Higher Tier - Grades 4-9

GCSE Combined Science Higher Short Paper B

Covers Quantitative Chemistry, Chemical Changes, Energy and 3 more.

8 questions - 40 marks - calculator allowed

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Questions

Question 1 [4 marks]

Quantitative Chemistry

A solution contains 0.05 moles of sodium hydroxide dissolved in 500 cm^3 of solution.

Calculate the concentration of the sodium hydroxide solution, in mol/dm^3.

Question 2 [4 marks]

Electricity

A current of 3.0 A flows through a component for 2 minutes.

Calculate the charge that flows through the component in this time. Use Q = I t.

Question 3 [5 marks]

Energy

A weightlifter raises a 120 kg barbell through a height of 2.0 m in 1.5 s.

Calculate the work done raising the barbell, and calculate the power developed by the weightlifter.

Question 4 [5 marks]

Particle Model of Matter

A bicycle tyre has a fixed volume.

More air is pumped into the tyre, increasing the number of gas particles inside it, while the temperature stays constant.

Explain, in terms of the particle model, why pumping more air into the tyre increases the pressure inside it.

Question 5 [5 marks]

Forces

A ball of mass 0.40 kg travelling at 8.0 m/s hits a wall and rebounds at 6.0 m/s in the opposite direction.

The collision with the wall lasts for 0.02 s.

Calculate the force exerted by the wall on the ball. Use force = change in momentum / time.

Question 6 [5 marks]

Particle Model of Matter

A fixed volume of gas is heated in a sealed container.

Explain, in terms of the particle model, why increasing the temperature of a gas in a sealed, fixed-volume container increases the pressure of the gas.

Question 7 [6 marks]

Chemical Changes

Concentrated sodium chloride solution (brine) is electrolysed using inert electrodes, producing hydrogen gas at the cathode, chlorine gas at the anode, and sodium hydroxide solution.

Explain, in terms of the ions present and their discharge at each electrode, why hydrogen gas (not sodium) forms at the cathode, and why chlorine gas forms at the anode.

Question 8 [6 marks]

Energy

An electric motor is used to lift a load of mass 40 kg through a height of 6.0 m. The motor is 60% efficient. Use g = 9.8 N/kg.

Calculate the useful energy transferred to the gravitational potential energy store of the load, and calculate the total input energy supplied to the motor to achieve this lift.

Model solutions

Mark scheme for Question 1 [4 marks]
Question 1[4 marks]
Answer or workingMarks
converting 500 cm^3 to dm^3, 500 / 1000M1
using concentration = moles / volumeM1
substituting 0.05 / 0.5M1
0.1 mol/dm^3A1
Mark scheme for Question 2 [4 marks]
Question 2[4 marks]
Answer or workingMarks
converting 2 minutes to seconds, 2 x 60M1
substituting into Q = I t, 3.0 x 120M1
360A1
the unit coulombs (C)B1
Final answer: 360 C
Mark scheme for Question 3 [5 marks]
Question 3[5 marks]
Answer or workingMarks
using work done = GPE = m g hM1
substituting 120 x 9.8 x 2.0M1
2352 JA1
power = work done / time, 2352 / 1.5M1
1568 WA1
Final answer: 2352 J of work done; 1568 W of power
Mark scheme for Question 4 [5 marks]
Question 4[5 marks]
Answer or workingMarks
there being more gas particles inside the same fixed volumeB1
a higher density of particles inside the tyreB1
particles colliding with the walls of the tyre more frequentlyB1
the total force exerted on the inside surface of the tyre increasing as a resultB1
pressure = force / area, so a greater force on the same area gives a greater pressureB1
Final answer: More particles in the same volume collide with the walls more often, increasing the force and therefore the pressure
Mark scheme for Question 5 [5 marks]
Question 5[5 marks]
Answer or workingMarks
momentum before the collision, 0.40 x 8.0M1
3.2 kg m/sA1
momentum after the collision, in the opposite direction, 0.40 x 6.0 = 2.4 kg m/sM1
change in momentum = 3.2 + 2.4M1
a force of 5.6 / 0.02 = 280 NA1
Final answer: 280 N
Mark scheme for Question 6 [5 marks]
Question 6[5 marks]
Answer or workingMarks
increasing temperature increasing the average kinetic energy of the gas particlesB1
particles moving faster on averageB1
particles colliding with the walls of the container more frequentlyB1
particles colliding with the walls with greater forceB1
this increasing the pressure exerted on the walls, as the volume is fixedB1
Final answer: Faster particles collide with the walls more often and with greater force, increasing pressure
Mark scheme for Question 7 [6 marks]
Question 7[6 marks]
Answer or workingMarks
the solution containing Na+, H+ (from water), Cl- and OH- (from water) ionsB1
stating positive ions move to the cathode and gain electrons (reduction)B1
sodium being more reactive than hydrogen, so H+ ions are discharged in preference to Na+ ions, producing hydrogen gasB1
stating negative ions move to the anode and lose electrons (oxidation)B1
stating that in a concentrated solution, chloride ions are discharged in preference to hydroxide ions, producing chlorine gasB1
stating sodium ions and hydroxide ions remain in solution, forming sodium hydroxide solutionB1
Final answer: Hydrogen forms at the cathode because sodium is more reactive than hydrogen; chlorine forms at the anode because the solution is concentrated in chloride ions; sodium and hydroxide ions remain, forming sodium hydroxide solution
Mark scheme for Question 8 [6 marks]
Question 8[6 marks]
Answer or workingMarks
using GPE = m g hM1
substituting 40 x 9.8 x 6.0M1
2352 JA1
rearranging efficiency = useful output energy / total input energy to input energy = useful output energy / efficiencyM1
substituting 2352 / 0.60M1
3920 JA1
Final answer: 2352 J of useful GPE gained; 3920 J of total input energy needed