MASENO SC.

SCHOOL

Name: ……………………………………………………………………Adm.no..................
PHYSICS
THEORY
Time: 2 hours
April 2024
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
PHYSICS
Instructions to Candidates

 Write your name, admission number, class and signature in the spaces provided at
the top of the page. This paper consists of two sections; A and B.
 Answer ALL the questions in the spaces provided.
 Mathematical tables and electronic calculator may be used.
 All working MUST be clearly shown.
 Candidates should answer the questions in English and check to ensure that no
question(s) is missing.
FOR EXAMINER’S USE ONLY

SECTION QUESTIONS MAXIMUM SCORE CANDIDATE’S SCORE

A 1 – 13 25
14 11
15 12
B 16 11
17 10
18 11
TOTAL SCORE
80

1|Page
 SECTION A (25 MARKS)

Answer all the questions in this section in the spaces provided.

1. Figure 1 shows a section of a Vernier calipers used to measure the external

diameter of a tube. The Vernier calipers has a zero error of 0.3cm. Determine
the actual diameter of the tube. (2marks)

Figure 1

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2. A student used a container of mass x grams in an experiment to determine the

density of a liquid. The following data was obtained:
Mass of empty container = xg
Mass of container when full of water = 80g
Mass of container when full of the liquid = 70g
3
The student obtained the density of the liquid to be0.8g cm . If the density of water is
3
1g cm , determine the value of x. (3 marks)
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3. Figures 2 shows two layers, A and B, of ice of equal thickness formed in a frozen
pond

Figure 2

It is observed that layer B took longer to form even when the air above the pond
remained at the same low temperature. Explain this observation. (2marks)
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4. Figure 3 shows two containers filled with equal volume of hot water.

Figure 3

State, with a reason, in which container will water cool faster. (2 marks)
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5. Figure 4 shows a uniform horizontal beam of mass 5 kg pivoted at one end. The
beam is supported by a spring and loaded with a mass of 2 kg.

Figure 4

Calculate the tension in the spring when the beam is horizontal. (2 marks)
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6. The set up in figure 5 was used to compare the rates of diffusion of ammonia and
hydrochloric acid. In the experiment, cotton wool soaked in ammonia solution
placed in one end of a long tube and cotton wool soaked in hydrochloric acid in
the other end. A white ring forms in the tube as shown in the diagram.

Figure 5

State with a reason which gas diffused faster. (2 marks)

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7. When a person carries a load in one arm, the other arm swings away from the body
and the torso bends away from the load as shown in figure 6.

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 Figure 6

Explain why this is necessary. (2 marks)

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8. Oil accidentally spills in the sea and spread to form a monolayer film of area
12 2 -19
2×10 cm . The oil molecule has a thickness of 5×10 m.Determine the volume
of the oil that spilt. (2 marks)
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9. A negatively charged rod is brought slowly towards the cap of a highly positively
charged leaf electroscope. State and explain the observation made. (2 marks)
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10. A person standing out in the garden at night is observed to have two shadows of
different sharpness. Explain this observation. (1 mark)
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11. The magnetic field lines between the poles of two bar magnets, X and Y, are shown
in Figure 7 below.

Figure 7

State with a reason which magnet is stronger. (2 marks).

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12. Figure 8 shows some water trapped on a canvas tent.

Figure 8

(i) Give a reason why water is trapped on the canvas. (1 mark)

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(ii) State and explain what is observed when soap is smeared at a point X on the lower
side of the canvas. (2 marks)
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13. Explain why brakes fail in a hydraulic brake system when air gets in to the system.
(1 mark)
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SECTION B (55 MARKS)
Answer all the questions in this section in the spaces provided

14. a) Other than being not visible give another reason why water is not a good
barometric liquid. (1 mark)
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b) State the principle of transmission of pressure in fluids. (1 mark)

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c) Figure 9 shows a hydraulic lift in a car repair workshop.

The hydraulic fluid transmits the pressure caused by piston A, equally to each
of the four pistons holding up the car supports. The pressure throughout the
fluid is the same. A force of 1000 N on piston A is just enough to raise the car.

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 Determine;

I. The pressure caused by piston A on the hydraulic fluid. (2 marks)

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II. The total upward force caused by the fluid. (3 marks)

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III. The weight of each of the two car supports is 1000 N. Calculate the
mass of the car. (2 marks)
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c) State two properties to be considered when choosing the hydraulic fluid used in this
system.

(2 marks)

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15. a) A solar panel is mounted on the roof of a house. Figure 10 shows a section
through part of the solar panel.

Figure 10

A pump makes water circulate through the copper pipes. The water is heated by
passing through the solar panel. (a) give a reason for the following;

(i) the pipes are made of copper. (1 mark)

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(ii) the pipes and the metal backing sheet are painted black. (1 mark)
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(iii) an insulating material is attached to the metal backing sheet. (1mark)

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 b) The water in the set up in figure 11 is heated until it starts boiling.

Figure 11

It is observed that the reading of thermometer A is higher than that of

thermometer B. Explain this observation. (2 marks)

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c) Differentiate between heat and temperature. (2 marks)

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d) Figure 12 shows an inverted flask fitted with a capillary tube dipped into a water
which is at room temperature.

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 Figure 12

Explain what is observed when the flask is held with warm hands. (3 marks)
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e) Figure 13(a) shows a setup with identical glass bulbs P and Q, filled with air and
connected by a U-tube containing

Figure 13

In figure 13(b) shows the same setup after an electric heater placed in the space
between P and Q, is switched on for a few minutes. Explain the possible cause of the
differences in oil levels in figure 13(b). (2 marks)
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16. a.) Figure 14 below show a mirror with the lower end pivoted to a wall and the
other end suspended using a flexible rubber band 20cm long such that it makes
°
an angle of 35 with the wall.

Figure 14

In a hot afternoon, the rubber band stretches by 22.12mm, a ray of light strikes
the mirror horizontally. Calculate the angle between the horizontal and the new
reflected ray.

(3 marks)
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b.) State two differences between images formed by pinhole camera and a Plane mirror.
(2marks)
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c.) Figure 15 shows an object O placed between plane mirrors inclined at right
angles.

Figure 15

Determine the number of images formed. (2 marks)

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d) Describe the image formed by a plane mirror. (2 marks)

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e.) A student placed three cards each with a small hole at the Centre in a straight
line as shown below.

Figure 16

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(i) State the aim of the experiment. (1 mark)

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(ii) If one of the cards was displaced slightly to the left, state what would be observed.

(1 mark)

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17. a.) Figure 17 shows two insulated and uncharged metal spheres X and Y in
contact. A positively charged rod is held near X and then the spheres are moved
apart.

Figure 17

i. In the space provided on the right side of figure 2, draw diagrams to show the
charge on X and Y. (2 marks)

ii. Identify the method of charging used in figure 17 above. (1 mark)

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 b.) A car battery requires topping up with distilled water occasionally.

(i) State why topping up is necessary. (1 mark)

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(ii) State why distilled water is used. (1 mark)

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(iii) Give one advantage of alkaline battery over lead acid accumulator.

(iv) (1 mark).
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c.) Calculate the amount of charge passing through a point in a circuit if a current of
5A flows for 1.5 minutes. (3 Marks)
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d.) Give a reason why it is not advisable to smoke a cigarette near a charging battery.

(1 mark)

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18. a.) State two properties of magnets. (2marks)

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 b.) Given a bar magnet, a steel bar and a string describe a simple experiment to
distinguish between the magnet and the steel bar. (3 marks)

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c.) Figure 18 shows a magnetic material being magnetized

Figure 18

Identify the polarities of X and Y. (2marks)

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d.) The figure below shows two pins hanging from a magnet. Explain why they do not
hang vertically downwards.
(2 marks)

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 Figure 19

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e.) Figure 20 shows a graph of magnetization against magnetizing current for two
materials A and B

I. State with a reason, the material which is more suitable for use in a transformer
to concentrate the magnetic fields. (2marks)

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