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General Certificate of Education

June 2003
Advanced Level Examination

PHYSICS (SPECIFICATION A)
Practical (Units 5-9)
Thursday 22 May 2003

PHAP

Morning session

In addition to this paper you will require:

a calculator,

a pencil and a ruler.

For Examiners Use

Number

Mark

1
2

Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes

Instructions

Use blue or black ink or ball-point pen.

Fill in the boxes at the top of this page.

Answer both questions in the spaces provided. All working must be shown.

Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not want
marked.
Information

The maximum mark for this paper is 30.

Mark allocations are shown in brackets.

The paper carries 5% of the total marks for Physics Advanced.

A Data Sheet is provided on pages 3 and 4. You may wish to detach this
perforated sheet at the start of the examination.

You are expected to use a calculator where appropriate.

You are advised to spend no more than 30 minutes on Question 1.

Copyright 2003 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

0203/PHAP

Total
(Column 1)
Total
(Column 2)
TOTAL
Examiners Initials

Nmber

Mark

Data Sheet

0203/PHAP

A perforated Data Sheet is provided as pages 3 and 4 of this question

paper.

This sheet may be useful for answering some of the questions in the
examination.

You may wish to detach this sheet before you begin work.

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Data Sheet

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Answer both questions.

You are advised to spend no more than 30 minutes on Question 1.

Some students are investigating the properties of a steel tuning fork. If a ceramic magnet is placed on
the stem of the tuning fork as shown in the diagram, the vibrations of the prongs of the fork are
unaffected and because the tuning fork has become magnetised, the prongs behave like vibrating
magnetic poles.
Their teacher suggests that by positioning a search coil vertically below the vibrating tuning fork an
alternating voltage will be induced in the coil. By making suitable connections to an external circuit,
the students discover it is possible to use this technique to detect even the small vibrations that persist
in the tuning fork after the sound produced is inaudible.

search coil

ceramic magnet

connections to
external circuit

Design an experiment to investigate whether the rate of decrease in the amplitude of air-damped tuning
fork vibrations depends on the natural frequency of the tuning fork.
You should assume that the normal laboratory apparatus used in schools and colleges is available to
you.
You are advised to draw a suitable circuit diagram of the arrangement you intend to use as part of your
answer.
You should also include the following in your answer:

The quantities you intend to measure and how you will measure them.
How you propose to use your measurements to compare the damping effects on different tuning
forks.
The factors you will need to control and how you will do this.
How you could overcome any difficulties in obtaining reliable results.

(8 marks)

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In this experiment you are to investigate the discharge of a capacitor through different combinations of
resistors.
No description of the experiment is required.
You are provided with the circuit shown below, part of which is concealed, as shown by the shaded
region on the diagram.
Different series combinations of the 2.2 k, 4.7 k and 10.0 k resistors can be achieved in the circuit
by using the spare lead to join any two of the terminals W, X, Y or Z, resulting in a resistance R.
If the spare lead is not used R has a maximum resistance. If the spare lead is used to join W to Z,
R has zero resistance.

flying lead
W
C

D
concealed resistor

2.2 k
X
4.7 k

+
capacitor

spare lead

Y
10.0 k
Z

concealing box

(a)

With R set to zero resistance, charge the capacitor by connecting the flying lead to terminal C.
The voltmeter will show a steady reading.
Discharge the capacitor by connecting the flying lead to terminal D. The voltmeter reading will
start to fall exponentially.
Make suitable measurements to determine T0, the time for the voltmeter reading to decrease by
50% when R = 0.
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(b)

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Repeating the procedure for charging and discharging the capacitor, make suitable measurements
to obtain values of T, the time for the voltmeter reading to decrease by 50%, corresponding to
all possible non-zero values of R up to and including the maximum external resistance that can
be included in the circuit.
Tabulate all your observations below.
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(7 marks)

(c)

(d)

On the grid opposite, plot a graph of your results with T on the vertical axis and R on the
horizontal axis. Include the data set where T = T0 , R = 0.
(6 marks)
(i)

Measure and record the gradient, G, of your graph.

G = ..................................................

(ii)

Evaluate

T0 .
G
T0 = ................................................
G

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(3 marks)

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(e)

(i)

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To enable the digital display on a certain voltmeter to be recognised, the read-out only
changes twice per second. This presents a problem in knowing exactly when to start and
stop the watch (to determine T).
Explain which readings of T that you made are likely to be affected most by this problem.
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(ii)

The problem identified in part (e)(i) could be eliminated if an analogue voltmeter (in
which a needle moves across a fixed scale) was used: this type of meter makes judging a
particular value easier. However most analogue voltmeters usually have a low resistance,
often as small as 10 k.
Explain, with the aid of a sketch, the change that would be produced in the graph if such
a voltmeter were used for the experiment.

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(6 marks)
22
END OF QUESTIONS
0203/PHAP

General Certificate of Education

June 2003
Advanced Level Examination

PHYSICS (SPECIFICATION A)

PHAP/TN

Instructions to Supervisors for the Practical Examination (Units 5-9)

CONFIDENTIAL
OPEN ON RECEIPT
The examination will be held on Thursday 22 May 2003 Morning Session

! These Instructions are provided to enable centres to

make appropriate arrangements for the examination.
Copies of the Instructions are to be kept at the centre
under lock and key when not in use; they are not to be
removed from the centre. The question paper packets
must not be opened prior to the examination.
! These instructions explain how to set up the equipment
for Question 2.
! Question 2 is printed on pages 4 to 5 of this instruction
booklet.
! Centres are at liberty to make any reasonable minor
modifications to the apparatus which may be required
for the successful working of the experiment but a note
of all such modifications must be forwarded to the
Examiner with the scripts. However, any such
modifications must permit the experiment to be carried
out in the specified manner.

0203/PHAP/TN

Candidates are to investigate the discharge of a capacitor through different combinations of resistors.
Apparatus required for each candidate:
! stopwatch capable of reading to 0.1 s or better
for circuit (diagram below)
! digital voltmeter (or equivalent multimeter) capable of 0.1 V resolution or better
! d.c. supply with emf in range 50% to 90% of full-scale reading of available
voltmeters, e.g. for 2000 mV digital meter, 1.5 V D-type cell in good condition, in
a suitable holder
! 2.2 k, 4.7 k, 10 k, 12 k resistor, 0.5 W or 0.6 W metal or carbon film
! one 2200 F electrolytic capacitor
! 4 mm round sockets labelled C and D (see diagram) and lead terminated at one
end with 4 mm plug, labelled flying lead
! 4 mm round sockets labelled W, X, Y and Z and one connecting lead, ends
terminated with 4 mm plugs, labelled spare lead; as an alternative, centres may
use solder pins for W, X, Y and Z and provide one spare lead with ends
terminated at crocodile clips
! stripboard if soldered circuit is used
! means of concealment for capacitor and 12 k resistor (see diagram)
The supervisor should assemble the circuit shown in the diagram. The portion that is shaded should be
concealed from the candidates, e.g. in a suitable box or using opaque tape.
Ensure that only one spare lead is available per candidate.
The choice of power supply is at the discretion of the centre and rests on the type of voltmeter available.
Voltmeters should be digital and offer a resistance of at least 50 k.

flying lead

12 k
2.2 k
X
4.7 k

2200 F
capacitor

Y
10.0 k
Z

concealing box

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spare lead

3
If multimeters are to be used the attention of candidates can be drawn to the appropriate setting before the
commencement of the experiment.
Testing the circuit:
Connect the spare lead between terminals W and Z then charge the capacitor by connecting the flying
lead to the terminal marked C. Discharge the capacitor through the 12 k resistor and measure the time
for the voltmeter reading to fall by 50%. The theoretical time obtained should be 18.3 s but given the
tolerances of the components involved, a time in the range of 15 to 21 s is acceptable. If the procedure is
repeated with the spare lead removed a theoretical time of 44.l s for the voltmeter reading to fall by 50%
is expected (a time in the range 39 to 49 s is acceptable).
The examiners require no information for this question.

Turn over!
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