plumiParallax and standard candles: Edexcel International A Level Physics questions
Edexcel International A Level Physics past-paper questions on 5.6.3.1 Parallax and standard candles, 2019–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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Q14(a)
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All 27 questions on Parallax and standard candles, as a list
- June 2025, Unit 5, Q14(a) (2 marks): Explain why trigonometric parallax can only be used to determine the distance to objects that are relatively close to the Earth. (2)
- June 2025, Unit 5, Q14(b)(i) (1 mark): State what is meant by a standard candle. (1)
- June 2025, Unit 5, Q14(b)(ii) (3 marks): Describe how the method of standard candles is used to determine the distance to a distant star cluster. (3)
- January 2025, Unit 5, Q5 (1 mark): Astronomers use trigonometric parallax to determine the distances to stars. Which of the following must the astronomers know? A The distance between the Sun and
- January 2025, Unit 5, Q16(a) (1 mark): State what is meant by a standard candle. (1)
- January 2025, Unit 5, Q16(b)(i) (4 marks): The variation in luminosity L of this Cepheid variable star with time t is shown below. L 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 t / days 29 W. Show that the mean luminosi
- January 2025, Unit 5, Q16(b)(ii) (2 marks): When viewed from Earth, the mean intensity of this Cepheid variable star is –4 W m –2. 5.1 × 10 Determine the distance of this Cepheid variable star from Earth.
- June 2024, Unit 5, Q2 (1 mark): Which of the following can be used to determine the distance to a nearby star? A Doppler shift B Hertzsprung–Russell diagram C Hubble’s law D Trigonometric para
- January 2024, Unit 5, Q2 (1 mark): Astronomers can use stellar parallax to determine the distances to stars. Which of the following statements is correct? A Measurements are made against more dis
- January 2024, Unit 5, Q18(b) (4 marks): Kruger B can be used as a standard candle. Describe how standard candles can be used to determine the distance to galaxies. (4)
- October 2023, Unit 5, Q2 (1 mark): Astronomers use stellar parallax to determine the distances to nearby stars. Which of the following must be known to use stellar parallax? A distance between th
- June 2023, Unit 5, Q3 (1 mark): The distances to stars can be determined using trigonometric parallax. Star X has twice the parallax angle of Star Y. Which of the following statements is corre
- June 2023, Unit 5, Q20(c) (4 marks): In the early 20th century, Edwin Hubble observed the Andromeda Nebula. He saw stars similar to the stars in our galaxy. One star he saw was a standard candle kn
- January 2023, Unit 5, Q18(a)(i) (4 marks): Describe how stellar parallax is used by astronomers. (4)
- January 2023, Unit 5, Q18(a)(ii) (1 mark): Tycho Brahe concluded that the Earth was motionless at the centre of the universe, as he was not able to detect any stellar parallax. Suggest why he was not abl
- January 2023, Unit 5, Q18(b)(i) (1 mark): State what is meant by a standard candle. (1)
- January 2023, Unit 5, Q18(b)(ii) (3 marks): Describe how standard candles can be used to determine the distance to nearby galaxies. (3)
- October 2022, Unit 5, Q13 (6 marks): *13 The average distance between galaxies is many times greater than the size of our galaxy. Astronomers use standard candles to determine the distances to othe
- June 2022, Unit 5, Q11 (3 marks): A standard candle in the galaxy M81 has a luminosity 14 800 times the luminosity of the Sun. The intensity of radiation received from the standard candle, measu
- June 2022, Unit 5, Q18(a)(i) (2 marks): The parallax angle was 2.01 × 10–6 rad. Calculate the distance, in metres, of Wolf 359 from Earth. mean distance from Earth to Sun = 1.50 × 1011 m (2) Distance
- June 2022, Unit 5, Q18(a)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why parallax measurements can only be used to determine the distances to a relatively small number of stars. (2)
- January 2022, Unit 5, Q19(a) (3 marks): Using parallax measurements, astronomers can determine distances to all stars with a parallax angle larger than 2.4 × 10–7 rad. The variable star Alpha Cephei i
- January 2022, Unit 5, Q19(b) (3 marks): Cepheids are a type of standard candle. Describe how standard candles can be used to determine distances to stars. (3)
- October 2021, Unit 5, Q1 (1 mark): Which of the following describes a standard candle? A a star of known distance B a star of known intensity C a star of known luminosity D a star of known mass
- October 2021, Unit 5, Q17(a) (3 marks): Describe how trigonometric parallax can be used to determine the distance to a nearby star. (3)
- June 2021, Unit 5, Q12(a) (1 mark): State what is meant by a standard candle. (1)
- January 2021, Unit 5, Q20(b)(ii) (3 marks): Dust in space around a star may affect how bright the star appears to be. It is claimed that dust around a standard candle would lead to the conclusion that the
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