DHS 2026 Y6 Physics H2 P4 Prelim

© DHS 2026 9478/Prelim/04/26 [Turn over DUNMAN HIGH SCHOOL Preliminary Examinations Year 6 Higher 2 PHYSICS Paper 4 Practical You must answer on the question paper. You will need: The materials and apparatus listed. 9478/04 27 August 2026 2 hour 30 minutes INSTRUCTIONS • Answer all questions. • Use a black or dark blue pen. You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams or graphs. • Write your name, centre number and index number in the boxes at the top of the page. • Write your answer to each question in the space provided. • Do not use an erasable pen. Do not use correction fluid or tape. • Do not write on any bar codes. • You may use an approved calculator. • You may use a spreadsheet to process and analyse data. • Write the details of the shift and laboratory in the boxes provided. • You will be allowed to work with the apparatus for a maximum of 1 hour 15 minutes for each section. INFORMATION • The total mark for this paper is 50. • The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ]. This document has 20 pages. Any blank pages are indicated. CANDIDATE NAME CLASS INDEX NUMBER Shift Laboratory For Examiner’s Use 1 / 14 2 / 12 3 / 24 Total / 50

2 © DHS 2026 9478/Prelim/04/26 Section A 1 When an object falls in air, it experiences a drag force which opposes the motion of the object. Larger objects experience greater drag forces. In this experiment, you will investigate how the terminal velocity of a paper cone falling in air depends on the diameter of the cone. (a) Cut a sector out of a piece of filter paper as shown in Fig. 1.1. Fig. 1.1 (b) (i) Tape the straight edges of the paper together to produce a cone, as shown in Fig. 1.2. Fig. 1.2 (ii) Use vernier calipers to measure and calculate the average diameter d of the cone. d = ...….........…………………. [1]

3 © DHS 2026 9478/Prelim/04/26 [Turn over (c) (i) Mount a metre rule vertically using a stand, boss and clamp. (ii) Release the cone from a short distance above the top of the metre rule, as shown in Fig. 1.3. Fig. 1.3 Make and record measurements to determine the time t for the cone to fall through a distance h from the top of the metre rule. h = …....….........…….…………… t = …....….........…….…………… [1] (d) (i) Calculate the terminal velocity v of the cone. v = ...….........…………………. [1]

4 © DHS 2026 9478/Prelim/04/26 (ii) Justify the number of significant figures given in your value of v. ..………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ..………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ..………………………………………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………………..... .…………………………………………………………………………………………..….... [1] (iii) Suggest one significant source of uncertainty in this experiment. ..………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ..………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ..………………………………………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………………..... .…………………………………………………………………………………………..….... [1] (e) (i) Remove the tape from the paper and cut away a larger sector as shown in Fig. 1.4. Fig. 1.4 (ii) Repeat step (b)(i) and (b)(ii). d = ...….........………………….

5 © DHS 2026 9478/Prelim/04/26 [Turn over (f) It is suggested that v is inversely proportional to d. Use the cone in step (e) to take further measurements to investigate this suggestion. State and explain whether or not you agree with this suggestion. Present your measurements and calculated results clearly. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…….…… [3]

6 © DHS 2026 9478/Prelim/04/26 (g) A student wishes to further investigate the factors affecting the terminal velocity of the cone. Steel paperclips are loaded into the cone to vary its weight, while the diameter of the cone is kept constant. Plan an experiment to investigate how the terminal velocity v depends on the weight W of the cone-and-paperclips system. The experimental setup is similar to that described in (c)(i) and (c)(ii). You are not required to carry out the experiment. Include in your plan: • the procedure to be followed, including how v is determined and how W is varied • any precautions that should be taken to improve the accuracy and safety of the investigation In your plan, you should consider that the cone will fall significantly faster when loaded with paperclips compared to the unloaded cone. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..…….…… [3]

7 © DHS 2026 9478/Prelim/04/26 [Turn over (h) A cone of diameter 11.0 cm is loaded with paperclips so that the total weight of the cone - and-paperclips system is 0.020 N. The cone is released from rest and falls vertically downwards. A high -speed camera tracks the falling cone, and video -analysis software automatically calculates the drag force acting on the cone at various distances. A data file containing these values of drag force F and distance s fallen from rest is provided. The data is recorded in the digital file: datasetQ1h.csv Plot a suitable graph using a spreadsheet to determine the total energy dissipated against drag as the cone falls from rest through a distance of 1.000 m. Sketch the graph in the space below. Explain how you obtain the total energy dissipated against drag, dissipatedE . energy dissipated = ................................................ J [3] [Total: 14]

8 © DHS 2026 9478/Prelim/04/26 2 In this experiment you will connect a circuit and take measurements to enable you to determine an unknown resistance R. (a) Set up the circuit shown in Fig. 2.1 using the five identical resistors of resistance R and the cell of e.m.f. E. Fig. 2.1 (b) The positions J, K, L, M and N are associated with the corresponding values of n shown in the table. position J K L M N n 0 1 2 3 4 Connect X to J, close the switch and measure the current I0. I0 = ……………………………………………….. mA [1] I

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