plumiCarrying out experiments and using apparatus: OCR A‑Level Physics B questions
OCR A-Level Physics B past-paper questions on 2.0.2 Carrying out experiments and using apparatus, 2016–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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Q2(a)(i)
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All 34 questions on Carrying out experiments and using apparatus, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 3, Q2(a)(i) (2 marks): Describe how the mass of one staple could be found using a standard laboratory balance with a precision of 0.1 g and a maximum of 2000.0 g. [2]
- June 2025, Paper 3, Q4(a) (1 mark): State why measuring ten oscillations provides a more reliable measurement of the time period. [1]
- June 2025, AS Paper 2, Q3(a) (2 marks): Describe how the student makes the measurements to calculate the mean diameter. [2]
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q34(a) (2 marks): Fig. 34.1 shows a dual-trace oscilloscope being used to display two electrical signals. The horizontal time-base of the oscilloscope is set at 50 ms per divisio
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q34(b) (2 marks): Fig. 34.2 shows a circuit containing a source of alternating emf, a resistor and a component, X. A dual-trace oscilloscope is used to observe the potential diff
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q1(a) (1 mark): Suggest a practical technique to improve the thermal connection between the thermometer and the block. [1]
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q2(d) (2 marks): Explain any changes you might make to the instrumentation in the circuit in order to obtain an accurate graph. [2]
- June 2024, AS Paper 1, Q1 (1 mark): Which device is most accurate for measuring the time taken for a glider to travel a short distance along an air track? A Analogue stopwatch B Digital stopwatch
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q4(a)(iii) (3 marks): The horizontal divisions on the trace representing time are set at 0.625 s/div. Using the trace shown in Fig. 4.3, calculate the angular frequency, ω, of the co
- June 2023, AS Paper 2, Q7(a)(i) (4 marks): Use data from Fig. 7.1 to make as accurate an estimate as possible of the frequency f of the musical note together with the uncertainty Δf of the value. Show yo
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q5 (1 mark): A student is asked to construct a circuit to investigate the electrical characteristics of a resistor R. Which is the correct circuit? A V A V R R A B A V V A R
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q4(c)(i) (1 mark): Give the resolution of the micrometer with the correct unit. Resolution = unit [1]
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q4(c)(ii) (2 marks): Suggest how the student could use multiple measurements to find the uncertainty of the diameter of the wire. [2]
- June 2022, AS Paper 1, Q24(b) (1 mark): The voltage (y-) sensitivity of the oscilloscope is set to 25 mV cm–1. Calculate the amplitude of the signal. amplitude = mV [1]
- June 2022, AS Paper 1, Q24(c)(i) (2 marks): Estimate the frequency of the first cycle of the signal. frequency = Hz [2]
- November 2021, Paper 3, Q1(b)(i) (1 mark): State the minimum initial data you would need to have in order to obtain a value of g by this method. [1]
- November 2021, Paper 3, Q2(a) (2 marks): Describe how the fringe separation could be measured in a school laboratory. [2]
- November 2021, Paper 3, Q4(b)(ii) (2 marks): Before taking any measurements with the absorber and source in place, the student takes several readings of the count rate. Explain why they do this. [2]
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q25(b) (1 mark): Why did the student use the pointer to read the scale? [1] 16 The student’s results are shown in the table below. Mass in tray / g Pointer reading / cm Compress
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q26(a) (1 mark): Use the drawing to complete the missing scale reading in the table. [1]
- November 2020, Paper 2, Q1(a)(i) (1 mark): Suggest why the student chooses to use a data logger rather than a digital meter. [1]
- November 2020, Paper 2, Q5(a)(iv) (2 marks): Suggest and explain how the student could reliably measure, to the nearest centimetre, the maximum extension of the cord at the instant the tennis ball stops de
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q1(b)(i) (2 marks): Draw a circuit diagram to represent the apparatus used to calculate the power of the electrical heater. This symbol may be used for the electrical heater. [2]
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q4(a)(i) (1 mark): peak potential difference V V = V [1]
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q4(a)(ii) (1 mark): frequency f f = Hz [1]
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q2(b)(i) (2 marks): State and explain the advantage of determining the period T by measuring the time for 10 oscillations. [2]
- June 2019, AS Paper 1, Q20 (1 mark): The diagram shows an oscilloscope trace of the p.d. from a signal generator. The time base of the oscilloscope is set to 0.50 ms cm–1. 1 cm What is the frequenc
- June 2019, AS Paper 1, Q23(a) (1 mark): Explain one advantage of using video capture to collect these data. [1]
- June 2019, AS Paper 1, Q26(a) (2 marks): Explain why the voltmeter should have a very high resistance. [2] 22 The cell has an e.m.f. of 1.0 V and negligible internal resistance. The wire has a resistan
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q11 (1 mark): The oscilloscope trace shows the variation in p.d of a signal. The time base of the oscilloscope is set at 0.25 ms cm−1. 1 cm What is the frequency of the signa
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q29(a) (4 marks): State suitable apparatus (other than indicated in Fig. 29.1) and describe how to use it to obtain the calibration graph shown in Fig. 29.2. You may wish to incl
- June 2017, Paper 3, Q1(a) (2 marks): The resistance of the thermistor can be measured with a multimeter on the resistance range. Suggest how you might vary and measure the temperature of the thermi
- June 2016, AS Paper 1, Q29(b)(ii) (3 marks): Describe an experiment that could give the data in Fig. 29.3 and justify one way in which this method is better than that in (a). [3]
- June 2016, AS Paper 2, Q6(e) (6 marks): This question is about an experiment performed in AS physics to determine the acceleration due to gravity, g. Two students have chosen to do this experiment in
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