plumiElectric charge: Edexcel International GCSE Physics questions
Every Edexcel International GCSE Physics exam question on Electric charge (specification points 2.22–2.28), 2019–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
Paper
All papers
Exam
All years
Calculations
Q5(a)
The whole paper ↗Q5(b)
The whole paper ↗Q5(c)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q5(c)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q5(d)
The whole paper ↗Q5(e)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q5(e)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q1(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q1(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q1(b)
The whole paper ↗Q2(a)
The whole paper ↗Q2(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q4(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q4(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q4(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q4(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q4(b)(iii)
The whole paper ↗How many marks did you get?
Q8(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q3(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗
All 60 questions on Electric charge, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q5(a) (1 mark): The ball is made of a material that is a good electrical conductor. Name a material that is a good electrical conductor. (1)
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q5(b) (2 marks): Explain, in terms of the movement of charged particles, how the ball has become positively charged. (2)
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q5(c)(i) (2 marks): Explain how the movement of the ball shows that the charge on the polythene rod is negative. (2)
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q5(c)(ii) (1 mark): In diagram 3, the string lines up with the 7.2 cm mark on the scale. The student moves the polythene rod slightly further away from the ball. Predict a possible
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q5(d) (2 marks): The student extends the investigation by measuring the reading on the scale for rods made from different materials. As a control variable, the student charges e
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q5(e)(i) (1 mark): Justify the use of a bar chart to present the student’s results. (1)
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q5(e)(ii) (3 marks): Deduce what can be concluded about the charge on each of the rods used in the investigation. Use information from the bar chart to help your answer. (3)
- June 2025 (R), Paper 2, Q1(a)(i) (2 marks): Explain how the flour particles can become charged. (2)
- June 2025 (R), Paper 2, Q1(a)(ii) (2 marks): The charged flour particles move away from each other as they fall from the end of each channel. Complete the passage by writing a suitable word or words in eac
- June 2025 (R), Paper 2, Q1(b) (2 marks): The dust created by producing flour in a flour mill is dangerous because the dust is flammable. This creates a risk of an explosion. Explain why connecting the
- November 2024, Paper 2, Q2(a) (2 marks): Explain how the cloth has become positively charged. (2)
- November 2024, Paper 2, Q2(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the ammeter shows a current for a short time and then shows no current. (2)
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q4(a)(i) (1 mark): Which of these is the force that causes the rod and the cloth to become charged? (1) A friction B gravitational C magnetic D tension
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q4(a)(ii) (1 mark): The polythene rod becomes negatively charged. Which of these statements explains how the rod has become negatively charged? (1) A the rod gains electrons B the
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q4(b)(i) (1 mark): One of the readings for the polythene rod is anomalous. Circle the anomalous result in the results table. (1)
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q4(b)(ii) (1 mark): State how the student should deal with the anomalous result. (1)
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q4(b)(iii) (2 marks): Calculate the mean charge for the polythene rod. (2) mean charge = nC
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q4(b)(iv) (3 marks): Describe how the student could use the rods to demonstrate that there are two different types of electric charge. (3)
- June 2024 (R), Paper 2, Q8(a)(i) (1 mark): Give a reason why the proton is attracted to the negatively charged plate. (1)
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q3(a)(i) (2 marks): Explain, in terms of the movement of particles, how the grid has become positively charged. (2)
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q3(b) (2 marks): The stream of electrons spreads out as it travels towards the screen. Explain why the electrons in the stream move apart from each other. (2)
- June 2023 (R), Paper 2, Q3(a) (3 marks): Some parts of the car are made of metal and other parts are made of plastic. The metal parts of the car are earthed. Explain why the pad becomes charged when ru
- June 2023 (R), Paper 2, Q3(b)(ii) (2 marks): The small spark between the sponge pad and the metal post demonstrates that the sponge pad is charged. Describe a different experiment that could demonstrate th
- January 2023, Paper 2, Q1 (5 marks): The photograph shows a person using a roll of plastic wrapping to cover a plate of food. The plastic wrapping sticks to the plate due to electrostatic charges.
- January 2023 (R), Paper 2, Q3(a)(ii) (2 marks): State the independent and dependent variables in this investigation. (2) independent dependent
- January 2023 (R), Paper 2, Q3(a)(iii) (1 mark): State a control variable in this investigation. (1)
- January 2023 (R), Paper 2, Q3(b) (3 marks): Explain how the squares of material stick together. Use ideas about electrostatic charge in your answer. (3)
- January 2023 (R), Paper 2, Q3(c) (2 marks): The table shows some of the student’s results. Mean force to separate squares Material in N wool 5.4 polyester 3.2 acrylic 6.5 Explain which type of graph is th
- June 2022 (R), Paper 2, Q3(b) (2 marks): Diagram 1 shows a section of the SPS. positive negative plate plate P Diagram 1 Positively charged sulfur particles are introduced at point P and accelerate to
- January 2022 (R), Paper 2, Q8(a)(i) (1 mark): In terms of electron movement, give a reason why the metal dome becomes positively charged. (1)
- January 2022 (R), Paper 2, Q8(b)(i) (3 marks): When the handle is turned, the thin metal case moves upwards away from the dome. Explain why the thin metal case starts to move upwards. (3)
- January 2022 (R), Paper 2, Q8(b)(ii) (4 marks): Explain why the metal case reaches a maximum height above the metal dome. (4)
- November 2021, Paper 2, Q7(a) (3 marks): The nozzle of the paint sprayer is positively charged. Explain the advantage of using a charged nozzle. . (3)
- November 2021, Paper 2, Q7(b) (3 marks): The object is an electrical conductor and is initially uncharged. Explain why the painting process would be more effective if the object were earthed. . (3)
- June 2021, Paper 2, Q3(a) (1 mark): State the property of plastic that allows it to become electrostatically charged. (1)
- June 2021, Paper 2, Q3(b) (2 marks): Explain how the plastic tube becomes positively charged. (2)
- June 2021, Paper 2, Q3(c) (3 marks): The plastic tube is attached to a metal mast. This would cause the metal mast to become positively charged. Explain why there is a wire connecting the metal mas
- June 2021, Paper 2, Q3(e) (2 marks): An engineer is working on the radio antenna. Describe the hazard to the engineer if there is no earth wire. (2)
- January 2021, Paper 2, Q8(a) (2 marks): The ink drop experiences a horizontal electrostatic force as it falls. Explain the direction of the electrostatic force exerted on the ink drop by the charged p
- January 2021, Paper 2, Q8(b) (2 marks): On the diagram, draw the path of the ink drop as it falls between the charged plates until it hits the paper. (2)
- January 2021, Paper 2, Q8(d) (2 marks): Explain how another ink drop could be deflected in the opposite direction by a greater distance using the charged plates in the inkjet printer. (2)
- January 2021 (R), Paper 2, Q7(a) (2 marks): Negatively charged water droplets fall into bucket A. Describe how bucket A becomes negatively charged. (2)
- January 2021 (R), Paper 2, Q7(b) (2 marks): Explain why the negatively charged droplets spread out as they fall. (2)
- November 2020, Paper 2, Q2(a) (2 marks): The two metal plates have no charge before the power supply is connected. When plate Y is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply, the plate beco
- November 2020, Paper 2, Q2(b)(i) (2 marks): The metal ball becomes positively charged when it touches plate Y. The metal ball then moves away from plate Y towards plate X. Explain why the metal ball moves
- November 2020, Paper 2, Q2(b)(ii) (1 mark): Give a reason why the ball is made of metal. (1)
- November 2020 (R), Paper 2, Q1(a)(i) (2 marks): Describe how the student could have charged the plastic rod. (2)
- November 2020 (R), Paper 2, Q1(a)(ii) (1 mark): The student uses a meter to measure the amount of charge on the rod. The meter displays a reading of –5.2 mC. Which of these is the same as –5.2 mC? (1) A –0.52
- November 2020 (R), Paper 2, Q1(a)(iii) (1 mark): The rod is negatively charged. Which statement correctly explains why the rod is negatively charged? (1) A the rod has gained negatively charged electrons B the
- November 2020 (R), Paper 2, Q1(a)(iv) (2 marks): Using a meter is one method of demonstrating that the rod is charged. Describe another method of demonstrating that the rod is charged. (2)
- November 2020 (R), Paper 2, Q1(b)(i) (1 mark): Give one use of electrostatic charges. (1)
- November 2020 (R), Paper 2, Q1(b)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why electrostatic charges can be dangerous when fuelling an aeroplane. (2)
- January 2020, Paper 2, Q4(a) (4 marks): Explain why the thin piece of metal moves away from the metal rod. (4)
- January 2020, Paper 2, Q4(b)(i) (1 mark): Which statement is true for the metal can? (1) A it gains negatively charged electrons B it loses negatively charged electrons C it gains positively charged ele
- January 2020, Paper 2, Q4(c) (3 marks): The student suggests that this demonstration is similar to refuelling an aircraft. The powder represents the fuel and the metal can represents the fuel tank in
- June 2019, Paper 2, Q4(b)(i) (2 marks): Draw an arrow from point X to show the force on the alpha particle due to the nucleus. Label this force Y. (2)
- June 2019, Paper 2, Q4(b)(iii) (3 marks): Explain how the path of the alpha particle shows whether the nucleus is positive, negative or neutral. (3)
- June 2019 (R), Paper 2, Q3(a)(i) (1 mark): Which statement explains how the rod becomes negatively charged? (1) A the rod gains positively charged electrons B the rod loses positively charged electrons C
- June 2019 (R), Paper 2, Q3(a)(ii) (2 marks): Describe how the student could demonstrate that the rod is charged. (2)
- June 2019 (R), Paper 2, Q3(b) (3 marks): The student has several other rods made from different kinds of plastic. Some rods can be charged positively and some can be charged negatively. Describe an exp
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