Answer two (2) questions from this section.
9. (a) (i) Differentiate work from energy.
(ii) Explain, giving reasons, why a freely swinging pendulum bob eventually
comes to rest. (3 marks)
(b) (i) State the law of conservation of energy.
(ii) A crate of soda of mass 10 kg was accelerated from a velocity of 10 m/s
to 20 m/s when a force of 50 N was applied on it. Find the displacement
of the crate. (3 marks)
(c) A man wearing a bullet-proof vest stands still on a smooth slippery surface. His
total mass is 80 kg. A bullet of mass 20 grams is fired at a velocity of 400 m/s.
It is stopped by the vest and falls to the ground. Find the velocity of the man
after impact with the bullet. (4 marks)
10. (a) In a cathode ray tube, explain how
(i) the filament is made to produce electrons
(ii) electrons are made to accelerate
(iii) Electrons make the fluorescent screen to glow. (3 marks)
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(b) (i) Mention the main feature which differentiates x-ray tube from the cathode
ray tube.
(ii) State the main similarities existing between the features of an x-ray tube
and the cathode ray tube. (3 marks)
(c) (i) Except for the “window”, there is a lead shield around the x-ray tube.
Explain giving a reason.
(ii) State three (3) uses of cathode ray tube. (4 marks)
11. (a) (i) Define transistor.
(ii) Give reasons to explain why npn transistors are used in high frequency
circuits and pnp transistors are used in low frequency circuits.
(3 marks)
(b) (i) A certain transistor has a current gain of 50. Explain the meaning of this
statement in terms of the magnitude of input and output current.
(ii) In a common emitter mode, the base emitter junction is a low resistance
junction while the base-collector junction is high resistance junction.
Explain. (3 marks)
Figure 2
Figure 2 above shows a pnp transistor fully stabilized. Describe the functions of
(i) capacitors C2 and C3
(ii) resistor R4 (4 marks)
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