OCR A Level Physics B (Advancing Physics)
OCR A Level Physics B Module 6: Field and Particle Physics Exam Questions
Free OCR A Level Physics B exam questions for Module 6: Field and Particle Physics, with a mark scheme for every pack. Covers magnetic flux and induction, transformers and generators, electric fields and potential, accelerators, scattering, quarks and leptons and radioactivity.
Module 6: Field and Particle Physics exam questions
1 question pack of real past exam questions, each with its mark scheme. Do not stop after a few: answer as many as you can without notes, then mark every answer with the mark scheme. The more questions you do, the more quickly you will spot how examiners ask about each idea.
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A-Level Physics Flashcards for 2027 Onwards
Every answer is written in mark scheme wording, so you learn exactly what examiners give marks for. Then test yourself with the questions on this page.
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About OCR A Level Physics B Module 6: Field and Particle Physics
Module 6 of OCR A Level Physics B (Advancing Physics), Field and Particle Physics, covers electromagnetism, electric fields and the structure of matter. It includes magnetic flux and flux linkage, electromagnetic induction, generators, motors and transformers, electric field and potential, the motion of charges in fields and particle accelerators, Rutherford scattering, the standard model of quarks and leptons, creation and annihilation, binding energy, radioactive decay and the effects of ionising radiation. Examiners test Faraday's law calculations, transformer ratios, field and potential equations, particle motion in magnetic fields, conservation laws in particle interactions, and energy released in nuclear reactions.
What you need to know
- Electromagnetism Magnetic flux Phi = BA and flux linkage N Phi, Faraday's law EMF = -d(N Phi)/dt, Lenz's law, the magnetic circuit model, and how transformers, generators and motors work.
- Charge and field Uniform field E = V / d, radial fields from point charges, electric potential and energy, equipotentials, force on a charge in a magnetic field F = qvB and its use in accelerators.
- Probing deep into matter Rutherford alpha scattering and nuclear size, electron scattering, the standard model with quarks, leptons and exchange particles, and pair creation and annihilation using E = mc^2.
- Nuclear energy Mass defect and binding energy per nucleon, fission and fusion, and conservation of charge, baryon number and lepton number in reactions.
- Ionising radiation and risk Alpha, beta and gamma radiation, decay equations, absorbed dose and dose equivalent in sieverts, and assessing risk from radiation.
Common mistakes in Module 6: Field and Particle Physics
- Saying an EMF is induced by a large steady flux. EMF depends on the rate of change of flux linkage, not the size of the flux.
- Getting the transformer ratio upside down. Vs / Vp = Ns / Np, so a step-down transformer has fewer secondary turns.
- Saying a particle and antiparticle annihilate into a single photon. Two photons are produced so that momentum is conserved.
- Forgetting that lepton number must be conserved in beta decay. In beta-minus decay an electron and an electron antineutrino are produced.
- Confusing electric field strength with potential. Field strength is force per unit charge (a vector); potential is energy per unit charge (a scalar).
Try three Module 6: Field and Particle Physics exam-style questions
1. A transformer steps 230 V down to 12 V. The primary coil has 920 turns. Calculate the number of secondary turns. (2 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Ns = Np x Vs / Vp = 920 x 12 / 230; = 48 turns.
2. A coil of 200 turns has its flux changed from 4.0 x 10^-3 Wb to zero in 0.050 s. Calculate the average induced EMF. (2 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Change in flux linkage = 200 x 4.0 x 10^-3 = 0.80 Wb turns; EMF = 0.80 / 0.050 = 16 V.
3. Explain what Rutherford's alpha scattering experiment showed about the atom. (3 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Most alpha particles passed straight through, so the atom is mostly empty space; a few were deflected through large angles, showing a small, dense, positively charged nucleus contains most of the mass.
Module 6: Field and Particle Physics FAQs
What does OCR A Level Physics B Module 6: Field and Particle Physics cover?
Electromagnetism, charge and field, and probing deep into matter, including particle physics, nuclear energy and ionising radiation.
Which equations should I learn for Field and Particle Physics?
Phi = BA, EMF = -d(N Phi)/dt, Vs / Vp = Ns / Np, E = V / d, F = qvB, F = kQq / r^2 and E = mc^2.
How do I check particle interaction equations?
Check that charge, baryon number and lepton number are each the same before and after the interaction.
