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Date November 2014 Marks available 3 Reference code 14N.2.SL.TZ0.1
Level Standard level Paper Paper 2 Time zone Time zone 0
Command term Determine Question number 1 Adapted from N/A

Question

Data analysis question.

A student sets up a circuit to study the variation of resistance \(R\) of a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor with temperature \(T\). The data are shown plotted on the graph.

N14/4/PHYSI/SP2/ENG/TZ0/01

The electric current through the thermistor for \(T = 283{\text{ K}}\) is 0.78 mA. The uncertainty in the electric current is 0.01 mA.

Draw the best-fit line for the data points.

[1]
a.

Calculate the gradient of the graph when \(T = 291{\text{ K}}\).

[3]
b.i.

State the unit for your answer to (b)(i).

[1]
b.ii.

The uncertainty in the resistance value is 5%. The uncertainty in the temperature is negligible. On the graph, draw error bars for the data point at \(T = 283{\text{ K}}\) and for the data point at \(T = 319{\text{ K}}\).

[2]
c.

Calculate the power dissipated by the thermistor at \(T = 283{\text{ K}}\).

[1]
d.i.

Determine the uncertainty in the power dissipated by the thermistor at \(T = 283{\text{ K}}\).

[3]
d.ii.

Markscheme

smooth curve that passes within \( \pm 0.5\) squares of all data points;

a.

a tangent drawn at \([291,{\text{ }}5.2]\) and selection of two extreme points on the tangent that use \(\Delta R > 3.5{\text{ }}\Omega \); } (judge by eye)

gradient magnitude determined as \(0.20 \pm 0.02\);

negative value given;

b.i.

\(\Omega {\text{ }}{{\text{K}}^{ - 1}}\);

b.ii.

correct error bar for 283 K (total length of bar 3–5 squares, centred on point);

correct error bar for 319 K (total length of bar 0.5–2 squares, centred on point);

c.

substituting \({I^2}R = \left( {{{[0.78 \times {{10}^{ - 3}}]}^2} \times 7.5} \right) = 4.5 \times {10^{ - 6}}{\text{ W}}\)\(\,\,\,\)or\(\,\,\,\)\(4.6 \times {10^{ - 6}}{\text{ W}}\);

d.i.

fractional uncertainty in \({I^2} = 2 \times \frac{{0.01}}{{0.78}}\) (= 0.026\(\,\,\,\)or\(\,\,\,\)2.6%);

uncertainty in power \(\left( { = [0.026 + 0.05] \times 4.6 \times {{10}^{ - 6}}} \right) = 0.34 \times {10^{ - 6}}{\text{ W}}\) to \(0.35 \times {10^{ - 6}}{\text{ W}}\);

answer rounded to 1 significant figure;

or

uncertainty in \({I^2} = 2 \times 1.3\% /0.026\);

total uncertainty in \({\text{P}} = 7.6\% /0.076\);

answer rounded to 1 significant figure;

d.ii.

Examiners report

[N/A]
a.

Very poorly executed. Few SL candidates knew how to draw an acceptable tangent.

b.i.
[N/A]
b.ii.
[N/A]
c.
[N/A]
d.i.
[N/A]
d.ii.

Syllabus sections

Core » Topic 1: Measurements and uncertainties » 1.2 – Uncertainties and errors
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