Mark Scheme (Results)

October 2023

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced

Subsidiary Level in Physics (WPH13)
Paper 01
Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I
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October 2023
Question Paper Log Number P75623A
Publications Code WPH13_01_MS_2310
All the material in this publication is copyright
© Pearson Education Ltd 2023
General Marking Guidance

• All candidates must receive the same treatment. Examiners

must mark the first candidate in exactly the same way as they
mark the last.
• Mark schemes should be applied positively. Candidates must
be rewarded for what they have shown they can do rather than
penalised for omissions.
• Examiners should mark according to the mark scheme not
according to their perception of where the grade boundaries
may lie.
• There is no ceiling on achievement. All marks on the mark
scheme should be used appropriately.
• All the marks on the mark scheme are designed to be awarded.
Examiners should always award full marks if deserved, i.e. if the
answer matches the mark scheme. Examiners should also be
prepared to award zero marks if the candidate’s response is
not worthy of credit according to the mark scheme.
• Where some judgement is required, mark schemes will provide
the principles by which marks will be awarded and
exemplification may be limited.
• When examiners are in doubt regarding the application of the
mark scheme to a candidate’s response, the team leader must
be consulted.
• Crossed out work should be marked UNLESS the candidate has
replaced it with an alternative response.
Question
Answer Mark
Number
1(a) Max 1 of
• Vernier calipers (1)
• Digital calipers (1)
• Micrometer (screw gauge) (1) 1

1(b) Max 1 of
• The 20.0 mm measurement is an outlier / anomaly (accept measurement 3) (1)
• The student misread the scale for the 20.0 mm measurement (1)
• The cube is not uniform (1)
• The cube has been damaged (1) 1

1(c) • Use of uncertainty = half of the range (0.1 mm)

Or use of uncertainty = max difference from mean (1)
• Percentage uncertainty = 0.5% rounded to 1 or 2 s.f. (1) 2

Example of calculation
Uncertainty = (20.3 mm – 20.1 mm) / 2 = 0.1 mm
Percentage uncertainty = (0.1 mm / 20.2 mm)  100% = 0.5%

1(d)(i) • Converts mm to m and g to kg (1)

• Use of volume = length  width  height (1)
• Use of density = mass / volume (1)
• Density = 8830 (kg m–3) (1) 4

Example of calculation
Volume = length  width  height
Volume = 0.0202 m  0.0203 m  0.0201 m = 8.24  10–6 m3
Density = mass / volume
Density = 0.0728 kg / 8.24  10–6 m3 = 8834.95 kg m–3

1(d)(ii) EITHER

• Calculates 2% range of uncertainty in density (1)

• Calculates upper and lower limits of density values (1)
• Metal is copper as it has a density within the range (1)
MP3 dependent on MP2

OR

• Calculates percentage difference between density from 1(d)(i) and table value
• ... for all three metals
• Metal is copper as it has a percentage difference < 2% (1)
MP3 dependent on MP2 (1)
(1) 3
–3
Allow ecf for the use of 8800 kg m or their value from (d)(i)
Example of calculation
Upper limit = 8833 kg m–3  1.02 = 9010 kg m–3
Lower limit = 8833 kg m–3  0.98 = 8656 kg m–3
OR
Percentage difference = ((8940 kg m–3 – 8830 kg m–3) / 8830 kg m–3)  100%
Percentage difference =1.25%

Total for question 1 11

Question
Answer Mark
Number
2(a) • Measure x with a metre rule (1)
• Ensure the moveable rod is perpendicular to the fixed rods (e.g. use a set-square)
Or measure x on both 30 cm rods and calculate the average
Or measure to the centre of the moveable rod
Or align the metre rule near to the 30 cm rod
Or measure x while looking perpendicularly at the metre rule (1)
• Check for zero error on ohmmeter
Or choose appropriate range on ohmmeter
Or repeat R readings and calculate mean R for same value of x (1)
• Minimise contact resistance (e.g. ensure rods are clean) (1) 4

2(b) Max 1 of
• (When x = 0 m) the ohmmeter will measure the resistance of the (moveable)
copper rod (1)
• Zero error in ohmmeter (1)
• The connecting leads have a resistance (1) 1

2(c) EITHER

• Use of A = r2 (accept A = d2 / 4) (1)

• Use of l = 2x + 0.05 m (1)
• Use of R = l/A (with a pair of values from the line of best fit) (1)
•  = 1.7  10–8  m (1)
Accept use of x = 0 (l = 0.05 m) for MP2 and correct calculated value for MP4

OR

• Use of A = r2 (accept A = d2 / 4) (1)

• Calculates gradient (1)
(1)
• Use of gradient = 2/A
(1) 4
•  = 1.7  10–8  m

Example of calculation
A = r2 =   (0.0015 m)2 = 7.1  10–6 m2
l = 2x + 0.05 = (2  0.25 m) + 0.05 m = 0.55 m
 = RA/l = (1.3  10–3   7.1  10–6 m2) / 0.55 m = 1.68  10–8  m
OR
A = r2 =   (0.0015 m)2 = 7.1  10–6 m2
Gradient = (1.55  10–3  – 0.35  10–3 )/(0.3 m – 0.05 m) = 4.8  10–3  m–1
 = gradient  A/2 =1.70  10–8  m

2(d) • As the cross-sectional area decreases the resistance (per unit length of track)
increases (1)
• The system will estimate the position of the train is further away than it actually
is
Or the train is actually closer than the system estimates it to be (1) 2
MP2 dependent on MP1

Total for question 2 11

Question
Answer Mark
Number
3(a) • Ensure metre rule is vertical (1)
• Measure d in multiple places and calculate the mean (1)
• Measure the time taken for the wave to travel at least 2 lengths of the tray
Or measure the time taken for the wave to travel the length of the tray,
repeat this and calculate the mean average time/speed
Or use a video camera to film the wave to determine the time taken (1)
• Calculate v using the average time for the wave to travel 40 cm
(accept v = 0.40 m/t)
Or calculate v using total distance the wave travelled in the time measured (1) 4

3(b)(i) EITHER

• Plot a graph of v2 on the y-axis against d on the x-axis

Or compared v2 = kd with y = mx (1)
• The gradient will be k (1)
MP2 dependent on MP1

OR

• Plot a graph of v2 on the x-axis and d on the y-axis (1)

• The gradient will be 1/k (1) 2
MP2 dependent on MP1

3(b)(ii) Max ONE from

• Values of d recorded to inconsistent decimal places (d.p.) (1)
• Inconsistent significant figures (s.f.) for k values calculated (1)
• No evidence of repeated measurement (1)
• Not enough depths tested (to plot a graph) (1)
• k = 9.9 incorrectly rounded (9.96) (1) 1

3(b)(iii) • Mean value of k = 9.71 (m s–2) (1)

• Calculates percentage difference from 9.81 m s–2 (1)
• Percentage difference small so k could be gravitational field strength
(Allow correct conclusion from their calculated mean k value) (1) 3
MP3 depends on MP2

For MP2, the denominator must be the published value (9.81 m s–2)

Example of calculation
Mean k = (9.36 + 9.9 + 9.88) / 3 = 9.71
Percentage difference = [(9.81 – 9.71) / 9.81]  100% = 1%, which is small so k
could be g.

Total for question 3 10

Question Answer Mark
Number
4(a)(i) • 1/ values correct and rounded to 3 s.f. (1)
• Axes labelled with quantities and units (1)
• Sensible scales (1)
• Plotting (2)
• Line of best fit (1) 6

Vs / V Emax / 10–20 J λ / nm 1/λ / 106 m–1 1/λ / nm–1

0.35 5.6 620 1.61 0.00161
0.43 6.9 577 1.73 0.00173
0.51 8.2 546 1.83 0.00183
0.75 12.0 470 2.13 0.00213
0.87 13.9 436 2.29 0.00229

15.0

14.0 y = 12.389x - 14.463

13.0

12.0

11.0
Emax / × 10–20 J

10.0

9.0

8.0

7.0

6.0

5.0
1.60 1.70 1.80 1.90 2.00 2.10 2.20 2.30 2.40
1/λ / × 106 m–1
 1
4(a)(ii) • Rearranges equation to 𝐸max = ℎ𝑐 −  (1)

(1) 2
• Compares this to y = mx + c and identifies m = hc
MP2 dependent on MP1

4(a)(iii) • Calculates gradient using large triangle (1)

• Use of gradient = hc (1)
• h value between 4.0  10–34 J s and 4.3  10–34 J s (1)
• ... and h value rounded to 2 or 3 sf (1) 4

Example of calculation
Gradient = (12.8 – 6.6)  10–20 J / (2.2 – 1.7)  106 m = 1.24  10–25 J m
h = 1.24  10–25 J m / 3.00  108 m s–1 = 4.13  10–34 J s

4(a)(iv) • Use of
percentage difference = ((6.63  10–34 J s – their h) / 6.63  10–34 J s)  100% (1)
• Percentage difference between 35% and 40% (1) 2
Allow ecf for h from 4(a)(iii) for both marks
MP2 dependent on MP1

For MP1, the denominator must be the published value (6.63  10–34 J s)

Example of calculation
Percentage difference = ((6.63  10–34 J s – 4.13  10–34 J s) / 6.63  10–34 J s)  100%
Percentage difference = 38%
4(b) Random error:
EITHER

• Difficult to judge exactly when current becomes 0 (so exact stopping p.d. is (1)
difficult to identify)
• Use a more sensitive ammeter (e.g. picoammeter) (1)

OR

• Background light could affect wavelength/colour (1)

• Block background light
Or put the colour filter directly above the photocell (1)

Systematic error:
EITHER

• Colour filters do not give monochromatic light

Or colour filters could give a range of wavelengths/colours/frequencies
Or colour filters might be damaged and let through other
wavelengths/colours/frequencies (1)
• Use a monochromatic light source
Or use a light source with a narrower wavelength/frequency band
Or use a light source with a single colour (e.g. LEDs / lasers) (1)

OR

• Zero error of the ammeter/voltmeter (1)

• Check ammeter reading is zero while no light is shining
Or check voltmeter reading is zero while apparatus is switched off
Or check ammeter/voltmeter reading is zero before connecting (1) 4

Total for question 4 18

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