Edexcel GCSE Physics

Topic Questions

GCSEPhysicsEdexcelTopic Questions12. Magnetism & the Motor Effect12.1 Magnetism

12.1 Magnetism

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1a1 mark
Figure 4 shows the magnetic field produced by a current in a long, straight wire.

fig-4-paper2f-june2018-edexcel-gcse-physics
Figure 4

Which row of the table is correct when the strength of the magnetic field is greatest?

          distance from the wire current
      ☐ A small small
      ☐ B small large
      ☐ C large small
      ☐ D large large

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1b1 mark

Which of these materials would be the most suitable for making a temporary magnet?

  ☐ A copper
  ☐ B iron
  ☐ C plastic
  ☐ D steel

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1c2 marks
Figure 5 shows a magnet holding some paper clips.

fig-5-paper2f-june2018-edexcel-gcse-physics
Figure 5

Describe how a student could show that the paper clips are induced magnets.

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1d2 marks
Describe how you could show that the Earth has a magnetic field.

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1e3 marks
A student uses a compass to investigate the magnetic field near a bar magnet.
The student places the compass near the bar magnet as shown in Figure 6.
YODcZ-F9_fig-6-paper2f-june2018-edexcel-gcse-physics
Figure 6

i)
Mark the north pole of the bar magnet with an ‘N’ in Figure 6.
[1]

ii)
State two ways in which the investigation could be developed to show the shape of the magnetic field around the bar magnet.

You may add to Figure 6 to help with your answer.
[2]

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2a3 marks

Figure 1 shows two magnets placed next to each other. They attract one another. One south pole is labelled as S. The others poles X, Y and Z are unknown.

7-1-e-1a-magnets-attract-xyz

Figure 1

State the poles of X, Y and Z.

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2b2 marks
Which two of these are magnetic elements?

   

Steel square
Cobalt size 36px square
Carbon size 36px square
Copper size 36px square
Brass size 36px square
Nickel size 36px square

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2c1 mark

One of the magnets is used to pick up two nails. 

The iron nails which were unmagnetised are now magnetised.

Complete the following sentence using a word from the box below. 

forced induced permanent

     

The iron nails have become .............................. magnets.

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3a3 marks

Figure 1 shows the apparatus available to some students to plot the magnetic field lines around a bar magnet. They also have a large sheet of paper.

7-1-e-2a-magnet-compass-pencil

Figure 1

 

Describe how the students would use the apparatus to show the pattern of the magnetic field lines around the bar magnet.
 

You may draw a diagram to assist with your description.

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3b3 marks
Figure 2 shows a bar magnet with the north and south poles marked with an N and an S respectively.
 

Draw four lines above and below the bar magnet to represent the magnetic field. Use an arrow on the field lines to show the direction of the magnetic field.

screenshot-2023-03-13-at-13-17-48
Figure 2

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3c2 marks
Figure 3 shows three metal bars. They are either bar magnets or a piece of unmagnetised iron.

The arrows show the forces that act between the bars when different ends are placed close together.

7-1-e-2c-bar-magnets123

Figure 3 

i)
S
tate which metal bar is a piece of iron.
[1]
 
ii)
Explain why this metal bar is a piece of iron.
[1]

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1a5 marks
A student uses plotting compasses to investigate the magnetic field between the poles of two bar magnets.

Figure 12 shows one of the plotting compasses and one of the bar magnets.

fig-12-paper2h-oct2021-edexcel-gcse-physics

Figure 12

The student places the two magnets on a piece of paper with a pole of one magnet a few centimetres away from a pole of the other magnet.

The student places 20 plotting compasses on the paper near the magnets.

Figure 13 shows the direction in which each of the plotting compasses points.

fig-13-paper2h-oct2021-edexcel-gcse-physics

Figure 13

i)
Draw two rectangles on Figure 13 to show the positions of the two bar magnets.

Label the N-pole and the S-pole of each magnet.

[2]

ii)
The student wants to determine the shape of the magnetic field for a larger area around the magnets.

Describe how the student should continue the investigation using just one plotting compass.

[3]

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1b4 marks

Two long, thin magnets are held with their N-poles facing each other.
The force, F, between the magnets can be calculated using the equation

straight F space equals space straight K over straight d squared

where

K is a constant value
d is the distance between the magnets.

i)
The magnets are 4.0 cm apart.
The force between the magnets is 1.2 N.
Calculate the value of K.
State the unit.

[3]

K = .............................................................. unit ...............................

ii)
The magnets are held the same distance apart but with the N-pole of one magnet now facing the S-pole of the other magnet.

The value of K does not change.

State how the force would compare with the force in part (i).

[1]

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2a1 mark

Which of these is a magnetic material?

  ☐ A aluminium
  ☐ B carbon
  ☐ C cobalt
  ☐ D copper

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2b4 marks
A student has

− a power pack
− a long piece of wire
− a stiff card
− iron filings


Describe how the student could use this equipment to show the shape of the magnetic field produced by a current in the wire.

You may draw a diagram to help with your answer.

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2c3 marks
Figure 5 shows two magnetic poles facing each other.

The magnetic field between the poles is uniform.

On Figure 5, draw the magnetic field lines between the two poles and show the direction of this magnetic field.
fig-5-paper2f-june2019-edexcel-gcse-physics
Figure 5

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3a3 marks

A student has a bar magnet, a piece of iron the same size as the magnet, and some paper clips.

Describe how the student could use these items to demonstrate temporary induced magnetism.

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3b6 marks
A student sets up the apparatus shown in Figure 9.
fig-9-paper2h-june2018-edexcel-gcse-physics
Figure 9

i)
When the current in the solenoid is switched on, the solenoid attracts the iron nail.

Describe how the student could use this apparatus to investigate how the size of the current in the solenoid affects the force of attraction between the solenoid and the iron nail.

[4]

ii)
The spring constant of a different spring is 24 N/m.

The spring is extended from its unstretched length by 12 cm.

Calculate the energy transferred in extending the spring by 12 cm.

Use an equation selected from the list of equations at the end of this paper.

[2]

energy transferred = ............................................... J

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4a4 marks

Describe a method for drawing the magnetic field around a bar magnet using iron filings.

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4b1 mark

Define the term magnetic field.

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4c1 mark

State the direction of magnetic field lines in terms of poles.

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4d3 marks
Sketch the magnetic field lines for the two bar magnets shown in Figure 1.
 
4-1-3d-e-bar-magnets-1
Figure 1

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5a3 marks

A student is using compasses to investigate magnetic fields.

The student places two bar magnets as shown in Figure 1.

 

4-1-4a-h-parallel-bar-magnets-opposing-poles

Figure 1

 

Draw field lines representing the magnetic field between the bar magnets.

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5b2 marks
The student rotates the bottom magnet 180°. Figure 2 shows their prediction drawn in their science work book.
 

12-1-m-5b-incorrect-field

Figure 2

 

Describe two mistakes in Figure 2.

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5c3 marks

The student attempts to look at the field lines by adding iron filings around the magnet.

Whilst collecting the iron filings, they spill some on the magnet.

Figure 3 shows a side view of the magnet and the filings. 

 

12-1-m-5c-iron-filings-on-magnet

Figure 3

 

Explain why the iron filings are in this position. 

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5d2 marks

When attached to the magnet, a teacher shows the student that the iron filings can attract other iron filings.

One student claims that it must therefore be possible to repel other iron filings if they flip the magnet around.

Explain why this statement is incorrect.

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6a2 marks

Figure 13 shows a part of a machine used to separate steel cans from aluminium cans.

fig-13-paper2f-june2020-edexcel-gcse-physics

Figure 13

The cans are carried along a moving belt.
The belt goes around a roller.
The roller is a magnet.
Each can falls into one of the containers.

Explain how this machine separates the steel cans from the aluminium cans.

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6b7 marks
A student investigates magnetism using two toys as shown in Figure 14.

fig-14-paper2f-june2020-edexcel-gcse-physics

Figure 14

i)
There is a magnet attached to the top of each toy.
The student moves the toy brick towards the toy car.
The magnet on the toy brick repels the magnet on the toy car.
On Figure 14, label the north pole and the south pole on the magnet attached to the toy brick.

[1]

ii)
Explain why the toy car starts to move only when the toy brick gets near to the toy car.

[2]

iii)
The student thinks that two magnets on top of each other will produce a magnetic field that is stronger than the magnetic field from a single magnet.


The student has a metre rule and more magnets available.

Describe how the student could develop this investigation to test this theory.

[4]

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