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Date November 2018 Marks available 1 Reference code 18N.2.SL.TZ0.2
Level Standard level Paper Paper 2 Time zone 0 - no time zone
Command term Outline Question number 2 Adapted from N/A

Question

A lighting system consists of two long metal rods with a potential difference maintained between them. Identical lamps can be connected between the rods as required.

The following data are available for the lamps when at their working temperature.

 

Lamp specifications                      24 V, 5.0 W

Power supply emf                         24 V

Power supply maximum current   8.0 A

Length of each rod                       12.5 m

Resistivity of rod metal                 7.2 × 10–7 Ω m

Each rod is to have a resistance no greater than 0.10 Ω. Calculate, in m, the minimum radius of each rod. Give your answer to an appropriate number of significant figures.

[3]
a.

Calculate the maximum number of lamps that can be connected between the rods. Neglect the resistance of the rods.

[2]
b.

One advantage of this system is that if one lamp fails then the other lamps in the circuit remain lit. Outline one other electrical advantage of this system compared to one in which the lamps are connected in series.

[1]
c.

Markscheme

ALTERNATIVE 1:

r = ρ l π R OR  7.2 × 10 7 × 12.5 π × 0.1  ✔

r = 5.352 × 10−3

5.4 × 10−3 «m» ✔

 

ALTERNATIVE 2:

A = 7.2 × 10 7 × 12.5 0.1  ✔

r = 5.352 × 10−3 ✔

5.4 × 10−3 «m» ✔

a.

current in lamp = 5 24 «= 0.21» «A»

OR

n = 24 ×  8 5

 

so «38.4 and therefore» 38 lamps ✔

 

b.

when adding more lamps in parallel the brightness stays the same ✔

when adding more lamps in parallel the pd across each remains the same/at the operating value/24 V ✔

when adding more lamps in parallel the current through each remains the same ✔

lamps can be controlled independently ✔

the pd across each bulb is larger in parallel ✔

the current in each bulb is greater in parallel ✔

lamps will be brighter in parallel than in series ✔

In parallel the pd across the lamps will be the operating value/24 V ✔

 

Accept converse arguments for adding lamps in series:

when adding more lamps in series the brightness decreases

when adding more lamps in series the pd decreases

when adding more lamps in series the current decreases

lamps can’t be controlled independently

the pd across each bulb is smaller in series

the current in each bulb is smaller in series

 

in series the pd across the lamps will less than the operating value/24 V

Do not accept statements that only compare the overall resistance of the combination of bulbs.

c.

Examiners report

[N/A]
a.
[N/A]
b.
[N/A]
c.

Syllabus sections

Core » Topic 5: Electricity and magnetism » 5.1 – Electric fields
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