20 Cosmology (The Big Bang)

OCR Physics A Exam-style mark scheme

Question
Answer Marks Guidance
number
1ai Distance travelled by light/electromagnetic radiation in B1
one year in a vacuum/vacuo
1 a ii Distance to an object subtending one second of arc to B1 3.26 ly as a definition
(radius of) Earth’s orbit/1 AU should not be
accepted
1b 320 ly  320  9.5  1015  3.04  1018 m C1
separation 4 C1
 4'   2 rad
3.04  10 18 360  60  60
separation  5.9  1013 m A1
1c 23  106 ly  23  106  9.5  1015  2.19  1023 m C1 OR
2.19  10 23
23  10 6
 parsec
3.1 1016 3.26
 7.0  106 parsec A1
 7.0  106
2a  ν IGNORE signs

 c
660 .92  656 .28   4.64    ν C1
656 .28 656 .28 3.0  10 8 A1
ν    2.12  10 6 m s 1

2b

All points correctly plotted

B2 ALLOW one mark if
at least three points
Best-fit straight line through origin are correct
B1
ALLOW reasonable
Gradient of line H  79 km s1 Mpc1 latitude for line
B1
There must be
evidence that the
gradient of the line
has been used for

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 20 Cosmology (The Big Bang)
OCR Physics A Exam-style mark scheme

Question
Answer Marks Guidance
number
this mark to be
scored
3a  

 c
390  10 3 C1
  8
 656.28
3.0  10 C1
  0.85 nm A1 Both values required
Max   657.13 nm and Min   655.43 nm for this mark

3bi There will be a change/Doppler shift in wavelength B1

because Andromeda is moving relative to the Earth
 

 c C1
105  103 C1
   0.211207
3.0  108
  7.4  10 5 A1 NOTE is reduced
  0.211207  7.4  10 5 (blue shifted)
  0.211133 m
3 b ii D 725  10 3  3.1 1016
t  C1
 105  10 3
A1
t  2.1 1017 s

3 b iii That the speed will remain constant

throughout/Andromeda will not accelerate/gravitational B1
forces between Andromeda and Milky Way not
considered
4a Three from: B3

Observe absorption lines in spectrum from the galaxy

Measure the change in /shift of lines

Most have red shifted based on the corresponding

spectral lines for a stationary source

Doppler equation indicates movement away from Earth

4b Best-fit line through the origin B1

Measurement of gradient H  70(10) km s1 Mpc−1 B1

4ci   395.7  390.0  5.7 nm C1
5 .7 C1
  3.0  108
390.0
A1
  4.4  106 m s1
4 c ii Reading taken from graph 65 (5) Mpc B1 ALLOW ECF

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 20 Cosmology (The Big Bang)
OCR Physics A Exam-style mark scheme

Question
Answer Marks Guidance
number
5a Peak wavelength 1.05 B1
3
2.9  10
T M1 DO NOT ALLOW a
1.07  10 3
A0 bald answer for T
T  2.7 K
5b Big Bang model predicts the temperature of the Universe
(and the radiation it contained) was initially very high B1

Temperature falls as the Universe expands hence the B1

temperature of the background radiation falls
5c Hubble’s law shows that the Universe is expanding B1 ALLOW
Doppler shift of
In the distant past the Universe must have been a very B1 spectral
small/hot/dense point-like object lines/increased red-
shift with distance or
velocity

Indicates galaxies
are moving away so
in the past they were
close together
6a Diagram with two circles centred on centre of
mass(CofM) with stars at opposite sides of CofM B1

Stars have velocities in opposite directions on B1

diagram/statement when one star is approaching
(Earth), the other is moving away
B1

There is a red (in light from one star) and

B1
(simultaneously) a blue shift (in light from the other star)

B1
When stars are in line (with Earth) there is no
wavelength shift

This occurs every half cycle

6b 32 days B1 ALLOW 33 days
6c  

 c
0.23 C1
   3.0  10 8
396.8
A1
  1.7  10 5 m s 1

© Oxford University Press 2016 http://www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

This resource sheet may have been changed from the original 3