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Haya model paper 2027One fixed paper, locked on 31 Mar 2027 before the examBuilt to the board's own blueprint below. After the exam, Haya compares it with the real question paper, question by question.Board match
Paper pattern
MCQ · all 16 · 1 mark each · multiple choice, four options (Section A)16
OBJ · all 12 · 2 marks each · objective, two 1-mark parts: fill in the blanks, match the columns, true or false, one word, or a short passage with questions (Section A)24
VSA · all 9 · 2 marks each · very short answer, 30 to 50 words; either-or choice in 4 of them (Section B)18
SA · all 4 · 3 marks each · short answer, 50 to 80 words; either-or choice in 2 of them (Section B)12
LA · all 2 · 5 marks each · long answer, 80 to 120 words; either-or choice in both (Section B)10
Board paper total80
NIOS Question Paper Design for Physics (312) from the 2023 bifurcation set, checked against the NIOS Physics sample question paper and marking scheme. Time: 3 hours. 43 questions, 80 marks, all compulsory. Objectives: knowledge 20, understanding 40, application 20. Difficulty: easy 24, average 40, difficult 16.

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Likely questions

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2 marks · very short answer
State Newton's third law of motion. Name the action and the reaction when a swimmer moves forward in water.Unit IDefine limiting friction and the coefficient of static friction. Why does the coefficient of friction have no unit?Unit IWhat is an inertial frame of reference? Give one example of a non-inertial frame and name the extra force that must be imagined in it.Unit IShow that 1 kW h = 3.6 × 10⁶ J. How much energy, in joules, does a 100 W bulb use in 10 hours?Unit IISketch the force-extension graph of a spring that obeys Hooke's law. What do its slope and the area under it stand for?Unit IIDistinguish between conservative and non-conservative forces. Give one example of each.Unit IIA diver goes down from 10 m to 20 m below the surface of a lake. Is the total pressure on her doubled? Explain with the relation for pressure at a depth.Unit IIITwo soap bubbles have radii 2 cm and 4 cm. Find the ratio of the excess pressures inside them. Which bubble has the higher pressure inside?Unit IIIDefine coefficient of viscosity. Write its SI unit and its dimensional formula.Unit IIIWhat is an isolated system? Give one example. How does it differ from a closed system?Unit IVDistinguish between isothermal and adiabatic processes, giving one example of each.Unit IVA system absorbs 1200 J of heat while 500 J of work is done on it. Find the change in its internal energy.Unit IVState Laplace's formula for the speed of sound in a gas. Use it to show that sound travels faster in warmer air, but that a change of pressure alone has no effect.Unit VTwo tuning forks A and B give 4 beats per second. B has a frequency of 320 Hz. When a prong of A is filed, the beats increase. Find the frequency of A and give a reason.Unit VName the EM waves used (a) in radar, (b) to sterilise operation theatres. Which gas in the atmosphere absorbs the second kind from sunlight?Unit VState Gauss's theorem in electrostatics. A charge of 8.85 μC is placed inside a closed surface. Find the total electric flux through the surface. (ε₀ = 8.85 × 10⁻¹² C² N⁻¹ m⁻²)Unit VIWhy do two electric field lines never cross each other? Draw the field lines of an electric dipole.Unit VIExplain, with a labelled diagram, how a metal sphere on an insulating stand can be charged positively by induction.Unit VIWhat is electrostatic shielding? Why is it safer to sit inside a car than to stand in an open field during a lightning storm?Unit VIIThree capacitors C₁, C₂ and C₃ are joined in parallel across a supply of V volts. Show that their equivalent capacitance is C₁ + C₂ + C₃.Unit VIIShow that the capacitance of an isolated metal sphere is proportional to its radius. Find the capacitance of a sphere of radius 9 cm in air. (1/4πε₀ = 9 × 10⁹ N m² C⁻²)Unit VIIDistinguish between primary and secondary cells, giving one example of each.Unit VIIIState Kirchhoff's two rules for electric circuits. Name the conservation law on which each rule is based.Unit VIIIThe bands on a carbon resistor are yellow, violet, red and gold. Find its resistance, and the range within which its true value lies.Unit VIIIDefine the angle of dip. At a place, the horizontal and vertical components of the Earth's magnetic field are equal. What is the angle of dip there?Unit IXState Ampere's circuital law. Use it to find the magnetic field inside a long solenoid that has n turns per metre and carries a current I.Unit IXA galvanometer of resistance 60 Ω gives full-scale deflection for 2.0 mA. What resistance is needed, and how is it joined, to make a voltmeter of range 0 to 3 V?Unit IXWhat are eddy currents? How are they reduced in the core of a transformer? Give one use of eddy currents.Unit XA coil of self inductance L carries a steady current I. Derive an expression for the energy stored in its magnetic field, and find this energy for a 0.50 H coil carrying 2.0 A.Unit XWhy is electric power sent over long distances at high voltage? If the same power is sent at double the voltage, by what factor does the heat loss in the lines change?Unit XA thin prism of angle 6° produces a deviation of 3.6°. Find the refractive index of its glass, and write the formula you use.Unit XIWhy does the Sun look reddish at sunrise and sunset but white at noon?Unit XIWhat is chromatic aberration? How is it removed in a camera lens?Unit XIState Huygens' principle. What is the shape of the wavefront from (a) a point source close by, (b) a distant star?Unit XIITwo identical torches shine on the same wall, but no bright and dark fringes are seen. Explain why.Unit XIIThe polarising angle for a liquid is 54°. Find its refractive index (tan 54° = 1.376).Unit XIIState two limitations of Rutherford's nuclear model of the atom.Unit XIIIWrite Bohr's quantum condition. Find the angular momentum of an electron in the fourth orbit of a hydrogen atom. (h = 6.63 × 10⁻³⁴ J s)Unit XIIIDistinguish between continuous and characteristic X-rays. On what does the shortest wavelength of continuous X-rays depend?Unit XIIIDefine work function and threshold frequency of a metal. Write the relation between them.Unit XIVFind the de Broglie wavelength of an electron accelerated from rest through a potential difference of 196 V.Unit XIVState three uses of a photoelectric cell.Unit XIVShow that the density of nuclear matter is the same for all nuclei.Unit XVState any two properties of the nuclear force.Unit XVDistinguish between isotopes and isobars, giving one example of each.Unit XVExplain the job of the moderator and of the control rods in a nuclear reactor.Unit XVIDistinguish between nuclear fission and nuclear fusion, giving one example of each.Unit XVIState two harmful effects of nuclear radiation and two safety measures.Unit XVIA thin layer at a p-n junction holds fixed ions but no free electrons or holes. Name the layer and explain, with a sketch, how it forms.Unit XVIIFor a Zener diode, an LED, a photodiode and a solar cell, state one practical use of each.Unit XVIIDefine the current gains α and β of a transistor. If α = 0.99, find β.Unit XVIIA half-wave rectifier gets an AC input of peak 15.7 V and feeds a 1 kΩ load. Find the DC output voltage and current. (π = 3.14)Unit XVIIIWhy is the NAND gate called a universal gate? Show how it can be used as a NOT gate.Unit XVIIIIn which two regions is a transistor operated when it is used as a switch? State the output voltage in each.Unit XVIII
3 marks · short answer
State Newton's second law of motion and derive F = ma from it. Define one newton.Unit IDefine impulse and show that it equals the change in momentum. A 0.2 kg ball moving at 20 m s⁻¹ is stopped in 0.04 s; find the average force on it.Unit IStarting from an equation of motion, show that the work done by a constant net force on a body equals the change in its kinetic energy.Unit IIA 0.2 kg ball is thrown straight up at 14 m s⁻¹. Using conservation of energy, find the greatest height it reaches and its kinetic energy halfway up. (g = 9.8 m s⁻²)Unit IIState Pascal's law. With a labelled diagram, explain how a hydraulic lift lets a small force raise a car. Why must the small piston move much farther than the large one?Unit IIIState Stokes' law. Derive an expression for the terminal velocity of a small sphere falling through a viscous liquid. How does it depend on the radius of the sphere?Unit IIIWrite the first law of thermodynamics as an equation and explain each symbol with its sign. Why is a second law needed in addition to the first?Unit IVState the Kelvin-Planck and Clausius statements of the second law of thermodynamics. Explain why a refrigerator needs electric power to work.Unit IVA progressive wave is given by y = 0.04 sin(400πt − 0.8πx), where x and y are in metres and t in seconds. Find its amplitude, frequency, wavelength and speed.Unit VWhat is meant by the quality of a musical sound? Define intensity level in decibels, and state two harmful effects of noise pollution.Unit VState Coulomb's law. Two equal point charges 30 cm apart in air repel each other with a force of 0.4 N. Find the charge on each. (1/4πε₀ = 9 × 10⁹ N m² C⁻²)Unit VIShow that the net force on an electric dipole in a uniform electric field is zero, and derive an expression for the torque on it. At what angle is the torque largest?Unit VIDefine electric potential at a point. Derive an expression for the potential at a distance r from a point charge q.Unit VIIObtain an expression for the potential energy of a system of two point charges. Find the potential energy of charges of +3 μC and −2 μC placed 30 cm apart in air.Unit VIIDefine drift velocity of free electrons. Derive the relation I = nAev_d for a conductor of area of cross-section A.Unit VIIIState Ohm's law. Distinguish between ohmic and non-ohmic conductors, with a graph and one example of each.Unit VIIIDerive an expression for the force per unit length between two long straight parallel wires carrying currents I₁ and I₂. Use it to define one ampere.Unit IXA charged particle enters a uniform magnetic field at right angles to it. Show that it moves in a circle, and that its time period does not depend on its speed.Unit IXShow that in a pure inductor joined to an AC source, the current lags the voltage by π/2. Write the expression for the inductive reactance and say how it changes with frequency.Unit XExplain the working of a transformer. For an ideal transformer, show that V_s/V_p = N_s/N_p, and list two causes of energy loss.Unit XExplain, with a labelled diagram, how a primary rainbow is formed. Why is the secondary rainbow fainter, and how are its colours arranged?Unit XIWhat is the Raman effect? Explain the origin of Stokes and anti-Stokes lines.Unit XIUsing Huygens' principle, prove the law of reflection of light. Draw a labelled diagram.Unit XIIExplain, using Huygens' wavelets, how a single slit forms a bright central maximum with dark minima and fainter maxima on either side. Sketch the intensity pattern.Unit XIIDerive an expression for the radius of the nth orbit of the hydrogen atom using Bohr's postulates. Show that the radius is proportional to n².Unit XIIIThe electron in a hydrogen atom falls from n = 3 to n = 1. Find the energy and wavelength of the photon emitted and name its series. (Eₙ = −13.6/n² eV, h = 6.63 × 10⁻³⁴ J s, c = 3 × 10⁸ m/s)Unit XIIIWrite Einstein's photoelectric equation. Light of wavelength 300 nm falls on a metal of work function 2.5 eV. Find the stopping potential. (h = 6.63 × 10⁻³⁴ J s, c = 3 × 10⁸ m/s, e = 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C)Unit XIVDescribe the Davisson-Germer experiment. What did it establish?Unit XIVCalculate the binding energy per nucleon of ⁷₃Li. (Mass of the ⁷₃Li nucleus = 7.01436 u, mₚ = 1.00727 u, mₙ = 1.00865 u, 1 u = 931 MeV)Unit XVA radioactive sample has a half-life of 10 days. What fraction of it remains after 30 days? Find its decay constant.Unit XVComplete the reactions: (a) ³¹₁₅P + ¹₁H → ? + ¹₀n (b) ⁶₃Li + ¹₀n → ³₁H + ?. Find the energy released in (b). (Masses: ⁶Li = 6.01512 u, ¹₀n = 1.00867 u, ³H = 3.01605 u, ⁴He = 4.00260 u; 1 u = 931 MeV)Unit XVIA reactor produces 64 MW of heat. Each fission of ²³⁵U releases 200 MeV. Find the number of fissions per second. (1 MeV = 1.6 × 10⁻¹³ J)Unit XVIDistinguish between intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors. How are n-type and p-type semiconductors made, and why is each electrically neutral?Unit XVIIExplain the working of an npn transistor with the help of a labelled biasing diagram.Unit XVIIWith a circuit diagram, explain how a Zener diode keeps the output voltage of a power supply constant when the load current changes.Unit XVIIIAn LC circuit on its own gives oscillations that die out. Explain, with a block diagram, how a transistor oscillator keeps them steady, and state the condition needed.Unit XVIII
5 marks · long answer
(a) Two bodies interact only with each other. Show from Newton's laws that their total momentum stays constant, and state the law this gives. (b) Explain how a rocket moves forward. (c) A rocket of mass 2000 kg throws out 40 kg of gas every second at 1500 m s⁻¹. Find its acceleration, ignoring gravity.Unit I(a) What is a free body diagram? (b) Masses of 6 kg and 4 kg are tied to the ends of a light string passing over a frictionless pulley. Draw their free body diagrams and find the acceleration and the tension in the string. (g = 9.8 m s⁻²)Unit I(a) Distinguish between elastic and perfectly inelastic collisions. (b) A 2 kg ball moving at 3 m s⁻¹ collides head-on and elastically with a 1 kg ball moving at 6 m s⁻¹ in the opposite direction. Find their velocities after the collision. (c) If the balls had stuck together instead, how much kinetic energy would have been lost?Unit II(a) State the law of conservation of energy. (b) Show that the total mechanical energy of a freely falling body stays constant. (c) Draw the graph of kinetic, potential and total energy against the distance fallen.Unit IIDerive an expression for the height of a liquid column in a capillary tube. Use it to explain why water rises but mercury falls in a glass tube, and why the rise is greater in a finer tube.Unit IIIState Bernoulli's theorem and its three assumptions. Explain, with labelled diagrams, how an aeroplane wing gets lift and how a Venturi meter measures the rate of flow of a liquid.Unit IIIExplain the working of a Carnot engine through its four steps, showing them on a P-V diagram. Obtain η = 1 − T₂/T₁ from the heat taken in and given out, and explain why no real engine can reach this efficiency.Unit IV(a) What is an indicator diagram? Show that the work done by a gas in a process equals the area under its indicator diagram. (b) Explain isothermal, adiabatic, isobaric and isochoric processes, with one example of each.Unit IVExplain the formation of stationary waves in a pipe closed at one end. Draw its first three modes of vibration and show that only odd harmonics are present. Why is an open pipe richer in overtones?Unit VTwo waves of the same frequency, with amplitudes a₁ and a₂ and phase difference φ, travel in the same direction. Show that the resultant amplitude is given by A² = a₁² + a₂² + 2a₁a₂ cos φ, and find the conditions for maximum and minimum intensity.Unit V(a) State Gauss's theorem. (b) Use it to derive the electric field due to a uniformly charged thin spherical shell at a point outside it and at a point inside it. (c) Draw the graph of E against distance from the centre.Unit VIDescribe the principle, construction and working of a Van de Graaff generator, with a labelled diagram. Why is it enclosed in an earthed chamber filled with air at high pressure?Unit VI(a) Derive an expression for the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor. (b) How does its capacitance change when a slab of dielectric constant K fills the gap? Explain this using polarisation, with a labelled diagram.Unit VII(a) Show that the energy stored in a charged capacitor is ½CV². (b) Capacitors of 3 μF and 6 μF are joined in series to a 9 V battery. Find the charge on each, the voltage across each and the total energy stored.Unit VII(a) State the principle of a potentiometer. (b) With a labelled circuit diagram, explain how you would find the internal resistance of a primary cell with it. (c) Why does the second balance length increase when a larger resistance is joined across the cell?Unit VIII(a) Draw a Wheatstone bridge and use Kirchhoff's rules to obtain its balance condition. (b) In a metre bridge, a 3 Ω resistor in the left gap gives a balance point at 60 cm. Find the unknown resistance in the right gap.Unit VIII(a) Write the Biot-Savart law for a small current element and explain each symbol. (b) Apply it to a circular coil of N turns and radius r carrying a current I to find the field at its centre. (c) Find this field for a coil of 100 turns and radius 10 cm carrying 0.50 A.Unit IXWith a labelled diagram, explain the construction and working of a cyclotron. Show that the frequency of the oscillator does not depend on the speed of the charged particle, and give one use of a cyclotron.Unit IX(a) State Lenz's law. Using the example of a magnet pushed towards a closed coil, show that the law follows from the conservation of energy. (b) A rod 0.50 m long moves at 4.0 m s⁻¹ at right angles to a uniform magnetic field of 0.20 T. Find the emf across its ends.Unit X(a) Draw the phasor diagram for a series LCR circuit and obtain its impedance. (b) What is resonance? Find the resonant frequency when L = 0.10 H and C = 10 μF. (c) Define power factor and give its value at resonance.Unit XDraw a labelled ray diagram for refraction of light through a prism. Derive μ = sin[(A + δm)/2] / sin(A/2). A 60° prism gives a minimum deviation of 37°. Find μ (sin 48.5° = 0.749).Unit XIDerive δ = (μ − 1)A for a thin prism. Define dispersive power and show that it depends only on the material. Find ω for a glass with μv = 1.532, μr = 1.514 and μy = 1.523.Unit XIDescribe Young's double slit experiment with a labelled diagram. Derive the expression for fringe width. How does the fringe width change if the whole apparatus is placed in water?Unit XIIUsing Huygens' principle, deduce Snell's law of refraction. Show that the frequency of light does not change on refraction, but its wavelength does.Unit XIIDescribe Rutherford's alpha particle scattering experiment with a labelled diagram. State its observations and conclusions, and the two limitations of the nuclear model.Unit XIIIDerive the expression for the total energy of the electron in the nth orbit of the hydrogen atom. Draw the energy level diagram and show the Lyman and Balmer series on it.Unit XIII(a) Describe an experiment to study the photoelectric effect, with a labelled diagram. (b) Explain saturation current and stopping potential. (c) Draw graphs of photocurrent against plate potential for two intensities of light of the same frequency.Unit XIVState de Broglie's hypothesis. Derive the expression for the de Broglie wavelength of an electron accelerated through V volts, and find its value for V = 100 V.Unit XIVState the law of radioactive decay. Derive N = N₀ exp(−λt) and obtain the relation between half-life and decay constant. What is carbon dating?Unit XVExplain mass defect and binding energy. Draw the binding energy per nucleon curve and discuss what it tells us about the stability of nuclei.Unit XVDescribe the construction and working of a nuclear reactor with a labelled diagram, stating the function of each part.Unit XVIExplain the source of energy in the Sun and stars, with the overall reaction. Why is a very high temperature needed for fusion?Unit XVI(a) Sketch the circuits you would use to plot the forward and the reverse V-I curves of a p-n junction diode, and say why the meters differ. (b) Sketch both curves and explain their shape. (c) What is meant by knee voltage? Give its value for silicon.Unit XVIIWhy do the energy levels of atoms spread into bands when the atoms form a solid? Use labelled band diagrams to compare a conductor such as copper, a semiconductor such as silicon, and an insulator.Unit XVII(a) How does a centre-tapped full-wave rectifier keep the load current in one direction through both half cycles? Use a circuit diagram and waveforms. (b) How does a capacitor filter smooth the output?Unit XVIII(a) Draw the circuit of an npn transistor amplifier in CE mode and explain its working. (b) Show that its voltage gain is −β RL/ri. (c) For β = 50, RL = 2 kΩ and ri = 1 kΩ, find the voltage gain and the power gain.Unit XVIII
2 marks · objective, two parts
(i) Fill in the blank: A body tends to stay at rest, or to keep moving with the same velocity, unless a net force acts on it. This tendency is called ______. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: A frame of reference that is speeding up is an inertial frame. (1 mark)Unit IRead the passage and answer the questions. A worker pushes a 50 kg crate across a factory floor. At first the crate does not move. When the push becomes large enough, it starts to slide, and after that a smaller push keeps it moving at steady speed. (i) Name the friction that acts before the crate moves. (1 mark) (ii) Why is a smaller push enough once the crate is sliding? (1 mark)Unit I(i) Fill in the blank: No work is done by a force when the angle between the force and the displacement is ______. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: The work done by friction on a sliding box is positive. (1 mark)Unit IIMatch each quantity in Column I with its SI unit in Column II. Column I: (i) Power (1 mark) (ii) Spring constant (1 mark). Column II: P. joule, Q. watt, R. N m⁻¹, S. N s.Unit II(i) Fill in the blank: A small steel ball dropped into glycerine soon falls at a steady speed called its ______ velocity. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: Flow through a pipe is turbulent when its Reynolds number is below 1000. (1 mark)Unit IIIRead and answer: Water enters a level pipe of cross-section 20 cm² at 0.50 m s⁻¹ and leaves through a nozzle of cross-section 2.0 cm². (i) Find the speed of the water at the nozzle. (1 mark) (ii) Is the pressure at the nozzle higher or lower than in the wide part of the pipe? (1 mark)Unit III(i) Fill in the blank: The efficiency of a Carnot engine working between 500 K and 400 K is ______. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: Making the sink of a Carnot engine colder raises its efficiency. (1 mark)Unit IV(i) Fill in the blank: At the triple point of water, ice, liquid water and ______ exist together. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: While water boils, its temperature keeps rising as long as heat is supplied. (1 mark)Unit IV(i) Fill in the blank: The closed end of an organ pipe is always a ______. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: The distance between two neighbouring antinodes of a standing wave is λ/4. (1 mark)Unit VMatch column I with column II. Column I: (i) Infrared rays (ii) Gamma rays. Column II: (P) used in radar (Q) detected by a thermopile (R) given out by radioactive nuclei. (1 mark each)Unit V(i) Fill in the blank: The SI unit of electric flux is ______. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: The electric field at every point inside a charged hollow metal sphere is zero. (1 mark)Unit VI(i) Fill in the blank: The charge on any body is a whole-number multiple of ______. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: When a glass rod is rubbed with silk, the silk becomes positively charged. (1 mark)Unit VI(i) Fill in the blank: The SI unit of capacitance is ______. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: An electrolytic capacitor can be joined either way round in a circuit. (1 mark)Unit VII(i) Fill in the blank: Water, NH₃ and HCl are ______ dielectrics. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: Putting a dielectric slab between the plates of a charged, isolated capacitor increases the potential difference between them. (1 mark)Unit VII(i) Fill in the blank: The resistivity of a metal wire ______ when its temperature rises. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: Doubling the length of a wire doubles its resistivity. (1 mark)Unit VIII(i) Fill in the blank: 1 kWh = ______ J. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: The battery of a home inverter is made of secondary cells. (1 mark)Unit VIII(i) Fill in the blank: Diamagnetic substances are ______ repelled by a magnet. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: When iron is heated above its Curie temperature, it becomes paramagnetic. (1 mark)Unit IX(i) Fill in the blank: Two long parallel wires carrying currents in the same direction ______ each other. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: A current loop in a uniform magnetic field feels no net force but may feel a torque. (1 mark)Unit IX(i) Fill in the blank: The SI unit of magnetic flux is the ______. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: Eddy currents in a transformer core are reduced by making the core of thin insulated sheets. (1 mark)Unit X(i) Fill in the blank: At resonance, the impedance of a series LCR circuit is equal to its ______. (1 mark) (ii) One word: What name is given to a current in an AC circuit that uses no average power? (1 mark)Unit X(i) Fill in the blank: Inside a glass prism, ______ light travels the slowest. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: The dispersive power of a prism depends on the angle of the prism. (1 mark)Unit XIRead the passage and answer. The sky looks blue because air molecules scatter short wavelengths far more than long ones. (i) Write Rayleigh's law of scattering. (1 mark) (ii) What colour would the sky look from the Moon, which has no atmosphere? (1 mark)Unit XI(i) Fill in the blank: The locus of all points vibrating in the same phase is called a ______. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: A ray of light is parallel to its wavefront. (1 mark)Unit XII(i) One word: Which can be polarised, light or sound? (1 mark) (ii) Fill in the blank: When two Polaroids are crossed, the angle between their transmission axes is ______. (1 mark)Unit XII(i) Fill in the blank: The Balmer series of the hydrogen spectrum lies in the ________ region. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: Lines of the Lyman series are produced when electrons fall to the second orbit. (1 mark)Unit XIII(i) Fill in the blank: The shortest wavelength of continuous X-rays depends only on the ________ across the tube. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: The characteristic lines of an X-ray target shift when the tube voltage is changed. (1 mark)Unit XIII(i) Fill in the blank: The minimum frequency of light that can free electrons from a metal is called its ________ frequency. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: The maximum kinetic energy of photoelectrons increases when the light is made brighter. (1 mark)Unit XIV(i) One word: Name the emission of electrons from a metal caused by heating it. (1 mark) (ii) Fill in the blank: The cathode of a photoelectric cell is coated with a metal of ________ work function. (1 mark)Unit XIV(i) Fill in the blank: In β⁻ decay, the atomic number of the nucleus ________ by one. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: Gamma rays are deflected by a magnetic field. (1 mark)Unit XV(i) Fill in the blank: The SI unit of activity of a radioactive sample is the ________. (1 mark) (ii) One word: What is the time in which half the atoms of a radioactive sample decay called? (1 mark)Unit XV(i) Fill in the blank: In a nuclear reactor, ________ rods absorb neutrons to control the chain reaction. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: The moderator speeds up neutrons so that they cause more fissions. (1 mark)Unit XVI(i) One word: What is the process in which two light nuclei join to form a heavier nucleus called? (1 mark) (ii) Fill in the blank: About ________ MeV of energy is released in the fission of one uranium-235 nucleus. (1 mark)Unit XVI(i) Fill in the blank: A Zener diode is operated in ________ bias. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: In an LED, light is given out when electrons and holes recombine. (1 mark)Unit XVII(i) Fill in the blank: The output characteristic of a transistor in CE mode is drawn with the ________ current kept constant. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: The input resistance of a transistor in CE mode is ΔVBE/ΔIB at constant VCE. (1 mark)Unit XVII(i) Fill in the blank: The output of an AND gate is 1 only when ________ inputs are 1. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: An OR gate can be shown by two switches joined in parallel with a bulb. (1 mark)Unit XVIII(i) Fill in the blank: In a Zener regulator, the Zener diode is connected in ________ bias across the load. (1 mark) (ii) True or false: The power dissipated in the Zener diode is greatest when the load current is zero. (1 mark)Unit XVIII

Answer frames

How to lay out a long answer, with a write-up check. 108 frames so far.

3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IState Newton's first law of motion. Explain, with two daily-life examples, how it shows the property of inertia.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IState Newton's second law of motion and show that it leads to F = ma. Define the SI unit of force.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IDefine impulse and show that it equals the change in momentum. Explain why a cricket player draws the hands back while catching a ball.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IState the law of conservation of linear momentum. Derive it from Newton's third law and explain the recoil of a gun. A 3 kg gun fires a 15 g bullet at 400 m s⁻¹; find its recoil velocity.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IDistinguish between static and kinetic friction. Why is rolling easier than sliding? Give two ways to reduce friction.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IWhat is a free body diagram? Two blocks of masses m₁ and m₂ are tied by a light string on a smooth horizontal table. A force F pulls m₂. Draw the free body diagrams and find the acceleration and the tension in the string.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IIDefine the work done by a constant force and give its SI unit. Explain, with examples, when the work done is positive, negative and zero.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IIShow, using the force-extension graph, that the work done in stretching a spring by x is ½kx².3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IIDefine power and its SI unit. Show that 1 kW h = 3.6 × 10⁶ J. A 2 kW heater runs for 3 hours; find the energy used in kW h and in joules.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IIState the work-energy theorem and prove it for a constant force. A 10 kg body moving at 4 m s⁻¹ is pushed by a 20 N force along its motion through 6 m. Find its final speed.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IIState the law of conservation of energy. Show that the mechanical energy of a freely falling body stays constant, and draw the energy graph.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IIWhat is an elastic collision? Two bodies of masses m₁ and m₂ with velocities u₁ and u₂ collide head-on elastically. Write the conservation equations and the final velocities. Show that equal masses exchange velocities.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IIIWhat is hydrostatic pressure? Derive an expression for the pressure at a depth h below the free surface of a liquid. Why are dam walls thicker at the base?3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IIIState Pascal's law. With a labelled diagram, explain how a hydraulic lift lifts a heavy load with a small force.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IIIDefine surface tension and surface energy. Show that surface tension is equal to the surface energy per unit area. Write its SI unit and dimensions.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IIIWhat is capillary action? Derive an expression for the height to which a liquid rises in a capillary tube. How does this height depend on the radius of the tube and the angle of contact?3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IIIState Stokes' law. Derive an expression for the terminal velocity of a small sphere falling through a viscous liquid.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IIIState Bernoulli's theorem and the assumptions on which it rests. Explain two of its uses: the lift on an aircraft wing and the working of a sprayer.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IVWhat is a thermodynamic system? Explain how open, closed and isolated systems differ, with an everyday example of each, and state the zeroth law of thermodynamics.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IVWhat is an indicator diagram? Show that the work done by a gas during expansion is equal to the area under its indicator diagram.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IVExplain the first law of thermodynamics with its equation and the meaning of each sign. What are two of its limitations?3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IVWhat is a phase diagram? Draw the phase diagram of water and mark its triple point. What is special about the triple point?3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IVState the second law of thermodynamics in its Kelvin-Planck and Clausius forms. Explain how a refrigerator works as a heat engine run backwards.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IVDescribe the Carnot cycle with the help of an indicator diagram. Derive the expression for its efficiency. Why can a Carnot engine not be made in practice?3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VDerive the equation of a simple harmonic wave travelling along the positive x direction. Hence show that the wave speed is v = ω/k = νλ.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VGive Newton's formula for the speed of sound in a gas, show why it fails for air, and describe the correction made by Laplace. How do temperature, pressure and humidity affect the speed of sound in air?3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VWhat are beats? Explain how they are produced, and show that the beat frequency equals the difference in the frequencies of the two sources.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VExplain how standing waves are formed. Derive the positions of nodes and antinodes, and use them to find the frequencies of a pipe closed at one end.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VWhat is the Doppler effect? Explain it in words for a moving source of sound, and give three of its applications.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VState the main properties of electromagnetic waves. Arrange radio waves, X-rays, visible light, microwaves and gamma rays in order of increasing frequency, and give one use of each.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIWhat do we mean by conservation and quantisation of charge? Describe how a metal sphere can be charged by induction.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIState Coulomb's law. Write it in vector form and show that the forces between two charges obey Newton's third law.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIDefine electric field at a point. Derive an expression for the electric field due to a point charge, and state four properties of electric field lines.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIDefine electric dipole moment. Derive an expression for the electric field of a dipole at a point on its axis (end-on position).5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIState Gauss's theorem. Use it to derive the electric field due to a uniformly charged thin spherical shell at a point outside it and at a point inside it.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIWith a labelled diagram, explain the principle, construction and working of a Van de Graaff generator. State one use.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIIDefine electric potential at a point. Derive an expression for the potential at a distance r from a point charge q.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIIObtain an expression for the electric potential energy of a system of two point charges, and extend it to three charges.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIIWhat is an equipotential surface? State three of its properties and show that E = −ΔV/Δr.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIIWhat is meant by the capacitance of a capacitor? Derive an expression for the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor, and show how a dielectric changes it.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIIDerive an expression for the energy stored in a charged capacitor. A 50 μF capacitor is charged to 200 V: find the energy it stores.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIIWhat is polarisation of a dielectric? Explain why a dielectric slab placed between the plates of a charged capacitor increases its capacitance.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIIIDefine drift velocity. Derive an expression for it, and show how it gives the current in a wire.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIIIState Ohm's law. Distinguish between ohmic and non-ohmic conductors, with a graph and an example of each.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIIIDerive the expression for the equivalent resistance of three resistors joined in parallel. Why is the equivalent resistance less than the smallest of them?3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIIIDistinguish between the EMF and the terminal voltage of a cell. Derive the relation between them, and explain why they differ.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIIIState Kirchhoff's rules. Using them, derive the balance condition of a Wheatstone bridge, and explain how a metre bridge finds an unknown resistance.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT VIIIState the principle of a potentiometer. With a labelled circuit diagram, explain how it is used to compare the EMFs of two cells. Why is it preferred to a voltmeter?3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IXName the three elements of the Earth's magnetic field and define each. Show how the horizontal and vertical components are related to the angle of dip.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IXWrite the Biot-Savart law for a small current element. Apply it to a circular coil of N turns and radius r carrying a current I to find the magnetic field at its centre.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IXState Ampere's circuital law. Apply it to a long, tightly wound solenoid with n turns per metre, carrying a current I, to find the field inside it.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IXWith a labelled diagram, explain the construction and working of a cyclotron. Show that the frequency of the oscillator needed does not depend on the speed of the ions.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IXDerive an expression for the force per unit length between two long straight parallel wires carrying currents. Use it to define one ampere.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT IXWith a labelled diagram, explain the principle and working of a moving coil galvanometer. Why is a radial magnetic field used, and how can its sensitivity be increased?5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XState Faraday's laws and Lenz's law of electromagnetic induction. Show that Lenz's law follows from the law of conservation of energy.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XWhat is mutual induction? Derive an expression for the mutual inductance of two long coaxial solenoids of the same length.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XShow that in a pure capacitor joined to an AC source, the current leads the voltage by π/2. Define capacitive reactance and explain why a capacitor blocks DC.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XDraw the phasor diagram of the voltages in a series LCR circuit and obtain its impedance and phase angle. What is resonance? Obtain the resonant frequency and show how the resistance affects the current near it.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XWith a labelled diagram, explain the principle and working of an AC generator. Derive the expression for the emf induced in its coil.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XExplain the construction and working of a transformer. Derive the relation between the voltages and the numbers of turns in its two coils, and state two ways of reducing energy losses.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIDraw a labelled ray diagram for refraction through a prism. Derive the relation between the refractive index, the angle of the prism and the angle of minimum deviation, and draw the i-δ graph.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIDerive the expression for the deviation produced by a thin prism. Hence define dispersive power and show that it depends only on the material of the prism.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIExplain with a diagram how a primary rainbow is formed. How does a secondary rainbow differ from it?3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIWhat are spherical and chromatic aberrations? Explain how each can be reduced, with diagrams.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIWhat is scattering of light? State Rayleigh's law and use it to explain the blue colour of the sky and the red colour of the Sun at sunset.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIWhat is the Raman effect? Explain the origin of Stokes and anti-Stokes lines in terms of energy, and give one use of the effect.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIIState Huygens' principle. Using it, show with a diagram how a plane wavefront moves forward in a uniform medium.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIIUsing Huygens' principle, deduce Snell's law of refraction for a plane wavefront. Show that the frequency of light does not change on refraction but its wavelength does. Draw a labelled diagram.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIIDescribe Young's double slit experiment with a labelled diagram. Obtain the conditions for bright and dark fringes and derive the expression for the fringe width.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIIExplain the diffraction of light at a single slit. Why is the central maximum the brightest, and why do the secondary maxima get fainter? Draw the intensity distribution.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIIWhat is polarisation of light? Describe an experiment with two Polaroids which shows that light is a transverse wave.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIIState Brewster's law and derive it. Find the polarising angle for glass of refractive index 1.5.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIIIDescribe Rutherford's alpha particle scattering experiment with a labelled diagram. What did it show, and what were the limits of the nuclear model?3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIIIState the postulates of Bohr's model of the hydrogen atom.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIIIDerive an expression for the radius of the nth Bohr orbit of the hydrogen atom.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIIIDerive the expression for the energy of the electron in the nth orbit of the hydrogen atom and draw its energy level diagram.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIIIExplain the origin of the spectral series of hydrogen using Bohr's model. Name the series and their regions.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIIIExplain the production of X-rays with a labelled diagram of the tube. Distinguish between continuous and characteristic X-rays and state any three properties of X-rays.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIVWhat is meant by the work function of a metal? Describe three ways in which electrons can be made to leave a metal surface.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIVDescribe an experiment to study the photoelectric effect. Explain the terms saturation current and stopping potential.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIVWrite Einstein's photoelectric equation. Explain how it accounts for the laws of photoelectric emission. Draw the graph of stopping potential against frequency.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIVWhat is a photoelectric cell? Describe its construction and working, and give two uses.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIVState de Broglie's hypothesis and derive an expression for the wavelength of an electron accelerated through a potential difference V.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XIVDescribe the experiment that first showed that electrons behave as waves.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVShow that the density of a nucleus does not depend on its mass number. Estimate its value.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVDefine isotopes, isobars and isotones, giving one example of each.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVWhat are mass defect and binding energy? Draw the binding energy per nucleon curve and explain how it shows that energy is released in fission and fusion.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVWhat is the nuclear force? State its important properties.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVWhat is radioactivity? Compare the properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiations.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVState the law of radioactive decay. Derive N = N₀ exp(−λt) and the relation between half-life and decay constant. Give two uses of radioactivity.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIExplain what a nuclear reaction is, with one example, and list the laws it must obey.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIWhat is nuclear fission? Explain how a chain reaction takes place. How is it controlled in a reactor?5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIDescribe the construction and working of a nuclear reactor with a labelled diagram.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIExplain how the Sun and other stars produce their energy.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIDescribe the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Why is nuclear power important for India?3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIDescribe the hazards of nuclear radiation and the safety measures needed.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIIHow do energy bands arise in a solid? Use labelled band diagrams to compare a conductor, a semiconductor and an insulator.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIIWith a labelled sketch, explain what happens to the electrons and holes when a p-n junction is made, and how this sets up the barrier potential.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIIDescribe, with circuit diagrams, how you would plot the forward and the reverse V-I curves of a p-n junction diode. Sketch the curves you expect.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIIWhat is a Zener diode? Draw its V-I characteristic and explain why it is used as a voltage regulator.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIIExplain, with a labelled diagram, the working of an npn transistor. Define its current gains α and β, and derive the relation between them.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIIDraw a labelled circuit diagram to study the characteristics of an npn transistor in common emitter configuration. Draw its input and output characteristics, and explain how β is found from them.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIIIUsing a labelled circuit diagram and waveforms, show how a centre-tapped full-wave rectifier uses both half cycles of AC, and explain how a capacitor filter smooths its output.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIIIDraw the circuit of a Zener diode voltage regulator. Explain how it keeps the output voltage constant against changes in load current and input voltage.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIIIWith a labelled circuit diagram, explain how an npn transistor works as an amplifier in CE mode. Derive the expression for its voltage gain.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIIIExplain, with a block diagram, how an amplifier and a feedback circuit together give sustained oscillations, and name an oscillator that uses an LC tank circuit.3-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIIIDraw the logic symbols and write the truth tables of AND, OR and NOT gates. Explain how AND and OR gates can be shown with switches.5-MARK ANSWER FRAME · UNIT XVIIIWhat is a universal gate? Show how NOT, AND and OR gates can be made using only NAND gates, with truth tables.