A Level Physics 9702, topic 19.1
Capacitors and capacitance: past paper questions
13 Cambridge A Level Physics 9702 questions on Capacitors and capacitance (19.1) from 13 papers, 2023 to 2026. Open the paper or try a question free.
Practising builds a set from this topic, free with an account. One question opens straight away, with no account.
- Questions
- 13
- Papers
- 13
- Years
- 2023 to 2026
- Total marks
- 127
- Average per question
- 9.8 marks
- Largest question
- 13 marks
By type: Structured 13
What the syllabus asks
- define capacitance, as applied to both isolated spherical conductors and to parallel plate capacitors
- recall and use C = Q/V
- derive, using C = Q/V, formulae for the combined capacitance of capacitors in series and in parallel
- use the capacitance formulae for capacitors in series and in parallel
How hard the questions are
- Recall0
- Apply3
- Analyse10
- Not banded0
Derived from the command word Cambridge prints in each question, banded by a fixed table beside the syllabus's own definitions. A question printing no command word is unbanded: unknown, not middling.
Command words
- calculateApply9 questions
work out from given facts, figures or information
- determineApply7 questions
establish an answer using the information available
- completeApply5 questions
- explainAnalyse5 questions
set out purposes or reasons/make the relationships between things evident/provide why and/or how and support with relevant evidence
- defineRecall4 questions
give precise meaning
- show thatApply4 questions
- stateRecall4 questions
express in clear terms
- deriveAnalyse3 questions
- sketchApply3 questions
make a simple freehand drawing showing the key features
- useApply3 questions
Where the questions come from
By year
- 20263
- 20252
- 20244
- 20234
By session
- May/June9
- Oct/Nov4
By paper
- Paper 413
Questions on this topic
Showing 10 of 13, spread across the years. Open one to write your answer and have it marked.
- Try this questionQuestion 5May/June 2026, paper 41Structured8 marksHas a diagram
Define the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor.
- Try this questionQuestion 6Oct/Nov 2025, paper 41Structured11 marks
Two parallel plate capacitors and are connected to a supply that has a potential difference (p.d.) . The capacitors may be connected in series or in parallel.
- Try this questionQuestion 7Oct/Nov 2024, paper 42Structured10 marksHas a diagram
Define the capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor.
- Try this questionQuestion 6Oct/Nov 2023, paper 42Structured9 marksHas a diagram
A capacitor C is charged so that the potential difference (p.d.) across its terminals is . The capacitor is connected into the circuit of Fig. 6.1. The switch is initially open.
- Try this questionQuestion 6May/June 2026, paper 42Structured13 marksHas a diagram
Define electric potential at a point.
- Try this questionQuestion 6Oct/Nov 2025, paper 43Structured11 marks
Two parallel plate capacitors and are connected to a supply that has a potential difference (p.d.) . The capacitors may be connected in series or in parallel.
- Try this questionQuestion 6May/June 2024, paper 41Structured10 marksHas a diagram
Fig. 6.1 shows a capacitor of capacitance connected in series with a resistor of resistance . Fig. 6.1 Initially the switch is open and there is a p.d. of across the capacitor.
- Try this questionQuestion 5May/June 2023, paper 41Structured9 marksHas a diagram
Part of an electric circuit is shown in Fig. 5.1. The circuit is used to produce half-wave rectification of an alternating voltage of potential difference (p.d.) . The output p.d.
- Try this questionQuestion 6May/June 2024, paper 42Structured10 marksHas a diagram
Two capacitors X and Y are connected in series to a power supply of voltage , as shown in Fig. 6.1. The capacitance of X is and the capacitance of Y is .
- Try this questionQuestion 5May/June 2023, paper 42Structured9 marksHas a diagram
Two capacitors A and B are connected into the circuit shown in Fig. 5.1. Capacitor A has capacitance and capacitor B has capacitance . The electromotive force (e.m.f.) of the cell is .