Name: ________________________

Topic Test: OxfordAQA

International A level Physics Class: ________________________
Electric fields and capacitance
Date: ________________________

Time: 57 minutes

Marks: 44 marks

Comments:

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 1 of 15

 (a) (i) Define the electric field strength, E, at a point in an electric field.
1
______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(ii) State whether E is a scalar or a vector quantity.

______________________________________________________________
(3)

(b) Point charges of +4.0 nC and –8.0 nC are placed 80 mm apart, as shown in the figure
below.

(i) Calculate the magnitude of the force exerted on the +4.0 nC charge by the –8.0 nC
charge.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(ii) Determine the distance from the +4.0 nC charge to the point, along the straight line
between the charges, where the electric potential is zero.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(4)

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 2 of 15

 (c) Point P in the figure above is equidistant from the two charges.

(i) Draw two arrows on the figure above at P to represent the directions and relative
magnitudes of the components of the electric field at P due to each of the charges.

(ii) Hence draw an arrow, labelled R, on the figure above at P to represent the direction
of the resultant electric field at P.
(3)
(Total 10 marks)

Figure 1 shows a small polystyrene ball which is suspended between two vertical metal plates,
2 P1 and P2, 80 mm apart, that are initially uncharged. The ball carries a charge of –0.17 μC.

Figure 1

(a) (i) A pd of 600 V is applied between P1 and P2 when the switch is closed. Calculate the
magnitude of the electric field strength between the plates, assuming it is uniform.

answer = ______________________V m–1

(2)

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 3 of 15

 (ii) Show that the magnitude of the electrostatic force that acts on the ball under these
conditions is 1.3 mN.

(1)

(b) Because of the electrostatic force acting on it, the ball is displaced from its original position.
It comes to rest when the suspended thread makes an angle θ with the vertical, as shown
in Figure 2.

Figure 2

(i) On Figure 2, mark and label the forces that act on the ball when in this position.
(2)

(ii) The mass of the ball is 4.8 × 10–4 kg. By considering the equilibrium of the ball,
determine the value of θ.

answer = ______________________ degrees

(3)
(Total 8 marks)

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 4 of 15

 Figure 1 shows an isolated spherical oil drop carrying a charge of +6.4 × 10–19 C.
3
Assume that the oil drop behaves as a charged, conducting sphere.

Figure 1

(a) Draw electric field lines onto Figure 1 to show the electric field around the oil drop.
(1)

(b) Define the absolute electrical potential at a point in an electric field.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(c) The oil drop has a radius of 1.4 × 10–6 m.

Calculate the absolute electric potential at the surface of the oil drop.

absolute electric potential = ____________________ V

(2)

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 5 of 15

(d) Figure 2 shows the charged oil drop stationary in air in an electric field between two
parallel plates. The potential difference between the plates is V.

Draw and label arrows on Figure 2 to represent the forces acting on the oil drop.

Figure 2

(1)

(e) The potential difference between the plates is now reversed so that the oil drop is attracted
towards the lower plate.

Explain why the initial acceleration of the oil drop is approximately 20 m s–2.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 6 of 15

 (f) Describe and explain the motion of the oil drop after the potential difference between the
plates is reversed.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 9 marks)

(a) A capacitor has a capacitance of 80 μF.

4
State what is meant by a capacitance of 80 μF.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 7 of 15

(b) The diagram shows a parallel plate capacitor with and without a dielectric between the
plates.

Explain how the presence of a dielectric between the plates increases the capacitance of
the capacitor.
You may add to the diagram to assist your explanation.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 8 of 15

 (c) An 80 μF capacitor is charged so that the potential difference across it is 5.0 V.
The capacitor is then partially discharged, losing 120 μC of charge.

Calculate the percentage reduction in the energy stored in the capacitor due to the partial
discharge.

percentage reduction in energy = ____________________

(4)
(Total 8 marks)

What is a unit for the permittivity of free space, ε0

5
A A2 kg–1 m–3 s+4

B A2 kg–2 m–3 s–4

C A2 kg–1 m–1 s+4

D A2 kg–1 m–3 s–2

(Total 1 mark)

The diagram shows two horizontal plates with an electric field between them.
6 A charged particle enters at right angles to the field. The force due to the electric field is the only
force acting on the particle.

Which change increases the vertical velocity of the particle as it leaves the electric field?

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 9 of 15

 A Decreasing the length of the plates.

B Increasing the separation of the plates.

C Decreasing the initial velocity of the particle.

D Using a particle of greater mass but the same charge.

(Total 1 mark)

X and Y are two points in an electric field a distance d apart. The potential difference between X
7
and Y is V. A particle carrying a charge Q is accelerated by that field from X to Y in a time t. The
gain in kinetic energy of the particle is

A QV

D QVd
(Total 1 mark)

The graph shows the variation in electric field strength E with distance d from the surface of a
8
charged sphere of radius 0.20 m.

What is the potential difference between a point on the surface of the sphere and a point 0.20 m
above the surface?

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 10 of 15

 A 20 kV

B 40 kV

C 50 kV

D 150 kV

(Total 1 mark)

The graph shows the variation of the charge Q on a capacitor with the potential difference V
9
across it.

Which row shows the significance of the gradient of the graph and the area between the line and
the V axis?

Gradient of the graph Area between the line and the V axis

A Charging current Time constant

B Charging current Energy stored in the capacitor

C Capacitance of the capacitor Time constant

D Capacitance of the capacitor Energy stored in the capacitor

(Total 1 mark)

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 11 of 15

 A capacitor of capacitance 9.0 nF has plates with an overlapping area of 18 cm2 separated by a
10
dielectric of thickness 0.15 mm.

What is the relative permittivity of the dielectric?

A 8.5 x 101

B 8.5 x 103

C 7.5 x 106

D 7.5 x 108

(Total 1 mark)

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 12 of 15

Mark schemes
(a) (i) force per unit charge (1)
1 acting on a positive charge (1)

(ii) vector (1)

3

(b) (i) (1)

=4.5(0) × 10–5N (1)

(ii) (use of gives)

or (1)

x = 26.7mm (1)
4

(c) correct directions for E4 and E8 (1)

E8 approx twice as long as E4 (1)
correct direction of resultant R
shown (1)

3
[10]

2 (a) (i) (1)

= 7.5 × 103 (V m–1) (1)

2

(ii) force F (= EQ) = 7500 × 0.17 × 10–6 (1) (= 1.28 × 10–3 N)

1

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 13 of 15

 (b) (i) correct labelled arrows placed on diagram to show the three
forces acting;

• electric force F (or 1.3 mN) horizontally to left (1)

• W (or mg) vertically down and

• tension T upwards along the thread (1)

2

(ii) F = T sinθ and mg = T cosθ give F = mg tanθ (1)

(or by triangle or parallelogram methods)

tanθ = (1)

gives θ = 15(.2) (°) (1)

3
[8]

(a)  At least 6 radial lines, straight and evenly spaced by eye with arrows away from the
3
centre ✓
Accept lines not drawn with a ruler if they are straight
and symmetrical
Condone field shown within the drop
1

(b)  Work done moving unit charge from infinity (to the point in the field) ✓
Accept equation with terms defined
1

(c)  ✓

Condone use of 1.6 × 10−19 for the 1st MP only

4.11 × 10−3 ✓
2

(d)  Up arrow labelled FE or or similar and down arrow labelled weight, W, or mg or

similar ✓
Condone difference in length of arrows. Accept if the
upward pointing arrow is labelled F
1

(e)  Recognition that FE is equal (and opposite) to weight ✓

New resultant force is 2 mg owtte ✓

2 × 9.81 or 19.62 seen gets only 1 mark if it is without
acceptable explanation
2

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 14 of 15

 (f)  (Drop moves downwards)
(Weight and) electrostatic force remain constant ✓
Air resistance increases (with speed) ✓
Terminal speed reached or acceleration gets smaller ✓

ANY 2
max 2
[9]

(a)  Charge stored per unit pd or per unit volt is 80 µ C wtte ✓

4 1

(b)  Increases the permittivity or has a greater permittivity than vacuum ✓

Reduces the electric field strength…✓
… because polarised molecules rotate (to align with field)✓
… so reduces the pd across the plates or more charge can be stored for the same pd
✓

Any three
3

(c)  Uses Q = CV at some point in the calculation ✓

Uses E = CV2 or E = QV or E = at some point in the calculation ✓

Calculates initial energy stored (1000 μJ) or final energy stored (490 μJ) ✓

51 (%) cao ✓
4
[8]

A
5
[1]

C
6
[1]

A
7
[1]

A
8
[1]

D
9
[1]

A
10
[1]

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 15 of 15