Physics Ms 2024 p1 A Level
Physics Ms 2024 p1 A Level
A-level
PHYSICS
7408/1
Paper 1
Mark scheme
June 2024
Version: 1.0 Final
*246A7408/1/MS*
Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant
questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the
standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in
this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’
responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way.
As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative
answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the
standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are
required to refer these to the Lead Examiner.
It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and
expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark
schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of
assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination
paper.
No student should be disadvantaged on the basis of their gender identity and/or how they refer to the
gender identity of others in their exam responses.
A consistent use of ‘they/them’ as a singular and pronouns beyond ‘she/her’ or ‘he/him’ will be credited in
exam responses in line with existing mark scheme criteria.
Copyright information
AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own
internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third
party even for internal use within the centre.
1. General
The extra information is aligned to the appropriate answer in the left-hand part of the mark scheme and
should only be applied to that item in the mark scheme.
At the beginning of a part of a question a reminder may be given, for example: where consequential
marking needs to be considered in a calculation; or the answer may be on the diagram or at a different
place on the script.
In general the right-hand side of the mark scheme is there to provide those extra details which confuse
the main part of the mark scheme yet may be helpful in ensuring that marking is straightforward and
consistent.
2. Emboldening
2.1 In a list of acceptable answers where more than one mark is available ‘any two from’ is used,
with the number of marks emboldened. Each of the following bullet points is a potential mark.
2.2 A bold and is used to indicate that both parts of the answer are required to award the mark.
2.3 Alternative answers acceptable for a mark are indicated by the use of or. Different terms in the
mark scheme are shown by a / ; eg allow smooth / free movement.
3. Marking points
Each error / contradiction negates each correct response. So, if the number of errors / contradictions
equals or exceeds the number of marks available for the question, no marks can be awarded.
However, responses considered to be neutral (often prefaced by ‘Ignore’ in the mark scheme) are not
penalised.
However, if the answer is incorrect, mark(s) can usually be gained by correct substitution / working and
this is shown in the ‘extra information’ column or by each stage of a longer calculation.
A calculation must be followed through to answer in decimal form. An answer in surd form is never
acceptable for the final (evaluation) mark in a calculation and will therefore generally be denied one
mark.
Answers using the word ‘it’ should be given credit only if it is clear that the ‘it’ refers to the correct
subject.
An arithmetic error should be penalised for one mark only unless otherwise amplified in the marking
scheme. Arithmetic errors may arise from a slip in a calculation or from an incorrect transfer of a
numerical value from data given in a question.
The phonetic spelling of correct scientific terminology should be credited (eg fizix) unless there is a
possible confusion (eg defraction/refraction) with another technical term.
3.6 Brackets
(…..) are used to indicate information which is not essential for the mark to be awarded but is included to
help the examiner identify the sense of the answer required.
‘Ignore’ or ‘insufficient’ is used when the information given is irrelevant to the question or not enough to
gain the marking point. Any further correct amplification could gain the marking point.
‘Do not allow’ means that this is a wrong answer which, even if the correct answer is given, will still
mean that the mark is not awarded.
Answers to questions in the practical sections (7407/2 – Section A and 7408/3A) should display an
appropriate number of significant figures. For non-practical sections, an A-level paper may contain up to
2 marks (1 mark for AS) that are contingent on the candidate quoting the final answer in a calculation to
a specified number of significant figures (sf). This will generally be assessed to be the number of sf of
the datum with the least number of sf from which the answer is determined. The mark scheme will give
the range of sf that are acceptable but this will normally be the sf of the datum (or this sf -1).
An answer in surd form cannot gain the sf mark. An incorrect calculation following some working can
gain the sf mark. For a question beginning with the command word ‘Show that…’, the answer should be
quoted to one more sf than the sf quoted in the question eg ‘Show that X is equal to about 2.1 cm’ –
answer should be quoted to 3 sf. An answer to 1 sf will not normally be acceptable, unless the answer is
an integer eg a number of objects. In non-practical sections, the need for a consideration will be
indicated in the question by the use of ‘Give your answer to an appropriate number of significant figures’.
An A-level paper may contain up to 2 marks (1 mark for AS) that are contingent on the candidate quoting
the correct unit for the answer to a calculation. The need for a unit to be quoted will be indicated in the
question by the use of ‘State an appropriate SI unit for your answer’. Unit answers will be expected to
appear in the most commonly agreed form for the calculation concerned; strings of fundamental (base)
units would not. For example, 1 tesla and 1 Wb m–2 would both be acceptable units for magnetic flux
density but 1 kg m2 s–2 A–1 would not.
Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as
instructed) to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme.
Determining a level
Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the
descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in
the student’s answer for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it
meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With
practice and familiarity you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the
lower levels of the mark scheme.
When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in
small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If
the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit
approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within
the level. ie if the response is predominantly level 2 with a small amount of level 3 material it would be
placed in level 2.
The exemplar materials used during standardisation will help you to determine the appropriate level.
There will be an answer in the standardising materials which will correspond with each level of the mark
scheme. This answer will have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the
student’s answer with the example to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the
example. You can then use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark
on the example.
You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and
assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate.
Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not intended to be
exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have to cover all of the points
mentioned in the indicative content to reach the highest level of the mark scheme.
An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks.
01.1 gravity, weak (nuclear), strong (nuclear), electromagnetic Any order, all four must be correct. 1 AO1
Condone any reference to “interaction” or
“force”
Condone “gravitational”
Do not accept ‘electrostatic’, ‘gravitational
potential’, ‘em’, ‘EM’
01.2 proton, beta minus, (electron) antineutrino all correct Allow alternative ways of writing beta minus: 1 AO1
electron/ e / e- / β-
Accept p and P for proton and υ�e or υ� for
antineutrino
Condone ‘anti electron neutrino’
Total 7
02.1 2 1 × AO1
All four rows correct 12 1 × AO2
02.2 Identifies strangeness as the consideration as interaction Do not award MP1 for suggestion that any 3 AO3
would be strong/not weak other quantum number is not conserved.
0
Κ– and Σ have same strangeness of -1 Evidence for MP2 and MP3 can be seen in a
correct use of strangeness values e.g.
Demonstration that LHS and RHS strangeness not equal
AND that the LHS is zero 0 + 0 → -1 -1
02.3 2 AO1
Electron AND positron rest energy =
clear assignment of each particle to its correct rest mass
including the photon 0.510999 MeV
π0 rest energy = 134.972 MeV
idea that LHS mass > RHS mass
Gamma/photon rest mass = 0
Total 9
03.1 ray through A links to ray in B Ignore any arrow directions. 1 AO2
AND
ray in B horizontal by eye
10
11
Condone:
to identify (some) authentic bank notes
applications asociated with entertainment eg
light shows/diffraction glasses.
application associated with analysis of the
light from the Sun
12
13
03.5 3 3 × AO3
Total 10
14
04.2 calculates KE of neutron 80% × 2.82 × 10–12 = 2.26 × 10–12 (J) 2 AO2
OR
uses mass of neutron from data booklet with their Do not allow use of 2.82 × 10–12 as their
calculated KE in a KE equation calculated KE.
Total 4
15
T1 = 48 mm × 10 T2 = 40 mm × 10
Range: allow T1 470 – 490 N and T2 390 –
410 N
Alternative Approach 1
Formation of a parallelogram OR triangle to draw W 1 Allow complementary angles where quoted.
Both angles measured correctly/evaluated to be (34 — 35)o
and (11 — 12)o 2
T1sin 34 + T2 sin 11 = 350 AND T1cos 34 = T2 cos 113
In MP3 allow their angle values OR angle
symbols consistent with labels on their
diagram.
Allow correct application of sine or cosine
T1 = 480 N AND T2 = 400 N 4
rules.
Range: allow T1 470 – 490 N and T2 390 –
410 N
16
18 m
4.5 m
17
Total 12
18
06.2 Evidence of 22 oC converted to K Allow ecf from MP1. Expect 295 K 5 AO2
끫뢊
Evidence of use of ln(끫뢊 ) with their values Condone use of R0 = 190 Ω in MP3
0
B = 1110 K
Accept 1100
Accept answers that round to 1110 or 1120
Allow ecf only from temperature conversion.
Do not accept k for K
19
Total 11
20
07.2 Evidence of use of v = f λ including 625 (Hz) Allow range of 0.68 – 0.72 m in λ 2 AO3
Uses wavelength = 0.7 m to get 440 (m s–1) or 425-450 m s-1
21
07.4 Sinusoidal wave starting at displacement = 4 mm Tolerance on drawing: half a square 3 AO3
Amplitude = 4 mm
Period (= 625–1) = 1.6 ms
Total 7
22
AO1
09 A
11 C 3 AO1
12 D 1800 AO2
13 D 5 × 106 AO2
F
18 B cos β − g sin α AO1
m
23
19 A 41° AO2
20 D 4d AO2
21 A 0.2 m AO2
AO2
22 B
23 D 931 N AO2
24 D 4700 kg AO2
25 C 3E AO2
k ( ∆L )2
26 C AO2
2t
27 D 1.50 V AO2
28 A from P to O AO1
2 2 2
29 B 2π mf r AO1
24
T
31 B AO2
2
32 C T T 2 AO2
25