Cambridge International AS & A Level

PHYSICS 9702/52
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation May/June 2024
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 30

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 for
Teachers.

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

Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the May/June 2024 series for most
Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International A and AS Level and Cambridge Pre-U components, and some
Cambridge O Level components.

This document consists of 10 printed pages.

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9702/52 Cambridge International AS & A Level – Mark Scheme May/June 2024
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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 alongside 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 assessed 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 full 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 thresholds 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 present, 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 question should be ignored.

3 Although spellings do not have to be correct, spellings of syllabus terms must allow for clear and unambiguous separation from 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 in a scientifically
correct way, the candidate should be awarded these subsequent marking points. Further guidance will be included 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 Defining the problem

t is the independent variable and s is the dependent variable or vary t and measure s 1

keep k constant 1

Methods of data collection

labelled diagram of workable experiment including: 1

 spring connected to magnet
 vertical rule parallel to spring to determine s
 rule held in position by a stand
 stand resting on the bench
 rule labelled and at least one other label from stand, clamp, card, (magnetic) sheet, (cylindrical) magnet, spring

s = (new) length/position of spring – original length/position of spring 1

use a micrometer to measure t 1

measure B using a (calibrated) Hall probe and rotate probe until maximum value 1
or
measure B using Hall probe first in one direction, then in the opposite direction and average

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Question Answer Marks

1 Method of Analysis

1 1
plot a graph of s against or equivalent
t
(allow lg s against lg t)

relationship valid if a straight line that passes through the origin is produced 1
(for lg s against lg t: relationship valid if a straight line with gradient 1)

k 1
Z  gradient
ALB
k  10 y -intercept
(for lg s against lg t: Z  )
ALB

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Question Answer Marks

1 Additional detail including safety considerations 6

D1 precaution related to spring and/or magnet hitting eyes, e.g. use of goggles/use of safety screen around experiment

D2 keep A, L and B constant

D3 use a rule to measure L

D4 micrometer/calipers to measure diameter d of the magnet and A = d2 / 4

D5 description of method to determine k, e.g. add mass to spring and k = mg / extension

or
use newton meter to measure force applied to spring and k = force / extension
or
take several readings of force and extension, plot a force–extension graph and k = gradient

D6 (magnetic) sheet clamped to bench

D7 use pointer(s)/marker(s) on the spring to read off values from the rule

D8 method to use video recorder and replay to determine maximum length of the spring
or
increase s or force gradually/slowly until magnet (just) leaves the card

D9 repeat measurements of t in different positions on the card and average t

or
repeat measurements of s for each value of t and average s

D10 method to check that the spring has not exceeded the elastic limit

D11 use of non-magnetic stand or named non-magnetic material for stand, e.g. wood

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Question Answer Marks

2(a) gradient = n 1
2
y-intercept = lg
C

2(b) 1
lg (L / cm) lg (T / 10–5 s)

1.73 or 1.732 1.38 or 1.380  0.02

1.85 or 1.845 1.51 or 1.505  0.01

1.93 or 1.934 1.59 or 1.591  0.01

2.033 or 2.0334 1.69 or 1.690  0.02

2.146 or 2.1461 1.81 or 1.806  0.01

2.223 or 2.2227 1.87 or 1.869  0.01

Values of lg (L / cm) and lg (T / 10–5 s) correct as shown above.

Uncertainties in lg (T / 10–5 s) correct as shown above. 1

2(c)(i) Six points from (b) plotted correctly. 1

Must be within half a small square. Diameter of points must be less than half a small square.

Error bars in lg T plotted correctly. 1

All error bars to be plotted. Total length of bar must be accurate to less than half a small square and symmetrical.

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Question Answer Marks

2(c)(ii) Straight line of best fit drawn. 1

Do not accept line from top point to bottom point.
Line must pass between (1.780, 1.45) and (1.800, 1.45) and between (2.085, 1.75) and (2.100, 1.75)

Worst acceptable line drawn (steepest or shallowest possible line that passes through all the error bars). 1
All error bars must be plotted.

2(c)(iii) Gradient determined with clear substitution of data points into y / x. 1
Distance between data points must be greater than half the length of the drawn line.

Gradient determined of worst acceptable line with clear substitution of data points into y / x. 1

uncertainty = (gradient of line of best fit – gradient of worst acceptable line)

or
uncertainty = ½ (steepest worst line gradient – shallowest worst line gradient)

2(c)(iv) y-intercept determined by substitution of correct point with consistent power of ten in m and x into y = mx + c. 1

y-intercept of worst acceptable line determined by substitution into y = mx + c. 1

uncertainty = y-intercept of line of best fit – y-intercept of worst acceptable line

or
uncertainty = ½ (steepest worst line y-intercept – shallowest worst line y-intercept)

Do not accept ECF from false origin method.

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Question Answer Marks

2(d) Value of n determined using gradient (n = gradient) and C given to 2 or 3 significant figures. 1

Value of C determined using y-intercept with method shown. 1

2
C y -intercept
10

Absolute uncertainties in n and C. 1

uncertainty in n = uncertainty in gradient

and
2 2

2 min worst y -intercept max worst y -intercept
C = C  or C = 10 10
10 worst y-intercept 2

Clear method must be shown with C correctly evaluated.

2(e) Value of L determined (non-zero) to a minimum of 2 significant figures from (c)(iii) and (c)(iv) or (d) with correct substitution 1
and correct power of ten.

Units of T and either C or y-intercept must be consistent.

2
logT  log
log L  C  log10  y -intercept
n n

log10  y -intercept
L  10 n

or
TC
Ln
2

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