PMT

Cambridge IGCSE™
* 6 4 1 6 1 5 8 9 3 1 *

PHYSICS 0625/62
Paper 6 Alternative to Practical February/March 2023

1 hour

You must answer on the question paper.

No additional materials are needed.

INSTRUCTIONS
● Answer all questions.
● Use a black or dark blue pen. You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams or graphs.
● Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page.
● Write your answer to each question in the space provided.
● Do not use an erasable pen or correction fluid.
● Do not write on any bar codes.
● You may use a calculator.
● You should show all your working and use appropriate units.

INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 40.
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].

This document has 16 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

DC (DE/CGW) 322310/2
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1 A student determines the diameter of a marble by two methods and calculates the density of the
material from which the marble is made.

Some marbles are shown full size in Fig. 1.1.

bench

Fig. 1.1

Method 1

(a) (i) On Fig. 1.1, measure the length D.

D = ......................................................... cm

Using your value of D, calculate the average diameter d1 of one marble.

d1 = ......................................................... cm
[2]

(ii) Suggest why it is more accurate, when using a ruler, to measure D for five marbles
rather than measure the diameter of a single marble.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[1]

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Method 2

(b) Fig. 1.2 shows two wooden blocks and one of the marbles.

wooden blocks marble

bench

Fig. 1.2

Describe how the student uses the two blocks and the marble to determine a new accurate
value for the diameter of a marble.
Draw a diagram to show the arrangement.
Describe clearly how the student ensures that the value for the diameter of a marble is as
accurate as possible.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

(c) (i) The student uses the top pan balance as shown in Fig. 1.3 to measure the mass of the
five marbles.
He measures the mass M0 of a beaker without the marbles and then measures the mass
M5 of the same beaker containing the marbles.

beaker
marbles

top pan balance

bench
30.8 g 64.3 g

Fig. 1.3

Record the values of M0 and M5 as shown on the top pan balance in Fig. 1.3.

M0 = ............................................................ g

M5 = ............................................................ g

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Use these values to calculate the average mass m of one marble.

m = ...................................................... g [1]

(ii) The student pours water into a measuring cylinder.

He records the reading V1 of the water level in the measuring cylinder.

26
V1 = ........................................................ cm3

The student places the five marbles into the water in the measuring cylinder as shown in
Fig. 1.4.

measuring cylinder

water
40

marbles

30

bench

Fig. 1.4

Record the new reading V2 of the water level in the measuring cylinder shown in Fig. 1.4.

V2 = .................................................. cm3 [1]

(iii) Calculate a value for the average volume V of one marble. Use the values from (c)(ii)
and the equation
V2 – V1
V= .
5

V = .................................................. cm3 [1]

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(iv) Calculate a value for the density ρ of the material from which the marble is made. Use
your values of m from (c)(i), V from (c)(iii) and the equation
m
ρ= .
V

ρ = .............................................. g / cm3 [1]

(d) Describe one possible source of inaccuracy in the method described in (c) and suggest one
improvement to reduce its effect.

source of inaccuracy .................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

improvement .............................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................
[2]

[Total: 11]

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2 A student investigates the cooling of hot water from different initial temperatures.

She uses the apparatus shown in Fig. 2.1.

clamp

thermometer boss

beaker
stand

bench

30

20

10

Fig. 2.1

(a) (i) The student measures the room temperature.

Record room temperature θR shown on the thermometer in Fig. 2.1.

θR = .................................................... °C [1]

(ii) Describe one precaution that the student takes to ensure that this temperature reading
is as accurate as possible.

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(b) Experiment A

The student pours a volume of 100 cm3 of hot water into the beaker and records the
temperature θA at time t = 0 s.
She records the temperature of the water in the beaker every 30 s.

Her readings for Experiment A are shown in Table 2.1.

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Experiment B

The student repeats the process. She waits until the initial temperature θB of the water is the
same value as the temperature θA at 90 s in Experiment A.
In the first line of Table 2.1, record her initial temperature θB for Experiment B. [1]

Her readings for the remainder of Experiment B are shown in Table 2.1.

Table 2.1

t/s θA / °C θB / °C
0 92.0
30 89.5 83.5
60 87.0 81.5
90 85.0 79.5
120 83.5 78.0
150 82.0 76.5
180 80.0 75.0

(c) Write a conclusion stating how the temperature at t = 0 s affects the rate of cooling of the
water.
Justify your answer by reference to values from the results.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

(d) (i) Calculate the average cooling rate x1 during the second half of Experiment A.
Use the readings from Table 2.1 and the equation
θA90 – θA180
x1 =
T
where T = 90 s and θA90 and θA180 are the temperatures at t = 90 s and t = 180 s in
Experiment A.
Include the unit for the cooling rate.

x1 = ......................................................... [1]

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(ii) Calculate the average cooling rate x2 during the first half of Experiment B.

Use the readings from Table 2.1 and the equation

θB0 – θB90
x2 =
T
where T = 90 s and θB0 and θB90 are the temperatures at t = 0 s and t = 90 s in
Experiment B.

x2 = ......................................................... [1]

(iii) A student suggests that x1 and x2 should be the same.

State whether your results support this suggestion.
Justify your statement by reference to your results.

statement ..........................................................................................................................

justification ........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(e) State two variables which must be controlled so that the comparison of x1 and x2 is valid.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

2 ................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................
[2]

[Total: 11]

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10

3 A student investigates the properties of a resistance wire.

He uses the circuit shown in Fig. 3.1.

A crocodile clip

resistance wire
l

Fig. 3.1

(a) On Fig. 3.1, draw a voltmeter connected to measure the potential difference (p.d.) across
length l of the resistance wire.
[1]

(b) (i) The student connects the crocodile clip to a length l = 20.0 cm of the resistance wire.
He measures the value of potential difference V and current I for the resistance wire.

2 3 0.4 0.6
1 4 0.2 0.8

0 5 0 1.0

V A

Fig. 3.2 Fig. 3.3

Read, and record in the first line of Table 3.1, the values of V and I shown on the meters
in Fig. 3.2 and Fig. 3.3.

The student repeats the process for lengths l = 40.0 cm, l = 60.0 cm, l = 80.0 cm and
l = 100.0 cm of the resistance wire in turn.
His results are shown in Table 3.1.

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Table 3.1

l / cm V/V I /A R/Ω
20.0
40.0 1.7 0.47 3.6
60.0 2.2 0.52 4.2
80.0 2.3 0.35 6.6
100.0 2.4 0.29 8.3
[2]

(ii) For length l = 20.0 cm, calculate and record in Table 3.1 the resistance R of the resistance
wire. Use your values of V and I from (b)(i) and the equation
V
R= .
I
[1]

(c) Plot a graph of R / Ω (y-axis) against l / cm (x-axis).

Draw the straight line of best fit.

[4]

(d) (i) Determine the gradient G of the graph. Show clearly on the graph how you obtained the
necessary information.

G = ......................................................... [1]

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(ii) The gradient G is numerically equal to the resistance per unit length R0 of the resistance
wire.
Write down a value of R0 for this experiment.

R0 = ............................................... Ω / cm [1]

(e) Suggest one practical reason why students carrying out this experiment may not obtain the
same readings as in Table 3.1. Assume that the procedure has been done carefully.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

[Total: 11]

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4 A student investigates the motion of a ball through the air.

Plan an experiment which will enable him to investigate how the range of the ball depends on the
angle at which it is launched.

The range is the horizontal distance that the ball travels after leaving the end of the channel
shown in Fig. 4.1 and before hitting the ground.

The apparatus available includes:

• a flexible channel, as shown in Fig. 4.1, which can be bent at different angles
• a selection of balls, each of different diameter and mass.

In your plan, you should:

• list any additional apparatus needed

• explain briefly how to do the experiment – you may add to Fig. 4.1 if it helps your explanation
• state the key variables to keep constant
• draw a table with column headings, to show how to display the readings (you are not required
to enter any readings in the table)
• explain how to use the results to reach a conclusion.

flexible
channel

variable angle

floor

Fig. 4.1

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Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the
publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity.

To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer-related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced online in the Cambridge
Assessment International Education Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download
at www.cambridgeinternational.org after the live examination series.

Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of Cambridge Assessment. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge
Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2023 0625/62/F/M/23