plumiRefraction and refractive index: Edexcel International A Level Physics questions
Edexcel International A Level Physics past-paper questions on 2.3.3.2 Refraction and refractive index, 2019–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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Open the full PDFYour answerQ12(a)(i)
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All 40 questions on Refraction and refractive index, as a list
- June 2025, AS Unit 2, Q1 (1 mark): The refractive index of vegetable oil is 1.47 –1, in vegetable oil? Which of the following is the speed of light, in m s A 1.59 × 10 8 B 2.04 × 10 8 C 3.00 × 10
- June 2025, AS Unit 2, Q12(a)(i) (1 mark): Determine the angle of incidence. (1) Angle of incidence =
- June 2025, AS Unit 2, Q12(a)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the angle of refraction in the glass block. refractive index of glass block = 1.5 (2) Angle of refraction =
- January 2025, AS Unit 2, Q18(a) (3 marks): The diagram shows a ray of light in air, incident on the end of this optical fibre. air glass Not to scale 50 Calculate the angle of refraction of the light as
- October 2024, AS Unit 2, Q17(a) (2 marks): Calculate the speed of light in water. (2) Speed of light in water =
- October 2024, AS Unit 2, Q17(b) (6 marks): A person is swimming underwater in a lake. The person looks up towards the surface. Three rays of light, A, B and C, are incident on the surface of the water, a
- June 2024, AS Unit 2, Q3 (1 mark): The diagram shows a ray of light incident at a boundary between oil and water. The refractive index of water is 1.33 15 Not to scale oil water 17 Which of the f
- June 2024, AS Unit 2, Q18(a) (2 marks): Explain why the ray of light refracts at surface X, as shown. (2)
- January 2024, AS Unit 2, Q1 (1 mark): A ray of light in air is incident on a glass surface. The angle of incidence is less than the critical angle. Which of the following describes what happens to t
- January 2024, AS Unit 2, Q13(a) (2 marks): The refractive index of the hydro‑beads is very similar to the refractive index of water. Explain why the hydro‑beads are difficult to see when surrounded by wa
- January 2024, AS Unit 2, Q13(b)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the angle of refraction r. (2) r =
- October 2023, AS Unit 2, Q18(a) (4 marks): Explain why the ray of light does not change direction when entering the glass block. Your answer should refer to wavefronts. (4)
- June 2023, AS Unit 2, Q3 (1 mark): Monochromatic light is incident on a rectangular glass block. Some of the light is reflected and some of the light is refracted, as shown. incident light reflec
- June 2023, AS Unit 2, Q13(a) (3 marks): Determine the refractive index of the water. You should take measurements from the diagram. (3) Refractive index =
- January 2023, AS Unit 2, Q2 (1 mark): Monochromatic light travels through air and enters a glass block. Which of the following quantities does not change as light enters the glass block? A amplitude
- January 2023, AS Unit 2, Q12(a)(i) (3 marks): Determine the refractive index of the glass. (3) Refractive index of glass =
- January 2023, AS Unit 2, Q12(a)(ii) (1 mark): Draw, on the diagram, the ray of light as it emerges from the prism at A. No further calculations are required. (1)
- January 2023, AS Unit 2, Q12(b) (2 marks): A different prism is made of glass with a refractive index of 1.63 Calculate the speed of light in this glass. (2) Speed of light in glass =
- October 2022, AS Unit 2, Q16(b)(i) (3 marks): Calculate the time taken for light to travel in a straight line along 70.0 km of this optical fibre. (3) Time taken =
- June 2022, AS Unit 2, Q1 (1 mark): A ray of light is incident on the boundary between two materials, x and y, as shown. The refractive index value for material x is nx and for material y is ny. i
- June 2022, AS Unit 2, Q11(a) (5 marks): Complete the diagram to show the path of the ray as it enters the block. Use the space below for any calculations. refractive index of glass = 1.58 (5)
- January 2022, AS Unit 2, Q5 (1 mark): Which of the following shows the relationship between vL, vM and vN? A vL > vM > vN B vL > vN > vM C vN > vM > vL D vM > vN > vL
- January 2022, AS Unit 2, Q16(b)(i) (1 mark): State why the incident ray of light does not change direction as it enters prism A. (1)
- January 2022, AS Unit 2, Q16(b)(ii) (4 marks): The refractive index of the glass in prism B is greater than the refractive index of the glass in prism A. When the ray of light reaches the boundary between th
- January 2022, AS Unit 2, Q16(b)(iii) (3 marks): Calculate the angle of refraction as this ray of light travels across the boundary between prism A and prism B. refractive index of glass in prism A = 1.40 refr
- October 2021, AS Unit 2, Q11(a) (3 marks): In order to identify the material used, a ray of light is directed towards a boundary between air and the gemstone. 50° air gemstone 21° Deduce the material use
- June 2021, AS Unit 2, Q13(a) (5 marks): A ray of white light is incident on side AB of a rectangular glass block, as shown. 54.00° air A B 6.400 cm glass C D The red light and violet light from the in
- June 2021, Unit 6, Q4(c)(iv) (3 marks): The table shows data for some materials used to make lenses. Material Pyrex Crown glass Flint glass Refractive index 1.47 1.52 1.66 Deduce whether this lens cou
- January 2021, AS Unit 2, Q15(a) (2 marks): Explain what is meant by refraction. (2)
- January 2021, AS Unit 2, Q15(b) (3 marks): The simplified diagram below shows how a ray of light travels from the edge of the coin to the teacher’s eye, when the cup is partially filled with water. Diagr
- January 2021, AS Unit 3, Q2(c) (3 marks): The student had a rectangular block of transparent material. She made measurements as shown. transparent material incident ray 64° 36° Deduce whether this block
- October 2020, AS Unit 2, Q11(a) (2 marks): Calculate the angle of refraction within the glass block when θ = 43.0°. (2) Angle of refraction =
- October 2020, AS Unit 2, Q16(a) (5 marks): Explain why the sound follows the path shown in diagram B. Your answer should refer to refraction and diagram A. (5)
- October 2020, AS Unit 2, Q16(b) (2 marks): Sound that travels in a straight line from the source to point P takes longer to arrive than sound that travels along the path shown in diagram B. Suggest why.
- January 2020, AS Unit 2, Q15(a) (2 marks): Explain why the wave is refracted as shown, as it travels from deep water into shallow water. You may add to the diagram. (2)
- January 2020, AS Unit 2, Q15(b)(i) (5 marks): Calculate the angle of refraction r. wavelength of waves in deep water = 15 m depth of deep water = 10 m depth of shallow water = 0.50 m angle of incidence = 40
- January 2020, AS Unit 3, Q3(b) (2 marks): The student increased the density of the salt solution by adding different masses of salt. Sketch, on the axes below, a graph to show how the refractive index o
- January 2020, AS Unit 3, Q3(d)(i) (3 marks): The uncertainty in the measurement of the angles was ± 0.5°. Calculate the maximum and minimum values of n. (3) Maximum value of n = Minimum value of n =
- June 2019, AS Unit 2, Q18(b) (2 marks): A ray of light is incident on the end of a glass fibre and refracts as it enters the glass. Explain why the light refracts as it enters the glass. (2)
- June 2019, AS Unit 2, Q18(c) (4 marks): The diagram shows a ray of light being totally internally reflected at one side of a glass fibre and then refracting as it leaves the end of the fibre. The angl
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