Q1.An electrician is replacing an old electric shower with a new one.

The inside of the old shower is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

© Michael Priest

(a) If the electrician touches the live wire he will receive an electric shock.

Explain why.

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(4)

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 (b) Different electrical wires need to have a cross-sectional area that is suitable for the
power output.

Figure 2 shows the recommended maximum power input to wires of different

cross-sectional areas.

Figure 2

The new electric shower has a power input of 13.8 kW.

Determine the minimum diameter of wire that should be used for the new shower.

The diameter, d, can be calculated using the equation:

A is the cross-sectional area of the wire.

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Minimum diameter = ................................................. mm

(2)

(c) The charge that flows through the new shower in 300 seconds is 18 000 C.

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 The new electric shower has a power of 13.8 kW.

Calculate the resistance of the heating element in the new shower.

Write down any equations you use.

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Resistance = .............................................. Ω
(5)
(Total 11 marks)

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Q2.The picture shows an electric cooker hob. The simplified circuit diagram shows how the four
heating elements connect to the mains electricity supply. The heating elements are
identical.

When all four heating elements are switched on at full power the hob draws a current of
26 A from the 230 V mains electricity supply.

(a) Calculate the resistance of one heating element when the hob is switched on at full
power.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

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Resistance = .............................. Ω
(3)

(b) The table gives the maximum current that can safely pass through copper wires of
different cross-sectional area.

Cross-sectional Maximum safe

area in mm2 current in amps

1.0 11.5

2.5 20.0

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 4.0 27.0

6.0 34.0

The power sockets in a home are wired to the mains electricity supply using cables
containing 2.5 mm2 copper wires. Most electrical appliances are connected to the
mains electricity supply by plugging them into a standard power socket.

It would not be safe to connect the electric cooker hob to the mains electricity
supply by plugging it into a standard power socket.

Why?

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(2)

(c) Mains electricity is an alternating current supply. Batteries supply a direct current.

What is the difference between an alternating current and a direct current?

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(2)
(Total 7 marks)

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Q3.Solar panels are often seen on the roofs of houses.

(a) Describe the action and purpose of a solar panel.

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(2)

(b) Photovoltaic cells transfer light energy to electrical energy.

In the UK, some householders have fitted modules containing photovoltaic cells on
the roofs of their houses.

Four modules are shown in the diagram.

The electricity company pays the householder for the energy transferred.

The maximum power available from the photovoltaic cells shown in the diagram is
1.4 × 103 W.

How long, in minutes, does it take to transfer 168 kJ of energy?

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..................................................... Time = ........................................ minutes

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 (3)

(c) When the modules are fitted on a roof, the householder gets an extra electricity
meter to measure the amount of energy transferred by the photovoltaic cells.

(i) The diagram shows two readings of this electricity meter taken three months
apart.
The readings are in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

21 November 0 0 0 4 4

21 February 0 0 1 9 4

Calculate the energy transferred by the photovoltaic cells during this time
period.

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Energy transferred = ........................................ kWh

(1)

(ii) The electricity company pays 40p for each kWh of energy transferred.

Calculate the money the electricity company would pay the householder.

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Money paid = ........................................

(2)

(iii) The cost of the four modules is £6000.

Calculate the payback time in years for the modules.

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Payback time = ........................................ years

(3)

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 (iv) State an assumption you have made in your calculation in part (iii).

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(1)

(d) In the northern hemisphere, the modules should always face south for the
maximum transfer of energy.

State one other factor that would affect the amount of energy transferred during
daylight hours.

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(1)
(Total 13 marks)

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Q4.The current in a circuit depends on the potential difference (p.d.) provided by the cells and
the total resistance of the circuit.

(a) Using the correct circuit symbols, draw a diagram to show how you would connect
1.5 V cells together to give a p.d. of 6 V.
(2)

(b) Figure 1 shows a circuit containing an 18 V battery.

Two resistors, X and Y, are connected in series.

• X has a resistance of 3 Ω.

• There is a current of 2 A in X.

Figure 1

(i) Calculate the p.d. across X.

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P.d. across X = ........................................... V

(2)

(ii) Calculate the p.d. across Y.

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P.d. across Y = ........................................... V

(2)

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 (iii) Calculate the total resistance of X and Y.

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Total resistance of X and Y = ........................................... Ω

(2)

(c) Figure 2 shows a transformer.

Figure 2

(i) An 18 V battery could not be used as the input of a transformer.

Explain why.

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(2)

(ii) The transformer is 100% efficient.

Calculate the output current for the transformer shown in Figure 2.

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 Output current = ........................................... A
(2)
(Total 12 marks)

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Q5.The diagram shows an a.c. generator.

The coil rotates about the axis shown and cuts through the magnetic field produced by the
magnets.

(a) (i) A potential difference is induced between X and Y.

Use the correct answer from the box to complete the sentence.

electric generator motor transformer

This effect is called the ..................................................... effect.

(1)

(ii) What do the letters a.c. stand for?

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(1)

(iii) Name an instrument that could be used to measure the potential difference
between X and Y.

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(1)

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 (b) Graph 1 shows the output from the a.c. generator.

Graph 1

(i) One of the axes on Graph 1 has been labelled ‘Potential difference’.

What should the other axis be labelled?

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(1)

(ii) The direction of the magnetic field is reversed.

On Graph 1, draw the output from the a.c. generator if everything else
remains the same.
(2)

(c) The number of turns of wire on the coil is increased. This increases the maximum
induced potential difference.

State two other ways in which the maximum induced potential difference could be
increased.

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2 ......................................................................................................................

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(2)
(Total 8 marks)

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