Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2023

First exams 2025

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Practical Circuits (CIE A Level Physics)

Exam Questions

1 hour21 questions
1
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1 mark

A battery is marked 9.0 V.

What does this mean ?

  • each coulomb of charge from the battery supplies 9.0 J of energy to the whole circuit

  • the battery supplies 9.0 J to an external circuit for each coulomb of charge

  • the potential difference across any component connected to the battery will be 9.0 V

  • there will always be 9.0 V across the battery terminals

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2
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Which symbol represents a component whose resistance is designed to change with temperature?

cie-ial-images536png

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    3
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    1 mark

    In the circuit shown, a light-dependent resistor (LDR) is connected to two resistors R1 and R2.

     The potential difference (p. d.) across R1 is V1 and the p .d. across R2 is V2. The current in the circuit is I .

    cie-ial-images537png

    Which statement about this circuit is correct ?

    • the current I  increases when the light intensity decreases

    • the LDR is an ohmic conductor

    • the p .d. V2 increases when the light intensity decreases

    • the ratio  V subscript 1 over V subscript 2  is independent of light intensity

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    4
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    1 mark

    A cell of e. m .f. E delivers a charge Q to an external circuit.

     Which statement is correct?

    • the energy dissipation in the external circuit is EQ

    • the energy dissipation within the cell is EQ

    • the external resistance is EQ

    • the total energy dissipation in the cell and the external circuit is EQ

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    5
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    1 mark

    A cell is connected to a resistor.

     At any given moment, the potential difference across the cell is less than its electromotive force.

    cie-ial-images539png

    Which statement explains this ?

    • the cell is continually discharging

    • the connecting wire has some resistance

    • energy is needed to drive charge through the cell

    • power is used when there is a current in the resistor

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    6
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    Four statements about potential difference or electromotive force are listed. 

    1

    It involves the transfer of energy to components

    2

    It involves the transfer of energy into the circuit

    3

    It is the energy per unit charge to move charge right round a circuit

    4

    It is the work done per unit charge by the charge moving from one point to another

     

    Which statements apply to potential difference and which apply to electromotive force?

     

     

    Potential difference

    Electromotive force

    A

    B

    C

    D

    1 and 3

    1 and 4

    2 and 3

    2 and 4

    2 and 4

    2 and 3

    1 and 4

    1 and 3

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      1
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      A battery of e .m .f. 12 V and internal resistance 2.0 Ω is connected in series with an ammeter of negligible resistance and an external resistor. External resistors of various different values are used.

      cie-ial-images543png

      Which combination of current and resistor value is not correct?

       

       

      Current / A

      External resistor value / Ω

      A

      B

      C

      D

      1.0

      1.2

      1.5

      1.8

      10.0

      8.0

      6.0

      4.0

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        2
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        1 mark

        A simple circuit is formed by connecting a resistor of resistance R between the terminals of a battery of electromotive force (e .m .f.) 9.0 V and constant internal resistance r .

        cie-ial-images551png

        A charge of 6.0 C flows through the resistor in a time of 2.0 minutes, causing it to dissipate 48 J of thermal energy.

         What is the internal resistance r of the battery ?

        • 0.17 Ω

        • 0.33 Ω

        • 20 Ω

        • 160 Ω

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        3
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        1 mark

        A battery and a resistor are in series. The e.m.f of the circuit is 15 V and the resistance of the resistor is 8.0 Ω.

        Given that the current through the circuit is 1.5 A, what is the value of the lost volts from the battery?

        • 3 V

        • 4 V

        • 9 V

        • 12 V

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        4
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        Which answer option summarises the difference between potential difference and e.m.f?

        • Potential difference is the energy transferred into the circuit and e.m.f. is the energy transferred away from the circuit

        • e.m.f. is the energy transferred into the circuit and potential difference is the energy transferred out of the circuit

        • Potential difference and e.m.f. are chemical energy from the cell converted to electrical energy in the components 

        • Potential difference is the chemical energy of the cell transferred to the electrical energy of the charges and e.m.f. is the electrical energy of the charges converted to other forms of energy in the components

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        5
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        1 mark

        A resistor R is connected to the terminals of a battery of emf 9.0 V and internal resistance r.

        q11_electric-cells_ib-sl-physics-mcq

        A charge of 240 C through the resistor in two minutes. The power dissipated in the resistor as a result is 1440 W. What is the internal resistance r of the battery?  

        • 3.0 Ω

        • 2.0 Ω 

        • 1.5 Ω 

        • 4.5 Ω 

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        1
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        1 mark

        In the circuit below, a voltmeter of resistance RV and an ammeter of resistance RA are used to measure the resistance R of the fixed resistor.

        cie-ial-images598png

        Which condition is necessary for an accurate value to be obtained for R ?

        • R is much smaller than RV

        • R is much smaller than RA

        • R is much greater than RV

        • R is much greater than RA

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        2
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        1 mark

        A power supply of electromotive force (e .m .f.) 12 V and internal resistance 2 Ω is connected in series with a load resistor. The value of the load resistor is varied from 0.5 Ω to 4 Ω.

         Which graph shows how the power P dissipated in the load resistor varies with the resistance of the load resistor ?

        cie-ial-images557png

        cie-ial-images558png

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          3
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          1 mark

          A relay is required to operate 800 m from its power supply. The power supply has negligible internal resistance. The relay requires 16.0 V and a current of 0.60 A to operate.

           A cable connects the relay to the power supply, and two of the wires in the cable are used to supply power to the relay.

           The resistance of each of these wires is 0.0050 Ω per meter.

           What is the minimum output e .m .f. of the power supply ?

          • 16.6 V

          • 18.4 V

          • 20.8 V

          • 29.3 V

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          4
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          1 mark

          A box with four terminals P, Q, R and S contains two identical resistors.

          cie-ial-images567png

          When a battery of electromotive force (e .m. f.) E and negligible internal resistance is connected across PS, a high-resistance voltmeter connected across QR reads  E over 2  

           Which diagram shows the correct arrangement of the two resistors inside the box ?

          cie-ial-images568png

          cie-ial-images569png

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            5
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            The diagram shows the electric motor for a garden pump connected to a 24 V power supply by an insulated two-core cable.

            cie-ial-images573png

            The motor does not work so, to find the fault, the negative terminal of a voltmeter is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply, and its other end is connected in turn to terminals X and Y at the motor.

             Which row represents two readings and a correct conclusion?

             

             

            Voltmeter reading when connected to X / V

            Voltmeter reading when connected to Y / V

             

            Conclusion

            A

            B

            C

            D

            24

            24

            24

            24

            0

            12

            24

            24

            break in positive wire of cable

            break in negative wire of cable

            break in connection within the motor

            break in negative wire of cable

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