O Level Physics 5054, topic 4.2.1
Electrical charge: past paper questions
19 Cambridge O Level Physics 5054 questions on Electrical charge (4.2.1) from 14 papers, 2023 to 2026. Mostly multiple choice. 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
- 19
- Papers
- 14
- Years
- 2023 to 2026
- Total marks
- 49
- Average per question
- 2.6 marks
- Largest question
- 10 marks
By type: Multiple choice 15 · Structured 4
How hard the questions are
- Recall0
- Apply2
- Analyse3
- Not banded14
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
- explainAnalyse3 questions
set out purposes or reasons / make the relationships between things clear / say why and/or how and support with relevant evidence
- calculateApply2 questions
work out from given facts, figures or information
- completeApply2 questions
- describeApply2 questions
state the points of a topic / give characteristics and main features
- defineRecall1 question
give precise meaning
- determineApply1 question
establish an answer using the information available
- showApply1 question
- stateRecall1 question
express in clear terms
- useApply1 question
Where the questions come from
By year
- 20262
- 20255
- 20246
- 20236
By session
- May/June9
- Oct/Nov10
By paper
- Paper 115
- Paper 24
Questions on this topic
Showing 13 of 19, spread across the years. Open one to write your answer and have it marked.
- Try this questionQuestion 30May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark
An uncharged plastic rod is rubbed with a cloth. The plastic rod gains a negative charge. Which statement is correct?
- Try this questionQuestion 27Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark
Which material is an electrical conductor at room temperature?
- Try this questionQuestion 23Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark
An aircraft flying through the air becomes electrically charged. What causes this to happen?
- Try this questionQuestion 31May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark
Why are metals good electrical conductors?
- Try this questionQuestion 31Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram
Two parallel, conducting plates are charged. The charge on the upper plate is positive. The charge on the lower plate is equal in size but negative.
- Try this questionQuestion 24Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark
Two metal spheres are brought close to each other. The two spheres repel each other. Which statement explains this?
- Try this questionQuestion 7Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Structured8 marksHas a diagram
An insulating rod is made of plastic and is initially uncharged. The rod is rubbed with a cloth and becomes negatively charged. Describe, in terms of particles, what happens as the rod becomes negatively charged.
- Try this questionQuestion 6Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Structured10 marksHas a diagram
An electric car is driven by a direct current (d.c.) motor that is powered by a direct current power supply. Describe how a direct current differs from an alternating current (a.c.).
- Try this questionQuestion 30May/June 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram
Plastic and wool are insulating materials. Samples of plastic and wool are rubbed together. This causes a transfer of electrons.
- Try this questionQuestion 27May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram
In an electrostatics experiment, a plastic rod is rubbed with a cloth. The cloth becomes negatively charged. Which diagram shows the charge on the rod and describes the movement of charge?
- Try this questionQuestion 3May/June 2024, paper 22Structured9 marksHas a diagram
Fig. 3.1 shows a solar-powered charger connected to a cell phone (mobile phone). The battery inside the cell phone is charged by the solar-powered charger. Complete Fig. 3.2 to show the useful transfer of energy from the Sun to the battery.
- Try this questionQuestion 28May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram
Object X is stationary and positively charged. It experiences a force due to the field produced by object Y. The arrows show the direction of the field produced by Y. Which statement about the direction of the force on X is correct?
- Try this questionQuestion 5May/June 2024, paper 22Structured7 marksHas a diagram
An initially uncharged rubber balloon is rubbed with a woollen cloth as shown in Fig. 5.1. Rubbing the balloon causes the balloon to have a negative charge. On Fig. 5.1, complete the labels on the diagram.