plumiSpecial relativity: AQA A‑Level Physics questions
Every AQA A-Level Physics exam question on 3.12.3 Special relativity, 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Calculations
Q04.1
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Q04.2
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Q04.3
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Q04.1
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 3 Turning points, question 04.1: A potential difference (pd) of 1.30 MV is used to accelerate the electrons. Show that each electron gains approximately 2 × 10−13 J of kinetic energy. [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/74083bd-jun24-04-1-qp.webp)
Q04.2
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Q04.3
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Q04.4
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Q04.5
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Q04.1
The whole paper ↗![June 2023 Paper 3 Turning points, question 04.1: State the other postulate and explain how it is consistent with the equation: c = 0 0 1 [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/74083bd-jun23-04-1-qp.webp)
Q04.2
The whole paper ↗![June 2023 Paper 3 Turning points, question 04.2: Calculate the distance XY in the frame of reference of the target. [2 marks] distance XY in the frame of reference of the target = m](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/74083bd-jun23-04-2-qp.webp)
Q04.3
The whole paper ↗![June 2023 Paper 3 Turning points, question 04.3: Show that the kinetic energy Ek of the proton is about 1.2 × 10−10 J. [3 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/74083bd-jun23-04-3-qp.webp)
Q04.4
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Q04.1
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Q04.2
The whole paper ↗![June 2022 Paper 3 Turning points, question 04.2: Calculate the speed of a particle when its kinetic energy is equal to its rest energy. [3 marks] speed = m s−1](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/74083bd-jun22-04-2-qp.webp)
Q04.3
The whole paper ↗![June 2022 Paper 3 Turning points, question 04.3: Discuss the change in the observed mass of a spring when it is stretched. [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/74083bd-jun22-04-3-qp.webp)
Q04.1
The whole paper ↗![November 2021 Paper 3 Turning points, question 04.1: State what is meant by an inertial frame of reference. [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/74083bd-nov21-04-1-qp.webp)
Q04.2
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Q04.3
The whole paper ↗![November 2021 Paper 3 Turning points, question 04.3: In calculations involving time dilation, it is important to identify proper time. Identify the proper time in the calculation in Question 04.2. [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/74083bd-nov21-04-3-qp.webp)
Q04.1
The whole paper ↗
All 32 questions on Special relativity, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.1 (4 marks): The observer on P measures the distance from O to P as 1.4 × 1014 m. Some of the cargo is food and must experience a journey time of no more than 10 days. Deter
- June 2025, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.2 (4 marks): The observer on P measures the length of a cargo at rest on P to be 210 m. There is a cargo hold along the full length of A. The observer on P measures the leng
- June 2025, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.3 (1 mark): Spaceships A and B are travelling towards each other along the same straight line. The speed of B is 0.30c with respect to P. Figure 5 shows the situation. Figu
- June 2024, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.1 (1 mark): A potential difference (pd) of 1.30 MV is used to accelerate the electrons. Show that each electron gains approximately 2 × 10−13 J of kinetic energy. [1 mark]
- June 2024, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.2 (2 marks): These electrons cause the temperature of the aluminium block to increase by 68.0 K. The number of electrons that cause this increase in temperature is 4.50 × 10
- June 2024, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.3 (4 marks): The speed of the electrons between the detector and the block is 2.88 × 108 m s−1. Student A suggests that the non-relativistic equation for kinetic energy coul
- June 2024, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.4 (1 mark): The timer in Figure 3 records a time of 29.8 ns. What is the proper time interval for an electron travelling from the detector to the aluminium block? Tick ()
- June 2024, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.5 (4 marks): The electrons in Figure 3 were accelerated from rest in 13 stages. In each stage the electrons were accelerated by a pd of 100 kV. As a result, an electron incr
- June 2023, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.1 (2 marks): State the other postulate and explain how it is consistent with the equation: c = 0 0 1 [2 marks]
- June 2023, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.2 (2 marks): Calculate the distance XY in the frame of reference of the target. [2 marks] distance XY in the frame of reference of the target = m
- June 2023, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.3 (3 marks): Show that the kinetic energy Ek of the proton is about 1.2 × 10−10 J. [3 marks]
- June 2023, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.4 (3 marks): Sketch on Figure 4 the variation of Ek with speed v for a proton. To help you, the dashed line represents Ek = 2 0 1 2 m v where m0 is equal to the mass of a pr
- June 2022, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.1 (1 mark): Bertozzi investigated how the kinetic energy of electrons varies with speed. Which graph shows the variation of kinetic energy with speed? Tick () one box. [1
- June 2022, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.2 (3 marks): Calculate the speed of a particle when its kinetic energy is equal to its rest energy. [3 marks] speed = m s−1
- June 2022, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.3 (2 marks): Discuss the change in the observed mass of a spring when it is stretched. [2 marks]
- November 2021, Paper 3 Turning points, Q03 (6 marks): Figure 5 shows the features of a Michelson-Morley interferometer. Figure 5 Explain how, using this arrangement, Michelson and Morley attempted to detect the abs
- November 2021, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.1 (1 mark): State what is meant by an inertial frame of reference. [1 mark]
- November 2021, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.2 (4 marks): A pair of detectors is set up to measure the intensity of a parallel beam of unstable particles. In the reference frame of the laboratory, the detectors are sep
- November 2021, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.3 (1 mark): In calculations involving time dilation, it is important to identify proper time. Identify the proper time in the calculation in Question 04.2. [1 mark]
- November 2020, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.1 (2 marks): A muon travels at a speed of 0.95c relative to an observer. The muon travels a distance of 2.5 × 103 m between two points in the frame of reference of the obser
- November 2020, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.2 (2 marks): Measurements of muons created by cosmic rays can be used to demonstrate relativistic time dilation. State the measurements made and the observation that provide
- November 2020, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.3 (3 marks): As the muons travel through the atmosphere, their speeds are reduced by interaction with the particles in the air. Discuss, with reference to relativity, the ef
- June 2019, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.1 (2 marks): Classical mechanics predicts that Ek ∝ v2. Deduce whether the data in Table 1 are consistent with this prediction. [2 marks]
- June 2019, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.2 (4 marks): Discuss how Einstein’s theory of special relativity explains the data in Table 1. [4 marks]
- June 2019, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.3 (3 marks): Calculate, in J, the kinetic energy of one electron travelling at a speed of 0.95c. [3 marks] kinetic energy = J
- June 2018, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.1 (6 marks): Explain how the experiment provided a means of testing the idea that the Earth had an absolute motion relative to the ether. Your answer should include: • an ex
- June 2018, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.2 (1 mark): The Michelson-Morley experiment provides evidence for one of the postulates of Einstein’s theory of special relativity. State this postulate. [1 mark]
- June 2018, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.3 (1 mark): State the other postulate of Einstein’s theory of special relativity. [1 mark]
- June 2018, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.4 (4 marks): One consequence of the special theory of relativity is length contraction. Experimental evidence for length contraction is provided by the decay of muons produc
- June 2017, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.1 (4 marks): A student models a spacecraft journey that takes one year. The spacecraft travels directly away from an observer at a speed of 1.2 × 107 m s−1. The student pred
- June 2017, Paper 3 Turning points, Q04.2 (2 marks): In practice, the gravitational field of the Sun affects the motion of the spacecraft and it does not travel directly away from the Earth throughout the journey.
- June 2017, Paper 3 Turning points, Q05 (3 marks): Cosmic rays detected on a spacecraft are protons with a total energy of 3.7 × 109 eV. Calculate the velocity of the protons as a fraction of the speed of light.
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