Part A: Multiple Choice Questions (10 marks)

Attempt Questions 1 − 10
Allow about 17 minutes for this part

Use the multiple choice answer sheet for Questions 1 − 10.

1. A B C D
2. A B C D

3. A B C D
4. A B C D
5. A B C D
6. A B C D
7. A B C D
8. A B C D
9. A B C D

10. A B C D
1. The diagram below shows a charged particle moving through a field. If the particle
experiences a force upwards, which of the following statements cannot be true?

(A) The field is an electric field.

(B) The field is a magnetic field.
(C) The particle has a positive charge.
(D) The particle has a negative charge.

2. The diagram below shows a conductor of length 1.2 m in a magnetic field.

What is the force on the conductor?

(A) 3.8 N out of the page.

(B) 3.8 N into the page.
(C) 3.6 N out of the page.
(D) 3.6 N into the page.

3. A transformer has 3000 primary turns and 150 secondary turns. It is supplied with 240 V
and outputs 15 A. What is the output voltage?

(A) 18 V.
(B) 20 V.
(C) 12 V.
(D) 0.75 V.

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4. A conductor is moving to the right through a magnetic field, as shown below.

As the conductor moves through the field, a net positive charge is induced at position Y.
What was the direction of the magnetic field?

(A) Down the page.

(B) Up the page.
(C) Into the page.
(D) Out of the page.

5. A cross section of a coil in a magnetic field is shown below. The square coil has 10 turns,
side lengths of 30 cm and a current of 2.5 A. The magnetic field strength is 2.0 T.

If the coil rotates by 40◦ clockwise from the position shown, the change in flux will be:

(A) 1.16 Wb.

(B) 1.38 Wb.
(C) 2.89 Wb.
(D) 3.45 Wb.

6. Which law best applies to the operation of a transformer?

(A) Conservation of mass.

(B) Conservation of energy.
(C) Conservation of charge.
(D) Conservation of momentum.

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 7. A circular loop of wire currently experiences a flux of 10 Wb. If the diameter of the loop
is halved over 0.5 seconds, what is the average emf induced in the loop?

(A) 5 V
(B) 10 V
(C) 15 V
(D) 20 V

8. Two parallel plates are set up as shown with the positive plate vertically above the earthed
plate. A negatively charged particle is placed between the plates so that it experiences
forces from both the Earth’s gravitational field and the electric field.

What charge to mass ratio will allow the particle to levitate between the plates once
released?

(A) 9.8 × 10−4 C/kg

(B) 4.9 × 10−4 C/kg
(C) 2.45 × 10−4 C/kg
(D) 1.96 × 10−3 C/kg

9. Some home devices can be charged at a powerpoint with a charger containing a transformer.
The purpose of this transformer is to:

(A) Convert AC at the powerpoint to DC.

(B) Convert DC at the powerpoint to AC.
(C) Increase the AC voltage at the powerpoint.
(D) Decrease the AC voltage at the powerpoint.

10. Two straight wire carrying conductors exert a force of F N/m on each other. If the
separation distance is doubled and the length of each conductor is halved, what is the new
force per unit length?

(A) 0.25F
(B) 0.5F
(C) F
(D) 2F

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Part B: Short Answer Questions (40 marks)
Attempt Questions 11 − 18
Allow about 1 hour and 13 minutes for this part

Answer the questions in the spaces provided. These spaces provide guidance for the
expected length of response.

Show all relevant working in questions involving calculations.

Question 11 (4 marks)
A positively charged particle enters a magnetic field as shown below.

(a) If the particle travels with a velocity of 4.0 × 105 ms−1 and the magnetic field strength 2
is 4.2 mT, calculate the force per unit charge acting on the particle.

F = qvB sin θ
= 1 × 4.0 × 105 × 4.2 × 10−3
= 1680 N downwards

1 mark − Provides the correct magnitude

1 mark − Provides the correct direction

(b) Describe the trajectory of the particle if the particle is a proton, calculating any 2
appropriate values.

mv 2
qvB =
r
mv
r=
qB
1.673 × 10−27 × 4.0 × 105
=
1.602 × 10−19 × 4.2 × 10−3
= 0.99 m

The trajectory will be circular with a radius of 99 cm.

1 mark − States that the trajectory is a circle OR equates the correct formulas

1 mark − Calculates the correct radius

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Question 12 (4 marks)
A DC motor has a coil consisting of 50 turns and a magnetic field strength of 0.4 T. A
current of 5 A runs through the coil. The plane of the coil has an area of 600 cm2 and
makes an angle of 25◦ with the magnetic field.
(a) Calculate the magnitude of the maximum torque that acts on the motor. 1

τ = nBIA cos θ
= 50 × 0.4 T × 5 A × 0.06 m2
= 6 Nm

1 mark − Provides the correct answer

(b) A student notices that after accelerating from rest, a DC motor will not accelerate 3
indefinitely but approach a constant speed. Explain this observation with reference to
relevant physics principles.

This is due to back emf. As the coil turns in the magnetic field, it experiences a
change in magnetic flux. This induces back emf in the coil proportional to the coil’s
speed (Faraday’s law) in a direction opposing the change that caused it (Lenz’s
law). Hence the back emf will oppose the supply emf and reduce the current in
the coil. The lower current causes a lower force and torque so the motor does not
accelerate indefinitely.

1 mark − Identifies that back emf is responsible

1 mark − Explains how back emf arises with reference to relevant laws

1 mark − Relates back emf to limiting the motor’s speed

Question 13 (4 marks)
Compare and contrast a simple AC generator and DC generator.

Both AC and DC generators convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. They have
similar components such as a coil, armature, magnetic field and brushes. Homwever,
AC generators produce AC electricity while DC generators produced DC electricity.
AC generators also use a slip ring communtator instead of a split ring commutator as
in DC generators.

2 marks − Describes their similarities

2 marks − Describes their differences

Students’ answers should compare more than just the components of each generator.

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Question 14 (7 marks)
One of the advantages of AC electricity over DC electricity is its voltage can be increased
or decreased using transformers.
(a) Explain why transformers operate on AC and not DC electricity. 2

AC must be used because the changing direction of the current produces a changing
magnetic field. This creates a change in magnetic flux through the secondary coil,
hence inducing a secondary voltage by Faraday’s law. DC cannot be used because
the constant current direction produces a constant magnetic field and there is no
change in flux.

1 mark − Explains how an AC power supply induces a voltage in the secondary

coil

1 mark − Explains why DC cannot be used

(b) Describe two limitations of the ideal transformer model. 2

Incomplete flux linkage between the primary and secondary coils result in energy
loss. Resistive heating in the wires and the production of eddy currents in the iron
core due to the changing magnetic field also cause further energy losses.

2 marks − Describes 2 limitations

(c) Explain the strategies used to improve transformer efficiency. 3

An iron core is used to maximise the flux linkage between the two coils. To reduce
resistive heat production, thicker wires are used to decrease the resistance of the
wires. The production of eddy currents can also be minimised by laminating the
iron core to reduce the size of any eddy currents. These strategies reduce energy
losses in the transformer, hence improving its efficiency.

3 marks − Explains how at least 3 strategies improve transformer efficiency

Question 15 (4 marks)
Describe the operation of an AC induction motor.
An AC induction motor has a stator and rotor. The stator consists of pairs of
electromagnets arranged in a ring and the rotor is a squirrel cage motor, a cylinder
with conductive bars. The stator provides a rotating magnetic field over the rotor
by sequentially turning on and off the pairs of electromagnets. The squirrel cage will
consequently experience a change in magnetic flux, inducing an emf in the squirrel cage
(Faraday’s law). By Lenz’s law, the emf will be induced in a way that minimises the
change in flux; hence the squirrel cage will rotate to ’chase’ after the rotating magnetic
field.

2 marks − Describes the components and their roles

2 marks − Explains the induced emf and the rotation of the squirrel cage

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Question 16 (7 marks)
An experiment is set up as shown below. Wire A is free to move inside a magnetic field
while a parallel wire B is fixed outside the field. The wires are 5 cm long and are separated
by d cm. Wire A has a current of 20 A flowing up, while the current IB through wire B is
varied until the net force on wire A is 0.

The student’s results are shown below.

d (cm) IB (A)
5 18
6 22
7 26
8 30
9 33

(a) Explain whether current IB should run upwards or downwards through wire B. 2

The force on A due to the magnetic field acts to the left. To balance out this
force, an upwards current should run through B so that there is an attractive force
between A and B.

1 mark − Identifies that the current should run upwards

1 mark − Justifies their answer by referring to the direction of the forces on A

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(b) In the space below, plot a graph of IB against d. 2

1 mark − Graph has a title, subtitles with units and an appropriate scale

1 mark − Points are plotted correctly and an appropriate line of best fit is drawn

(c) Using your graph, calculate the strength of the magnetic field. 3

IA IB
BIA l = k ×l
d
IB
B=k
d
=k×m

y2 − y1
m=
x2 − x 1
33 − 18
=
0.09 − 0.05
= 375

B = 2 × 10−7 × 375
= 7.5 × 10−5 T

1 mark − Calculates the gradient from the line of best fit

1 mark − Shows that B = k IdB

1 mark − Calculates the magnetic field strength using the gradient. Students’
answers may vary depending on their line of best fit.

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Question 17 (5 marks)
An experiment is set up as shown below. A constant current has been running through the
lower solenoid for a long time.

The current through the lower solenoid is suddenly decreased.

(a) Identify the direction of the current induced in the straight wire XY. 1

X to Y.

1 mark − Provides the correct answer

(b) Explain all the changes that will occur to the position of the pointer. 4

When the current decreases, the magnetic field around the lower solenoid (north
pole at the top) will decrease. The solenoid above it will experience a change in flux,
inducing an emf (Faraday’s law) in a direction that will minimise the change in flux
(Lenz’s law). Hence the induced emf will produce a south pole on the solenoid’s
lower end and be attracted to the north pole under it. This attraction shifts the
pointer down.
After the initial change in current, the magnetic field around the lower solenoid will
be constant and there will be no more induced emf in the suspended solenoid. The
pointer will move back up to its original position.

1 mark − Describes how the magnetic field changes, including its polarity

2 marks − Explains the production of the induced emf and why it pulls the suspended
solenoid and pointer downwards

1 mark − Explains why the pointer moves back up afterwards

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Question 18 (5 marks)
The diagram below shows a stationary electron in a magnetic field. The magnetic field is
surrounded by two parallel plates separated by a distance of 5.0 × 10−3 m and connected
to a power supply and a switch.

The switch is initially open. At a later time the switch is closed.

Analyse the effects of the magnetic and electric fields on the acceleration of the electron
both before and immediately after the switch is closed. In your answer, include calculation
of the acceleration of the electron immediately after the switch is closed.

Before the switch is closed, the acceleration of the electron is 0. This is because there
is no electric field and the magnetic field has no effect since the electron is stationary.

After the switch is closed, the electric field accelerates the electron downwards towards
the positive plate. The acceleration of the electron immediately after the switched is
closed is:
100 V
E=
0.005 m
= 20000 V m−1
F = Eq
= 20000 × 1.602 × 10−19
= 3.2 × 10−15 N
F
a=
m
3.2 × 10−15
=
9.109 × 10−31
= 3.5 × 1015 m s–2 downwards

Now that the electron is moving downwards, the magnetic field will force the electron
towards the right. The exact direction and path it follows will depend on the strength
of the magnetic field. However, the force due to the magnetic field will be increasing
due to the increasing velocity of the electron (F = qvB sin θ). It will therefore travel in
a curved path.

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2 marks − Correctly calculates the acceleration of the electron

3 marks − Analyses the effects of both the magnetic and electric fields on the electron
before and after closing the switch

End of paper

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