1. This question is about forces on charged particles.

(a) A charged particle is situated in a field of force. Deduce the nature of the force-field
(magnetic, electric or gravitational) when the force on the particle

(i) is along the direction of the field regardless of its charge and velocity;

...........................................................................................................................

(ii) is independent of the velocity of the particle but depends on its charge;

...........................................................................................................................

(iii) depends on the velocity of the particle and its charge.

...........................................................................................................................
(5)

(b) An electron is accelerated from rest in a vacuum through a potential difference of 2.1 kV.
7 –1
Deduce that the final speed of the electron is 2.7 × 10 m s .

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(3)

1
 The electron in (b) then enters a region of uniform electric field between two conducting
horizontal metal plates as shown below.

+95 V

P a th o f
e le c tro n P
2 .2 c m
7 –1
2 .7 × 1 0 m s

0 V
12 cm

The electric field outside the region of the plates may be assumed to be zero. The potential
difference between the plates is 95 V and their separation is 2.2 cm.

As the electron enters the region of the electric field, it is travelling parallel to the plates.

(c) (i) On the diagram above, draw an arrow at P to show the direction of the force due to
the electric field acting on the electron.
(1)

(ii) Calculate the force on the electron due to the electric field.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(3)

(d) The plates in the diagram above are of length 12 cm. Determine

(i) the time of flight between the plates.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

2
 (ii) the vertical distance moved by the electron during its passage between the plates.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(3)

(e) Suggest why gravitational effects were not considered when calculating the deflection of
the electron.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(f) In a mass spectrometer, electric and magnetic fields are used to select charged particles of
one particular speed. A uniform magnetic field is applied in the region between the plates,
such that the electron passes between the plates without being deviated.

For this magnetic field,

(i) state and explain its direction;

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(3)

(ii) determine its magnitude.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

3
(g) The electric and magnetic fields in (f) remain unchanged. Giving a brief explanation in
each case, compare qualitatively the deflection of the electron in (f) with that of

(i) an electron travelling at a greater initial speed;

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

(ii) a proton having the same speed;

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

(iii) an alpha particle (α-particle) having the same speed.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(7)
(Total 30 marks)

4
2. This question is about the physics of a lightning strike.

In a simple model of a thundercloud, a negative charge is built up on the base of the cloud by
the process of charge separation. The resulting electric field between the cloud and the ground
is approximately the same as that between two infinite parallel charged plates. When the charge
on the base of the cloud reaches a certain value, a lightning strike occurs between the ground
and the base of the cloud.

th u n d e rc lo u d

500 m

g ro u n d

(a) Explain what is meant by the term charge separation.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) Define electric field strength.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

5
(c) On the above diagram, draw the electric field pattern between the ground and the base of
the cloud.
(3)

The electric field strength E between two infinite, parallel charged plates is given by


0
E=

2
where σ is the charge on an area of 1 m of one plate.

Just before a lightning strike, a particular thundercloud carries a charge of 20 C spread over its
6 2
base. The area of the base of the cloud is 7 × 10 m .

(d) (i) Show that the magnitude of the electric field between the base of the cloud and the
5 –1
ground is approximately 3 × 10 Vm .

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(3)

(ii) State two assumptions made when applying this formula.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

6
(e) The base of the cloud is at an average height of 500 m. Calculate the potential difference
between the ground and the cloud base just before the lightning strike.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

When a lightning strike occurs between the ground and the base of this thundercloud, the cloud
completely discharges in a time of 20 ms.

(f) (i) Calculate the average current in the lightning strike.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) Estimate the energy released during the lightning strike.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(3)
(Total 18 marks)

7
3. This question is about electrical energy and associated phenomena.

Current electricity

A cell of electromotive force (emf) E and internal resistance r is connected in series with a
resistor R, as shown below.

E r

3 3
The cell supplies 8.1 × 10 J of energy when 5.8 × 10 C of charge moves completely round the
circuit. The current in the circuit is constant.

(i) Calculate the emf E of the cell.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

(ii) The resistor R has resistance 6.0 Ω. The potential difference between its terminals is
1.2 V. Determine the internal resistance r of the cell.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(3)

8
 (iii) Calculate the total energy transfer in the resistor R.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(iv) Describe, in terms of a simple model of electrical conduction, the mechanism by which
the energy transfer in the resistor R takes place.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(5)
(Total 12 marks)

4. This question is about electrical energy and associated phenomena.

Electromagnetism

e le c tro m a g n e t

The current in the circuit is switched on.

9
(i) State Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction and use the law to explain why an emf
is induced in the coil of the electromagnet.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(3)

(ii) State Lenz’s law and use the law to predict the direction of the induced emf in (i).

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(3)

(iii) Magnetic energy is stored in the electromagnet. State and explain, with reference to the
induced emf, the origin of this energy.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 8 marks)

10
5. This question is about emf and internal resistance.

A dry cell has an emf E and internal resistance r and is connected to an external circuit. There is
a current I in the circuit when the potential difference across the terminals of the cell is V.

E
I

(a) State expressions, in terms of E, V, r and I where appropriate, for

(i) the total power supplied by the cell;

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) the power dissipated in the cell;

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(iii) the power dissipated in the external circuit.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(b) Use your answers to (a) to derive a relationship between V, E, I and r.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

11
The graph below shows the variation of V with I for the dry cell.

1 .6

1 .5

1 .4

1 .3

1 .2

1 .1

1 .0

0 .9 0

0 .8 0
V /V
0 .7 0

0 .6 0

0 .5 0

0 .4 0

0 .3 0

0 .2 0

0 .1 0

0 .0
0 .0 0 .1 0 0 .2 0 0 .3 0 0 .4 0 0 .5 0 0 .6 0 0 .7 0 0 .8 0 0 .9 0 1 .0 1 .1 1 .2 1 .3
I /A

12
(c) Complete the diagram below to show the circuit that could be used to obtain the data
from which the graph was plotted.

(3)

(d) Use the graph, explaining your answers, to

(i) determine the emf E of the cell;

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

(ii) determine the current in the external circuit when the resistance R of the external
circuit is very small;

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

13
 (iii) deduce that the internal resistance r of the cell is about 1.2 Ω.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(3)

(e) The maximum power dissipated in the external circuit occurs when the resistance of the
external circuit has the same value as the internal resistance of the cell. Calculate the
maximum power dissipation in the external circuit.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(3)
(Total 18 marks)

14