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Question 18M.2.HL.TZ2.8d

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Date May 2018 Marks available [Maximum mark: 1] Reference code 18M.2.HL.TZ2.8d
Level HL Paper 2 Time zone TZ2
Command term State Question number d Adapted from N/A
d.
[Maximum mark: 1]
18M.2.HL.TZ2.8d

A negatively charged thundercloud above the Earth’s surface may be modelled by a parallel plate capacitor.

M18/4/PHYSI/HP2/ENG/TZ2/08

The lower plate of the capacitor is the Earth’s surface and the upper plate is the base of the thundercloud.

The following data are available.

Area of thundercloud base = 1.2 × 10 8   m 2 Charge on thundercloud base = − 25  C Distance of thundercloud base from Earth's surface = 1600  m Permittivity of air = 8.8 × 10 − 12  F  m − 1

(d)

State one assumption that needs to be made so that the Earth-thundercloud system may be modelled by a parallel plate capacitor.

[1]

Markscheme

the base of the thundercloud must be parallel to the Earth surface

OR

the base of the thundercloud must be flat

OR

the base of the cloud must be very long «compared with the distance from the surface»

[1 mark]

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