CAIE IGCSE Physics 4.2.1 Electric Charge Topic Practice

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Covered syllabus points

4.2.1.1—There are positive and negative4.2.1.2—Positive charges repel other positive4.2.1.3—Simple experiments to show the4.2.1.4—Charging of solids by friction4.2.1.5—An experiment to distinguish between4.2.1.6—A simple electron model to explain the4.2.1.7—Charge is measured in coulombs4.2.1.8—An electric field as a region in which4.2.1.9—Direction of an electric field at a4.2.1.10—Simple electric field patterns

Question 1

[Maximum number: 2]

A lightning conductor protects a tall building and the people in it against damage and injury caused by lightning strikes.

The lightning conductor is a very long strip of copper that is attached to the side of the building. At the top of the building, the strip of copper is connected to a vertical metal pole and at the bottom of the building, it is buried in the ground.

Fig. 7.1

Fig. 7.1

The bottom of the thundercloud is negatively charged.
As the cloud moves closer to the building, the top of the metal pole becomes charged.

State the sign of the charge at the top of the metal pole. Explain, in terms of the particles involved, how it becomes charged.

Question 2

[Maximum number: 2]

Fig. 9.1 shows a conducting ball that oscillates between two charged plates.

Fig. 9.1

Fig. 9.1

As the ball oscillates, it touches each plate in turn.

Referring to the charge on the ball, explain why the ball moves to the positive plate after touching the negative plate.

Question 3

[Maximum number: 3]

A conducting sphere is mounted on an insulating stand. Explain how you would use a positively charged rod of insulating material to charge the sphere by induction.

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