Charging & Discharging Capacitors (OCR A Level Physics)

Topic Questions

1a4 marks
a)
The diagram below shows a circuit to charge a capacitor.

q20a-paper-2-nov-2021-ocr-a-level-physics

The electromotive force (e.m.f.) E of the cell is 1.48 V and it has negligible internal resistance.
The resistance of the resistor is 120 kΩ and the capacitance of the capacitor is 2000 μF.
At time t = 0 the capacitor is uncharged.
The switch is closed at time t = 0.

Calculate the time t when the potential difference across the capacitor is 1.00 V.





t
= ....................................................... s [4]

1b4 marks
b)
A capacitor of capacitance C is connected across a strip of conductive paper.

q20b-paper-2-nov-2021-ocr-a-level-physics

The switch is moved from X to Y, and the time t for the potential difference across the capacitor to halve is measured.

The time t is given by the expression

t = (Ck ln2) × L

where k is the resistance of the conductive paper per unit length and L is the length of the conductive paper.

The value of C is 1.2 × 10–3 F.

In an experiment, L is changed and t measured.

The data points are plotted on a t against L grid as shown below.

q20b-2-paper-2-nov-2021-ocr-a-level-physics

Draw a straight line of best fit through the data points, and use the gradient of this line to determine k.





k = ............................................... Ω m–1 [4]

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2a2 marks

A student wishes to determine the permittivity ε of paper using a capacitor made in the laboratory.

The capacitor consists of two large parallel aluminium plates separated by a very thin sheet of paper.

The capacitor is initially charged to a potential difference V0 using a battery. The capacitor is then discharged through a fixed resistor of resistance 1.0 MΩ.

The potential difference V across the capacitor after a time t is recorded by a data-logger. The student uses the data to draw the lnV against t graph shown in Fig. 22.

q22-paper-2-june-2018-ocr-a-level-physics

Fig. 22

a)
Show that the magnitude of the gradient of the line shown in Fig. 22 is equal to 
fraction numerator 1 over denominator C R end fraction

where C is the capacitance of the capacitor and R is the resistance of the resistor.

[2]

2b6 marks
b)
Use Fig. 22 to determine the capacitance C of the capacitor. Describe how the student can then use this value of C to determine a value for ε.

In your description, mention any additional measurements required on the capacitor.
[6]

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