Course: Combined Science + Separate Physics | 20 questions | ← All quizzes
Write A, B, C or D for each question, then tap Show answer to mark it.
Q1 (F, recall) What happens when two north poles are brought close together?
A. They attract
B. There is no force
C. They repel
D. They attract, then repel
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✅ C. They repel
Like poles repel; unlike poles attract. This is a non-contact force.
Q2 (F, recall) Which of these is a magnetic material?
A. Nickel
B. Copper
C. Aluminium
D. Brass
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✅ A. Nickel
The four magnetic materials are iron, steel, cobalt and nickel.
Q3 (F, definition) What is a magnetic field?
A. The area inside a magnet
B. The line joining the two poles
C. The force between two magnets
D. The region around a magnet where a force acts on another magnet or a magnetic material
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✅ D
Q4 (F, recall) Which way do magnetic field lines point?
A. From south to north
B. From north to south
C. Towards both poles
D. Away from both poles
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✅ B. From north to south
Examiner tip: field lines never cross, and they are closest together where the field is strongest (at the poles).
Q5 (F, application) A steel paperclip is attracted to both the north pole and the south pole of a bar magnet. Why?
A. The paperclip is a permanent magnet
B. The paperclip is charged
C. The paperclip becomes an induced magnet, and induced magnetism always causes attraction
D. Steel is attracted only to south poles
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✅ C
An induced magnet loses most or all of its magnetism when it is taken out of the field.
Q6 (F, application) A compass points north when no magnets are nearby. What does this show?
A. The Earth’s core is magnetic
B. The compass needle is made of copper
C. The Sun has a magnetic field
D. Compasses only work in the northern hemisphere
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✅ A
A compass contains a small bar magnet that lines up with the Earth’s magnetic field.
Q7 (F/H, recall) What shape is the magnetic field around a straight wire carrying a current?
A. Straight lines parallel to the wire
B. The same shape as a bar magnet’s field
C. Straight lines pointing away from the wire
D. Concentric circles around the wire
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✅ D
The field is stronger with a bigger current and closer to the wire. Reversing the current reverses the field direction.
Q8 (F/H, application) Which change would make a solenoid into a stronger electromagnet?
A. Using fewer turns of wire
B. Adding an iron core
C. Reducing the current
D. Using a plastic core
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✅ B. Adding an iron core
Increasing the current and adding more turns would also make it stronger.
Q9 (F/H, recall) What is the magnetic field like inside a solenoid?
A. Zero
B. Weak and uneven
C. Strong and uniform
D. Concentric circles
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✅ C. Strong and uniform
Outside, the field has a similar shape to a bar magnet’s field.
Q10 (H, definition) What is the motor effect?
A. When a current-carrying wire is placed in a magnetic field, the wire and the magnet exert a force on each other
B. A p.d. is induced when a wire moves through a magnetic field
C. A magnet attracts iron
D. A current produces heat in a wire
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✅ A
B describes the generator effect – don’t mix them up.
Q11 (H, recall) In Fleming’s left-hand rule, what does the second finger represent?
A. Force
B. Magnetic field
C. Motion
D. Current
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✅ D. Current
Thumb = force (motion), first finger = field (N to S), second finger = current.
Q12 (H, calculation) A wire 0.50 m long carries a current of 3.0 A at right angles to a magnetic field of flux density 0.20 T. What is the force on the wire?
A. 3.7 N
B. 0.30 N
C. 1.2 N
D. 30 N
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✅ B. 0.30 N
F: F = B I l
I: F = 0.20 × 3.0 × 0.50
A: 0.30 N
Q13 (H, calculation) A 20 cm length of wire carries 2.0 A at right angles to a 50 mT magnetic field. What is the force on it?
A. 20 N
B. 2000 N
C. 0.020 N
D. 0.20 N
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✅ C. 0.020 N
Convert: 50 mT = 0.050 T; 20 cm = 0.20 m
F: F = B I l
I: F = 0.050 × 2.0 × 0.20
A: 0.020 N
Examiner tip: 2000 N means neither mT nor cm were converted.
Q14 (H, application) How can you make an electric motor spin faster?
A. Increase the current
B. Reverse the current
C. Use a weaker magnet
D. Remove the split-ring commutator
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✅ A. Increase the current
This increases the force on the coil. A stronger magnet or more turns on the coil would also work. Reversing the current reverses the direction of rotation.
Q15 (S only, H, definition) What is the generator effect?
A. A force acts on a current-carrying wire in a magnetic field
B. A magnet loses its magnetism when heated
C. A current produces a magnetic field
D. A p.d. is induced across a conductor when it moves relative to a magnetic field, or when the field around it changes
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✅ D
If the conductor is part of a complete circuit, a current is induced.
Q16 (S only, H, recall) How is an alternator (a.c. generator) different from a dynamo (d.c. generator)?
A. An alternator has no coil
B. An alternator uses slip rings; a dynamo uses a split-ring commutator
C. An alternator uses a split-ring commutator; a dynamo uses slip rings
D. There is no difference
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✅ B
The commutator swaps the connections every half-turn, so a dynamo’s output current always flows in the same direction.
Q17 (S only, H, calculation) A transformer has 400 turns on its primary coil and 40 turns on its secondary coil. The primary p.d. is 230 V. What is the secondary p.d.?
A. 2300 V
B. 0.23 V
C. 23 V
D. 400 V
Show answer
✅ C. 23 V
F: Vp ÷ Vs = np ÷ ns
I: 230 ÷ Vs = 400 ÷ 40
F: Vs = 230 ÷ 10
A: 23 V (a step-down transformer)
Q18 (S only, H, calculation) A 100% efficient transformer has 230 V and 0.50 A in its primary coil. The secondary p.d. is 11.5 V. What is the secondary current?
A. 10 A
B. 0.025 A
C. 5.3 A
D. 115 A
Show answer
✅ A. 10 A
F: Vp × Ip = Vs × Is
I: 230 × 0.50 = 11.5 × Is
F: Is = 115 ÷ 11.5
A: 10 A
Examiner tip: stepping the p.d. down steps the current up.
Q19 (S only, H, recall) Why is the core of a transformer made of iron?
A. Iron is a good electrical conductor
B. Iron is cheap and strong
C. Iron stops current flowing between the coils
D. Iron is easily magnetised
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✅ D. Iron is easily magnetised
It carries the changing magnetic field from the primary coil to the secondary coil.
Examiner tip: answers about iron conducting electricity score nothing.
Q20 (S only, H, application) How does a moving-coil microphone work?
A. Sound waves make a magnet spin, producing light
B. Sound waves make the diaphragm and coil vibrate in a magnetic field, inducing a varying p.d.
C. A current makes the diaphragm vibrate, producing sound
D. It amplifies sound using a battery
Show answer
✅ B
This uses the generator effect. C describes a loudspeaker, which uses the motor effect.
Your score
Add up your marks out of 20 and multiply by 5 to get a percentage. Rough guide (not an official grade): 18–20 excellent, grade 8–9 standard | 14–17 grade 6–7 | 10–13 grade 4–5 | under 10 revise the notes and try again.
Answer key (for teachers and printing)
1 C 2 A 3 D 4 B 5 C 6 A 7 D 8 B 9 C 10 A 11 D 12 B 13 C 14 A 15 D 16 B 17 C 18 A 19 D 20 B
Revise: Magnetism topic page | Fill the gaps: Magnetism | Which equation? Waves and magnetism
