IGCSE
Cambridge (CIE)
Physics
2 hours
15 questions
Theory Questions
Energy Sources
Energy from the Sun / Energy from Fuels / Energy from Water / Geothermal Energy
/ Nuclear Fusion
Easy (5 questions)
/33
Medium (5 questions)
/28
Hard (5 questions)
/59
Total Marks
/120
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1
Easy Questions
1 (a) Fig. 5.1 shows part of a solar farm. The solar panels tilt and rotate.
The solar farm converts energy from a source into a different, useful form of energy.
State the energy source and the useful form of energy.
Sun
Electrical
energy
(2 marks)
(b) Solar farms have advantages and disadvantages.
(i) State two advantages of a solar farm.
Renewable ,
No
pollution
[2]
(ii) State one disadvantage of a solar farm.
Large
scale
[1]
(3 marks)
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2
(c) Suggest why it is useful that the panels can tilt and rotate.
Sunlight
changes
direction
(1 mark)
2 Here are some statements about energy and energy resources.
Some statements are correct. Put a tick ( ) in the box alongside each of these.
Building hydroelectric power stations has an impact on the environment.
~Burning fossil fuels produces atmospheric pollution.
Wind turbines are turned using gravitational potential energy.
Coal and crude oil are sources of renewable energy.
~
Geothermal energy is obtained from hot rocks below the ground.
(3 marks)
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3
3 (a) Coal is a non-renewable source of energy.
(i) Explain what is meant by the term non-renewable.
finite supply
[1]
(ii) There are other non-renewable sources of energy.
Place a tick in the box by each non-renewable source of energy.
~nuclear
~oil
solar
wave
wind
[1]
(2 marks)
(b) State two advantages and two disadvantages of using natural gas as an energy source.
&
No
pollution
Non-renewable .
(4 marks)
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4
4 (a) Complete the sentence below about energy sources.
combustion
waves
Two methods of using energy from water are ____________
and _____________.
(2 marks)
(b) State two advantages of one of the methods from part (a).
-
Environmentally friendly.
(2 marks)
(c) A graph of the energy output of two renewable resources over time is shown in Fig. 1.1.
One is a solar cell, the other is a wind turbine.
Fig. 1.1
State which line on the graph represents theenergy output of
a solar cell.
-
A
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(1 mark)
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(d) Explain how you arrived at your answer to part (c).
Sunlight
is
the
strongest
at
noon .
(2 marks)
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5 (a) Define the term "renewable resource".
Infinite supply.
(1 mark)
(b) A list of resources is shown in the table below.
Resource
Renewable
Non-renewable
Coal
Nuclear fuel
Biofuel
Solar energy
W
-
~
Oil
~
Place a tick in the correct box for each resource.
(4 marks)
(c) Fossil fuels are produced when living matter is compressed. They are continually
-
produced.
-
Explain why they are not a renewable resource.
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They
must
be
produced for
a
long time
(2 marks)
(d) Extended tier only
(i) Describe the process of nuclear fusion.
Fusing of hydrogen nuclei to form helium nuclei.
[2]
releasing massive amounts of energy
(ii) Explain why nuclear fusion is not currently used as an energy resource.
-
-
-
[2]
Non-renewable
(4 marks)
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8
Medium Questions
1 (a) Fig.4.1 represents a hydroelectric system for generating electrical energy.
Describe how the power station uses the water in the reservoir to generate electricity.
Gravitational
potential
transfers
Kinetic
to
store
energy .
(3 marks)
(b) State three advantages of generating electricity using a hydroelectric system compared
-
with using a coal-fired power station.
No
pollution
(3 marks)
(c) An electric drill is shown in Fig.4.2.
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Complete the sentences about the electric drill. Use words from the box. Each word may
be used once, more than once, or not at all.
efficient
kinetic
potential
powerful
reliable
thermal
Kinetic
(i) Energy is transferred electrically from the mains supply to the ............................. store
of the drill.
[1]
(ii) A second electric drill transfers the same amount of energy per second as the first
one. However, it wastes more of this energy.The second drill is less
......................................... than the first drill.[1]
-
efficient
(2 marks)
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10
2 (a) Fig. 5.1 shows a wind turbine.
Describe how the wind turbine produces electricity.
Kinetic
energy
stored
in
the turbine .
Generating electricity
.
(3 marks)
(b) Wind turbines are used in many countries to replace coal-fired power stations.
-
(i) State one disadvantage of using wind turbines compared to coal-fired power stations.
[1]
(ii) State two advantages of using wind turbines instead of coal-fired power stations.
-
[2]
Renewable
(3 marks)
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11
3 (a) A tidal barrage (dam) produces electricity using tides. Fig. 5.1 shows a diagram of a tidal
barrage (simplified).
The water behind the barrage (dam) has most of its energy in one of its energy stores.
O
-
State the name of this energy store.
Gravitational
potential
energy
(1 mark)
(b) Explain how the tidal barrage (dam) produces electricity.
-
GRE
transfers
to
KE and
to
electricity.
(3 marks)
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12
4 (a) Fig. 5.1 shows a geothermal power station. It generates electricity.
In a geothermal power station, the process of generating electricity includes seven
stages.
-
Four of the stages are shown below.
P steam turns a turbine
Q hot underground rocks heat the cold water
R the turbine spins a generator
S
hot water rises to the surface
The flow chart in Fig. 5.2 shows the seven stages, but it is incomplete. Complete the flow
chart by adding the letters P, Q, R and S in the correct sequence.
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13
Q
S
P
R
(3 marks)
(b) The cost of electricity obtained from a geothermal power station is similar to the cost of
-
electricity obtained from wind turbines.
-
-
&
-
Describe one advantage
and one disadvantage of using a geothermal power station to
- -
generate electricity compared with using wind turbines.
Reliable
Methane
is
a
green
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house
gas
.
(2 marks)
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14
5 (a) Nuclear fission is used in nuclear power stations to release
energy.
-
Describe how the energy is used to generate electricity.
-
Break
-
nuclei
(3 marks)
(b) Describe two
environmental problems that arise from using nuclear power stations.
-
Radioactive waste
Dangerous
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-
-
(2 marks)
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15
Hard Questions
1 (a) Extended tier only
A solar panel receives energy from the Sun at a rate of 5.0 kW.
-
-
Thermal energy is transferred from the solar panel to water with an efficiency of 20%.
-
-
Cold water of mass 15 kg enters the solar panel every hour.
-
-
%= 1 kW
The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J / (kg°C).
5000 x 20
-
Calculate the temperature increase of the water.
-
n
w =
Pt
=
1000 x 3600
=
16x105.
57-1
temperature increase = .....................................................°C
-
=
=
5) 1 %
.
(4 marks)
&
(b) State and explain one advantage and one disadvantage of heating the water in a solar
-
-
panel compared with heating the water in a coal-burning boiler.
-
-
-
No
pollution
Expensive
(4 marks)
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16
2 (a) Energy sources used to generate electricity are shown in the box.
& &
Which energy sources are non-renewable?
-
Draw a ring around each energy source that is non-renewable.
(1 mark)
(b) The diagram shows a geothermal power station.
-
Describe how the geothermal power station generates electricity.
-
Water
in
Steam
turns
the
shaft
turbine
from KE
heated
to
and generate
steam .
electricity
.
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17
(4 marks)
(c) In America, it is estimated that tidal power costs $150 per MWh, whereas coal costs $60
-
-
-
per MWh. This is partly due to construction costs of the turbines for tidal power.
-
Suggest why it is expensive to construct tidal turbines.
Technology
Hard
to
construct
under
water
.
(4 marks)
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18
3 (a) Extended tier only
Fusion is occurring in the centre of a star. The region in which a certain type of fusion is
-
-
occurring has a diameter of 150 000 km.
-
Calculate the surface area of this sphere.
A
=
4ar
=
4
=
2
.
(150000)
83x10"km"
.
(3 marks)
2 83x10"mr
=
.
(b) The weight of the star around the core exerts a large force on the core.
-
The core experiences a pressure of 26.5 × 1015 Pa.
-
(i) Calculate the size of the force due to gravity experienced by the core.
-
F
=
PA
=
26 5 x 10
'*
.
x
2
.
83 x
10"
*
=
=
74 995x10
7 50x1033N
.
N
[3]
.
(ii) The volume of the core is approximately constant, so pressure and temperature (in
-
degrees Kelvin) can be approximated as directly proportional. They are related in the
-
following equation:
P
cT
c is a constant equal to 2.2 × 109 Pa/K
-
Calculate the temperature of the core of the star.
[2]
26 5x10"
.
T
=
=
2x109 T
1 20x10 K
2
.
.
-
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(5 marks)
(c) Extended tier only
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear fusion and nuclear fission.
Fission
:
No
pollution
Non-renewable
Fusion
:
,
,
reliable
radioactive
high temperate and
maste
,
expensive
pressure
(4 marks)
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20
4 (a) Calculate the number of joules in 1 GWh.
1x10" kwh
w
0
=
2
=
.
78x10")
(2 marks)
(b) Extended tier only
Tidal power electrically transfers energy in the kinetic store of moving water.
-
-
When the tide is moving, a portion of sea water passes through the turbine. The turbine
-
has a cylindrical shape as the turbine spins in a circular path. A turbine is shown in Fig.
-
1.1.
-
The cylinder is 24 m long and has a radius of 5.0 m. The tide is travelling at 6.0 m/s.
-
(i) Calculate the kinetic energy of this cylinder of sea water.
-
Density of sea water = 1020 kg/m3
-
kE Inv EpVor
=
=
Exroxx5" 24x6"
3 46x10"
x
=
=
[4]
.
(ii) Calculate the time taken for 24 m of water to pass through the turbine at 6.0 m/s.
-
t=
-
=
-
=
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[1]
21
(iii) Calculate the power transferred to the turbine.
p
=
=
8
.
6540 w
[1]
(iv) The turbine's electricalpower output is 7.0 MW. Calculate its efficiency.
e
[1]
== 80.
(7 marks)
(c) In America, it is estimated that tidal power would cost $150 per MWh produced, whereas
-
-
coal only costs $60 per MWh produced.
-
Suggest why tidal power is more expensive than power from fossil fuels.
Difficult
construction .
(2 marks)
&
(d) Some ocean environmental groups oppose the use of tidal power, stating that it can
-
physically harm aquatic life, as well as impacting their ability to communicate.
-
-
Suggest why these statements could be correct.
-
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Turbine
turning
under
water
(2 marks)
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23
---
5 (a) A coal power station has an average output of 400 MW. Explain how, in a power station,
burning
a fuel causes a generator toproduce an alternating current.
-
Generator
changes
direction.
(4 marks)
(b) Extended tier only
The Sun has a total power output of 3.8 × 1026 W across its whole surface. The surface of
-
the Earth receives 5.0 × 10−8 % of this power.
-
Calculate thetotal power the surface of the Earth receives from the Sun.
3
.
8x10"
xro"
5x10
w
x
(2 marks)
(c) Extended tier only
The power that the Earth receives from the Sun is actually twice the percentage given in
part (b).
(i) Suggest why the power at the Earth's surface is less than this value.
-
-
Heat
[1]
loss
(ii) The Earth's radius is 6 370 000 m. Calculate the surface area of the Earth which is in
-
-
sunlight at any one time.
-
[3]
A
=
4 zr = 42x(6370000)
=
5
.
10x10 m
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(4 marks)
(d) Extended tier only
(i) Under the assumption that there are no clouds obscuring the Sun, calculate the power
that each square metre of the Earth receives from the Sun.
1 9x10"
.
5
.
=
/ xco
372 Wit
[2]
(ii) A solar cell absorbs sunlight over a surface area of 2.5 m2. It has an efficiency of 0.6.
-
Calculate its power output.
372x2 5x06
.
=
558
-
W
[3]
(iii) Determine the number of solar cells required to match the power output of the coal
power station.
-
[2]
Hexlo"
=
7
.
17 x10
(7 marks)
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