plumiBlack body radiation: Edexcel International A Level Physics questions
Every Edexcel International A Level Physics exam question on Black body radiation (specification points 161–164), 2019–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
Paper
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Calculations
- Your answer
Q19(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q19(b)
The whole paper ↗Q20(c)
The whole paper ↗Q19(c)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q19(c)(ii)
The whole paper ↗- Your answer
Q15(a)
The whole paper ↗Q15(b)
The whole paper ↗Q20(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q16(a)
The whole paper ↗Q4(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗- Your answer
Q16(a)
The whole paper ↗Q18(a)
The whole paper ↗Q21(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q21(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q21(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q21(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q21(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗
All 41 questions on Black body radiation, as a list
- June 2025, Unit 5, Q8 (1 mark): Two stars, X and Y, have the same luminosity. The graph shows how the intensity I of radiation received at Earth from star X and star Y varies with wavelength λ
- June 2025, Unit 5, Q19(a)(i) (3 marks): The spectrum of electromagnetic radiation emitted by Tau Ceti has a maximum intensity at a frequency of 5.50 × 10 14 Hz. Show that the surface temperature of Ta
- June 2025, Unit 5, Q19(b) (5 marks): Aita is a planet in orbit around Tau Ceti. A scientist suggests that Aita receives the same intensity of light from Tau Ceti as the Earth receives from the Sun.
- June 2025, Unit 5, Q20(c) (2 marks): Jupiter is much further away from the Sun than Mars is. A space probe to Mars was powered by solar cells. Suggest why solar cells were not suitable for a space
- January 2025, Unit 5, Q19(c)(i) (3 marks): While the bulb is on, radiation is emitted by the filament. This radiation has a peak power output at a wavelength, λmax , of 1100 nm. Calculate the power outpu
- January 2025, Unit 5, Q19(c)(ii) (1 mark): Suggest why the actual power output of the bulb may be lower than the value calculated. (1)
- October 2024, Unit 5, Q3 (1 mark): The graph shows how intensity of radiation varies with wavelength for two stars, P and Q. Intensity P Q Wavelength Which of the following could be deduced from
- October 2024, Unit 5, Q15(a) (3 marks): Show that the luminosity of Sirius is about 9.7 × 10 27 W. radius of Sirius = 1.18 × 10 9 m surface temperature of Sirius = 9940 K (3)
- October 2024, Unit 5, Q15(b) (4 marks): A teacher claims that, from Earth, Sirius appears twice as bright as Canopus. Assess the accuracy of this claim. luminosity of Canopus = 4.12 × 10 30 W distance
- October 2024, Unit 5, Q20(a)(i) (3 marks): Show that the surface temperature of the Sun is about 6000 K. (3)
- June 2024, Unit 5, Q16(a) (5 marks): Calculate the wavelength, λmax , corresponding to the peak intensity of emission of radiation from ε-Eridani. distance of ε-Eridani from the Earth = 9.94 × 10 1
- January 2024, AS Unit 3, Q4(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why a graph of I against d should be a straight line through the origin. 2 (2)
- January 2024, Unit 5, Q9 (1 mark): The graphs show how the radiation intensity varies with wavelength for star X and star Y. The surface temperature of star X is TX and the surface temperature of
- January 2024, Unit 5, Q16(a) (4 marks): Calculate the intensity of radiation from the Sun incident on Pluto. radius of Sun = 6.96 × 10 8 m surface temperature of Sun = 5800 K (4) Intensity of radiatio
- January 2024, Unit 5, Q18(a) (3 marks): The wavelength, λmax , at which the intensity of radiation is a maximum is 850 nm for Kruger A and 1500 nm for Kruger B. A website states that the surface tempe
- October 2023, Unit 5, Q21(a)(i) (4 marks): A website claims that the radius of Betelgeuse is 1000 times the radius of the Sun. Assess the accuracy of this claim. surface temperature of Sun = 5800 K 26 W
- June 2023, Unit 5, Q21(a)(i) (3 marks): Show that the surface temperature of Ross-154 is about 3000 K. (3)
- June 2023, Unit 5, Q21(a)(ii) (5 marks): A website states that the luminosity of Ross-154 is less than 0.5% of the luminosity of the Sun, LSun. Evaluate whether this statement is correct. radius of Ros
- January 2023, Unit 5, Q21(a)(i) (2 marks): Show that the surface temperature of Kapteyn’s Star is about 3600 K. (2)
- January 2023, Unit 5, Q21(a)(ii) (4 marks): The distance from Kapteyn’s Star to the planet Kapteyn‑b is 2.55 × 10 10 m. The intensity IE of light received at the Earth from the Sun is 1380 W m –2. Show th
- October 2022, Unit 5, Q9 (1 mark): Canopus and Sirius are two stars. Radiation from Sirius has 3 times the intensity of radiation from Canopus. The distance of Canopus from Earth is 36 times the
- October 2022, Unit 5, Q16(a) (4 marks): Show that the surface temperature of Gliese-876 is about 3000 K. (4)
- October 2022, Unit 5, Q16(b) (4 marks): As a red dwarf star, the luminosity of Gliese-876 should be less than 10% of the luminosity of the Sun. Evaluate whether the surface temperature of Gliese-876 s
- June 2022, Unit 5, Q18(b)(i) (3 marks): Show that the surface temperature of Wolf 359 is about 2700 K. (3)
- June 2022, Unit 5, Q18(b)(ii) (3 marks): The radius of the Sun is RSun. The radius of Wolf 359 is 0.16 RSun. It is claimed that the luminosity of Wolf 359 is less than 0.1% of the luminosity of the Sun
- January 2022, Unit 5, Q8 (1 mark): Sirius and α-Centauri are two of our closest stars. Sirius has a luminosity about 16 times greater than the luminosity of α-Centauri. Sirius is twice as far awa
- January 2022, Unit 5, Q15 (5 marks): Procyon is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Minor. The graph shows how the radiated intensity from Procyon varies with wavelength. Radiated intensi
- October 2021, Unit 5, Q11 (2 marks): Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. The intensity of Sirius is measured to be 1.09 × 10−7 W m−2. Calculate the distance of Sirius from the Earth. lum
- October 2021, Unit 5, Q20(b)(i) (2 marks): Show that the current radius of the Sun is about 7.0 × 108 m. surface temperature of Sun = 5780 K (2)
- October 2021, Unit 5, Q20(b)(ii) (3 marks): As a red giant star, the radius of the Sun will be about 150 times its current radius. Its luminosity will be about 1600 times its current luminosity. λmax is t
- October 2021, Unit 5, Q20(b)(iii) (3 marks): At this stage of its evolution the Sun will be classified as a red giant star. The wavelength of red light is between 6.2 × 10−7 m and 7.8 × 10−7 m. Comment on
- June 2021, Unit 5, Q8 (1 mark): Two stars, P and Q, have approximately the same radius. The surface temperature of star P is twice the surface temperature of star Q. Star P has a luminosity LP
- June 2021, Unit 5, Q10 (1 mark): Two stars, X and Y, behave as black body radiators. The graphs show how the intensity I of radiation emitted varies with wavelength λ for the two stars. I X Y λ
- June 2021, Unit 5, Q15(a) (3 marks): Determine the surface temperature of the star. (3) Surface temperature of star =
- January 2021, Unit 5, Q4 (1 mark): A metal bar is heated, then allowed to cool. The wavelength λmax at which peak radiation emission occurs is determined. Which of the following statements is cor
- January 2021, Unit 5, Q6 (1 mark): The star Vega has a luminosity 5 times the luminosity of the star Altair. The distance of Vega from the Earth is 1.5 times the distance of Altair from the Earth
- January 2021, Unit 5, Q8 (1 mark): Two stars, X and Y, have the same surface temperature. X has a radius 25% larger than the radius of Y. The luminosity of X is LX. The luminosity of Y is LY. Whi
- October 2020, Unit 5, Q14(a) (2 marks): The distance of the Earth from the Sun is 1.50 × 1011 m. Show that the luminosity of the Sun is about 4 × 1026 W. (2)
- October 2020, Unit 5, Q16(b) (2 marks): Calculate the wavelength at which peak radiation power occurs for Mintaka. (2) Wavelength =
- October 2020, Unit 5, Q16(c) (2 marks): Calculate the radius of Alnilam. (2) Radius of Alnilam =
- October 2020, Unit 5, Q16(d) (3 marks): Deduce which of these stars gives the lower intensity of radiation at the Earth. (3)
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