plumiIntensity, refraction and total internal reflection: Edexcel A‑Level Physics questions
Every Edexcel A-Level Physics exam question on Intensity, refraction and total internal reflection (specification points 70–74), 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Calculations
Q13(b)(ii)
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Q12(a)
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Q12(b)
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Q9(a)(i)
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Q14(b)
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Q15(a)
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Q13(c)
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Q14(a)
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Q17(b)
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Q19(a)(iii)
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Q19(a)(iv)
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All 54 questions on Intensity, refraction and total internal reflection, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q13(b)(ii) (3 marks): The area of the solar cell is 104 cm2 . Determine the efficiency of the solar cell when operating at maximum power. intensity of sunlight = 1000 W m–2 (3) Effic
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q3 (1 mark): Light enters a semicircular glass block, as shown. The ray of light reaches the straight edge of the block at an angle of incidence θ. The critical angle for gl
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q12 (4 marks): The image from the cover of a music album is represented below. red light 45 violet light White light enters the prism at an angle of incidence of 45°. The ligh
- June 2025, AS Paper 2, Q1 (1 mark): Which of the following are S.I. units for intensity? A J m –2 B J s –1 C W m –2 D W s –1
- June 2025, AS Paper 2, Q12(a) (2 marks): Calculate the critical angle for yellow light travelling from glass to air. refractive index of yellow light in glass = 1.63 (2) Critical angle =
- June 2025, AS Paper 2, Q12(b) (5 marks): The white light is incident on the air‑glass interface with an angle of incidence = 40°. Calculate the angle of refraction of the red light as it leaves the pri
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q7 (1 mark): The diagram shows a ray of light passing from medium X to medium Y to medium Z. The speed of light in medium X is vX , the speed of light in medium Y is vY and
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q9(a)(i) (3 marks): Criticise the student’s plan for data collection. (3)
- June 2024, AS Paper 2, Q14(b) (3 marks): The angle at which the ultraviolet radiation is incident on the Moon varies across its surface, as shown. Moon ultraviolet radiation The number of dust particle
- June 2024, AS Paper 2, Q15(a) (3 marks): The rain sensor consists of a series of infrared emitters and detectors. Infrared rays are emitted from a sensor, travel through the glass windscreen and are in
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q8 (1 mark): A ray of light is directed towards a prism as shown. The prism is made from a material with refractive index 1.5 A ray of light B 30° C D Which of the dashed li
- June 2023, AS Paper 2, Q13(c) (4 marks): A ray of light enters the diamond along the normal at point Y as shown. Not to scale Y X The ray is incident at the diamond‑air interface at X with an angle of
- June 2022, Paper 2, Q2 (1 mark): Light travelling in glass of refractive index ng is incident at a boundary with water of refractive index nw. The critical angle for the boundary is C. Which of
- June 2022, Paper 2, Q8 (1 mark): Total internal reflection occurs when light is incident on the boundary between medium 1 and medium 2, as shown. medium 2 medium 1 θ θ The refractive index of m
- June 2022, AS Paper 2, Q14(a) (4 marks): The beam is refracted by water droplets in the air. A light ray in the beam is incident on a spherical water droplet with an angle of incidence of 40.0°. The ra
- June 2022, AS Paper 2, Q17(b) (2 marks): The light meter records an intensity of 1100 W m–2. The LDR in the light meter has a surface area of 4.0 × 10–5 m2. Calculate the energy that is transferred to
- November 2021, Paper 2, Q19(a)(iii) (3 marks): The lens in the eye of an octopus is in contact with seawater. The refractive index of freshwater is less than the refractive index of seawater. Deduce what wou
- November 2021, Paper 2, Q19(a)(iv) (2 marks): Calculate the speed of light in seawater. refractive index of seawater = 1.37 (2) Speed of light in seawater =
- November 2021, AS Paper 2, Q2 (1 mark): Which path, A, B, C or D, will the ray follow? A B C D
- November 2021, AS Paper 2, Q3 (1 mark): Which of the following gives the value of the refractive index of the glass? A sin 35 1 B sin 35 1 C sin−1 35 1 D sin− 1 1 35 Questions 4 an
- November 2021, AS Paper 2, Q8 (1 mark): A beam of light from a torch with power P is shone onto a surface. The light is spread over a circular area with a radius r. Which of the following gives the in
- November 2021, AS Paper 2, Q16(a) (2 marks): Give two reasons why Huygens’ theory for the refraction of light eventually became accepted. (2)
- November 2021, AS Paper 2, Q16(b) (3 marks): A ray of light travelling in air is incident on some water with an angle of incidence of 35°. The angle of refraction is 26°. Deduce whether this is consistent
- October 2020, Paper 2, Q12(a) (3 marks): The angle of incidence of the light as it enters the tank is 7.2° Show that the refractive index of the liquid is about 1.4 w = 35.0 cm t = 4.0 cm s = 10.2 cm (
- October 2020, Paper 2, Q12(b) (2 marks): Determine the speed of light in the liquid. (2) Speed of light =
- October 2020, Paper 3, Q11(b)(i) (4 marks): The average intensity of radiation from the Sun at the Earth’s surface is much less than the intensity incident at the top of the Earth’s atmosphere. Explain wh
- October 2020, Paper 3, Q11(b)(ii) (4 marks): It is claimed that the area of solar panels needed to generate 100 GW of power is about 0.5% of the surface area of the Earth. Assess the validity of this claim
- October 2020, AS Paper 2, Q3 (1 mark): A light source radiates a power P onto a surface, covering a circular area of radius r. Which of the following is the correct expression for the intensity I of
- October 2020, AS Paper 2, Q15(b)(i) (3 marks): Deduce whether the measurements made using the protractor are sufficient to measure the difference in the angles of refraction between blue and red light. refra
- October 2020, AS Paper 2, Q15(b)(ii) (3 marks): The angle of incidence at the glass-air interface can be changed by altering the path of the light as it enters the prism. The angle of incidence of the red lig
- June 2019, Paper 2, Q12(a) (2 marks): Calculate the speed of light in selenite. (2) Speed of light in selenite =
- June 2019, Paper 2, Q12(b)(i) (1 mark): State what is meant by critical angle. (1)
- June 2019, Paper 2, Q12(b)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the critical angle for light in selenite. (2) Critical angle for light in selenite =
- June 2019, Paper 2, Q12(c) (2 marks): Selenite can act as a collection of optical fibres, so that an image of writing beneath the mineral sample appears as if it is at the upper surface as shown. Tu
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q5(a) (3 marks): I0 for the infrared LED is 1.8 W m–2. Calculate I for the infrared after passing through 1.4 mm of oxygenated blood. (3) I =
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q5(b) (3 marks): The oximeter determines I / I0 the fraction of radiation transmitted at each wavelength. Deduce whether I / I0 will be smaller for the red or the infrared radia
- June 2018, Paper 2, Q4 (1 mark): For total internal reflection to take place, the angle of incidence must be A greater than or equal to the critical angle. B greater than the critical angle. C
- June 2018, Paper 2, Q17(b)(i) (4 marks): Calculate the angle through which the ray has been deviated as it emerges from the plastic. (4) refractive index of plastic = 1.47 Angle =
- June 2018, Paper 2, Q17(b)(ii) (3 marks): Explain how the lens focuses a beam of light travelling parallel to the principal axis. (3)
- June 2018, Paper 3, Q8(b) (2 marks): A magazine article includes the statement: If the distance from the lens to the screen is doubled, the brightness of the image is halved. Assess the validity of
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q16(b)(i) (2 marks): The intensity of the emitted light at the surface of a display segment is 7.8 W m–2. The segment has an exposed area of 1.8× 10–3 m2. Calculate the power of the
- June 2018, AS Paper 2, Q11(a) (2 marks): State two precautions the student should take to improve the accuracy of these measurements. (2)
- June 2018, AS Paper 2, Q11(b)(i) (2 marks): Comment on whether the student has recorded his measurements of i and r to the correct number of significant figures. (2)
- June 2018, AS Paper 2, Q11(b)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the percentage uncertainty in the value of r when i = 50°. (2) Percentage uncertainty in r =
- June 2018, AS Paper 2, Q11(c)(i) (1 mark): Draw a line of best fit. (1)
- June 2018, AS Paper 2, Q11(c)(ii) (3 marks): Deduce which type of glass the rectangular block is made from. (3) Type of glass
- June 2018, AS Paper 2, Q15(b) (4 marks): The solar panels are illuminated with an average light intensity of 1300 W mí over an 8 hour period in any day. Calculate the electrical energy generated by th
- June 2017, Paper 2, Q18(b)(ii) (3 marks): A ray of light strikes the front of the cornea at an angle to the normal in air of 15°. Calculate the angle of the ray to the normal in the cornea. speed of lig
- June 2017, Paper 2, Q18(c) (3 marks): People swimming under water often wear goggles. The goggles enable them to see objects under water clearly whereas without goggles objects appear blurred. Expla
- June 2017, AS Paper 2, Q6 (1 mark): The rate at which energy is transferred to a solar cell of radius r is P. In the same conditions, the rate at which energy is transferred to a solar cell of rad
- June 2017, AS Paper 2, Q12(b) (6 marks): The diagram represents a simple model which is sometimes used to explain how a mirage is formed. The three layers, each with a different refractive index, repre
- June 2016, AS Paper 2, Q2 (1 mark): Which of the following is a correct unit for intensity of light? A J m–2 B W s–2 C W m–2 D J s–2
- June 2016, AS Paper 2, Q9(a) (3 marks): Show that the critical angle for light between these two media is about 50°. (3)
- June 2016, AS Paper 2, Q9(b) (3 marks): The diagram shows a diverging beam of light incident on the boundary between the core and the cladding. One side of the beam strikes the boundary at 60° and the
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