plumiMagnets and magnetic fields: Edexcel GCSE Physics questions
Every Edexcel GCSE Physics exam question on Magnets and magnetic fields (specification points 12.1–12.6), 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Q7(a)(i)
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Q7(a)(ii)
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Q7(b)(i)
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Q7(b)(ii)
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Q7(b)(iii)
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Q7(b)(iv)
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Q7(c)
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Q5(a)
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Q5(b)
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Q5(c)(i)
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Q5(c)(ii)
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Q5(d)(i)
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Q5(d)(ii)
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Q5(a)(i)
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Q5(a)(ii)
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Q4(a)(i)
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Q4(a)(ii)
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Q4(a)(iii)
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Q4(b)(i)
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Q4(b)(ii)
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All 54 questions on Magnets and magnetic fields, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q7(a)(i) (1 mark): Complete the labels in Figure 11 to show the N and S poles of nail Y. (1)
- June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q7(a)(ii) (1 mark): Nail X is removed from the magnet and nail Y falls off nail X. This shows that the magnet caused both nails to be (1) A permanent magnets B temporarily charged
- June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q7(b)(i) (1 mark): Complete Figure 13 to show the missing value. (1)
- June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q7(b)(ii) (1 mark): Use the data in Figure 13 to complete the bar chart in Figure 14. (1) 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 mean number of nails 6 picked up 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 number of
- June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q7(b)(iii) (2 marks): Use Figure 14 to describe the relationship between the number of plastic strips and the mean number of nails picked up. (2)
- June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q7(b)(iv) (2 marks): A student thinks that none of the nails used in the investigation become permanently magnetised. Suggest how the student could test this hypothesis. (2)
- June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q7(c) (3 marks): The magnetic flux density, B, is a measure of the strength of the magnetic field of a magnet. B varies with the distance, d, from a magnetic pole of a magnet as
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(a) (1 mark): Which of these is a magnetic material? (1) A aluminium B plastic C steel D lead
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(b) (2 marks): Figure 10 shows two magnetic poles facing each other. There is a uniform magnetic field between the poles. Draw field lines, on Figure 10, to show the uniform p
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(c)(i) (1 mark): On Figure 11, draw an X where most of the iron filings will stick. (1)
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(c)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why most of the iron filings will stick to the point you have labelled with an X. (2)
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(d)(i) (2 marks): Explain how a plotting compass can be used to show that the Earth has a magnetic field. (2)
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(d)(ii) (1 mark): State the name of a device that uses a permanent magnet. (1)
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(a)(i) (2 marks): A compass needle is placed at point P and another at point R, near to the Earth’s surface. On Figure 13, draw an arrow at point P and an arrow at point R to sho
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(a)(ii) (3 marks): Explain why the arrows point in the directions you have drawn in part (i). You may draw on Figure 13 to help your answer. (3)
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(a)(i) (1 mark): Draw one arrow on a magnetic field line in Figure 8 to show the direction of that magnetic field line. (1)
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(a)(ii) (1 mark): Draw an X on Figure 8 to show where the magnetic field is strongest. (1)
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(a)(iii) (1 mark): Give a reason why Figure 8 shows the magnetic field is strongest at point X. (1)
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b)(i) (2 marks): Draw some magnetic field lines on Figure 9 to show the shape of the magnetic field between the two magnets. (2)
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b)(ii) (1 mark): The student is holding the two magnets on the smooth bench. State what would happen if the student let go of one of the magnets. (1)
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(c)(i) (1 mark): Which of these is a magnetic material? (1) A aluminium B iron C plastic D wood
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(c)(ii) (2 marks): Describe how the student could use the paper clips to find out which of the two permanent magnets is the stronger magnet. (2)
- June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(a) (2 marks): Figure 8 shows two magnets with their N poles facing each other. S N N S Figure 8 On Figure 8, draw the shape and direction of the magnetic field between the tw
- June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(b) (3 marks): Figure 9 shows a toy that has a plastic cylinder, a plastic base and two similar magnets. Each of the two magnets is in the shape of a ring. plastic cylinder up
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(a)(i) (2 marks): The poles of the lowest paper clip are labelled. Label the poles of the other two paper clips in Figure 8. (2)
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(a)(ii) (1 mark): Complete the sentence, by choosing a word from the box, to describe the type of magnetism that these paper clips have. (1) alternated earthed induced transforme
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(a)(iii) (1 mark): Suggest a material that these paper clips in Figure 8 could be made from. (1)
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(a)(iv) (2 marks): When the paper clips were pulled off the magnet they fell separately to the table. Describe how you could test whether any of the paper clips had kept any magne
- June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(a)(i) (1 mark): Draw arrows on the field lines in Figure 11 to show the direction of the magnetic field. (1)
- June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(a)(ii) (1 mark): Place a letter X on Figure 11 at a place where the magnetic field is strongest. (1)
- June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(a)(iii) (2 marks): Describe two differences between the magnetic field shown in Figure 11 and a uniform magnetic field. (2)
- June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(c)(i) (2 marks): Sketch, on Figure 12, the Earth’s magnetic field outside and inside the Earth. (2)
- June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(c)(ii) (1 mark): State which part of the Earth generates its magnetic field. (1)
- June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b)(i) (1 mark): State why the strength of the magnetic field shown is not zero. (1) The student places a magnet near to the phone on the table. Figure 11 shows the magnet and t
- June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b)(ii) (2 marks): State two changes in the magnetic field measured by the phone from Figure 10 to Figure 11. (2) 1 2
- June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b)(iii) (3 marks): Describe how the student could use the mobile phone to investigate the strength of the magnetic field at different distances from the magnet. (3)
- November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(a)(i) (2 marks): Draw two rectangles on Figure 13 to show the positions of the two bar magnets. Label the N-pole and the S-pole of each magnet. (2)
- November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(a)(ii) (3 marks): The student wants to determine the shape of the magnetic field for a larger area around the magnets. Describe how the student should continue the investigation
- November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(b)(i) (3 marks): The magnets are 4.0 cm apart. The force between the magnets is 1.2 N. Calculate the value of K. State the unit. (3) K = unit
- November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(b)(ii) (1 mark): The magnets are held the same distance apart but with the N-pole of one magnet now facing the S-pole of the other magnet. The value of K does not change. State
- November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(a) (2 marks): Figure 6 shows some objects and words describing these objects. Draw one line from each object to its description. (2) object description non-magnetic nail in a
- November 2020, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(a) (1 mark): At which point is the magnetic field strongest? (1) A B C D
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(a) (2 marks): Figure 13 shows a part of a machine used to separate steel cans from aluminium cans. steel cans and aluminium cans roller (a magnet) moving belt container B co
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(b)(i) (1 mark): There is a magnet attached to the top of each toy. The student moves the toy brick towards the toy car. The magnet on the toy brick repels the magnet on the toy
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(b)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why the toy car starts to move only when the toy brick gets near to the toy car. (2)
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(b)(iii) (4 marks): The student thinks that two magnets on top of each other will produce a magnetic field that is stronger than the magnetic field from a single magnet. The studen
- June 2019, Paper 2 Foundation, Q3(a) (1 mark): Which of these is a magnetic material? (1) A aluminium B carbon C cobalt D copper
- June 2019, Paper 2 Foundation, Q3(c) (3 marks): Figure 5 shows two magnetic poles facing each other. The magnetic field between the poles is uniform. On Figure 5, draw the magnetic field lines between the two
- June 2018, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(a) (3 marks): A student has a bar magnet, a piece of iron the same size as the magnet, and some paper clips. Describe how the student could use these items to demonstrate tem
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q3(b) (1 mark): Which of these materials would be the most suitable for making a temporary magnet? (1) A copper B iron C plastic D steel
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q3(c) (2 marks): Figure 5 shows a magnet holding some paper clips. Figure 5 Describe how a student could show that the paper clips are induced magnets. (2)
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q3(d) (2 marks): Describe how you could show that the Earth has a magnetic field. (2)
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q3(e)(i) (1 mark): Mark the north pole of the bar magnet with an ‘N’ in Figure 6. (1)
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q3(e)(ii) (2 marks): State two ways in which the investigation could be developed to show the shape of the magnetic field around the bar magnet. You may add to Figure 6 to help with
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