SPM Physics case studies
SPM Physics · Put your knowledge to work in context.
Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) is the national upper-secondary examination administered by Lembaga Peperiksaan (LP), Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, and listed on the LP portal under Peringkat Menengah Atas. Fizik (Physics) is one of the subjects candidates offer within that examination. The SPM Physics case studies are 5 cases and about 3,883 words.
1Nichrome Wire Resistivity: Zero Error, Averaging and Hidden Resistances
A Form 5 group is asked to determine the resistivity of a nichrome wire. Using a micrometer screw gauge they measure the diameter at five positions along the wire and record 0.51 mm, 0.52 mm, 0.52 mm, 0.53 mm and 0.52 mm.
720 words, about 4 min2Lift Motor: Cable Tension, Apparent Weight and When the Power Demand Peaks
A 1200 kg lift car carries four passengers of total mass 300 kg and is pulled by a single vertical cable. Starting from rest at the ground floor, it accelerates upward at 1.5 m/s² for 2.0 s, then travels at constant speed for 8.0 s, then decelerates uniformly and stops after a further 2.0 s at the tenth floor.
742 words, about 4 min3Ice in Warm Water: Deciding the Final State Before Calculating
A student puts 0.300 kg of water at 30.0 °C into a polystyrene cup and adds 0.050 kg of ice taken straight from a freezer at −5.0 °C. She stirs gently and records the lowest temperature reached with a thermometer that reads to 0.5 °C.
733 words, about 4 min4Slide Projector: Lens Equation, Image Orientation and Overheating
A student builds a slide projector for the science fair using a thin convex lens of focal length 15.0 cm and a transparent slide measuring 3.0 cm × 4.0 cm. The screen is a whiteboard 1.2 m × 0.9 m placed 3.00 m from the lens.
762 words, about 4 min5Kitchen Socket Overload, Warm Cable and a Faulty Iron
A family in a 1980s terrace house runs four appliances from one 13 A switched socket in the kitchen, using a three-way adapter: a 2.0 kW kettle, a 1.5 kW steam iron, a 0.60 kW rice cooker and a 0.10 kW refrigerator. The supply is 240 V.
926 words, about 5 min