Working as a Physicist | Edexcel A Level Physics Structured Questions 2017

1

4 marks

A teacher is explaining the differences between accuracy and precision to her students. She draws the following diagram, which shows different degrees of accuracy and precision. The circles represent targets A, B, C and D and the dots represent arrows hitting the targets.

q1-nov-2020-9ph0-03-edexcel-as-a-level-phy

Explain how targets A, B, C and D represent differing degrees of accuracy and precision.

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1a

7 marks

A spring is made from loops of thick steel wire as shown.

q10-nov-2020-9ph0-03-edexcel-as-a-level-phy

There are two extra loops, one on each end of the spring.

A student determined the length of steel used to make the spring by using vernier calipers to measure the width w of the spring.
The length of wire l on each loop is given by l = πw

The student obtained the following values for w.

w / mm

15.3

15.2

15.4

15.3

i)

Calculate l.

(3)

l = ........................................

ii)

Estimate the percentage uncertainty in your value for

l

.

(2)

% uncertainty in l = ..................................

iii)

Calculate the total length L of wire used to make the spring.

(2)

L = .................................

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1b

9 marks

The student measured the diameter d of the steel wire and obtained a value of 2.52 mm.

i)

Explain which instrument he used to measure the diameter.

(2)

ii)

Estimate the percentage uncertainty in the student’s value for d.

(1)

% uncertainty in d = .................................

iii)

The student used a balance to measure the mass m of the spring.

He obtained a value of 32.0 ± 0.5 g.

Estimate the percentage uncertainty in the mass of the spring.

(1)

% uncertainty in m = ...................................

iv)

The student calculated the density ρ of the steel using the equation

$ρ = \frac{m}{V}$

Calculate the percentage uncertainty in his value for the density of steel.

(1)

% uncertainty in value for density of steel = ...........................

v)

Determine whether the data collected leads to a value for the density of steel in agreement with the standard value.

density of steel = 7 800 kg m⁻³

(4)

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1a

5 marks

A student measured the height h of a liquid column in a capillary tube. She used a travelling microscope to make measurements of the positions of the top and bottom of the liquid column.

The travelling microscope consists of a simple microscope that can be moved vertically along a vernier scale.

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The student used a capillary tube with an internal radius r equal to 0.10 mm and recorded the following readings from the vernier scale.

Bottom of liquid column / cm	Top of liquid column / cm
12.00	27.10

i)

State the uncertainty in each of these readings.

(1)

ii)

Calculate the percentage uncertainty in the student’s value of h.

(2)

Percentage uncertainty in h = .......................................................

iii)

The student repeated the measurement of h for capillary tubes of different radii.
The table shows the student’s final data.

r / mm	1 / r	h / cm
0.09	11.1	16.56
0.10	10.0	15.1
0.12	8.3	12.6
0.15	6.7	10.33

Criticise the student’s recording of the data.

(2)

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1b

7 marks

The student plotted the following graph.

q5b-nov-2021-9ph0-03-edexcel-as-a-level-phy

i)

Determine the height of the liquid column that the student could expect for a tube with an internal radius of 0.11 mm.

(3)

Height of liquid column = .......................................................

ii)

In her notes it stated that

h = \frac{k}{r}

where k is constant

Assess the extent to which the student’s data supports this relationship.

(4)

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N	D / mm
1	5.13
2	7.08
3	8.71
4	10.23
5	11.48

Position of left-hand side of circle / mm	Position of right-handside of circle / mm	Diameter / mm
54.79	49.66	5.13

ω / rad s^-1
0.125	0.112	0.118	0.123	0.116

l / cm
l₁	l₂	l₃	l₄
85.5	86.0	87.5	85.5

Working as a Physicist (Edexcel A Level Physics)

Topic Questions

$v$ / m s^–1	B
2.00	1
10.0	3
21.5	5
36.0	7
50.5	9
68.0	11

θ / °C	$l$ / cm
24	8.8
60	9.8
78.5	10.3
95.5	10.9