IGCSE PHYSICS

1. GENERAL PHYSICS
1.1 LENGTH AND TIME

Prepared by: Dr Katrine

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 Notes

Length

Method Explanation
Rule (Ruler) Used to make simple measurements accurate to 0.1 cm (1 mm)
Micrometer screw gauge Used to make simple measurements accurate to 0.001 cm (0.01 mm)

1. Micrometer screw gauge:

(a) Used to measure very small distances.

(b) Example: Determination of the diameter 'd' of a wire.
i. Place the wire between the anvil and spindle end as indicated in the diagram.
ii. Rotate the thimble until the wire is firmly held between the anvil and the spindle.
iii. The ratchet is provided to avoid excessive pressure on the wire. It prevents the
spindle from further movement - squashing the wire.
iv. To take a reading:
• First look at the main scale. This has a linear scale reading on it.
• The long lines are every millimetre the shorter ones denote half a millimetre
in between.
• On the diagram this reading is 2.5 mm
• Now look at the rotating scale. That denotes 46 divisions - each division is
0.01mm so we have 0.46mm from this scale.
• The diameter of the wire is the sum of these readings:
2.5 + 0.46 = 2.96 mm

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2. Volume:

Measuring regular shaped objects Measure the dimensions and use formulae
to find the volumes; if it is a cube, then
measure the length of one side and use the
formula of volume of cube.
Measuring irregularly shaped objects Use displacement method:
a) Measuring cylinder is partially filled
with water and the volume is recorded
(V1).
b) The object is submerged in the water.
c) The reading of the water level in the
cylinder (V2).
d) Use the formula V = V2 – V1 to find the
volume of the object
Measuring liquids Use a measuring cylinder

3. Time:

(a) An interval of time is measured using stopwatch.

(b) The SI unit for time is second (s).
(c) Measuring period of pendulum:
To find the amount of time it takes a pendulum to make one complete oscillation, note
the time taken to complete ≥ 10 oscillations and then divide the time taken by the same
number as the number of complete oscillations.

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 Worksheet

Paper 2

1. The diagram shows an enlarged drawing of the end of a metre rule. It is being used to
measure the length of a small feather.

10 20 30
cm

What is the length of the feather?

A 19 mm B 29 mm C 19 cm D 29 cm

2. A student wishes to find the volume of a small, irregularly-shaped stone.

stone

A ruler and a measuring cylinder containing some water are available. Which apparatus
is needed?
A neither the ruler nor the measuring cylinder
B the measuring cylinder only
C the ruler and the measuring cylinder
D the ruler only

3. A measuring cylinder is used to measure the volume of a quantity of water.

Which measuring technique would not improve the accuracy of the measurement?

A making sure that the measuring cylinder is vertical

B making sure that the water surface is at eye level
C reading the top of the water meniscus
D using the smallest measuring cylinder available that will contain all the water

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4. The diagram shows four identical spheres placed between two wooden blocks on a ruler.

sphere
wooden block

0 5 10 15 cm

What is the diameter of one sphere?

A 1.0 cm B 2.0 cm C 3.0 cm D 4.0 cm

5. A cook wants to prepare some food to be cooked by 1.15 p.m. He uses an oven with
an automatic timer that can be set to switch on and off at certain times. The oven needs
to be switched on for 2 hours 10 minutes.

At which time does the oven need to switch on?

A 11.05 a.m. B 11.25 a.m. C 3.05 p.m. D 3.25 p.m.

6. The diagram shows a measuring instrument.

Which quantity is this instrument used to measure?

A area
B density
C mass
D volume

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7. Which option contains only apparatus that could be used to determine the volume of a
small block of unknown material?

A measuring cylinder, metre rule

B measuring cylinder, stopwatch
C metre rule, balance
D metre rule, stopwatch

8. The diagram shows a measuring cylinder used to measure the volume of a small stone.

50 50

40 40

30 30
stone

20 20
What is the volume of the stone?

A 8 cm3 B 9 cm3 C 14 cm3 D 26 cm3

9. A student uses a measuring cylinder to measure the volume of a quantity of water.

Which action would make her result less accurate?
A making sure her eye is level with the water surface
B making sure the cylinder is vertical
C reading the bottom of the meniscus
D using the largest measuring cylinder possible

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10. A student uses a measuring cylinder to measure the volume of some water. The
diagram shows part of the measuring cylinder. The top and bottom of the meniscus
are labelled.

What is the volume of the water?

A 47.0 cm3 B 47.5 cm3 C 49.0 cm3 D 49.5 cm3

11. A student wishes to measure accurately the volume of approximately 40 cm 3 of water.

She has two measuring cylinders, a larger one that can hold 100 cm 3, and a smaller
one that can hold 50 cm 3. The water forms a meniscus where it touches the glass.

Which cylinder should the student use and which water level should she use to ensure
an accurate result?

cylinder water level

A larger one bottom of meniscus

B larger one top of meniscus

C smaller one bottom of meniscus
D smaller one top of meniscus

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12. The diagram shows part of a ruler. The ruler is used to find the length of a nail.

0 1
cm

What is the length of the nail?

A 2.2 cm B 2.7 cm C 3.2 cm D 3.7 cm

13. Which instrument is used to compare the masses of objects?

A a balance
B a barometer
C a manometer
D a measuring cylinder

14. Diagram 1 shows a measuring cylinder containing water.

Five identical steel balls are now lowered into the measuring cylinder. Diagram 2 shows
the new water level in the cylinder.

What is the volume of each steel ball?

A 6 cm3 B 14 cm3 C 30 cm3 D 70 cm3

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15. A stopwatch is used to time a runner in a race. The diagrams show the stopwatch at
the start and at the end of a lap of the race.

How long did the runner take to finish the lap of the race?

A 50.00 seconds
B 50.10 seconds
C 90.00 seconds
D 100.10 seconds

16. The diagrams show the readings on a measuring cylinder before and after a small
metal cube is added.

How many more identical cubes can be added to the cylinder, without causing the water
to overflow? Do not include the cube already in the cylinder.

A 1 B 2 C 3 D 4

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17. A student measures the length of a rod XY by holding it next to a metre rule.

X Y

99 98 97 96 95 94
cm

The student writes down the length as 94.8 cm. Which statement is correct?
A The value is correct.
B The value is incorrect because it should be 95.2 cm.
C The value is incorrect because it should be in millimetres.
D The value is incorrect because the student should subtract the reading for end
Y from the reading for end X.

18. A cylindrical can is rolled along the ruler shown in the diagram.

The can rolls over twice.

What is the circumference (distance all round) of the can?

A 13 cm B 14 cm C 26 cm D 28 cm

19. The diameter of a copper wire is thought to be approximately 0.3 mm.

Which instrument should be used to obtain a more accurate measurement of the diameter
of the wire?

A measuring tape
B Metre rule
C Micrometer
D Ruler

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20. Which measurement can be made using a micrometer screw gauge?
A the air pressure of a tyre
B the diameter of a wire
C the turning effect of a spanner
D the wavelength of microwaves

Paper 6

1. The period of the vertical oscillations of a mass hanging from a spring is known to be
constant.
A student times single oscillation with a stopwatch. In 10 separate measurements, the
stopwatch readings were:

1.8 s, 1.9 s, 1.7 s, 1.9 s, 1.8 s, 1.8 s, 1.9 s, 1.7 s, 1.8 s, 1.8 s.

(a) What is the best value obtainable from these readings for the time of one
oscillation? Explain how you arrive at your answer.

best value = ................................................................................................................

explanation .................................................................................................................

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(b) Describe how, using the same stopwatch, the student can find the period of oscillation
more accurately.

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.............................................................................................................................. [4]

[Total: 5]

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