Examiner Reports Unit 4 (6PH04) June 2014
Examiner Reports Unit 4 (6PH04) June 2014
Examiner Reports Unit 4 (6PH04) June 2014
June 2014
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June 2014
Examiner Comments
Question 12
The free body force diagrams were very poor with many candidates adding a centripetal
force. The other error was that having drawn a tension force, candidates then added two
component forces thus implying that there were four forces acting. Candidates needed to
appreciate that having drawn a free body force diagram, they needed to resolve the tension
horizontally and vertically to derive two equations. Those who did this were generally
successful. However many candidates wasted time by writing long involved answers that
were not based on the components and which scored no marks. The most frequently
awarded marks were 2 and 1, with only 12% of candidates scoring 5 marks.
Examiner Comments
Examiner Comments
This candidate has forgotten the electron volt conversion and
so has decided to use the energy on a capacitor equation.
This happened several times and is an example of candidates
using any equation without thinking of the physics.
AS work can be examined on this paper and the electronvolt
to joule conversion is one that often appears on this paper.
This candidate also scores all 5 marks but by the extra step method. Compare it to
the previous example to see how much more has to be done this way. Apart from
taking longer, there is amore chance of making an arithmetic error and so lose
marks.
Examiner Tip
Question 13 (c)
Only 25% of the candidates scored this mark. Many who understood that the electrons were
diffracted by the atoms did not compare the wavelength with the atomic spacing. Many
thought that the electrons have to be the same size as the atoms or the wavelengths of the
electrons and atoms were the same. We never saw that the wavelength was the same size
as the nucleus. It was nice to see, although not often, 'the wavelength of the electron is
similar to the spacing between nuclei'.
Examiner Comments
Examiner Comments
Examiner Comments
Question 14 (b)
We were looking for Flemings left hand rule and nothing more as it was only 1 mark. 64%
managed to get this correct.
Examiner Comments
This candidate scored 4 marks, neutral photon, opposite charges equal radii and same
momentum. There is no identification of which is positive/negative or any mention
of conservation of momentum. The use of bullet points makes this easy to read and
mark. It also helps the candidate to finish one point before starting the next.
Examiner Comments
Examiner Comments
(i) This scores 1 mark for linking the induced e.m.f. to a changing magnetic
field but there is no comment about the current for the 2nd mark.
(ii) Flux cutting is not specific enough and no credit for the magnet but this
A common wrong answer. The candidate thinks there is no e.m.f. because the
coil isnt moving.
Examiner Comments
Examiner Comments
Examiner Tip
Examiner Comments
Examiner Comments
Examiner Tip
Examiner Comments
Question 17 (a)
This was a well answered part of the paper with many candidates scoring the full 6 marks.
Some lost a mark by drawing the graph as a curve. In (iii) the formula for energy stored
on a capacitor is E = QV/2 and candidates had found Q in (i) and were given V so it should
have been quite straightforward. However some candidates decided to use E = CV2/2 and
did the usual mistake of using their charge (in C) as their value for C.
Question 17 (b)
In (i) candidates were expected to identify the graph as an exponential graph and explain
that it meant that the current decreased by equal fractions in equal time intervals. Most
candidates scored the first mark but not many scored the second one. In (ii) it was very
pleasing to see how many candidates were able to calculate the resistance of the circuit.
The most commonly awarded mark for the two parts in (b) was 5 with the mark being lost
usually through lack of precision in reading from the graph. We identified five different ways
that the calculation could be done with either substituting into the formula or finding 37%
of I as the most common. Because drawing a tangent to the graph at t=0 is very difficult,
candidates who chose that method were allowed a wider range of answers for the final
mark. When candidates take two pairs of readings from the graph, they should not use the
whole time range. They need to appreciate that because of the nature of an exponential
graph it is very difficult to read the current accurately when the capacitor is almost fully
discharged. Invariably candidates who used a 2 s time interval ended up with an answer
that was out of range and so lost one mark.
Examiner Comments
One mark for (i) and this candidate has used the 3 s time
interval and said that the current is 200 A but that current
value applies over the time range of 2.6 to 3.0 s.
Examiner Tip
Question 17 (c)
This is another example of where candidates need to add something extra to what is in the
question. The stem gives the information about amount of charge and time to deliver the
charge. Candidates needed to combine the idea of charge and time to talk about current
or power. Most candidates identified the correct driving conditions but failed to relate them
to current or power and so scored 2 of the 3 marks. Some candidates lost a mark because
they thought that capacitors were best for acceleration and deceleration. Some candidates
were confused and talked about batteries in a conventional engine and how it was charged
up while driving. The question clearly stated that it was talking about electric cars and so
candidates needed to make sure that they read the question properly.
Examiner Comments
Question 18 (a)
This also provided excellent discrimination across the mark range with 2 and 3 being
the most commonly awarded marks. The mark that was most often missed was the link
between electric field and a force on the particles. Candidates must think electric field
force on a charge acceleration.
Similarly for magnetic field force on a moving charge at right angles to motion
produces circular motion. There was a mark for an extra detail but often what was written
was not enough to award the mark. A clear statement that the E field reverses every half
cycle scored the mark but all too often candidates just wrote that the field had to change so
that the particle was always being repelled from one and attracted to the other. This wasn't
detailed enough for the mark.
Examiner Comments
An example that scores 5 marks. The
comment about the field reverses every
time the particle enters a dee was
acceptable.
Question 18 (b)
This was generally well answered with 68% of candidates scoring the full 3 marks. Lots of
ways to go wrong, forgetting to square c, dividing by c2or multiplying by e and even if you
get both of those bits right, there is the Giga hurdle to get over.
Examiner Comments
Question 18 (c)
When a question says explain' it means that words are needed not calculations. The key
factor here was the + sign. To say that the charge is 2/3 the charge of a proton is correct
but if candidates chose to answer in terms of an electron they had to write the word
positive. Just writing +2/3 was just copying the question and did not convey that the
candidates understood that it was of an opposite sign to the electron. Some candidates did
a calculation to give a numerical answer. If that was what was wanted, the question would
have said determine not explain.
Examiner Comments
Examiner Comments
Examiner Comments