plumiWhat are magnetic fields?: OCR GCSE Physics B questions
Every OCR GCSE Physics B exam question on P3.5 What are magnetic fields?, 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Calculations
Q1(a)(i)
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Q1(a)
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Q1(b)(i)
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Q4(a)(ii)
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All 44 questions on What are magnetic fields?, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q1(a)(i) (1 mark): Which of these is a correct description of the nail? Tick (✓) one box. Electromagnet Induced magnet Permanent magnet [1]
- June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q1(a)(ii) (1 mark): What happens to the paper clip when the bar magnet is taken away? Tick (✓) one box. It becomes a permanent magnet. It falls off the nail. It stays permanently a
- June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q1(a)(iii) (1 mark): Paperclips can be made from different metals. Which two of these metals could the paperclip in this experiment be made from? Tick (✓) two boxes. Copper Nickel S
- June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q1(b) (3 marks): The diagram shows the magnetic field around a bar magnet. S N Complete the table to show the property of a magnetic field that is shown by each feature of the d
- June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q1(c) (2 marks): Explain why a magnetic compass can be used to support the idea that the Earth’s core is magnetic. [2]
- June 2025, Paper 3 Higher, Q6(a) (2 marks): Draw four lines to show the magnetic field of the permanent magnet on Fig. 6.2. Include arrows to show the direction of the magnetic field of the permanent magn
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(a) (1 mark): Which metal can be used to make a permanent magnet? Tick (✓) one box. Aluminium Copper Steel [1]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(b)(i) (1 mark): The diagram shows a paperclip being brought close to the S-pole of a magnet. N S X What happens? Tick (✓) one box. Point X is attracted to the S-pole. Point X i
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(b)(ii) (1 mark): The magnet is turned so the paperclip is now brought close to the N-pole of the magnet. S N X What happens? Tick (✓) one box. Point X is attracted to the N-pole
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(c) (2 marks): A magnetic compass consists of a magnetic pointer that can rotate freely. Describe how a compass can be used to show that the core of the Earth is magnetic. [2]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q7 (6 marks): 7* A student builds an electromagnet by wrapping a wire around an iron bar. Iron bar Variable power Nine turns supply of wire A 5 g iron massholder 10 g mass Th
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q3 (2 marks): Anika has a magnet and three bars made of unknown metals. She places the same end of each bar next to each pole of the magnet as shown. Bar 1 moves towards S N
- June 2023, Paper 4 Higher, Q6(a) (2 marks): The magnet hangs horizontally and can rotate freely. Explain why the magnet will always come to rest lying in the same direction. [2]
- June 2023, Paper 4 Higher, Q6(b) (2 marks): Sara has a second magnet with the north and south poles labelled. She brings it up close to the suspended magnet in Fig. 6.1. Explain how she can identify the p
- June 2023, Paper 4 Higher, Q6(c)(i) (3 marks): Suggest a method Sara uses to observe the pattern of the magnetic field. [3]
- June 2023, Paper 4 Higher, Q6(c)(ii) (1 mark): Draw an arrow on Fig. 6.2 to show the direction of the magnetic field. [1]
- June 2023, Paper 4 Higher, Q6(c)(iii) (1 mark): Describe how the field lines in Fig. 6.2 show that the strength of the magnetic field decreases as the distance from the wire increases. [1]
- June 2023, Paper 4 Higher, Q6(c)(iv) (2 marks): Sara increases the size of the current in the wire. Explain how the pattern of the field lines changes. [2]
- June 2022, Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(a)(i) (2 marks): Complete the following sentences about the paperclips. Use words from the list. copper hard induced iron permanent zinc When the magnet is close to the papercli
- June 2022, Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(a)(ii) (1 mark): Describe the difference between a permanent and an induced magnet. [1]
- June 2022, Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(b)(i) (1 mark): Kai evaluates the quality of his data in the table. Kai I don’t think that my data is precise. Explain why Kai is correct. [1]
- June 2022, Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(b)(ii) (1 mark): Describe the pattern in Kai’s data. [1]
- June 2022, Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(c) (1 mark): Kai decides to investigate the strength of electromagnets. He builds an electromagnet by wrapping a coil of wire around an iron core. How could Kai increase the
- June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q6 (6 marks): 6* Azmi builds a circuit to investigate how the strength of a magnetic field produced by an electromagnet affects the number of metal pins attracted to it. He c
- November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q9(a)(i) (2 marks): When the switch is closed a current flows in the circuit and creates a magnetic field around the coil of wire. Describe how to investigate the pattern of the ma
- November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q9(a)(ii) (2 marks): Amaya makes the following suggestion about the electromagnet. I can make the electromagnet stronger by placing a cardboard cylinder inside the coil of wire. Exp
- November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q9(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the electromagnet needs to be brought closer to the scrap metal to pick the scrap metal up. [2]
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q2(a) (2 marks): The table shows the possible positions of the north and south poles for the two bar magnets. Complete the table to show the expected results for the investigati
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q2(b)(i) (1 mark): Draw four arrows on Fig. 2.2 to show the direction of the magnetic field around the bar [1] magnet.
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q2(b)(ii) (2 marks): Complete the sentence about Jamal's observations. Use words from the list. You can use each word once, more than once, or not at all. closer together further ap
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q2(c) (1 mark): Which statement about magnetism is correct? Tick (v) one box. An induced magnet loses its magnetism when removed from a magnetic field. A permanent magnet loses
- November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q10(a)(i) (3 marks): When Ben connects the loudspeaker to his mobile phone and plays music, the sound produced is very quiet, even on the phone's maximum volume. Ben You can make th
- November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q10(b) (4 marks): Ben removes the battery shown in Fig. 10.2 from his mobile phone, and connects the battery directly to the coil of wire. No sound is produced. @ BATTERY PACK ca
- June 2019, Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(a) (3 marks): On the diagram in Fig. 4.2, draw the pattern of magnetic field lines that James should expect to find. Draw at least three magnetic field lines and include arro
- June 2019, Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(b)(i) (1 mark): Explain why the magnetic field is weak at the edge of the card. [1]
- June 2019, Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(b)(ii) (1 mark): Describe one change that James could make to increase the strength of the magnetic field at the edge of the card. [1]
- June 2019, Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(c) (1 mark): When the current in the wire is switched off, the compass points north. Explain why the compass points north. [1]
- June 2019, Paper 3 Higher, Q7(a)(i) (2 marks): Complete the diagram by drawing the pattern of magnetic field lines around the bar magnet. N S [2]
- June 2019, Paper 3 Higher, Q7(a)(ii) (1 mark): Describe where the magnetic field is strongest, and how this is shown by the field lines. [1]
- June 2019, Paper 3 Higher, Q7(b) (2 marks): Sarah makes a needle for a compass. She repeatedly moves the needle across the bar magnet until it is magnetised. She then suspends the needle from a thread and
- June 2018, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10(a)(i) (1 mark): Where is the field strongest? Tick (3) one box. A B C [1]
- June 2018, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10(a)(ii) (1 mark): Where would a magnetic compass point to the right? Tick (3) two boxes. A B C [1]
- June 2018, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10(b) (1 mark): The bar magnet can pick up paper clips. An iron bar can also pick up paper clips if it is held next to a bar magnet. bar magnet iron bar S N S N paper clip Desc
- June 2018, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10(c) (2 marks): The diagram shows a section through the Earth. The flag marks the position of the geographic north pole of the Earth. The arrow Z shows the point at which a com
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