Using radiation to investigate stars: Eduqas A‑Level Physics questions

Every Eduqas A-Level Physics exam question on 2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars, 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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Q7(a)
June 2025 · Component 2
3 marks2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q7(b)(i)
June 2025 · Component 2
3 marks2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q8(a)(i)
June 2025 · Component 2
1 mark2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q8(a)(ii)
June 2025 · Component 2
4 marks2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q8(b)(i)
June 2025 · Component 2
1 mark2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q8(b)(ii)
June 2025 · Component 2
2 marks2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q7(a)
June 2025 · AS Component 1
1 mark2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q7(b)(i)
June 2025 · AS Component 1
1 mark2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q7(b)(ii)
June 2025 · AS Component 1
2 marks2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q7(b)(iii)
June 2025 · AS Component 1
3 marks2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q7(c)
June 2025 · AS Component 1
2 marks2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q2(c)(i)
June 2025 · AS Component 2
1 mark2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q2(c)(ii)
June 2025 · AS Component 2
1 mark2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q8(b)
June 2024 · Component 2
4 marks2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars 1.5 Circular motion
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Q8(c)(i)
June 2024 · Component 2
2 marks2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q8(c)(ii)
June 2024 · Component 2
3 marks2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q8(c)(iii)
June 2024 · Component 2
3 marks2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q7(a)
June 2024 · AS Component 1
1 mark2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q7(b)(i)
June 2024 · AS Component 1
2 marks2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
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Q7(b)(ii)
June 2024 · AS Component 1
1 mark2.7 Using radiation to investigate stars
The whole paper ↗

All 71 questions on Using radiation to investigate stars, as a list

June 2025, Component 2, Q7(a) (3 marks): The following diagram shows the orbits of the planet and the star in relation to Earth. Points A and B are two positions of the star in its circular orbit. cent
June 2025, Component 2, Q7(b)(i) (3 marks): Show that the orbital speed of the star about the centre of mass is approximately 360 m s–1. The wavelength of light used to obtain the data is 598 nm. [3]
June 2025, Component 2, Q8(a)(i) (1 mark): Explain what is meant by the term ‘black body’. [1]
June 2025, Component 2, Q8(a)(ii) (4 marks): Determine whether the information given in the first three bullet points is consistent with the wavelength at peak intensity shown by the graph. [4]
June 2025, Component 2, Q8(b)(i) (1 mark): State what is meant by the term ‘multiwavelength astronomy’. [1]
June 2025, Component 2, Q8(b)(ii) (2 marks): Information about three different telescopes used to study objects in space is given below. Herschel Telescope Galaxy Evolution Explorer Chandra (GALEX) Hersche
June 2025, AS Component 1, Q7(a) (1 mark): Explain what is meant by a black body. [1]
June 2025, AS Component 1, Q7(b)(i) (1 mark): The maximum intensity of Betelgeuse occurs at a wavelength of 700 nm. Justify whether this is consistent with Betelgeuse being described as a red star. [1]
June 2025, AS Component 1, Q7(b)(ii) (2 marks): Determine the surface temperature of Betelgeuse. [2]
June 2025, AS Component 1, Q7(b)(iii) (3 marks): The power emitted by Betelgeuse is 4.0 × 1030 W. Determine its diameter. [3]
June 2025, AS Component 1, Q7(c) (2 marks): The James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2022 at a cost of 10 billion dollars, funded by the U.S.A., Canada and Europe. Explain whether you feel this is a
June 2025, AS Component 2, Q2(c)(i) (1 mark): Explain what is meant by multiwavelength astronomy. [1]
June 2025, AS Component 2, Q2(c)(ii) (1 mark): Explain why multiwavelength observations are useful in modern astronomy. [1]
June 2024, Component 2, Q8(b) (4 marks): The maximum shift in wavelength measured by astronomers on Earth, when light of wavelength 656 nm from the star is analysed, is found to be about 0.20 pm. Using
June 2024, Component 2, Q8(c)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the luminosity of the star. [2]
June 2024, Component 2, Q8(c)(ii) (3 marks): Hence determine the intensity of the radiation from the star at the Earth’s surface. [1 light year = 9.5 × 1015 m.] [3]
June 2024, Component 2, Q8(c)(iii) (3 marks): With the aid of a calculation, explain why the star appears red in colour. [3]
June 2024, AS Component 1, Q7(a) (1 mark): Neutron stars have an outer layer that radiates as a black body. Explain what is meant by a black body. [1]
June 2024, AS Component 1, Q7(b)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the wavelength of its greatest spectral intensity. [2]
June 2024, AS Component 1, Q7(b)(ii) (1 mark): State which part of the electromagnetic spectrum this radiation belongs to. [1]
June 2024, AS Component 1, Q7(b)(iii) (2 marks): Calculate the total power emitted by the neutron star. [2]
June 2024, AS Component 1, Q7(b)(iv) (2 marks): The distance from the neutron star to the Earth is 3.8 × 1018 m. Calculate the intensity of the radiation from the star received at the Earth. [2]
June 2023, Component 2, Q7(b)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the wavelength at which the greatest spectral intensity is emitted by the star and state in which part of the electromagnetic spectrum this wavelength
June 2023, Component 2, Q7(b)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the star’s luminosity. [2]
June 2023, Component 2, Q7(c) (3 marks): During the evolution of a star, its diameter doubles and its luminosity increases by a factor of three. Show that this change decreases the temperature by less
June 2023, AS Component 1, Q7(a) (1 mark): Explain what is meant by a black body. [1]
June 2023, AS Component 1, Q7(b)(i) (2 marks): Determine the temperature of the star. [2]
June 2023, AS Component 1, Q7(b)(ii) (1 mark): Describe the colour of the star. [1]
June 2023, AS Component 1, Q7(c)(i) (3 marks): The dips in intensity in the spectrum (see Figure (b)), can be used to determine the elements making up the outer region of Vega. Explain how these dips arise.
June 2023, AS Component 1, Q7(c)(ii) (2 marks): Use Figure (a) to determine the energy of a photon of light emitted by Vega at the peak of the curve. [2]
June 2022, AS Component 1, Q7(a) (3 marks): Explain how this absorption spectrum arises and can be used to provide information about the elements from which the Sun is made. [3]
June 2022, AS Component 1, Q7(b) (3 marks): The star Polaris is 431 light years away and the intensity of its radiation reaching the earth is 4.1 × 10−9 W m−2. Determine its luminosity. (1 light year = 9.
June 2022, AS Component 1, Q7(c) (4 marks): Calculate the diameter of Polaris given that its surface temperature is 7 250 K. [4]
Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q6 (6 marks): Astronomers can learn much about a star from: • measuring the intensity of radiation originating from the star; • knowing its distance from the Earth; • studyin
Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q7(a)(i) (1 mark): In addition to orbiting about each other, the stars in the system are also moving away (receding) from the Earth. Use the graphs to write down the speed of rece
Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q7(a)(ii) (2 marks): Show that: the orbiting speed of star A = 4 × the orbiting speed of star B. [2]
Autumn 2020, Component 1, Q8(g)(i) (2 marks): Read through the following article carefully. ROCKET PHYSICS Paragraph (including extracts from REAL WORLD PHYSICS PROBLEMS) Picture of Saturn V Launch for Apol
Autumn 2020, Component 2, Q6(a) (2 marks): Describe the main features of the spectrum of a star and state where in the star they arise. [2]
Autumn 2020, Component 2, Q6(b)(i) (3 marks): Suggest three differences between Polaris and Chi Pegasi. [3]
Autumn 2020, Component 2, Q6(b)(ii) (5 marks): Polaris is 431 light years from Earth and the intensity of radiation received on Earth from it is 4.05 × 10–9 W m–2 Use this information and the graph to calcul
Autumn 2020, Component 2, Q6(c) (3 marks): The image below is of the whirlpool galaxy, M51 (or NGC 5194). This is one of the first images of the galaxy taken by astronomers. Optical 450-750 nm 6 000 K Su
Autumn 2020, Component 3, Q14(a)(ii) (3 marks): A student models the energy balance of planet Earth without its atmosphere. He calculates the theoretical power absorbed by the Earth to be 1.2 × 1017 W. Assumi
June 2019, Component 1, Q8(i) (1 mark): Read through the following article carefully. Paragraph A little bit of information about stars by Ignasi Lluis Marxuach Figure 1 shows the three different rout
June 2019, Component 1, Q8(a) (1 mark): Read through the following article carefully. Paragraph A little bit of information about stars by Ignasi Lluis Marxuach Figure 1 shows the three different rout
June 2019, Component 1, Q8(b) (1 mark): Read through the following article carefully. Paragraph A little bit of information about stars by Ignasi Lluis Marxuach Figure 1 shows the three different rout
June 2019, Component 1, Q8(c) (1 mark): Read through the following article carefully. Paragraph A little bit of information about stars by Ignasi Lluis Marxuach Figure 1 shows the three different rout
June 2019, Component 1, Q8(e) (3 marks): Read through the following article carefully. Paragraph A little bit of information about stars by Ignasi Lluis Marxuach Figure 1 shows the three different rout
June 2019, Component 1, Q8(f)(i) (2 marks): Read through the following article carefully. Paragraph A little bit of information about stars by Ignasi Lluis Marxuach Figure 1 shows the three different rout
June 2019, Component 1, Q8(f)(ii) (2 marks): Read through the following article carefully. Paragraph A little bit of information about stars by Ignasi Lluis Marxuach Figure 1 shows the three different rout
June 2019, Component 1, Q8(g) (2 marks): Read through the following article carefully. Paragraph A little bit of information about stars by Ignasi Lluis Marxuach Figure 1 shows the three different rout
June 2019, Component 1, Q8(h) (4 marks): Read through the following article carefully. Paragraph A little bit of information about stars by Ignasi Lluis Marxuach Figure 1 shows the three different rout
June 2019, AS Component 1, Q4(a) (1 mark): Define a black body. [1]
June 2019, AS Component 1, Q4(b) (3 marks): A physics student, Tony, notices that the classroom is warmer when it has a number of students in it rather than when it is empty. Tony claims that each student
June 2019, AS Component 1, Q4(c)(i) (3 marks): Some stars appear to be coloured to the naked eye. For two stars of similar diameter one appears red and the other appears blue. Sketch and label typical black
June 2019, AS Component 1, Q4(c)(ii) (2 marks): Suggest why it is that no stars appear to be green in colour. [2]
June 2019, AS Component 2, Q6(c)(ii) (3 marks): The wavelength of peak emission of the star is 100 nm. Determine its surface temperature. [3]
June 2018, Component 2, Q8(a)(i) (3 marks): Confirm that Diagram 1 shows the expected relationship between intensity and distance. [3]
June 2018, Component 2, Q8(a)(ii) (2 marks): Use Diagram 1 to show that the Sun’s luminosity is about 4 × 1026 W. [2]
June 2018, Component 2, Q8(b) (5 marks): In 2006 scientists from the University of Hawaii used a solar telescope aboard NASA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory satellite to measure the radius of the
June 2018, Component 2, Q8(c) (2 marks): For centuries scientists have attempted to measure the Sun’s diameter accurately. The following article is taken from a scientific paper written in 2004: The so
June 2018, AS Component 1, Q4(b)(i) (4 marks): The total power output of electromagnetic radiation emitted from Proxima Centauri is 5.9 × 1023 W. Use this information and the graph opposite to calculate its
June 2018, AS Component 1, Q4(b)(ii) (1 mark): State what colour you would expect Proxima Centauri to appear and name the region of the electromagnetic spectrum in which most of the star’s power is radiated.
June 2017, Component 3, Q13(a)(i) (2 marks): Assuming that the Earth emits radiation as a black body at a temperature of 288 K, confirm that the peak wavelength of the radiation emitted by the Earth is in
June 2017, AS Component 1, Q4(a)(i) (1 mark): Define a black body. [1]
June 2017, AS Component 1, Q4(a)(ii) (3 marks): The surface temperature of the Sun is approximately 6 000 K and that of Vega approximately 10 000 K. Calculate the wavelength of peak spectral intensity for eac
June 2017, AS Component 1, Q4(a)(iii) (3 marks): Sketch a black body spectrum for each star on the axis provided. [3] Spectral intensity Wavelength
June 2017, AS Component 1, Q4(b) (4 marks): The radius of Vega is approximately 2.71 times that of the Sun. Determine the ratio: total power output of Vega total power output of Sun [4]
June 2016, AS Component 1, Q6(a) (4 marks): The star Sirius has a surface temperature of 9 700 K. Calculate the wavelength of the star’s peak spectral intensity and sketch the spectrum on the axes below.
June 2016, AS Component 1, Q6(b)(i) (2 marks): Name the region of the electromagnetic spectrum that contains this peak spectral intensity and use your answer to explain whether or not the Greek astronomer Pt
June 2016, AS Component 1, Q6(b)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the photon energy for this peak spectral intensity. Give your answer in electron volts. [2]
June 2016, AS Component 1, Q6(c) (3 marks): The diameter of Sirius is 2.40 × 109 m. Use the peak wavelength to estimate the number of photons per second emitted by Sirius. [3]

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