Essential
For the
updated
syllabus
Physics
for Cambridge
IGCSE
®
Workbook
Sarah Lloyd
Oxford excellence for Cambridge IGCSE®
Introduction
This workbook is designed to accompany the Essential Physics for IGCSE student book. It is designed to help you
develop the skills you need in order to help you do well in your IGCSE Physics examination. The book follows the order
of the chapters in Essential Physics for IGCSE. Each page of questions provides additional questions related to each
double page in the student book.
The questions focus on the areas you need to know about for your exam:
• Knowledge (memory work) and understanding (applying your knowledge to answer questions about familiar or
unfamiliar situations).
• Handling information from data, tables, and graphs.
• Solving problems (including equations and calculations).
• Experimental skills and investigations.
The first 15 units include a range of question types that you might come across in your physics examinations:
• Choosing words to complete sentences: you are usually given a list of words to choose from. This will help you learn
and remember key facts.
• Putting statements in the correct order or selecting the correct statement from a list.
• Some questions ask you to interpret data from diagrams, graphs, and tables. Others ask you to interpret the results of
investigations that may be unfamiliar.
• Some pages include questions involving extended answers. These will help you organise your arguments and
understand the depth of answer that is needed.
Other important features of this workbook that should help you succeed in physics include:
• An introductory Language Lab section in each of the first 15 units, which focuses on scientific words. These are often
placed in a particular context. Examples include fill-in-the-gap exercises, word searches, and crosswords.
• A unit focusing on language and the importance of identifying key words in questions. This includes vocabulary
practice as well as practice in reading and analysing questions. It also includes a glossary to help you understand
important terms.
• A unit focusing on how to make the most of revision time through active revision and mind mapping.
• A unit on mathematics for physics. This includes practice in writing formulae, rearranging expressions, working
through calculations, and drawing graphs.
• A unit on practical aspects of physics including planning an experiment (the selection of apparatus and materials and
working safely), measuring, recording data, and drawing graphs. It also includes analysis of results and evaluation.
This is followed by a unit suggesting how these aspects of practical physics can be applied to projects.
• A selection of IGCSE-style questions of the type that are set in the theory papers will help you to see connections
between different parts of the syllabus.
• Full answers are given to all the questions.
We hope that the range of differing exercises in this workbook will help you develop your skills in and understanding of
physics and help you succeed in this subject.
iii
Contents
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
Making measurements
Distance–time graphs
More about speed
Acceleration
More about acceleration
Free fall
Multiple choice questions
2
Forces and their effects
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
3
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
5
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
iv
6
Motion
Mass and weight
Density
Force and shape
Force and motion
More about force and motion
Momentum
Explosions
Impact forces
Multiple choice questions
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
8.7
8.8
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
9
Pressure
Under pressure
Pressure in a liquid at rest
Pressure measurements
Solids, liquids, and gases
More about solids, liquids, and gases
Gas pressure and temperature
Evaporation
Gas pressure and volume
Multiple choice questions
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Energy
Energy transfers
Conservation of energy
Fuel for electricity
Nuclear energy
Energy from wind and water
Energy from the Sun and the Earth
Energy and work
Power
Multiple choice questions
7
8
Forces in equilibrium
Moments
Moments in balance
The principle of moments
Centre of mass
Stability
More about vectors
Multiple choice questions
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8
6.9
6.10
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
10
10.1
10.2
10.3
11
11.1
11.2
11.3
11.4
Thermal physics
Thermal expansion
Thermometers
More about thermometers
Thermal capacity
Change of state
Specific latent heat
Heat transfer (1): thermal conduction
Heat transfer (2): convection
Heat transfer (3): infrared radiation
Heat transfer at work
Multiple choice questions
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
Waves
Wave motion
Transverse and longitudinal waves
Wave properties (1): reflection and refraction
Wave properties (2): diffraction
Multiple choice questions
55
56
57
58
59
Light
Reflection of light
Refraction of light
Refractive index
Total internal reflection
The converging lens
Applications of the converging lens
Electromagnetic waves
Applications of electromagnetic waves
Multiple choice questions
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
Sound
Sound waves
Properties of sound
The speed of sound
Musical sounds
Multiple choice questions
70
71
72
73
74
Magnetism
Magnets
Magnetic fields
More about magnetic materials
Multiple choice questions
75
76
77
78
Electric charge
Static electricity
Electric fields
Conductors and insulators
Charge and current
Multiple choice questions
79
80
81
82
83
Contents
12
12.1
12.2
12.3
12.4
12.5
13
13.1
13.2
13.3
13.4
13.5
13.6
13.7
13.8
13.9
13.10
14
14.1
14.2
14.3
14.4
14.5
14.6
14.7
15
Electrical energy
Batteries and cells
Potential difference
Resistance
More about resistance
Electrical power
Multiple choice questions
84
85
86
87
88
89
15.1
15.2
15.3
15.4
15.5
15.6
Electric circuits
Circuit components
Series circuits
Parallel circuits
More about series and parallel circuits
Sensor circuits
Switching circuits
Logic circuits
Logic circuits in control
Electrical safety
More about electrical safety
Multiple choice questions
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
Electromagnetism
Magnetic field patterns
The motor effect
The electric motor
Electromagnetic induction
The alternating current generator
Transformers
High-voltage transmission of electricity
Multiple choice questions
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
16
Radioactivity
Observing nuclear radiation
Alpha, beta, and gamma radiation
The discovery of the nucleus
More about the nucleus
Half-life
Radioactivity at work
Multiple choice questions
Language focus
Glossary
Key word exercises
17
118
122
Revision
Revision tips
Revision checklists
Mind maps
18
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
127
129
131
Practical physics
Practical skills
135
19
Mathematics for physics
144
20
Exam-style questions
148
21
Project ideas
Answers
Data sheet
156
171
v
Language lab
Motion
1.1 Making measurements
Anagrams: unjumble the key words.
love mu
insincerely mud rag
muter reel
pock colts
[4]
1. In international athletics competitions, such as the Olympics, it is essential to time races as accurately and precisely
as possible.
a. How are the races timed?
[2]
b. Why is this method of timing particularly important for short races such as the 100 metres?
[2]
c. Why would it be difficult to time a 100 metres race using a stop clock?
[1]
2. a. You are asked to find, as accurately as possible, the volume of a pebble with approximate volume 30 cm3, using a
water displacement method. Which size measuring cylinder would you choose to measure the displaced water?
10 ml
50 ml
100 ml
1000 ml
[1]
b. i. A student is given a block of wood with approximate dimensions 2 cm by 1 cm by 6 cm. Describe how he can
find the volume of the block using a metre rule.
[3]
ii. Name a measuring instrument he could use to improve the precision of his measurements.
[1]
2
1.2 Distance–time graphs
Match the beginnings and endings of sentences.
Beginnings:
Endings:
If an object moves at a steady speed it covers
by dividing the total distance by the time taken.
The average speed for a journey can be found
to the speed of the object.
The gradient of a distance–time graph is equal
the same distance every second.
[3]
1. a. Use the data to plot a distance–time graph for a person’s journey.
time / s
distance / m
0
0
100
160
200
320
300
480
400
640
500
640
b. Use the graph to find the distance travelled in 150 s.
[1]
c. What physical quantity is given by the gradient of a
distance–time graph?
[1]
[4]
d. i. Describe the motion of the person between 0 and 200 s.
[1]
ii. Describe the motion of the person between 400 s and 500 s.
[1]
2. Describe the journeys represented by the following distance–time graphs.
distance
a.
[3]
time
b.
distance
Language lab
Motion
[3]
time
3
Language lab
Motion
1.3 More about speed
Describe your journey home from school or college. Include these key words: speed, distance, and time.
[3]
1. a. Using symbols, write down the equation for calculating speed.
[1]
b. i. Calculate the speed of a girl walking if she travels 100 m in 50 s.
speed =
m/s [1]
ii. Calculate the average speed of a car that travels 2 km in 2 minutes.
speed =
km/h [2]
iii. An athlete moving at 4.5 m/s travels a distance of 0.09 km. How long does this take?
time =
s [2]
c. On a particular journey, a cyclist travels at a speed of 10 m/s for 35 minutes, rests for 5 minutes, and then travels
at a speed of 8 m/s for 55 minutes.
i. What was the total time for his journey?
time =
minutes [1]
ii. What distance did he travel?
distance =
4
m [3]
Language lab
Motion
1.4 Acceleration
Anagrams: unjumble the key words.
conceal irate
insect ad
city love
emit
elected ear
deeps
1. a. Write down the equation for calculating acceleration.
[6]
[1]
b. Calculate the acceleration of a cyclist, who increases her velocity from 5 m/s to 7 m/s in 0.5 s.
acceleration =
[3]
c. How long does it take for a train to increase its velocity from 10 m/s to 40 m/s if it accelerates at 3 m/s2?
time =
[3]
d. A car, initially travelling at 6 m/s, accelerates at 4 m/s2 for 2.5 s. What is its final velocity?
velocity =
[3]
5
Language lab
Motion
1.5 More about acceleration
Match the beginnings and endings of sentences.
Beginnings:
Endings:
If the velocity of a car is increasing this means
will decelerate (slow down).
When a cyclist applies his brakes the bicycle
to the distance travelled.
The area under a velocity–time graph is equal
it is accelerating.
1. a. i. What physical quantity is given by the area under a velocity–time graph?
[1]
ii. What is the difference between velocity and speed?
[2]
velocity / m / s
b. For the following velocity–time graph:
10
A
B
C
0
0
100
250
time / s
400
i. Calculate the acceleration in sections A, B, and C.
Section A
[3]
Section B
[2]
Section C
[3]
[2]
Section C
[2]
ii. Find the distance travelled in each section.
Section A
[3]
Section B
iii. Calculate the total distance travelled.
distance =
6
[1]
Language lab
Motion
1.6 Free fall
Complete the crossword.
1
2
Across
3
3. Used to measure length
4
4. Used to measure the volume of a liquid
5
5. The unit of length
7. The unit of force
6
7
8
8. Calculated by multiplying length by width
10. Calculated by multiplying length by width by height
10
11. Used to measure time
11
14. Used to measure force
12
13
Down
1. The smallest measurement on a metre rule
2. The unit of acceleration
12. Used to measure mass
4. The unit of speed
13. The unit of energy
14
6. The unit of time
1. Two IGCSE students are carrying out an experiment to
measure the acceleration due to gravity by dropping a
double interrupt card through a light gate. The light gate
automatically starts a timer as the card interrupts the light
beam and stops the timer when the beam is no longer
interrupted. The students input the width of the two sides of
the card into the data logger.
a. Explain how, using the two widths and the times for
which they interrupt the beam, the data logger is able to
calculate the acceleration due to gravity.
[14 ]
double interrupt
card
widths
measured
by student
light gate
to data logger
[4]
b. Student A says that as the height of drop of the double interrupt card is increased, the acceleration will increase.
Student B disagrees and says that the height of drop will not matter and the acceleration will remain constant.
Who is correct? Explain your answer.
[3]
7
Motion
Multiple choice questions
1. What is the SI unit of length?
A
mm
B
cm
C
m
D
km
2. What is the SI unit of time?
A
milliseconds
B
seconds
C
minutes
D
hours
3. Which of the following is not an instrument used to measure length?
A
Vernier callipers
B
micrometer screw gauge
C
balance
D
metre rule
4. What is the area of a piece of paper of dimensions 11.2 cm by 15.4 cm?
A
172.48 m2
B
172.48 cm2
C
0.17248 m2
D
172.48 cm3
5. What is the volume in cm3 of a block of height 0.23 m, length 0.06 m, and width 0.15 m?
A
2007
B
0.00207
C
2070
D
0.0207
6. A toy car of volume 54 cm3 is placed into a 500 ml measuring cylinder, containing 250 ml of water. What is the new
reading on the measuring cylinder?
A
554 ml
B
446 ml
C
304 ml
D
354 ml
7. A water wave takes 5.02 s to travel the length of a tank 3 times. What is the speed of the water wave if the tank is
1.5 m long?
A
8.96 m/s
B
0.299 m/s
C
0.299 cm/s
D
0.896 m/s
8. Which of the following is the correct formula for calculating acceleration?
A
velocity = acceleration × time
B
acceleration = change in velocity ÷ time
C
acceleration = change in velocity × time
D acceleration = time ÷ change in velocity
9. What is the acceleration of a runner who increases her velocity from 2 m/s to 8 m/s in 3 s?
8
A
3.33 m/s2
B
18 m/s2
C
2.67 m/s2
D
2 m/s2