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IBPhysics: HLDPExam Questions1. Measurement & Uncertainties1.1 Measurements in Physics

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First teaching 2014

Last exams 2024

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Measurements in Physics (DP IB Physics: HL)

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1.1 Measurements in Physics

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1.1 Measurements in Physics

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1
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Which of the following is not an SI base unit?

  • volt

  • kilogram

  • kelvin

  • mole

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2
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What are the SI base units for frequency, f?

  • s

  • s−1

  • s−2

  • s−3

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3
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Which line in the table shows the metric multipliers in order of increasing value?

A.

μ

c

k

G

M

B.

G

T

n

c

p

C.

 k n M T G

D.

 p n

c

G

T

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    4
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    Which product-pair of metric multipliers has the greatest magnitude?

    • pico × mega

    • nano × kilo

    • micro × giga

    • milli × tera

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    5
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    Which of the following values is not given to 3 significant figures?

    • 4.00 × 102

    • 5190

    • 6230.00 

    • 503 00 

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    6
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    A physicist measured the reaction time of a person pushing a buzzer to be 0.00289354 s.

    Which answer gives the measurement to 4 significant figures?

    • 0.0028

    • 0.002893

    • 0.003

    • 0.0028935

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    7
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    What are the SI base units for gravitational field strength, g?

    • N

    • m s−2

    • N kg−1

    • J kg−1

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    8
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    Some physical quantities can be measured directly, whereas others can only be estimated.

    Which of the following rows in the table is correct?

     

     

    Physical Quantity

    Measurable or estimated

    A.

    length of a football field

    estimated

    B.

    		 age of the universe

    measurable

    C.

    		 potential difference of a mains supply estimated

    D.

    		 speed of sound

    measurable

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      9
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      The length of a bacterium is approximately 2 × 10−6 m, and the distance from Earth to the Moon is approximately 3.8 × 108 m.

      How many orders of magnitude greater is the distance from Earth to the Moon than the length of a bacterium?

      • 102

      • 106

      • 1014 

      • 1022

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      10
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      Cape Town is 9 700 000 m from London.

      What is the order of magnitude of this distance?

      • 106

      • 107

      • 108

      • 109

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      1
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      Blue light has a wavelength of 450 nm.

      Which of the following also represents this wavelength?

      • 4.5 pm

      • 0.45 μm

      • 0.0045 mm

      • 0.45 km

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      2
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      The table contains some quantities, together with their symbols and units.

      quantity

      symbol

      unit

      gravitational field strength

      density of liquid

      vertical height

      volume of part of liquid

      g

      ρ

      h

      V

      N kg–1

      kg m–3

      m

        m3

      Which expression has the units of energy?

      • rho g squared h

      • fraction numerator rho h V over denominator g end fraction

      • fraction numerator rho g over denominator h V end fraction

      • g rho h V

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      3
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      For which quantity is the magnitude a reasonable estimate?

      • frequency of an infrared wave 500 MHz

      • mass of an atom 250 μg

      • the Young modulus of an elastic band 5 kPa

      • wavelength of red light 700 nm

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      4
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      8 over 9kilowatt-hours (kW h) is equivalent to

      • 2.0 cross times 10 to the power of negative 13 end exponent space eV

      • 16 over 3 cross times 10 to the power of 8 space eV

      • 2.0 cross times 10 to the power of 25 space eV

      • 3.2 cross times 10 to the power of 6 space eV

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      5
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      The equation of hydrostatic pressure relates the pressure of a fluid, P, to the density of the fluid, ρ

       P = ρgΔh

       where g is the gravitational field strength, and Δh is the depth from the surface of the fluid.

       How can both sides of this equation be written in terms of SI base units?

      • (N m–1) = (kg m–3) (m s–1) (m)

      • (N m–2) = (kg m–2) (m s–2) (m)

      • (kg m–1 s–2) = (kg m–3) (m s–2) (m)

      • (kg m–1 s–1) = (kg m–1) (m s–2) (m)

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      6
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      The units of all physical quantities can be expressed in terms of SI base units.

       Which pair contains quantities with different base units?

      • emf and lost volts

      • mass per unit area and density

      • impulse and momentum

      • work and energy

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      7
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      The best estimate for the time it takes light to cross the nucleus of a hydrogen atom is:

      • 10–23 s

      • 10–20 s

      • 10–15 s

      • 10–7 s

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      8
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      A glider is momentarily stationary in the air before losing 1.00 m of vertical height for every 6.00 m that it goes forward horizontally. The horizontal speed of the glider is 12 m s–1.

      What is the vertical speed of the glider, to an appropriate number of significant figures, after it falls a total of 31.25 m?

      • 25.0 m s–1

      • 30 m s–1

      • 25 m s–1

      • 30.0 m s–1

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      9
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      The graph shows the data for the variation of the power output of a photovoltaic cell with load resistance. The data were obtained by placing the cell in sunlight. The intensity of the energy from the Sun incident on the surface of the cell was constant.

      TAhoqfQ0_q19_measurements-in-physics_ib-sl-physics-mcq

      The intensity of the Sun’s radiation incident on the cell is 0.6 W m–2. The active area of the cell has dimensions of 60 cm × 60 cm.

      At the peak power, what is the ratio fraction numerator electrical space energy space at space peak space power over denominator energy space arriving space at space the space cell space from space the space sun end fraction?

      • 5.0 × 10–4

      • 500

      • 0.18

      • 0.50

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      10
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      An object falls for a time of 0.081 s. The acceleration of free fall is 9.81 m s–2. The displacement is calculated. Which of the following gives the correct number of significant digits for the calculated value of the displacement of the object?

      • 4

      • 2

      • 1

      • 3

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      1
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      The frictional force F on a sphere falling through a fluid is given by the formula:

      F = 6 pi a eta nu 

      In this equation, a is the radius of the sphere, η is a constant relating to the fluid and v is the velocity of the sphere.

      What are the units of η?

      • kg m s–1

      • kg m–1 s–1

      • kg m s–3

      • kg m–3 s–3

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      2
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      The speed v of a liquid leaving a tube depends on the change in pressure ΔP and the density ρ of the liquid. The speed is given by the equation:

      v = k left parenthesis fraction numerator increment P over denominator rho end fraction right parenthesis to the power of n

      In this equation, k is a constant that has no units.

      What is the value of n?

      • 1 half

      • 1

      • 3 over 2

      • 2

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      3
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      Which estimate is realistic?

      • The kinetic energy of a bus travelling on an motor way is 30 000 J

      • The power of a domestic light is 300 W

      • The temperature of a hot oven is 300 K

      • The volume of air in a car tyre is 0.03 m3

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      4
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      The theory of gas flow through small diameter tubes at low pressures is an important consideration of high vacuum techniques.

      One equation used in this theory is:

      Q = fraction numerator k r cubed left parenthesis p subscript 1 minus p subscript 2 right parenthesis over denominator L end fraction square root of fraction numerator M over denominator R T end fraction end root

      Where k is a unitless constant, r is the radius of the tube, p1 and p2 are the pressures at each end of the tube, L is the length of the tube, M is the molar mass of the gas, R is the molar gas constant and T is the thermodynamic temperature of the gas.

      What are the base units of Q?

      • kg s–1

      • kg m s–1

      • kg mol–1

      • kg m s–2

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      5
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      What is the correct value for the Gravitational constant?

      • 6.67 × 10–3 nN m2 kg–2

      • 6.67 × 105 N mm2 kg–2

      • 6.67 × 10–20 kN mm2 kg–2

      • 6.67 × 10–17 N km2 kg–2

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      6
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      A boy jumps from a wall 5 m high. What is an estimate of the change in momentum of the boy when he lands without rebounding?

      • 4 × 100 kg m s–1

      • 4 × 101 kg m s–1

      • 4 × 102 kg m s–1

      • 4 × 103 kg m s–1

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      71 mark

      When a constant braking force is applied to a vehicle moving at speed v, the distance d moved by the vehicle as it comes to rest is given by the expression:

      d = kv2

      In this equation, k is a constant.

      When d is measured in metres and v is measured in metres per second, the constant has a value of k1.

      What is the value of the constant when the distance is measured in metres, and the speed is measured in kilometres per hour?

      • fraction numerator k subscript 1 over denominator 12.96 end fraction

      • fraction numerator k subscript 1 over denominator 3.6 end fraction

      • 3.6k1

      • 12.96k1

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      8
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      What is the unit for the gas constant in fundamental SI units?

      • kg m s–2 K mol–1

      • kg m2 s–2 K–1 mol–1

      • kg2 m2 s–1 K–1 mol

      • kg m2 s–2 mol–1

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      9
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      Which of the following gives the correct unit for g cubed over G?

      • kg s–4

      • kg–1 s–4

      • kg m3 s–4

      • kg s–8

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      101 mark

      The drag coefficient Cd is a number with no units. It is used to compare the drag on different cars at different speeds. It is given by the equation

       Cd = fraction numerator 2 F over denominator rho v to the power of n A end fraction

      F is the drag force on the car, ρ is the density of the air, A is the cross-sectional area of the car and v is the speed of the car.

       What is the value of n?

      • 1

      • 2

      • 3

      • 4

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