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CAIE IGCSE Physics Electric Charge Question Bank

Practise charging and induction, attraction and repulsion, conductor electron movement, electric-field diagrams and charge calculations across this topic.

Syllabus
2026–2028
Course
Physics 0625

Exam points

  • explain charging, induction and earthing by tracking electron movement between objects and Earth
  • predict attraction or repulsion and charge redistribution for rods, spheres and nearby surfaces
  • draw electric-field patterns and use field direction or Q = It in diagram and calculation tasks

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

4.2.1 Electric charge 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.

4.2.1 Electric charge question 2

[Maximum number: 3]

Question (a)

(a)

State what is meant by an electric field.

[ 1 ]

Question (b)

(b)

A plastic rod is rubbed with a cloth. The plastic rod becomes negatively charged and the cloth becomes positively charged.

[ 2 ]

Question (i)

(i)

The negatively charged plastic rod is suspended by an insulating thread. Another negatively charged plastic rod is brought close to the suspended rod.

State what happens to the suspended plastic rod.

[ 2 ]

4.2.1 Electric charge question 3

[Maximum number: 1]

A teacher wishes to show the production of electrostatic charges.
She holds a rod and rubs it with a cotton cloth. A copper rod, a glass rod, a plastic rod and a steel rod are available.

Which two rods would both be suitable to use?

A

a copper rod and a glass rod

B

a glass rod and a plastic rod

C

a plastic rod and a copper rod

D

a plastic rod and a steel rod

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