AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Scoring Guide

Unit 2 Progress Check: FRQ

1. Read each question carefully. Show all your work for each part of the question. The parts within the
question may not have equal weight.

In an experiment, a group of students will determine the dielectric constant of paper. They have the
following materials available, as well as other materials traditionally available in a high school physics
lab.

_____ Aluminum foil

_____ Sheets of paper
_____ Sheets of plastic
_____ Multimeters with the ability to measure capacitance

(a) Outline an effective experimental procedure to gather the necessary data that can be used to
determine the dielectric constant of paper. Place a check mark next to each item above that the students
should use. Draw a labeled diagram to represent the setup used for this procedure.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

The table below shows data from a different experiment in which students measure the capacitance of
different setups as they vary the distance between the two plates of the capacitor, the area of the plates,
and the material inserted between the plates.

Trial Capacitor Dielectric Distance Between the Plates ( ) Area of the Plates ( ) Capacitance ( )

1 paper 0.04

2 paper 0.09

3 paper 0.16

4 paper 0.25

5 paper 0.25

6 paper 0.25

7 paper 0.25

8 paper 0.25

9 plastic 0.04

10 plastic 0.09

11 plastic 0.16

12 plastic 0.25

13 plastic 0.25

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 AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Scoring Guide

Unit 2 Progress Check: FRQ

14 plastic 0.25

15 plastic 0.25

16 plastic 0.25

(b)

i. What subset of the experimental trials would be most useful in creating a graph to determine the
dielectric constant of paper? Explain why the selected trials are most useful.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

ii. Indicate below which quantities should be graphed to yield a straight line whose slope could be used
to calculate a numerical value for the dielectric constant of paper.

Vertical axis: Horizontal axis:

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) Plot the data points for the quantities indicated in part on the graph below. Clearly scale and
label all axes including units, if appropriate. Draw a straight line that best represents the data.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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 AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Scoring Guide

Unit 2 Progress Check: FRQ

(d) Use the data to determine a value for of paper.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(e) On the axes below, sketch the Capacitance as functions of plate separation , plate area , and
dielectric constant .

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

Part (a)

0 1 2 3 4

Student earns four points for doing all of the following.

1 point is earned for selecting Aluminum foil, Sheets of Paper, and Multimeter only.
1 point is earned for drawing a diagram that accurately illustrates the procedure.
1 point is earned for an appropriate procedure to determine the dielectric constant of paper including
the necessary measurements.
1 point is earned for a procedure indicating that multiple trials will be needed, and that the number of
sheets of paper will vary from trial to trial.

Example Response:

Select: Aluminum foil, Sheets of Paper, and Multimeter

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 AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Scoring Guide

Unit 2 Progress Check: FRQ

Procedure:

1. Use two sheets of aluminum foil as the parallel plates of the capacitor.

2. Measure the area of a piece of paper.

3. Insert 10 sheets of paper between the sheets of aluminum foil.

4. Measure the distance between the two pieces of aluminum foil.

5. Connect the multimeter to the two sheets of aluminum foil and measure the capacitance.

6. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for several trials, adding 10 more sheets of paper between the aluminum foil sheets.

Note: Any acceptable procedure earns credit.

Part (b)(i)

0 1 2

Student earns two points for doing all of the following.

1 point is earned for indicating an appropriate subset of data to use that includes paper.
1 point is earned for a correct explanation.

Example Response:

The students should select the subset of data for the paper in which the area of the plates is a constant .
This would allow a graph of capacitance and distance between the plates to be used to find the dielectric constant.

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 AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Scoring Guide

Unit 2 Progress Check: FRQ

Part (b)(ii)

0 1

Student earns one point for doing the following.

1 point is earned for indicating variables that lead to a straight line that can be used to determine a
value for

Example Response:

Part (c)

0 1 2 3

Student earns three points for doing all of the following.

1 point is earned for correctly labeling the axis with units.

1 point is earned for using an appropriate scale and correctly plotting the data.
1 point is earned for drawing an appropriate best-fit line.

Example Response:

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 AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Scoring Guide

Unit 2 Progress Check: FRQ

Part (d)

0 1 2

Student earns two points for doing all of the following.

1 point is earned for indicating calculation of slope or use of linear regression to determine slope from
data.
1 point is earned for correctly relating slope to the dielectric constant.

Example Response:

Linear regression on the data yields a slope of

Part (e)

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 AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Scoring Guide

Unit 2 Progress Check: FRQ

0 1 2 3

Student earns three points for doing all of the following.

1 point is earned for a graph that is concave up with a horizontal-axis asymptote.

1 point is earned for a graph that is a straight line with a positive slope.
1 point is earned for a graph that is a straight line with a positive slope.

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