Date | November 2020 | Marks available | 2 | Reference code | 20N.3.HL.TZ0.7 |
Level | Higher level | Paper | Paper 3 | Time zone | 0 - no time zone |
Command term | Explain | Question number | 7 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
In the Pound–Rebka–Snider experiment, a source of gamma rays was placed vertically above a gamma ray detector, in a tower on Earth.
Calculate the fractional change in frequency of the gamma rays at the detector.
Explain the cause of the frequency shift for the gamma rays in your answer in (a) in the Earth’s gravitational field.
Explain the cause of the frequency shift for the gamma rays in your answer in (a) if the tower and detector were accelerating towards the gamma rays in free space.
Markscheme
✓
gained by photons so increases ✓
, so frequency increases ✓
gamma rays travel at ✓
detector accelerates towards source so «by Doppler effect» reduced so frequency increases ✓
Award [1 max] for reference to principle of equivalence without further explanation.
Examiners report
The calculation was easily done by most candidates.
A simple conceptual explanation in terms of the energy changes was not present.
Some candidates did score marks although it was not as simple as anticipated for a classical question.