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Level M Core Physics Basic Questions

Chapter 5
Page 82 Question 1

Semiconductors are used to build electronic devices, since these materials under standard
conditions have intermediate conductivity between good conductors and insulators and their
conductivity depends on temperature, illumination, and the degree of impurity they have.

Page 83 Question 2

(a) A pn junction conducts only from the p-type to the n-type layer.

(b) When the positive pole of the cell is connected to the p-side, the positive terminal pushes
the holes towards the junction. The negative pole does the same with electrons, the
junction becomes rich in carriers and an electric current passes. The electrons crossing
the junction are taken up by the positive terminal of the power supply and circulated to
the other terminal where they re-enter the junction maintaining an electric current in it.
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Page 86 Question 3

In order to be forward-biased, a silicon junction diode should be connected:

(a) With p at a higher potential than n.
(b) Across a potential difference greater than 0.6 V, below which it does not conduct.
(c) In series with a resistor to protect it from over current.

Page 92 Question 3

The four-diode full-wave rectifier called a bridge rectifier, is constructed using four half-
wave rectifiers and works by providing two alternative paths for the current, one path for the
positive half-cycle, and one for the negative half-cycle, such that each flows with the same
sense in the output device (here the resistor R).

(a) When A is at higher potential than B, the current passes through diodes D1 and D3 and
hence the current follows the path ADCB and so has sense DC through R.
(b) When B is at higher potential than A, the current passes through diodes D2 and D4 and
hence the current follows the path BDCA and still has sense DC through R.
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(c) Compare the graph of alternating voltage versus time with the graph of the current in R
versus time. Since the sense of the current in the lamp is always DC (never CD), the
current is direct. Both cycles of the applied alternating voltage are used. It appears that
the negative half-cycle has been inverted to become another positive half-cycle; hence
the term full-wave rectification.
(d) Each path contains two diodes in series and so swallows up about 1.2 V of peak
voltage across the diodes. Also, while the potential difference is less than 1.2 V in either
sense, there are gaps of no current.
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Page 96 Question 4

(a) Charging the capacitor:

When the terminals of the capacitor are
connected to a d.c. voltage supply, a
current, called transient current,
momentarily passes (Ammeter reads zero
after a little time). Electrons are attracted
to the positive terminal of the voltage
supply from one plate of the capacitor and
an exactly equal number of electrons flows
from the negative terminal of the voltage supply to the other plate. The capacitor now is
charged, one plate is positively charged and the other plate is negatively charged.

(b) Discharging the capacitor:

If the capacitor now is disconnected from the battery, and the plates are connected by a
conducting wire, charge will flow from one plate to the other creating a momentary
current which starts as a large current but decreases to zero as the opposite charges on the
plates neutralize each other. The capacitor is now discharged; during this process the
electric potential energy stored during charging is released mostly as heat in the
connecting wires.
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Page 96 Question 5
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Page 100 Question 6

A power supply usually consists of the following parts:

1. Power transformer (earthed and fused): Steps down the a.c. voltage.
2. Rectifier: converts a.c. into pulsating d.c.
3. Filter (a capacitor): Smoothens pulsating d.c. into continuous d.c.

Page 111 Question 7

Transistor as an amplifier:
When a small current passes through the base b, it will permit a much larger current to pass
through from the collector c to the emitter e. The current Ic is controlled by the current Ib and
the ratio Ic / Ib is constant for a given transistor. However if the transistor is fully on, Ic becomes
independent of the current Ib.
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Transistor as a switch:
It can be switched on and off and this depends on the value of the input voltage Vin.
(a) If Vin < 0.6V the base-emitter diode does not conduct, no current flows in the base and
hence no current flows in neither collector nor the emitter and the transistor is switched
off.
(b) If Vin increases from about 0.6 V upwards a current in the base starts increasing from zero
upwards. The voltage Vcc causes a current Ic to increase from zero upwards and the
transistor will be switched on.

Page 115 Question 8

(a) A thermistor is a resistor whose resistance decreases with increasing

temperature.
(b) Variation of resistance with temperature for a thermistor.

Page 117 Question 9

(a) In a light dependent resistor (LDR) light energy is changed to electric energy.
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(b) Variation of resistance with intensity of illumination for a LDR.

Page 117 Question 10

Use of a light dependent resistor in a light-dependent switch:

When a bright light falls on the LDR it has a low resistance. The voltage across the resistance
R increases and the voltage at Z (Vbe) will be less than 0.6 V and the transistor will be turned
off.
When the LDR is covered and darker its resistance rises. The voltage at Z (Vbe) will rise above
0.7 V, the transistor is switched on, current flows through the collector and lights the lamp.
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Page 119 Question 11

Figure (1)
When the switch is closed the capacitor is short circuited, Vc = 0, VR = Vin = 6 V. The
transistor is on, Ib flows through the base, Ic flows through the collector and the lamp is on.
When the switch is opened, capacitor C will slowly start to be charged as electrons go up from
the earth (0 V) through the transistor and the base resistor, or through the variable resistance R
to charge the lower plate of C negatively (electrons also leave from top plate towards the +6
V). The voltage on the lower plate of C will slowly drop from +6 V to zero. As the voltage of
the transistor input approaches 0 V, a time comes when it drops below 0.6 V, at which time the
transistor and the lamp go off. Thus, there is a time delay between opening the switch and the
lamp going off.

Figure (2) (see next page)

Close switch S to discharge the capacitor. The potential difference across the terminals of the
capacitor is zero volts and hence point Z is connected to 0 V and the transistor is off (Vbe< 0.6
V).
When the switch is opened, the battery charges up the capacitor C slowly through the variable
resistor R and there will be a time delay before the bulb goes on. It is caused by the capacitor in
the potential divider. When the voltage across C goes above 0.6 V, the input voltage at Z turns
the transistor on and consequently the lamp goes on. When the capacitor discharges again the
potential difference across its terminals drops below 0.6 V and the transistor switches off and the
lamp goes off.
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Notice that the delay can be increased by increasing the capacitance, or increasing the resistance
of the upper resistor.

Page 135 Question 12

A B M N C
(=NOT(B&B))
(=NOT B)
1 1 1 0 1
1 0 0 1 1
0 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 1
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A B M C
1 1 0 1
1 0 1 1
0 1 0 1
0 0 1 0

Page 135 Question 13

A B C M D
1 1 1 0 1
1 0 1 1 0
0 1 1 1 0
0 0 1 1 0
1 1 0 0 1
1 0 0 1 1
0 1 0 1 1
0 0 0 1 1
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A B C M N D
1 1 1 1 0 1
1 0 1 0 0 0
0 1 1 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 0 0
1 1 0 1 1 1
1 0 0 0 1 1
0 1 0 0 1 1
0 0 0 0 1 1

Comparing the columns of the output (D) from the two tables, we see that they are
identical, so the two combinations of logic gates are equivalent.

Page 136 Question 14 - symbols to be memorized (in the manual)