4-2 Electricity – Physics

1.0 Most domestic appliances are connected to the mains electricity.

1.1 What is the frequency of mains electricity?

Tick one box
[1 mark]

1.05 A

50 Hz

230 V

1.2 What is the potential difference of mains electricity?

Tick one box
[1 mark]

1.05 A

50 Hz

230 V

1.3 Most domestic appliances are connected to the mains electricity with a plug.
Explain why a plug needs a live and a neutral wire.
[2 marks]

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1.4 The law specifies the colour that mains wires should be for all domestic electrical
circuits.
It is important that the live wire is easy to identify to reduce the risk of an electric shock.
Explain how an electric shock can be caused by a person touching the live wire.
[2 marks]

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1.5 Most houses are supplied with mains electricity even though it is dangerous.
Suggest why houses are supplied with dangerous mains electricity.
[2 marks]

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1.6 An iron is supplied with a current of 3 A from the mains. The resistance of the iron is 100 Ω.
Calculate the power of the iron.
[2 marks]

Power = ______________ W

2.0 A student wants to investigate how the current through a filament lamp affects its
resistance.

2.1 Use the circuit symbols in Figure 1 to draw a circuit diagram that he could use.

Figure 1

12 V battery variable filament voltmeter ammeter

resistor lamp

[2 marks]

2.2 Describe how the student could use her circuit to investigate how the current through a
filament lamp affects its resistance.
[4 marks]

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3.0 A student rubs a nylon comb on the sleeve of his jumper as shown in Figure 2

Figure 2

3.1 The jumper becomes positively charged.

How does the jumper become positively charged?

[1 mark]
Tick one box

Electrons move from the comb to the jumper.

Electrons move from the jumper to the comb.

Protons move from the comb to the jumper.

Protons move from the jumper to the comb.

3.2 What type of charge is left on the comb?

[1 mark]

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3.3 The negatively charged comb is placed close to a charged plastic ruler. The comb and
the ruler repel each other.
Which of the following is true?
Tick one box
[1 mark]

The ruler has the same charge as the comb.

The ruler has no overall charge.

The ruler has the opposite charge to the comb.

3.4 Electrostatic charge can damage computer chips. People working with computer chips
may wear a special bracelet as shown in Figure 3, with a wire joining the bracelet to
earth (the earth wire).
Figure 3

Name one suitable material that the bracelet could be made from.
Give a reason for your answer.
[3 marks]

Material ________________________________

Reason ______________________________________________________________

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3.5 What name is given to rate of flow of charge through a wire?

[1 mark]

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3.6 Figure 4 shows a Van der Graaff generator. The generator contains a large metal
dome that becomes charged due to friction. Electrons are carried to the metal dome
causing the dome to become positively charged.

Figure 4

Copyright Michael Priest

The dome becomes discharged when the steel ball is brought close to it. The electrons
travel to the sphere and are discharged to the Earth.
How much energy is transferred when the dome discharges?
Number of electrons transferred to the dome = 2.6 x 1013
Charge of an electron = 1.9 x 10–19 C
Potential difference between dome and metal ball = 100 kV

energy transferred = charge x potential difference

[3 marks]

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Energy = ____________ J

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4.0 A student sets up the electrical circuit shown in Figure 5 below.

Figure 5

6V

75Ω

150Ω

4.1 The ammeter displays a reading of 0.025 A.

Calculate the potential difference across the 75 Ω resistor.
Give your answer to 2 significant figures.
[2 marks]

Potential difference = _______________ V

4.2 Calculate the resistance of the resistor labelled R.

[3 marks]

Resistance = __________________ Ω

4.3 State what happens to the total resistance of the circuit and the current through the
circuit when switch S is closed.
[2 marks]

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5.0 A student investigated how current varies with potential difference for two different
lamps of the same type.
Her results are shown in the Figure 6 below.

Figure 6

5.1 Draw the circuit diagram for the circuit that the student could have used to obtain the
results shown in the figure above.
[3 marks]

5.2 The student made the following conclusion,

‘Lamp A is twice as bright as lamp B’.
Use data from Figure 6 to explain why the student’s conclusion is correct.
[3 marks]

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5.3 The resistance of each lamp increases as the current increases.
Calculate the difference between the lowest and highest values of resistance for lamp
A from Figure 6.
[3 marks]

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MARK SCHEME

Qu No. Extra Information Marks

1.1 50 Hz 1
1.2 230 V 1
1.3 Live wire carries the (alternating) potential 1
difference/voltage (from the supply)

Neutral wire completes the circuit 1

1.4 connection is made to earth Accept answer in terms of a complete 1
circuit or establishing a path (for charge
charge can flow through the body. to flow) 1
or
large potential difference across the body
1.5 domestic appliances need a supply with a Allow idea that houses need lots of 1
high power energy

the supply/appliance has features to reduce 1

the risk. allow other sensible suggestion
1.6 P = (3)2 x 100 Allow one mark for P=I2R if substitution 1
incorrect.
900 (W) Allow 900 (W) with no working for 1
2 marks

Qu No. Extra Information Marks

2.1 battery, lamp and ammeter connected in 1
series with variable resistor

voltmeter in parallel with (filament) lamp 1

2.2
Level 2: A detailed and coherent description of the experiment. The response provides a logical 3-4
sequence.
Level 1 : Simple description of the experiment with some steps missing. The response may not 1-2
be in a logical sequence and may not lead to the collection of valid results.
Level 0: No relevant content. 0
Indicative content

 Ammeter used to measure current.

 Voltmeter used to measure potential difference.
 Resistance of variable resistor altered to change current in circuit or change potential
difference (across filament lamp).
 Resistance (of filament lamp) calculated or R=V / I statement resistance calculated for a
large enough range of different currents that would allow a valid conclusion about the
relationship to be made.

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Qu No. Extra Information Marks
3.1 Electrons move from the jumper to the comb. 1
3.2 negative 1
3.3 The ruler has the same charge as the comb. 1
3.4 copper allow any named metal 1
it is a metal 1
allows charge to flow allow is an electrical conductor 1
3.5 Current 1
3.6 0.494J Allow 0.5J or 0.49J 1

Total charge = N electrons x charge per

electron
2.6 x 1013 x 1.9 x 10–19 C = 4.94 x 10-6 C 1

Total charge (C) x pd (V) = energy (J)

4.94 x 10-6 x 1 x 105 = 0.494 J 1

Qu No. Extra Information Marks

4.1 V = 0.025 × 75 1
1.9 (V) Allow 1.9 (V) with no working for 2 marks 1
4.2 total resistance = 6 / 0.025 1
R = 240 - 225 1
=15 (Ω) 1
4.3 resistance decreases 1

current increases 1

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Qu No. Extra Information Marks
5.1 battery in series with bulb and ammeter 1

voltmeter in parallel with the bulb 1

variable resistor 1
or
variable power supply
5.2 correct pair of current readings at the same eg at 10 V, IA = 0.74A and IB = 0.37A 1
pd

therefore

current in lamp A is twice the current in 1

lamp B

so

lamp A is twice as powerful and lamp B must refer to power/rate of energy 1

(hence is twice as bright) transfer
5.3 R=V/I
Lowest allow R = 1.0 / 0.16
R = 0.6 / 0.1 R = 6.25 Ω 1
R=6Ω (other values may be acceptable but the
values from the graph must be when
V ≤ 1V and the lamp can reasonably be
assumed to be ohmic)
Highest
R = 10 / 0.74 1
R = 13.5 Ω

Difference = 13.5 – 6 = 7.5 Ω allow 7.25 Ω if consistent 1

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