plumiRefraction: OCR A‑Level Physics B questions
OCR A-Level Physics B past-paper questions on 4.1.3 Refraction, 2016–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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Q36(a)(i)
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All 39 questions on Refraction, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q36(a)(i) (1 mark): Explain why the length DB is greater than the length CA in Fig. 36.1. [1]
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q36(a)(ii) (2 marks): The student measures the distances DB and CA on a scale drawing. DB = 4.5 cm CA = 3.0 cm Use this data to calculate the refractive index of the glass. refractiv
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q36(b) (6 marks): (b)* A student carries out an experiment to determine the refractive index of a glass block using the apparatus shown in Fig. 36.2. Fig. 36.2 Laser (monochromat
- June 2025, AS Paper 1, Q27(a) (2 marks): Define refractive index. [2] A student is measuring the refractive index of a transparent plastic material. The diagram shows the student’s equipment with the a
- June 2025, AS Paper 1, Q27(c) (3 marks): Determine the refractive index of the transparent plastic material. Use the gradient of the graph. Refractive index = [3]
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q5 (1 mark): The diagram shows a ray of light passing between two transparent media, P and Q. Q P Which row in the table describes what happens to the light as it passes fro
- June 2024, AS Paper 1, Q16 (1 mark): The refractive index of a transparent plastic material is: 1 A speed of light in the plastic speed of light in a vacuum B speed of light in the plastic 1 C sin
- June 2024, AS Paper 2, Q6(a) (2 marks): Fig. 6.1 shows a ray of red light passing from air into and through a glass block. The wavelength of the red light is 650 nm and the speed of light in air is 3.
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q6(b)(i) (2 marks): Complete the table below of the refractive index from air to glass for different wavelengths of light. velocity of all wavelengths in air = 3.00 × 108 m s–1 vel
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q6(b)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why the power of the lens will be greater for shorter wavelength light and the effect this will have on the focal length of the lens for light of differ
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q6(d) (3 marks): Here are some data about two materials used for spectacle lenses. density / kg m–3 material refractive index 3.2 × 103 high-index glass 1.70 1.2 × 103 plastic (
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q36(a) (1 mark): Use information from the diagrams to show that sin i . c2 [1]
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q36(b) (2 marks): A beam of monochromatic light is incident on the side of a glass cube containing water. Use Fig. 36.3 and the data given to calculate the angle of refraction in
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q36(c)(i) (1 mark): Suggest why a monochromatic light source is used in the experiment. [1]
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q36(c)(iv) (3 marks): The student calculated the value of the refractive index as 1.5. Use the graph to estimate a value for the uncertainty in the result. Explain your method. refra
- June 2022, AS Paper 2, Q4(b) (3 marks): The diagram below shows the light ray in region A. Two wavefronts to the left of the lens are shown. Draw wavefronts on this diagram to show how the shape and s
- June 2022, AS Paper 2, Q7(a)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the wavelength λ in vacuum, given that the period T = 1.53 × 10–15 s. λ = m [2]
- June 2022, AS Paper 2, Q7(a)(ii) (2 marks): Show that the speed v of the light in glass is about 2 × 108 m s–1. [2]
- June 2022, AS Paper 2, Q7(a)(iii) (2 marks): The refractive index n of glass is related to the wavelength λ of the light by the equation n = A + B λ2 where A and B are constants for the glass used. Without
- June 2022, AS Paper 2, Q7(b)(ii) (4 marks): As the corpuscle enters the glass, due to an interaction with the vacuum-glass boundary it experiences a force into the glass perpendicular to the boundary, as
- June 2022, AS Paper 2, Q7(c) (2 marks): Both the wave model and the corpuscle model can explain Snell’s Law n = sin i sin r equally well, but other predictions of the two models disagree. The French p
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q26 (1 mark): The diagram shows the refraction of a ray of light passing from water into glass. 45.0° water glass 38.7° The refractive index for light travelling from vacuum
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q13 (1 mark): A light ray passes from air into a transparent plastic block. light ray air 38° 65° plastic block The refractive index of the plastic used to make the block is
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q26 (1 mark): A light ray is incident on a water-glass boundary at angle i = 60°. What is the angle of refraction r within the glass? Refractive index water 1.33 glass 1.50 A
- November 2020, AS Paper 1, Q11 (1 mark): Which row of the table correctly describes how the frequency and speed of a wave might change during refraction? Frequency Speed A same same B same increases C
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q1(a)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the refractive index n of the polymer. n = [2]
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q1(a)(ii) (3 marks): The absolute uncertainty in the measurement of each angle is ± 4°. Complete the table below with maximum and minimum values of the measured angles, and hence de
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q1(b) (6 marks): Manufacturers of spectacles (glasses) are keen to develop new materials for lenses. The refractive index of such materials is an important property to consider.
- June 2019, AS Paper 1, Q24(a) (2 marks): Mark on Fig. 24.2 two angles she can measure to determine the refractive index. [2]
- June 2019, AS Paper 1, Q24(c) (2 marks): Calculate the refractive index of the glass. refractive index = [2]
- June 2019, AS Paper 1, Q24(d) (2 marks): How does the refractive index of a material affect the properties of light passing through it? [2]
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q18 (1 mark): This experiment produces an interference pattern on the screen. empty tank monochromatic light source screen interference maxima double slit not to scale The ta
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q21(a) (2 marks): Show that the refractive index n of the water is less than 1.4 using the angles shown on Fig. 21. n = [2]
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q21(b) (2 marks): The refractive index of water for violet light is 0.02 more than the refractive index for the orange light calculated in (a). State and explain any changes in r
- June 2017, Paper 1, Q32(a) (1 mark): Complete this line of algebraic reasoning. –––––– n c c c glass = water n , n → n = = = c c c glass water glass water water glass [1] ––––––
- June 2017, Paper 1, Q32(b) (2 marks): Fig. 32.1 shows a ray of light going from glass into water at an angle of incidence i 30 ° . = 30° glass water Fig. 32.1 Calculate the angle of refraction r in
- June 2017, Paper 2, Q11 (2 marks): Explain why turbulence in the atmosphere limits the resolution of ground-based optical telescopes (lines 7–39). [2]
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q25(a) (2 marks): Show that the speed of light in glass is about two-thirds of that in air. [2]
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q25(b) (2 marks): Without calculation, explain what the diagram shows about the speed of light in water. ������������������������������������������������������������������������
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