Edexcel A-Level Physics 2027 Predicted Practice Paper — Paper 2

Answer ALL questions. Write your answers in the spaces provided. You must write down all the stages in your working.

Section A

Multiple choice. Answer ALL questions.

• 1

  Question SECTION-A1 (1 mark)

  A 470 microfarad capacitor is charged to a potential difference of 12 V. The energy stored is closest to:

  A. 3.4 mJB. 34 mJC. 68 mJD. 0.34 J

  (Total for Question SECTION-A1 is 1 mark)
• 2

  Question SECTION-A2 (1 mark)

  A capacitor discharges through a fixed resistor. The time constant is the time taken for the charge to fall to what fraction of its initial value?

  A. 1/2 (0.50)B. 1/e (about 0.37)C. 1 - 1/e (about 0.63)D. 1/e^2 (about 0.14)

  (Total for Question SECTION-A2 is 1 mark)
• 3

  Question SECTION-A3 (1 mark)

  Two point charges are separated by a distance r. If the separation is doubled to 2r, the electrostatic force between them becomes:

  A. Half of the originalB. One quarter of the originalC. One eighth of the originalD. Twice the original

  (Total for Question SECTION-A3 is 1 mark)
• 4

  Question SECTION-A4 (1 mark)

  The gravitational potential at a point in a radial field is best described as:

  A. Always positive, increasing with distanceB. Zero at infinity and negative elsewhereC. Zero at the surface and positive above itD. Constant throughout the field

  (Total for Question SECTION-A4 is 1 mark)
• 5

  Question SECTION-A5 (1 mark)

  A body performs simple harmonic motion. At the point of maximum displacement, which quantity is at a maximum?

  A. Kinetic energyB. VelocityC. AccelerationD. Momentum

  (Total for Question SECTION-A5 is 1 mark)
• 6

  Question SECTION-A6 (1 mark)

  For a particle in simple harmonic motion of angular frequency w and amplitude A, the maximum speed is:

  A. w AB. w^2 AC. A / wD. w / A

  (Total for Question SECTION-A6 is 1 mark)
• 7

  Question SECTION-A7 (1 mark)

  An ideal gas is heated at constant volume so that its absolute temperature doubles. The pressure of the gas will:

  A. HalveB. Stay the sameC. DoubleD. Quadruple

  (Total for Question SECTION-A7 is 1 mark)
• 8

  Question SECTION-A8 (1 mark)

  The root mean square speed of gas molecules is proportional to:

  A. TB. sqrt(T)C. 1/TD. T^2

  (Total for Question SECTION-A8 is 1 mark)
• 9

  Question SECTION-A9 (1 mark)

  A charged particle moves at constant speed in a circle in a uniform magnetic field. Doubling the particle's speed while keeping everything else fixed changes the radius of its path to:

  A. Half the originalB. The sameC. Twice the originalD. Four times the original

  (Total for Question SECTION-A9 is 1 mark)
• 10

  Question SECTION-A10 (1 mark)

  A magnetic flux linkage of a coil changes uniformly from 0.60 Wb-turns to 0.20 Wb-turns in 0.010 s. The magnitude of the induced e.m.f. is:

  A. 4 VB. 20 VC. 40 VD. 0.4 V

  (Total for Question SECTION-A10 is 1 mark)
• 11

  Question SECTION-A11 (1 mark)

  An electron is accelerated from rest through a potential difference of 250 V. Its de Broglie wavelength is closest to:

  A. 7.8 x 10^-11 mB. 7.8 x 10^-9 mC. 2.5 x 10^-10 mD. 1.2 x 10^-12 m

  (Total for Question SECTION-A11 is 1 mark)
• 12

  Question SECTION-A12 (1 mark)

  Light of photon energy 3.3 eV falls on a metal of work function 2.3 eV. The maximum kinetic energy of the emitted photoelectrons is:

  A. 1.0 eVB. 5.6 eVC. 2.3 eVD. 0 eV

  (Total for Question SECTION-A12 is 1 mark)
• 13

  Question SECTION-A13 (1 mark)

  A radioactive nuclide has a half-life of 8.0 days. After 24 days, the fraction of the original nuclei remaining is:

  A. 1/2B. 1/4C. 1/8D. 1/16

  (Total for Question SECTION-A13 is 1 mark)
• 14

  Question SECTION-A14 (1 mark)

  Which of the following quantities is conserved in ALL nuclear reactions?

  A. Rest massB. Number of protonsC. ChargeD. Number of neutrons

  (Total for Question SECTION-A14 is 1 mark)
• 15

  Question SECTION-A15 (1 mark)

  A star's peak emission wavelength decreases. According to Wien's law, this indicates that the star's surface temperature has:

  A. DecreasedB. IncreasedC. Stayed the sameD. Become zero

  (Total for Question SECTION-A15 is 1 mark)
• 16

  Question SECTION-A16 (1 mark)

  The gravitational field strength g and the gravitational potential V at a point in a radial field are related by:

  A. g = V / rB. g equals the negative gradient of VC. g = V x rD. g = V^2

  (Total for Question SECTION-A16 is 1 mark)
• 17

  Question SECTION-A17 (1 mark)

  A capacitor and a resistor are connected in series with a battery. Immediately after the switch is closed, the current in the circuit is:

  A. ZeroB. At its maximum valueC. Half its maximum valueD. Negative

  (Total for Question SECTION-A17 is 1 mark)
• 18

  Question SECTION-A18 (1 mark)

  An alternating supply has a peak voltage of 340 V. Its root mean square voltage is closest to:

  A. 170 VB. 240 VC. 480 VD. 340 V

  (Total for Question SECTION-A18 is 1 mark)
• 19

  Question SECTION-A19 (1 mark)

  Two protons are brought closer together. The electric potential energy of the system:

  A. DecreasesB. IncreasesC. Stays constantD. Becomes negative

  (Total for Question SECTION-A19 is 1 mark)
• 20

  Question SECTION-A20 (1 mark)

  In a mass-spring oscillator undergoing SHM, the total mechanical energy is proportional to:

  A. AmplitudeB. Amplitude squaredC. 1 / amplitudeD. Frequency

  (Total for Question SECTION-A20 is 1 mark)

Section B

Short-answer and structured questions. Answer ALL questions.

• 1

  Question SECTION-B1 (6 marks)

  A 470 microfarad capacitor is charged to 12 V and then discharged through a 22 kilohm resistor. (a) Calculate the time constant of the circuit. [2] (b) Calculate the time for the potential difference across the capacitor to fall to 6.0 V. [2] (c) State and explain what happens to the initial discharge current if the resistance is increased. [2]

  (Total for Question SECTION-B1 is 6 marks)
• 2

  Question SECTION-B2 (6 marks)

  A satellite of mass 720 kg orbits the Earth in a circular orbit at a height of 2.0 x 10^7 m above the surface. Earth's radius = 6.4 x 10^6 m and mass = 6.0 x 10^24 kg. (G = 6.67 x 10^-11 N m^2 kg^-2.) (a) Show that the orbital radius is 2.64 x 10^7 m. [1] (b) Calculate the orbital speed of the satellite. [3] (c) Calculate the period of the orbit in hours. [2]

  (Total for Question SECTION-B2 is 6 marks)
• 3

  Question SECTION-B3 (7 marks)

  A block of mass 0.35 kg is attached to a spring of stiffness 56 N m^-1 on a frictionless horizontal surface. It is pulled 4.0 cm from equilibrium and released, performing simple harmonic motion. (a) Calculate the frequency of oscillation. [3] (b) Calculate the maximum speed of the block. [2] (c) Calculate the maximum acceleration of the block. [2]

  (Total for Question SECTION-B3 is 7 marks)
• 4

  Question SECTION-B4 (6 marks)

  A sealed rigid container of volume 2.5 x 10^-3 m^3 holds nitrogen gas (molar mass 0.028 kg mol^-1) at a pressure of 1.2 x 10^5 Pa and temperature 290 K. (k = 1.38 x 10^-23 J K^-1, R = 8.31 J mol^-1 K^-1.) (a) Calculate the number of gas molecules in the container. [3] (b) Calculate the root mean square speed of the nitrogen molecules. [3]

  (Total for Question SECTION-B4 is 6 marks)
• 5

  Question SECTION-B5 (6 marks)

  A proton travelling at 3.0 x 10^6 m s^-1 enters a uniform magnetic field of flux density 0.35 T at right angles to the field. (Proton mass = 1.67 x 10^-27 kg, charge = 1.6 x 10^-19 C.) (a) Explain why the proton follows a circular path. [2] (b) Calculate the radius of the circular path. [3] (c) State one change that would decrease the radius of the path. [1]

  (Total for Question SECTION-B5 is 6 marks)
• 6

  Question SECTION-B6 (7 marks)

  Monochromatic light of wavelength 380 nm is incident on a clean sodium surface of work function 2.3 eV. (h = 6.63 x 10^-34 J s, c = 3.0 x 10^8 m s^-1, e = 1.6 x 10^-19 C.) (a) Calculate the energy of a single photon, in eV. [3] (b) Determine the maximum kinetic energy of the emitted photoelectrons, in joules. [2] (c) State what would happen to the photoelectron emission if the light intensity were increased at the same wavelength. [2]

  (Total for Question SECTION-B6 is 7 marks)
• 7

  Question SECTION-B7 (7 marks)

  Carbon-14 decays by beta-minus emission with a half-life of 5730 years. A sample initially contains 6.0 x 10^10 carbon-14 nuclei. (a) Write the nuclear equation for the beta-minus decay of carbon-14 to nitrogen-14. [2] (b) Calculate the decay constant in s^-1. [2] (c) Calculate the initial activity of the sample in becquerel. [2] (d) Sketch the shape of a graph of activity against time for this sample, and state what feature of the graph represents the half-life. [1]

  (Total for Question SECTION-B7 is 7 marks)
• 8

  Question SECTION-B8 (7 marks)

  A step-down transformer has 1200 turns on the primary coil and is connected to a 240 V rms alternating supply. The secondary output is 12 V rms. (a) Calculate the number of turns on the secondary coil. [2] (b) The transformer is 96% efficient and delivers 24 W of power to a load. Calculate the current drawn from the 240 V supply. [3] (c) State one cause of energy loss in a real transformer. [1] (d) Explain why a transformer operates with an alternating supply but not with a steady direct current. [1]

  (Total for Question SECTION-B8 is 7 marks)

Section C

Extended writing. Answer ALL questions.

• 1

  Question SECTION-C1 (6 marks)

  Compare gravitational fields and electric fields, referring to at least three points of similarity and one important difference. Your answer should discuss the forms of the field and potential relationships and give one physical consequence of the key difference.

  (Total for Question SECTION-C1 is 6 marks)
• 2

  Question SECTION-C2 (6 marks)

  Explain what is meant by resonance in a mechanical oscillating system. Describe, with reference to the driving frequency and natural frequency, how the amplitude of a driven oscillator varies, the effect of damping on resonance, and give one everyday example where resonance is either useful or must be avoided.

  (Total for Question SECTION-C2 is 6 marks)
• 3

  Question SECTION-C3 (6 marks)

  A student claims that 'all electromagnetic radiation behaves purely as a wave'. Using evidence from the photoelectric effect and from electron diffraction, evaluate this claim and explain what is meant by wave-particle duality.

  (Total for Question SECTION-C3 is 6 marks)