AQA A level Physics Paper 1 Test Questions and Answers
Rated A
What is meant by work function (2) - - cause excitation (4) - -discrete energy
Minimum energy required by an electron to levels (1)
escape from (1) a metal surface (1) Electrons need to absorb a DISCRETE amount
of energy to move to a higher energy level (1)
Photons need to have a certain frequency to
What is meant by ionisation energy? (2) - - provide this energy, because E=hf (1)
Minimum energy required to remove an electron interaction is a 1:1 reaction all of the photon's
from an atom (1) from the ground state (1) energy is absorbed (1)
Why do emitted electrons have a kinetic energy Explain how excitation takes place in a
that varies up to a maximum value? (4) - - fluorescent tube - -Electrons flow through
Energy of a photon is fixed/constant (1) the tube to the applied PD causing a current to
Energy is required for electrons to overcome flow (1)
work function ø (1) Electrons collide with mercury atoms in the tube
Electrons deeper into/below the surface of the (1)
metal require more energy to overcome work This raises electrons in the mercury atom to a
function and therefore have less KE(1) higher energy level (1)
Maximum KE = Energy of photon - work function
ø (1)
What is the purpose of coating in a fluorescent
tube? - -UV/ High energy photons emitted
Explain how (bright ring) diagram is evidence of from mercury atoms when the electrons in the
the wave-particle duality of electrons? - - atom de-excite (1)
Diffraction pattern maxima/minima (bright and High energy photons absorbed by the coating (1)
dark areas) (1) Coating emits photons in the visible spectrum (1)
Diffraction is a property of waves- proves wave-
behaviour of electrons (1)
What happens when annihilation occurs? (2) -
-particle and an anti-particle collide and
What is meant by the ground state? - -The cease to exist (1)
lowest energy state of an atom Their mass is released as energy in the form of a
pair of gamma photons (1)
Explain the difference between excitation and
ionisation (2) - -An electron receives a How does the strong nuclear force between two
discrete amount of energy for BOTH (1) nucleons vary with the separation of the
Excitation promotes an electron to a higher nucleons? (3) - -repulsive at < 0.5 fm (1)
energy level attractive from 0.5 to 3 fm (1)
Ionisation is when an electron receives enough above 3 fm, force 0 (1)
energy to leave the atom
What is meant by monochromatic light - -
Explain why only photons of certain frequencies light of a single frequency
1/4
Rated A
What is meant by work function (2) - - cause excitation (4) - -discrete energy
Minimum energy required by an electron to levels (1)
escape from (1) a metal surface (1) Electrons need to absorb a DISCRETE amount
of energy to move to a higher energy level (1)
Photons need to have a certain frequency to
What is meant by ionisation energy? (2) - - provide this energy, because E=hf (1)
Minimum energy required to remove an electron interaction is a 1:1 reaction all of the photon's
from an atom (1) from the ground state (1) energy is absorbed (1)
Why do emitted electrons have a kinetic energy Explain how excitation takes place in a
that varies up to a maximum value? (4) - - fluorescent tube - -Electrons flow through
Energy of a photon is fixed/constant (1) the tube to the applied PD causing a current to
Energy is required for electrons to overcome flow (1)
work function ø (1) Electrons collide with mercury atoms in the tube
Electrons deeper into/below the surface of the (1)
metal require more energy to overcome work This raises electrons in the mercury atom to a
function and therefore have less KE(1) higher energy level (1)
Maximum KE = Energy of photon - work function
ø (1)
What is the purpose of coating in a fluorescent
tube? - -UV/ High energy photons emitted
Explain how (bright ring) diagram is evidence of from mercury atoms when the electrons in the
the wave-particle duality of electrons? - - atom de-excite (1)
Diffraction pattern maxima/minima (bright and High energy photons absorbed by the coating (1)
dark areas) (1) Coating emits photons in the visible spectrum (1)
Diffraction is a property of waves- proves wave-
behaviour of electrons (1)
What happens when annihilation occurs? (2) -
-particle and an anti-particle collide and
What is meant by the ground state? - -The cease to exist (1)
lowest energy state of an atom Their mass is released as energy in the form of a
pair of gamma photons (1)
Explain the difference between excitation and
ionisation (2) - -An electron receives a How does the strong nuclear force between two
discrete amount of energy for BOTH (1) nucleons vary with the separation of the
Excitation promotes an electron to a higher nucleons? (3) - -repulsive at < 0.5 fm (1)
energy level attractive from 0.5 to 3 fm (1)
Ionisation is when an electron receives enough above 3 fm, force 0 (1)
energy to leave the atom
What is meant by monochromatic light - -
Explain why only photons of certain frequencies light of a single frequency
1/4
