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IB Physics HL · guided topic map

Fields for IB Physics HL

Fields for IB Physics HL, organized into 2 syllabus topics and 11 mapped concept guides.

Syllabus topics
2
Mapped concept guides
11
Educational level
IB Diploma Physics Higher Level

Choose the exact concept

Work in order or jump to the concept named in your specification, course outline, or assignment.

D.2

Electric and magnetic fields

Fields

8 guides
  1. 01Electric field strength and forceSL + HL extension
  2. 02Electric field linesSL + HL extension
  3. 03Point-charge fieldsSL + HL extension
  4. 04Field superposition and null pointsSL + HL extension
  5. 05Uniform electric fields and parallel platesSL + HL extension
  6. 06Magnetic fields and field linesSL + HL extension
  7. 07Magnetic fields due to currentsSL + HL extension
  8. 08Magnetic effects of currentsSL + HL extension
D.3

Motion in electromagnetic fields

Fields

3 guides
  1. 01Motion in uniform electric fieldsSL + HL
  2. 02Force on moving chargesSL + HL
  3. 03The motor effect on currentsSL + HL

Diagrams

Fields as IB Physics HL draws it

The figures from the IB Physics HL practice papers that sit on these syllabus points — the apparatus, circuits and graphs an exam question actually puts in front of you.

01Figure 1Motion in electromagnetic fieldsIB
A proton on a circular path in a uniform magnetic field into the pageuniform magnetic field of magnitude B, into the pagerprotonv

Figure comment

Figure 1A rectangular region bounded by a dashed line is filled with an evenly spaced grid of crosses and labelled 'uniform magnetic field of magnitude B, into the page'. Inside the region a complete circle is drawn: the path followed by the proton. A line from the centre of the circle out to the circle is marked with a tick at each end and labelled r. A solid dot on the circle at its lowest point is labelled 'proton', and from that dot an arrow labelled v points horizontally to the right, along the tangent to the circle.

Read the comment once, then trace every arrow, label, axis or component in the drawing before opening the questions.

Guided questions 5 parts

Reading cue. The crosses mean B is into the page, and v is the tangent at the lowest point, so the force there points straight up towards the centre, at right angles to v.

  1. aState State the direction of the magnetic force on the proton at the instant drawn, and state whether the proton travels clockwise or anticlockwise round the circle.

    recall2 marks

    Check answer 2 marks
    1. the force is vertically upward at that instant, along the radius towards the centre of the circle
    2. the proton travels anticlockwise round the circle
  2. bDetermine The field has magnitude B = 0.35 T and the radius marked is r = 4.0 cm. Determine the speed of the proton.

    routine3 marks

    Check answer 3 marks
    1. the magnetic force supplies the centripetal force: qvB = mv² / r, so r = mv / (qB)
    2. v = qBr / m = 1.60 × 10⁻¹⁹ x 0.35 × 0.040 / 1.67 × 10⁻²⁷
    3. v = 1.3 × 10⁶ m s⁻¹
  3. cShow (that) Show that the time taken for the proton to travel once round the circle drawn does not depend on the radius r, and calculate that time for B = 0.35 T.

    demanding4 marks

    Check answer 4 marks
    1. from qvB = mv² / r, the radius is r = mv / (qB)
    2. the period is T = 2π r / v = 2π m / (qB), in which both v and r have cancelled
    3. T = 2π x 1.67 × 10⁻²⁷ / (1.60 × 10⁻¹⁹ x 0.35)
    4. T = 1.9 × 10⁻⁷ s
  4. dDiscuss An electron enters the same field region at the same point, travelling to the right with the same speed as the proton. Discuss how the path drawn would change.

    top of the paper4 marks

    Check answer 4 marks
    1. the charge is negative, so the force reverses: the centre of the circle now lies below the entry point and the electron is traced clockwise
    2. since r = mv / (qB) is proportional to mass, the radius shrinks by the mass ratio of about 1836
    3. r = 0.040 / 1836 = 2.2 × 10⁻⁵ m, far too small to show on the drawing at this scale
    4. the period shrinks by the same factor, to about 1.0 × 10⁻¹⁰ s

Transfer challenge

Positive ions of many different speeds travel to the right into a region where a uniform electric field of 2.4 × 10⁴ V m⁻¹ points down the page and a uniform magnetic field of 0.15 T points into the page, both at right angles to the ions' velocity. Determine the one speed at which an ion passes straight through undeflected, and state whether that speed depends on the ion's charge or mass.

Check answer 4 marks
  1. the electric force qE acts down the page, and for velocity to the right with B into the page the magnetic force qvB acts up the page
  2. the ion is undeflected when qE = qvB
  3. v = E / B = 2.4 × 10⁴ / 0.15 = 1.6 × 10⁵ m s⁻¹
  4. the charge cancels and the mass never enters, so the selected speed is the same for every ion
02Figure 4Electric and magnetic fieldsIB
A probe measuring the field at a distance from a long straight wireIlong straight wiremagnetic field proberprobe moved to other values of r

Figure comment

Figure 4A long straight wire is drawn vertically and labelled 'long straight wire'. An arrow drawn along the wire and labelled I gives the direction of the current in it. To the right of the wire, at the same height, a small rectangle labelled 'magnetic field probe' has its near face towards the wire, and a dimension line running perpendicular from the wire to that face is labelled r. A dashed outline of the probe, drawn further to the right at the same height, carries the note 'probe moved to other values of r'.

Read the comment once, then trace every arrow, label, axis or component in the drawing before opening the questions.

Guided questions 5 parts

Reading cue. r is drawn from the wire to the near face of the probe, not to the sensor inside it, and the field being measured points perpendicular to the page, not along the line r.

  1. aState State how the direction of the magnetic field at the probe is related to the plane of the drawing, and state whether the field points the same way once the probe is moved to the dashed position.

    recall3 marks

    Check answer 3 marks
    1. Right-hand grip rule applied to the current arrow drawn on the wire
    2. Field at the probe is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, not along the dimension line r
    3. Field at the dashed position points the same way, because that position lies on the same side of the wire; only the magnitude falls
  2. bCalculate The wire carries a steady current of 4.0 A. The dimension r is 25 mm for the probe drawn in full and 100 mm for the dashed position. Calculate the magnetic flux density at each of these two positions.

    routine3 marks

    Check answer 3 marks
    1. Use of B = μ₀I/(2πr), with r the perpendicular distance drawn from the wire
    2. At r = 0.025 m: B = (2 × 10⁻⁷ × 4.0)/0.025 = 3.2 × 10⁻⁵ T (32 μT)
    3. At r = 0.100 m: B = (2 × 10⁻⁷ × 4.0)/0.100 = 8.0 × 10⁻⁶ T (8.0 μT)
  3. cDetermine The dimension r is drawn to the near face of the probe, but the sensing element sits 5.0 mm behind that face. Determine the percentage by which each recorded flux density falls below μ₀I/(2πr) when r is recorded as 25 mm and when it is recorded as 100 mm, and state which end of a graph of B against 1/r is distorted more.

    demanding4 marks

    Check answer 4 marks
    1. True separation is r + 5.0 mm, so the recorded value is in the ratio r/(r + 5.0 mm) of the expected one
    2. At r = 25 mm: 25/30, so the reading is 17% below the expected value
    3. At r = 100 mm: 100/105, so the reading is 4.8% below the expected value
    4. Readings taken closest to the wire are affected most, so the graph bends below a straight line at the large-1/r end
  4. dDiscuss The wire is drawn extending well above and well below the level of the probe. Discuss what happens to the readings at both probe positions if the wire is shortened until its ends lie only a few centimetres above and below that level.

    top of the paper4 marks

    Check answer 4 marks
    1. μ₀I/(2πr) assumes an infinitely long wire, so that current elements at all distances along it contribute
    2. A shortened wire is missing those contributions, so every measured value of B is smaller than μ₀I/(2πr)
    3. The shortfall grows with r, since the shortened wire subtends a smaller angle at the probe, so the dashed far position is affected more than the near one
    4. The plotted line therefore falls away from a straight line at the small-1/r end, and its gradient no longer gives the true current

Transfer challenge

Two long straight parallel wires are 60 mm apart and each carries a steady current of 4.0 A, but in opposite directions. Determine the magnitude of the magnetic flux density at the point midway between them, and state the direction of the field there relative to the plane containing the two wires.

Check answer 4 marks
  1. Each wire is 30 mm from the midpoint, so each contributes B = 2 × 10⁻⁷ × 4.0/0.030 = 2.7 × 10⁻⁵ T
  2. Because the currents are opposite, the two contributions at the midpoint act in the same direction and add
  3. Total B = 5.3 × 10⁻⁵ T
  4. Field there is perpendicular to the plane containing the two wires
03Figure 5Electric and magnetic fields · Motion in electromagnetic fieldsIB
An electron accelerated through a potential difference, then entering a magnetic fieldcathodeanode+500 Velectronuniform magnetic field, B = 2.5 mT, into the page

Figure comment

Figure 5Side view of the arrangement. At the left a cathode plate marked − faces an anode plate marked + which has a small hole in it at the level of the beam; below, the two plates are joined by wires through a cell labelled 500 V, whose positive terminal is connected to the anode. Arrows show an electron leaving the cathode, passing through the hole in the anode and travelling on to the right, where it crosses into a large rectangular region drawn with a dashed boundary and filled with crosses, labelled 'uniform magnetic field, B = 2.5 mT, into the page'. Inside that region the electron's path is drawn as an arc that curves steadily downwards away from its original straight line.

Read the comment once, then trace every arrow, label, axis or component in the drawing before opening the questions.

Guided questions 5 parts

Reading cue. The crosses mean the field is into the page and the drawn arc bends downwards; the charge is negative, so check your rule reproduces that downward force before trusting any later step.

  1. aState State the direction of the magnetic force on the electron at the instant it crosses the dashed boundary, and state the direction of the conventional current that the moving electron represents.

    recall2 marks

    Check answer 2 marks
    1. Conventional current is directed to the left, opposite to the drawn motion of the electron
    2. Force is directed downwards, towards the bottom of the page, in agreement with the way the drawn arc bends
  2. bDetermine Determine the time the electron would take to complete one full circle inside the field region, and state how that time would differ if the electron had been accelerated through 2000 V instead of 500 V.

    routine4 marks

    Check answer 4 marks
    1. Use of T = 2πm/(qB)
    2. T = 2π × 9.11 × 10⁻³¹/(1.60 × 10⁻¹⁹ × 2.5 × 10⁻³)
    3. T = 1.4 × 10⁻⁸ s
    4. Time would be unchanged, because the period does not depend on the speed
  3. cDetermine The dashed region is 5.0 cm wide in the direction of the electron's initial motion, and is tall enough that the electron never reaches its upper or lower edge. Determine the greatest distance the electron penetrates into the region, and determine where it leaves.

    demanding4 marks

    Show a hint

    The centre of the circular path lies on the perpendicular to the velocity drawn at the entry point.

    Check answer 4 marks
    1. Speed on entry v = √(2eV/m) = 1.3 × 10⁷ m s⁻¹
    2. Radius r = mv/(eB) = 1.21 × 10⁻²³/(4.0 × 10⁻²²) = 3.0 × 10⁻² m
    3. Greatest penetration equals r, i.e. 3.0 cm after a quarter circle, which is less than the 5.0 cm width
    4. Electron turns through 180° and leaves through the boundary it entered, 2r = 6.0 cm below the entry point
  4. dEvaluate The accelerating potential difference is raised from 500 V to 1000 V with everything else unchanged. Evaluate whether the electron can be made to leave through the far edge of the region drawn, either by this change or by raising the accelerating potential difference further.

    top of the paper4 marks

    Check answer 4 marks
    1. r ∝ √V, so the radius rises by a factor of √2, from 3.0 cm to 4.3 cm
    2. Penetration still equals r, and 4.3 cm is less than the 5.0 cm width, so the electron still turns back
    3. Penetration reaches 5.0 cm when r = 5.0 cm, requiring V = 500 × (5.0/3.0)² ≈ 1.4 × 10³ V
    4. Above about 1.4 kV the electron does reach the far edge, so the behaviour drawn is a consequence of this particular accelerating voltage rather than a general feature of the arrangement

Transfer challenge

In a cyclotron, protons travel in a uniform magnetic field of 0.85 T and are accelerated each time they cross the gap between the two dees. Determine the frequency at which the accelerating potential difference must alternate, and state why this frequency need not be changed as the protons speed up. The mass of a proton is 1.67 × 10⁻²⁷ kg.

Check answer 4 marks
  1. Recognition that the supply frequency must equal the orbital frequency, f = qB/(2πm)
  2. f = (1.60 × 10⁻¹⁹ × 0.85)/(2π × 1.67 × 10⁻²⁷)
  3. f = 1.3 × 10⁷ Hz (13 MHz)
  4. Frequency is fixed because the orbital period does not depend on speed; the radius grows but the time per revolution does not