Cambridge IGCSE™

PHYSICS 0625/62
Paper 6 Alternative to Practical February/March 2024
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 40

Published

This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the
examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the
details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have
considered the acceptability of alternative answers.

Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report f or
Teachers.

Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.

Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes f or the February/March 2024 series f or most
Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International A and AS Level components, and some Cambridge O Level
components.

This document consists of 8 printed pages.

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Generic Marking Principles

These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers. They should be applied alon gside the
specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptions for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these
marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:

• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:

Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:

Marks must be awarded positively:

• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit is given for valid answers which go beyond
the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme, referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
• marks are not deducted for errors
• marks are not deducted for omissions
• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these features are specifically assess ed by the
question as indicated by the mark scheme. The meaning, however, should be unambiguous.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:

Rules must be applied consistently, e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed instructions or in the application of generic level
descriptors.

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GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:

Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question (however; the use of the fu ll mark range may
be limited according to the quality of the candidate responses seen).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:

Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should not be awarded with grade thre sholds or
grade descriptors in mind.

Science-Specific Marking Principles

1 Examiners should consider the context and scientific use of any keywords when awarding marks. Although keywords may be presen t, marks
should not be awarded if the keywords are used incorrectly.

2 The examiner should not choose between contradictory statements given in the same question part, and credit should not be awarded for
any correct statement that is contradicted within the same question part. Wrong science that is irrelevant to the questi on should be ignored.

3 Although spellings do not have to be correct, spellings of syllabus terms must allow for clear and unambiguous separation fro m other
syllabus terms with which they may be confused (e.g. ethane / ethene, glucagon / glycogen, refraction / reflection).

4 The error carried forward (ecf) principle should be applied, where appropriate. If an incorrect answer is subsequently used i n a scientifically
correct way, the candidate should be awarded these subsequent marking points. Further guidance will be include d in the mark scheme
where necessary and any exceptions to this general principle will be noted.

5 ‘List rule’ guidance

For questions that require n responses (e.g. State two reasons …):

• The response should be read as continuous prose, even when numbered answer spaces are provided.
• Any response marked ignore in the mark scheme should not count towards n.
• Incorrect responses should not be awarded credit but will still count towards n.
• Read the entire response to check for any responses that contradict those that would otherwise be credited. Credit should not be
awarded for any responses that are contradicted within the rest of the response. Where two responses contradict one another, this
should be treated as a single incorrect response.
• Non-contradictory responses after the first n responses may be ignored even if they include incorrect science.

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6 Calculation specific guidance

Correct answers to calculations should be given full credit even if there is no working or incorrect working, unless the question states ‘show
your working’.

For questions in which the number of significant figures required is not stated, credit should be awarded for correct answers when rounded
by the examiner to the number of significant figures given in the mark scheme. This may not apply to measured values.

For answers given in standard form (e.g. a  10n) in which the convention of restricting the value of the coefficient ( a) to a value between 1
and 10 is not followed, credit may still be awarded if the answer can be converted to the answer given in the mark scheme.

Unless a separate mark is given for a unit, a missing or incorrect unit will normally mean that the final calculation mark is not awarded.
Exceptions to this general principle will be noted in the mark scheme.

7 Guidance for chemical equations

Multiples / fractions of coefficients used in chemical equations are acceptable unless stated otherwise in the mark scheme.

State symbols given in an equation should be ignored unless asked for in the question or stated otherwise in the mark scheme.

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Question Answer Marks

1(a) d = 28(.0) (cm) 1

1(b)(i) balance point between where just tips one way then the other / words to that effect 1

1(b)(ii) a = 22(.0) and b = 19.6 1

both to nearest mm 1

1(c)(i) graph: 1
• axes labelled with quantity and unit

• appropriate scales (plots occupying at least ½ grid) 1

• plots all correct to ½ small square and precise plots 1

• well-judged STRAIGHT line and thin line 1

1(c)(ii) G present and use of triangle method seen on graph 1

1(d) M in range 100 to 400 with unit of g 1

1(e) No, as (mass of clay) increases / changes mass of metre ruler 1

or

Yes, as (mass of clay) only a small % of mass of metre ruler / owtte

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Question Answer Marks

2(a) correct voltmeter symbol in parallel with PQ 1

2(b) V = 3.1 1

I = 0.12 1

2(c)(i) R values correct (25.8 / ecf, 13.2, 3.02) 1

R values to consistent 2 or consistent 3 significant figures 1

2(c)(ii) units (V, A, ) 1

2(d)(i) values of RA, RB and RC ROUNDING to (8.6, 8.8, 9.1) 1

2(d)(ii) statement matching values of RA, RB and RC 1

justification referencing values and ‘limits of experimental accuracy’ 1

2(e)(i) correct circuit symbol for variable resistor 1

2(e)(ii) suitable advantage 1

e.g. easy to obtain range of values/
can easily set current to chosen values

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Question Answer Marks

3(a) one precaution from: 1

(lamp), object and lens at same height /
lens and screen perpendicular(to bench) /
fix metre rule to bench

3(b)(i) move screen slowly / back and forth 1

3(b)(ii) v1 = 8(.0) (cm) 1

V1 = 80 / ecf (cm) 1

3(c)(i) hO = 1.2 (cm) and hI = 4.8 (cm) 1

3(c)(ii) correct calculation of M (4.0 / ecf) and no unit 1

3(d) f1 = 16(.0 cm) 1

3(e) any one valid difficulty (e.g. hand or ruler gets in way of light) 1

one improvement to overcome the difficulty (e.g. translucent screen (and measure from back) / fix grid to screen) 1

3(f) f2 = 15.4 and cm seen at least once in (d) or (f) and not contradicted 1

3(g) valid suggestion with reason 1

e.g: f2 as f1 has smaller measurements (i.e. ho and hi) (and so % uncertainties larger)

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Question Answer Marks

4 MP1 apparatus: 1
thermometer and stopwatch

MP2 method: 1
measure independent variable

measure initial and final temperatures

measure time

MP3 repeat for new value of independent variable 1

MP4 control variable: 1

one (explicitly stated) from:
volume of water,
initial temperature

MP5 table: 1
MUST be appropriate for method with:
columns, with correct units, for independent and dependent variables
any other quantity mentioned must have correct units

MP6 analysis: 1
compare readings in the table to see if change in insulation thickness produces change in (rate of) temperature
change (owtte),
plot line graph (with axes specified)

MP7 additional point (one from): 1

at least 5 sets of data taken,
repeat for each value of independent variable and take average
correct description of how to calculate rate of cooling from results

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