This document contains June 2022 OCR A Level Physics B (Advancing Physics) H557/03 Practical skills in physics Question Paper. Perfect for Revision.

SECTION A

Answer all the questions.

1 This question is about the polarisation of electromagnetic waves.

(a) Explain what is meant by the term polarisation and state why all electromagnetic waves can

be polarised.

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(b) A student looks at light reflected from a glass block through one polarising filter. Explain how

they could tell if the reflected light shows any polarisation.

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(c) Another student investigates the polarisation of microwaves using apparatus shown in

Fig. 1.1.

transmitter

metal grille

receiver

voltmeter

 Fig. 1.1

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 The grille starts in the vertical position as shown and is rotated. The intensity of the

microwaves at the receiver is measured at different angles.

 (i) Describe how the angle of rotation could be measured in a school laboratory.

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 (ii) The results from the investigation are plotted on the graph shown in Fig. 1.2. Use data

points from the graph below (excluding voltage = 0) to test whether the investigation

shows that

 Intensity ∝ cos2θ

 Make your conclusion clear.

0.0

0 50 100 150 200

angle θ / °

voltage /mV

250 300 350

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

Fig. 1.2

[3]

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2 This question is about an investigation into the relationship between the pressure and volume of

a gas. The relationship is often referred to as Boyle’s Law. A student set up the apparatus shown

in Fig. 2.1.

pressure gauge

reservoir of air

to air pump

oil

gas

height, h

Fig. 2.1

(a) (i) Identify a variable which needs to be controlled in the investigation.

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 (ii) Before setting up the apparatus, the student took measurements with vernier calipers of

the internal diameter of the tube containing the gas. The student created the dot plot of

cross‑sectional area shown in Fig. 2.2.

 Taking into consideration any outliers, calculate a value for the mean and percentage

uncertainty of the cross‑sectional area of the tube. Give your answers to an appropriate

number of significant figures.

79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86

cross-sectional area /mm2

87 88 89 90 91 92

 Fig. 2.2

 Mean cross‑sectional area = ............................. mm2 ± ............................. % [4]

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 (iii) The height, h, of the column of air is measured using a standard laboratory metre rule.

 Estimate the absolute uncertainty in the measurement and justify your answer.

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(b) The pressure gauge used in the experiment records excess pressure. The absolute pressure

of the gas is given by

 absolute pressure = excess pressure + atmospheric pressure

 When the pressure gauge reads 255kPa calculate the value for

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absolute pressure and state

the unit.

 Atmospheric pressure = 101kPa.

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absolute pressure = ................................... unit ............... [2]