Science (Double Award) — Physics

Practice Paper 1 (Edexcel IGCSE Science)

Exam code:4SD0

7 questions · 60 marks · ≈ 60 min · spans 7 of 18 topics

Assembled from the topic question banks — not an official Edexcel paper

Guided practice

111 markshard

1 mark

(a)

The Hubble Space Telescope is in orbit around the Earth. It detects visible light from distant objects.

Name the force that keeps the telescope in orbit around the Earth.

Your answer

4 marks

(b)

The Hubble Space Telescope moves in a circular orbit. Its distance above the Earth’s surface is 560 km.

The radius of the Earth is 6400 km and the Hubble Space Telescope completes one orbit in 96 minutes.

(i) Calculate the radius of the orbit of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Orbital radius = ........................ km [1]

(ii) Calculate the Hubble Space Telescope's orbital speed in m/s.

Orbital speed = ........................ m/s [3]

Your answer

3 marks

(b)

The Chandra Telescope also orbits the Earth, but does not move in a circular orbit.

Its distance from the Earth and its speed change as it orbits the Earth.

It travels fastest when it is closest to the Earth.

Use ideas about energy to explain why.

Your answer

3 marks

(b)

The Chandra Telescope detects X-rays from distant objects.

(i) State the name of the type of wave that includes X-rays and visible light.

(1 mark)

(ii) Describe two differences between X-rays and visible light.

(2 marks)

Your answer

How did you do?/ 11

28 marksmedium

2 marks

Most of the stars in the universe are main sequence stars, including the sun.

Describe the similarities between main sequence stars.

Your answer

2 marks

The table gives some statements about the relationship between a star's colour and its surface temperature.

Add ticks (✓) to the table to show which two statements are correct.

Statement	Correct (✓)
red stars have a relatively high temperature
blue stars have a relatively high temperature
yellow stars have a relatively low temperature
blue-white stars have a relatively low temperature

Your answer

4 marks

The table shows the colour and surface temperature of several known stars.

Colour	Surface Temperature (K)	Example
red	< 3500	Betelgeuse
orange	3500 - 5000	Aldebaran
yellow	5000 - 6000	Sun
yellow-white	6000 - 7500	Canopus
white	7500 - 10 000	Vega
blue-white	10 000 - 25 000	Rigel
blue	> 25 000	10 Lacertae

(i) Identify a star with a temperature of 7000 K.

(1 mark)

(ii) Identify a star with a temperature of 2000 K.

(1 mark)

(iii) State and explain which of the stars you identified is likely to be the largest.

(2 marks)

Your answer

How did you do?/ 8

39 marksmedium

4 marks

(b)

A student uses voltmeter and ammeter readings to find the resistance at different temperatures. One set of readings is show below.

temperature in °C	voltmeter reading in V	ammeter reading in mA
80	13.2	2.60

(i) State the equation linking voltage, current and resistance.

(1 mark)

(ii) Show that the resistance of the thermistor at 80 °C is about 5000 Ω.

(3 marks)

Your answer

5 marks

(c)

A student uses voltmeter and ammeter readings to find the resistance at different temperatures for two different components, A and B.

The graphs show the results.

2-2-q2c

Compare the results for component A and component B.

Your answer

How did you do?/ 9

48 markseasy

1 mark

The current in the wires of a circuit is a flow of particles.

What is the name of these particles?

Your answer

4 marks

A student sets up an electrical circuit. The diagram shows part of this circuit.

2-1-q5b-e-incomplete-circuit-diagram-sq-igcse

Complete the circuit diagram by drawing circuit symbols for three devices so that the student can

(i) Measure the total current in the circuit

(1 mark)

(ii) Vary the current in the lamp B only

(1 mark)

(iii) Measure the voltage across lamp B.

(2 marks)

Your answer

3 marks

The current in lamp A is 0.20 A. The voltage across lamp A is 6.0 V.

(i) State the equation linking voltage, current and resistance.

(1 mark)

(ii) Calculate the resistance of lamp A.

resistance = ......................................................Ω [2]

Your answer

How did you do?/ 8

57 marksmedium

2 marks

(a)

The diagram shows a lighting circuit in a house.

13-1-2a

(i) State the name of component X.

(1 mark)

(ii) The lamps are connected in parallel. State an advantage of using a parallel circuit for lighting.

(1 mark)

Your answer

2 marks

(b)

The lighting circuit is connected to a mains supply that provides an alternating current.

Explain what is meant by an alternating current.

Your answer

3 marks

(c)

Lamp Y is removed and replaced with a low-energy lamp. When the low-energy lamp is connected to a 230 V supply, the current in it is 0.12 A.

Calculate the amount of energy transferred by the low-energy lamp in 7 hours.

Energy transferred = .................................. J

Your answer

How did you do?/ 7

615 markshard

5 marks

(a)

A student uses an electric heater to investigate efficiency.

He places the heater in an aluminium block, switches the heater on and measures the temperature of the block each minute for 20 minutes.

2-3-q10

The student wants to calculate the electrical energy supplied to the heater.

(i) Complete the table by recording the readings shown on the meters below.

2-3-q10a

(2 marks)

(ii) Show that the energy supplied to the heater in 20 minutes is about 30 000 J.

(3 marks)

Your answer

5 marks

(b)

The student is told that only 22 000 J are used to raise the temperature of the aluminium block by 25 °C.

(i) State the equation linking efficiency, useful energy output and total energy input.

(1 mark)

(ii) Calculate the efficiency of heating the aluminium block.

Efficiency = ............................................... [2]

(iii) The efficiency of the heater will be higher than this value.

Suggest why.

(1 mark)

(iv) State one way in which the student could increase the efficiency of heating the aluminium block.

(1 mark)

Your answer

5 marks

(c)

The graph shows how the temperature of the block increases from 20 °C to 45 °C during the investigation.

2-3-q10c

Use ideas about heat transfer to help you explain the shape of the graph in:

(i) section A,

(1 mark)

(ii) section B,

(2 marks)

(iii) section C,

(2 marks)

Your answer

How did you do?/ 15

72 markseasy

(a)

A soldering iron is a tool used when joining electronic components in a circuit. It has an electric heater.

Soldering iron A operates when connected to the mains supply.

13-5-3a

Soldering iron A

Soldering iron A is labelled 230 V, 30 W.

What does 30 W tell you about the energy transfer in the soldering iron?

Your answer

How did you do?/ 2

Statement

Correct (✓)

red stars have a relatively high temperature

blue stars have a relatively high temperature

yellow stars have a relatively low temperature

blue-white stars have a relatively low temperature

Colour

Surface Temperature (K)

Example

red

< 3500

Betelgeuse

orange

3500 - 5000

Aldebaran

yellow

5000 - 6000

Sun

yellow-white

6000 - 7500

Canopus

white

7500 - 10 000

Vega

blue-white

10 000 - 25 000

Rigel

blue

> 25 000

10 Lacertae

temperature

in °C

voltmeter

reading in V

ammeter

reading in mA

13.2

2.60

615 markshard

5 marks

(a)

A student uses an electric heater to investigate efficiency.

He places the heater in an aluminium block, switches the heater on and measures the temperature of the block each minute for 20 minutes.

2-3-q10

The student wants to calculate the electrical energy supplied to the heater.

(i) Complete the table by recording the readings shown on the meters below.

2-3-q10a

(2 marks)

(ii) Show that the energy supplied to the heater in 20 minutes is about 30 000 J.

(3 marks)

Your answer

5 marks

(b)

The student is told that only 22 000 J are used to raise the temperature of the aluminium block by 25 °C.

(i) State the equation linking efficiency, useful energy output and total energy input.

(1 mark)

(ii) Calculate the efficiency of heating the aluminium block.

Efficiency = ............................................... [2]

(iii) The efficiency of the heater will be higher than this value.

Suggest why.

(1 mark)

(iv) State one way in which the student could increase the efficiency of heating the aluminium block.

(1 mark)

Your answer

5 marks

(c)

The graph shows how the temperature of the block increases from 20 °C to 45 °C during the investigation.

2-3-q10c

Use ideas about heat transfer to help you explain the shape of the graph in:

(i) section A,

(1 mark)

(ii) section B,

(2 marks)

(iii) section C,

(2 marks)

Your answer

How did you do?/ 15