Name………………………………………………………. ADM No………..

Class…………
Candidates Signature…………… Date…………………………….
SCHOOL……………………………………

232/1
PHYSICS
PAPER 1
TIME: 2 HOURS

MATETE SUB-COUNTY EXAMINATION

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E)

Instructions to candidates
(a) Write your name and admission number in the spaces provided above.
(b) Sign and write the date of the examination in the spaces provided above.
(c) This paper consists of two sections; A and B.
(d) Answer all the questions in sections A and B in spaces provided.
(e) All working must be clearly shown in the spaces provided in this booklet.
(f) Non-programmable silent electronic calculators may be used.
(g) This paper consists of 14 printed pages.
(h) Candidates should the questions in English
(i) Candidates should check the question paper to ascertain that all the pages are printed as indicated
and that no questions are missing.
For Examiner’s Use Only

Section Questions maximum score cadidate’s score

A 1-13 25
14 08
15 13
16 10
B 17 08
18 09
19 07
Total Score 80

This paper consists of 15 printed pages. Candidates should check the question paper to ascertain that all
pages are printed as indicated and no questions are missing.
Page 1 of 15
 SECTION A (25 marks)
Answer all the questions in this section in the spaces provided

1. The figure below shows a section of a measuring instrument.

30
cm3
35

40

45

50

(i) Determine the volume of water in instrument shown above

(1mk)

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(ii) Some 24 drops of water each of volume 0.5cm3 are added to the instrument above. Determine the
final reading of the instrument.
(2mks)

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2. In an experiment to determine thickness of an oil molecule, A drop of olive oil is placed on

the surface of water sprinkled with some powder in a large dish. The oil spreads out to form a
film. State two measurement to be made in order to determine the thickness of the oil
molecule.
(2mks)
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3. Give a reason why the weight of a body varies from place to place. (1mk)

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4. A glass funnel is dipped in soap solution, then taken out and blown gently to form a soap
bubble as shown below

Funnel

Soap bubble

Explain why the bubble flattens to a film which then rises up the funnel.
(2mks)

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5. a) Define atmospheric pressure.

(1mk)
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b) The bicycle pump shown in Figure 7 below is one of the applications of pressure in gases.

Explain how the pump operates during backstroke.

(2mks)

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6. Using kinetic theory of matter, explain why solids expand when heated. (2mks)

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7. The figure below shows a uniform metal rod balanced at the centre by different forces.

T
35cm 40cm 10cm

4N 8N

Determine the value of T. (2mks)

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8. A few crystals of copper (II) sulphate were carefully introduced at the bottom of a column of
cold water in a tall jar. After some time, all the water in jar turned blue.

a) Name the process producing this observation.

(1mk)

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b) State the effect of using warm water instead. (1mk)

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9. State the reason why banking of a circular part of road is necessary. (1mk)

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10. The figure below shows air flowing through a pipe of different cross-section areas. Two pipes
A and B are dipped into water.

Air flow

A B

Water

Explain the cause of the difference in the levels of water in the pipes A and B. (2mks)

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11. The figure below shows a table tennis ball attached to the bottom of a plastic tumbler filled
with a liquid.

Page 5 of 15
Explain how the stability of the tumbler changes when the ball rises to the top. (2mks)
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12. The graph below shows the variation of force against extension (cm) of two spiral springs of
same material, same wire thickness, length but of different diameters (one large and the other
small).

Identify which graph (A or B) represents the spring with a larger diameter (1mk)

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13. The figure shows a setup with identical glass bulbs P and Q, filled with air and connected by
a U- tube containing light oil. The setup is at room temperature.

Figure (b) shows the same setup after an electric heater is placed equidistant between P and Q, and
switched on for a few minutes. Explain differences in the oil levels in figure (b).
(2mks)

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SECTION B (55 marks)

Answer all the questions in this section in the spaces provided

14. a) State Archimedes principle. (1mk)

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b) In an experiment to determine the density of a liquid a uniform metal cylinder of cross- sectional area
6cm2 and length 4cm was hang from a spring balance and lowered gradually into the liquid as shown
below.

Spring Balance

Liquid

Metal cylinder

The upthrust was calculated from the spring balance and it was found to be 0.6N when the cylinder
was fully submerged. Determine:

(i) Volume of the metal cylinder. (2mks)

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(ii) Density of the liquid (3mks)
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(iii) Mass of the liquid displaced by the cylinder. (2mks)
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15. a) State one condition for pressure law to hold. (1mk)

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b) The diagram below shows a set up that a student used to investigate the pressure law.

0
25
75
Y
Stirrer X 50

Hot Water Glass flask

Dry air

i) Name the parts (2mks)

X ……………………………………………………………………..

Y ……………………………………………………………………..

(ii) Describe how the law is verified using the apparatus named in (i) above. (3mks)

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(c) Air is trapped inside a glass tube by a thread of mercury 240mm long. When the tube is held
horizontally, the length of the air column is 200mm.

Atmospheric pressure =760 mmHg

200 mm 240 mm

Given that the atmospheric pressure is 760mmHg and the temperature is kept constant, calculate the
length of air column when the tube is held;

(i) Vertical with the open end up (2mks)

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(ii) Vertical with the open end down (inverted) (2mks)

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(d) The pressure of the air inside a car tyre increases if the car stands out in the sun for some time
on a hot day. Explain how pressure increase in terms of the kinetic theory of gases. (3mks)

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Page 9 of 15
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16. a) Define the following terms as used in machines. (2mks)

(i) Mechanical advantage

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(ii) Velocity ratio

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b) Figure below shows an inclined plane.

Length L
h
Load

Show that the velocity ratio (2mks)

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c) Figure shows a pulley system

150N

400N

i) Give the velocity ratio of the system (1mk)

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ii) Calculate the Mechanical Advantage of the system (2mks)

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iii) Calculate the efficiency of the system. (2mks)

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iv) Give a reason why efficiency is not 100%
(1mk)

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17. a) Explain how a pressure cooker cooks food more efficiently than normal sufuria.
(2mks)

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b) Figure below shows a set up in an experiment to determine specific heat capacity of water.

A
V

Thermometer

The data below was obtained was obtained from the experiment
• Voltage V across the heater = 12V
• Current I in the circuit = 1.4A
• Time (t) heating = 600s
• Mass m of water = 0.4kg
• Change in temperature T = 6ºc
i) Use the above results to determine the specific heat capacity of water. (3mks)
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ii) State one improvement that would be made in the set up to obtain accurate results.
(1mk)
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Page 12 of 15
c) The figure below shows a graph of the variation of temperature with time for a pure substance
heated at a constant rate
D E

B
C

A Time(s)

Assuming that heat transfer to the surrounds is negligible, state the changes observed on the
substance in region.
a) CD
(1mk) ………………………………………………………………………………………………
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b) DE (1mk)
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18. a) The figure below shows a sphere moving in a viscous liquid in a tall measuring cylinder

Sphere

Measuring cylinder

Viscous liquid

i) Name and show on the diagram two forces acting on the sphere. (2mks)

ii) Sketch a graph showing the variation of velocity with time and show on the sketch the
terminal velocity Vt. (1mk)

Page 13 of 15
b) An object is projected vertically upwards with a velocity of 200m/s. Calculate:

(i) Its velocity after 5 seconds.

(2mks)

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(ii) The distance covered in the first 8 seconds (2mks)

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(iii)The maximum height reached (2mks)

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19. a) State Newton’s second Law of Motion (1mk)

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(b) A block, M of mass 2.0 kg, lying on a frictionless horizontal table is tied to a fixed point O
through a string passing round a massless smooth pulley. A force of 20 N is applied to the pulley as
shown in the figure below.

Page 14 of 15
Determine the acceleration of the block.
(2mks)

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(c) The figure below shows a block of mass 2.0 kg moving on a smooth surface at 1.0 ms-1 towards
an identical block resting on a rough surface.

The two blocks collide and combine. After combining they comes to rest after travelling a distant of
2.0 m. Determine the:

(i) common velocity of the blocks just after collision. (2mks)

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(ii) friction between the blocks and the rough surface.

(2mks)

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THIS IS THE LAST PRINTED PAGE.

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