Cambridge International AS & A Level

PHYSICS 9702/52
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation October/November 2024
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 30

Published

This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the
examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the
details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have
considered the acceptability of alternative answers.

Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for
Teachers.

Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.

Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the October/November 2024 series for most
Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International A and AS Level components, and some Cambridge O Level
components.

This document consists of 10 printed pages.

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9702/52 Cambridge International AS & A Level – Mark Scheme October/November 2024
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Generic Marking Principles

These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers. They should be applied alongside the
specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptions for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these
marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:

• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:

Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:

Marks must be awarded positively:

• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit is given for valid answers which go beyond
the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme, referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
• marks are not deducted for errors
• marks are not deducted for omissions
• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these features are specifically assessed by the
question as indicated by the mark scheme. The meaning, however, should be unambiguous.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:

Rules must be applied consistently, e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed instructions or in the application of generic level
descriptors.

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GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:

Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question (however; the use of the full mark range may
be limited according to the quality of the candidate responses seen).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:

Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should not be awarded with grade thresholds or
grade descriptors in mind.

Science-Specific Marking Principles

1 Examiners should consider the context and scientific use of any keywords when awarding marks. Although keywords may be present, marks
should not be awarded if the keywords are used incorrectly.

2 The examiner should not choose between contradictory statements given in the same question part, and credit should not be awarded for
any correct statement that is contradicted within the same question part. Wrong science that is irrelevant to the question should be ignored.

3 Although spellings do not have to be correct, spellings of syllabus terms must allow for clear and unambiguous separation from other
syllabus terms with which they may be confused (e.g. ethane / ethene, glucagon / glycogen, refraction / reflection).

4 The error carried forward (ecf) principle should be applied, where appropriate. If an incorrect answer is subsequently used in a scientifically
correct way, the candidate should be awarded these subsequent marking points. Further guidance will be included in the mark scheme
where necessary and any exceptions to this general principle will be noted.

5 ‘List rule’ guidance

For questions that require n responses (e.g. State two reasons …):

• The response should be read as continuous prose, even when numbered answer spaces are provided.
• Any response marked ignore in the mark scheme should not count towards n.
• Incorrect responses should not be awarded credit but will still count towards n.
• Read the entire response to check for any responses that contradict those that would otherwise be credited. Credit should not be
awarded for any responses that are contradicted within the rest of the response. Where two responses contradict one another, this
should be treated as a single incorrect response.
• Non-contradictory responses after the first n responses may be ignored even if they include incorrect science.

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6 Calculation specific guidance

Correct answers to calculations should be given full credit even if there is no working or incorrect working, unless the question states ‘show
your working’.

For questions in which the number of significant figures required is not stated, credit should be awarded for correct answers when rounded
by the examiner to the number of significant figures given in the mark scheme. This may not apply to measured values.

For answers given in standard form (e.g. a  10n) in which the convention of restricting the value of the coefficient (a) to a value between 1
and 10 is not followed, credit may still be awarded if the answer can be converted to the answer given in the mark scheme.

Unless a separate mark is given for a unit, a missing or incorrect unit will normally mean that the final calculation mark is not awarded.
Exceptions to this general principle will be noted in the mark scheme.

7 Guidance for chemical equations

Multiples / fractions of coefficients used in chemical equations are acceptable unless stated otherwise in the mark scheme.

State symbols given in an equation should be ignored unless asked for in the question or stated otherwise in the mark scheme.

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Question Answer Marks

1 Defining the problem

L is the independent variable and  or temperature change/increase is the dependent variable 1

or
vary L and measure  or temperature change/increase

keep t constant 1

Methods of data collection

labelled diagram of workable experiment including: 1

• oil in a beaker/container (on a bench)
• coil fully submerged in oil
• (bulb of) thermometer in the oil
• at least three labels from thermometer, coil or resistance wire, oil, beaker/container, clamp/stand, bench
Do not accept other heating sources.

method to determine V – diagram of workable circuit including: 1

• power supply connected to wire
• voltmeter positioned to measure V across the coil

measure the initial and final temperature and find the difference  1

method to determine t, e.g. use stopwatch/timer 1

and
method to determine L e.g. use a rule(r) to measure L / length of wire or e.g. using number of turns and measure the
diameter of the coil with rule(r) / calipers

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Question Answer Marks

1 Method of Analysis

1 1 1
plot a graph of  against or equivalent, e.g. against 
L L
Do not accept logarithms.

1
1 1
for  against for against 
L L

AtV 2 AtV 2  gradient

K= K=
m  gradient m

1
1 1
for  against for against 
L L

Z = −mK  y -intercept Z = AtV 2  y -intercept

or
AtV  y -intercept
2
Z=−
gradient

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Question Answer Marks

1 Additional detail including safety considerations 6

D1 precaution linked to hot oil / beaker / wire, e.g. use of gloves to prevent burns from oil
or
precaution linked to spillage of oil, e.g. perform experiment in a tray

D2 keep A and m and V constant

d 2
D3 use a micrometer to measure the diameter (d) of the wire and A =
4

D4 repeat measurements of d along the wire and average

D5 method to reduce heat loss e.g. add insulation around the container / add a lid to the container

D6 method to keep V constant, e.g. adjust / change a variable resistor / power supply to keep V or voltmeter reading
constant

D7 use a balance to determine the mass of the oil

and
mass of oil = mass of (beaker + oil) − mass of beaker
or
place beaker on balance and zero balance, then add oil and read balance

D8 stir the oil for uniform temperature

or
keep the initial temperature (of oil) constant

D9 repeat the experiment for the same value of L and average  / average temperature change

 Z 
D10 relationship valid if a straight line is produced (passing through  − )
 mK 
Do not accept line passing through the origin.

D11 method to determine L accurately, e.g. measure length of unwound coil

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Question Answer Marks

2(a) gradient = Bn2 1

y-intercept = − B

2(b) 1
d2 / cm2

615 or 615.0

458 or 458.0

292 or 292.4

216 or 216.1

166 or 166.4

139 or 139.2
Values correct as shown above.

Uncertainties in d2 decreasing from 10 to 4 or 5. 1

2(c)(i) Six points from (b) plotted correctly. 1

Must be within half a small square. Diameter of points must be less than half a small square.

Error bars in d2 plotted correctly. 1

All error bars to be plotted. Total length of bar must be accurate to less than half a small square and symmetrical.

2(c)(ii) Straight line of best fit drawn. 1

Do not accept line from top point to bottom point.
Points must be balanced.
Line must pass between (1.90, 250) and (2.00, 250) and between (3.55, 500) and (3.65, 500).

Worst acceptable line drawn (steepest or shallowest possible line that passes through all the error bars). 1
All error bars must be plotted.

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Question Answer Marks

2(c)(iii) Gradient determined with clear substitution of data points into y / x. 1
Distance between data points must be greater than half the length of the drawn line.

Gradient determined of worst acceptable line with clear substitution of data points into y / x. 1

uncertainty = (gradient of line of best fit – gradient of worst acceptable line)

or
uncertainty = ½ (steepest worst line gradient – shallowest worst line gradient)

2(c)(iv) y-intercept determined by substitution of correct point with consistent power of ten in m and x into y = mx + c. 1

y-intercept of worst acceptable line determined by substitution into y = mx + c. 1

uncertainty = y-intercept of line of best fit – y-intercept of worst acceptable line

or
uncertainty = ½ (steepest worst line y-intercept – shallowest worst line y-intercept)

Do not accept ECF from false origin method.

2(d)(i) B determined using y-intercept (B = – y-intercept) and B and n given to 2 or 3 or 4 significant figures. 1

n determined using gradient 1

and
B and n given with SI units with correct powers of ten.

gradient gradient
n= or n =
B −y -intercept

Unit for B: cm2

No unit for n.

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Question Answer Marks

2(d)(ii) Percentage uncertainty in n determined with method shown. 1

1  y -intercept gradient 
percentage uncertainty =  +   100
2  y -intercept gradient 
or

correct substitution for max/min methods.

2(e)  determined to a minimum of two significant figures from (c)(iii) and (c)(iv) or (d)(i) with correct substitution and correct 1
power of ten.

gradient
 = sin−1
−y -intercept + 900
or
n 2B
 = sin−1
B + 900

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