Measurements and Uncertainties

1. When a voltage V of 12.2 V is applied to a DC motor, the current I in the motor is 0.20 A.
Which one of the following is the output power VI of the motor given to the correct
appropriate number of significant digits?

A. 2W

B. 2.4 W

C. 2.40 W

D. 2.44 W

2. The power dissipated in a resistor of resistance R carrying a current I is equal to I2R. The
value of I has an uncertainty of ±2% and the value of R has an uncertainty of ±10%. The
value of the uncertainty in the calculated power dissipation is

A. ±8%.

B. ±12%.

C. ±14%.

D. ±20%.

3. The molar mass of water is 18 g. The approximate number of water molecules in a glass of
water is

A. 1022.

B. 1025.

C. 1028.

D. 1031.

4. Two objects X and Y are moving away from the point P. The diagram below shows the
velocity vectors of the two objects.

Velocity vector for object Y

P
Velocity vector for object X
 Which of the following velocity vectors best represents the velocity of object X relative
to object Y?

A. B.

C. D.

5. The radius of a loop is measured to be (10.0 ± 0.5) cm. Which of the following is the best
estimate of the uncertainty in the calculated area of the loop?

A. 0.25%

B. 5%

C. 10%

D. 25%

6. This question is about measuring the permittivity of free space ε0.

The diagram below shows two parallel conducting plates connected to a variable voltage
supply. The plates are of equal areas and are a distance d apart.

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variable voltage supply
d V
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The charge Q on one of the plates is measured for different values of the potential
difference V applied between the plates. The values obtained are shown in the table
below. Uncertainties in the data are not included.

V/V Q / nC

10.0 30

20.0 80

30.0 100

40.0 160

50.0 180

(a) Plot a graph of V (x-axis) against Q (y-axis).

(4)

(b) Draw the line of best fit for the data points.
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(c) Determine the gradient of your best-fit line.

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(d) The gradient of the graph is a property of the two plates and is known as
capacitance. Deduce the units of capacitance.
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The relationship between Q and V for this arrangement is given by the expression

ε0 A
Q= V
d

where A is the area of one of the plates.

In this particular experiment A = 0.20 m2 and d = 0.50 mm.

(e) Use your answer to (c) to determine a value for ε0.

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(Total 11 marks)

7. This question is about electrical resistance.

The graph shows the variation with temperature T of the resistance R of an electrical
component.
(a) A student hypothesizes that the resistance is inversely proportional to the
temperature.
Use data from the graph to show whether the hypothesis is supported.

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(b) A second student suggests that the relationship is of the form

b
lg R = a + where a and b are constants.
T

The student plots the graph below. Error bars have been included for the sake of
clarity.
(i) Explain how the graph drawn could be used as evidence to support the
student’s suggestion.

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(ii) Use the graph to determine the constants a and b.

b:
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a:
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(iii) Using your answers to (b)(ii), determine a value for the resistance of the
component at a temperature of 260 K.

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(Total 11 marks)

8. This question is about electrical resistance of the metal mercury.

The resistance R of a sample of mercury was measured as a function of the temperature T

of the sample. The sample was cooled and data points were taken at temperature intervals
of 0.2 K. The uncertainties in R and T are too small to be shown on the graph.

The hypothesis is that resistance is proportional to absolute temperature for temperatures

greater than 4.5 K.

(a) (i) Suggest whether the data supports the hypothesis.

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(ii) Draw a line of best fit through the data.

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(b) State the value of R for which the rate of change of resistance of the sample with
temperature is least.

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(c) At a temperature TC the resistance suddenly becomes zero.

(i) Use the graph to determine the possible range of the temperature TC.

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(ii) State, to the correct number of significant figures, the value of TC and its
uncertainty.

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(iii) Outline how the temperature TC could be measured more precisely.

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(d) Outline two reasons why you could not use the data to determine an accurate value
for R at room temperature.

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(Total 10 marks)