plumiPlane polarisation: Edexcel International A Level Physics questions
Edexcel International A Level Physics past-paper questions on 2.3.4.1 Plane polarisation, 2019–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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Q12(b)(i)
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All 19 questions on Plane polarisation, as a list
- June 2025, AS Unit 2, Q12(b)(i) (3 marks): Explain the difference between unpolarised light and polarised light. (3)
- June 2025, AS Unit 2, Q12(b)(ii) (3 marks): The student uses a polarising filter to view the light reflected by the glass block. Explain what she would observe as she rotates the filter. (3)
- June 2024, AS Unit 2, Q11 (3 marks): A student wearing polarising sunglasses observes a mobile phone screen. The student rotates the mobile phone through 90°, as shown. The screen then appears comp
- January 2024, AS Unit 2, Q9 (1 mark): Two polarising filters, X and Y, are arranged between a light source and an observer as shown. light source observer Y X The intensity of light reaching the obs
- October 2023, AS Unit 2, Q10 (1 mark): Two photographs, X and Y, were taken of the same car windscreen. Photograph Y was taken through a polarising filter. Photograph X Photograph Y (Source: © Etan J
- June 2023, AS Unit 2, Q13(b)(i) (3 marks): Explain the difference between unpolarised and plane polarised light. (3)
- June 2023, AS Unit 2, Q13(b)(ii) (2 marks): Reducing the intensity of the reflected light would help the observer see the fish. Explain how the observer can use a polarising filter to reduce the intensity
- January 2023, AS Unit 2, Q16(b)(i) (3 marks): Explain the difference between unpolarised light and plane polarised light. (3)
- January 2023, AS Unit 2, Q16(b)(ii) (2 marks): Describe how a student can demonstrate that light from the Sun is unpolarised. (2)
- October 2022, AS Unit 2, Q8 (1 mark): A ray of light is incident on a glass block, as shown. Which of the following does not occur when the ray of light is incident on the glass block? A diffraction
- June 2022, AS Unit 2, Q4 (1 mark): A ray of unpolarised light is incident on a polarising filter. The polarising filter transmits light of intensity I, as shown. rotation I polarising filter The
- January 2022, AS Unit 2, Q16(c) (2 marks): The light emerging from prism B is observed through a polarising filter. The polarising filter is rotated gradually, and the light transmitted by the filter var
- June 2021, AS Unit 2, Q16(a) (3 marks): Explain the difference between unpolarised and plane polarised light. (3)
- June 2021, AS Unit 2, Q16(b) (3 marks): An unpolarised light source is directed towards a screen. The intensity of radiation measured at the screen is 1.00 W m−2. Two polarising filters are placed bet
- June 2021, AS Unit 2, Q16(c) (3 marks): Polarisation can be used to identify when some materials are under stress. Placing the material under stress causes the plane of polarisation of the light passi
- January 2021, AS Unit 2, Q18(a) (2 marks): Describe how the teacher can demonstrate that the light from the laser pointer is plane polarised. (2)
- October 2020, AS Unit 2, Q8 (1 mark): Which of the following statements about waves is correct? A Both longitudinal and transverse waves can be polarised. B Neither longitudinal nor transverse waves
- January 2020, AS Unit 2, Q2 (1 mark): Which of the following describes the oscillations in polarised waves? A in a single plane which is perpendicular to the direction of wave travel B in many plane
- June 2019, AS Unit 2, Q2 (1 mark): A filament lamp is a source of unpolarised light. A polarising filter is placed between a filament lamp and an observer. The filter is rotated in the plane perp
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