C17: D.C.

Circuits

MCQ

1 The following shows a 4.0 Ω resistor and an 8.0 Ω resistor connected to a 6.0 V battery.

What is the current in the battery?

A 0.50 A
B 0.75 A
C 1.5 A
D 2.0 A

2 The following shows a 4.0  and an 8.0  resistor connected to a 6.0 V battery.

What is the current in the 8.0  resistor?

A 0A
B 0.50 A
C 0.75 A
D 1.0 A

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C17: D.C. Circuits

3 The following shows a circuit containing three ammeters P, Q and R.

Which statement about the readings on the ammeters is correct?

A The reading on P is equal to the reading on Q.
B The reading on P is equal to the reading on R.
C The reding on Q is greater than the reading on P.
D The reading on Q is greater than the reading on R.

4 Identical resistors are connected to form arrangements X, Y and Z.

What is the correct order of the resistances of the circuits from the largest to the smallest?
A X→Y→Z
B Y→X→Z
C Z→X→Y
D Z→Y→X

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C17: D.C. Circuits

5 The following shows a circuit containing a battery, a resistor with high resistance, a switch
and a lamp.

What happens to the lamp when the switch is closed?

A It glows more brightly.
B It glows less brightly.
C It goes out.
D Its brightness does not change.

6 The following shows a circuit containing a variable potential divider PQ, a lamp and a
voltmeter.

The sliding contact of the potential divider is moved towards end Q.

What happens to the brightness of the lamp and what happens to the voltmeter reading?

Brightness of Lamp Voltmeter Reading

A becomes brighter decreases

B becomes brighter increases

C does not change decreases

D does not change increases

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C17: D.C. Circuits

7 The following shows an electric circuit consisting of a light dependent resistor (LDR), a fixed
resistor and two identical light bulbs connected to a power supply.

What will happen to the brightness of bulb X and Y when the light incident on the LDR
decreases?

Bulb X Bulb Y

A brighter dimmer

B brighter brighter

C dimmer brighter

D dimmer dimmer

8 A cell of e.m.f. 2.0 V is connected to a network of resistors as shown.

What is the current I?

A 0.25 A
B 0.33 A
C 0.50 A
D 1.5 A

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C17: D.C. Circuits

9 The following shows part of a current-carrying circuit.

What is the reading on the ammeter?

A 0.7 A
B 1.3 A
C 1.5 A
D 1.7 A

10 The following shows a circuit where all the resistors are identical.

The reading on the voltmeter V1 is 8.0 V, and the reading on voltmeter V2 is 1.0 V. What are
the readings on the other voltmeters?

Reading on Voltmeter V3 / V Reading on Voltmeter V4 / V

A 1.5 1.0

B 3.0 2.0

C 4.5 3.0

D 6.0 4.0

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C17: D.C. Circuits

11 A 10.0  and a 30.0  resistor are connected in series as shown.

What would be the reading of the voltmeter?

A 2.0 V
B 4.0 V
C 6.0 V
D 8.0 V

12 The following shows a circuit with four voltmeter readings V, V1, V2 and V3,

Which equation relating the voltmeter readings is true?

A V = V1 + V2 + V3
B V + V1 = V2 + V3
C V3 = 2V2
D V – V1 = V3

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C17: D.C. Circuits

13 In the circuit shown below, all the resistors are identical. The reading on ammeter A1 is 0.6 A.

What are the readings on the other ammeters?

Reading on Reading on Reading on

Ammeter A2 / A Ammeter A3 / A Ammeter A4 / A

A 1.0 0.3 0.1

B 1.4 0.6 0.2

C 1.8 0.9 0.3

D 2.2 1.2 0.4

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C17: D.C. Circuits

14 The following shows a box with four terminals, P, Q, R and S, which contains two identical
resistors.

When a battery of electromotive force (e.m.f) E is connected across PS, a voltmeter

E
connected across QR reads 2.
Which diagram shows the correct arrangement of the two resistors inside the box?

15 A cell of e.m.f. 2.0 V is connected to a network of resistors as shown.

What is the current I?

A 0.25 A
B 0.33 A
C 0.50 A
D 1.50 A

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C17: D.C. Circuits

Structured Questions

1 40 lamps, each of resistance 8.0 Ω, are connected in series to a 240 V supply to decorate a tree.

(a) Calculate the total resistance of all the lamp. (1)

(b) Calculate the potential difference across each lamp. (1)
(c) Calculate the current in each lamp. (2)
(d) Calculate the amount of charge that pass through each lamp in one minute. (2)
(e) Calculate the work done needed to drive the charge calculated in (d) through each lamp.
(2)

2 (a) A resistor X with an unknown resistance is connected in parallel with a 24.0 Ω resistor in
a circuit. The total resistance of the circuit is 8.0 Ω. Calculate the resistance of resistor X.
(2)
(b) Draw the parallel arrangement of resistors in (a) connected in a circuit with a 6.0 V
battery. The circuit should also include an ammeter to measure the current in the 24.0 Ω
resistor. (2)
(c) Calculate the current in each resistor as connected in (b). Show your working. (4)

3 The following shows the circuit that operates the two headlights and the two sidelights of a car.

Two of the lamps each have a resistance of 4.0 Ω when lit. The other two lamps each have an
resistance of 12 Ω when lit. Switch A can be connected to positions 1, 2 or 3.

(a) State which lamps lit up, if any, when switch A is connected to:
(i) position 1; (1)
(ii) position 2; and (1)
(iii) position 3. (1)

(b) (i) State the potential difference across each lamp when lit. (1)
(ii) Calculate the current in each 4.0 Ω and 12 Ω lamp when lit. (4)

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C17: D.C. Circuits

4 The following shows a 12 V battery connected in a circuit containing resistors A, B, C and D. Each
resistor has a resistance of 6.0 Ω.

(a) Calculate the combined resistance of:

(i) resistors A and B; (1)
(ii) resistors A, B and C; and (2)
(iii) resistors A, B, C and D; (1)

(b) (i) Calculate the current in the battery. (2)

(ii) Calculate the total amount of charges that pass through all the resistors in 50s (1).
(iii) Calculate the work done to drive all charges calculated in (b) (II) through all the
resistors. (1)

5 This question refers to quantities and data shown in the following circuit.

(a) State the relationship between:

(i) the currents I1, I2 and I3; and (1)
(ii) the currents I1 and I4. (1)

(b) The ammeter reads 0.80 A. Assume it has zero resistance.

(i) Calculate the potential difference between X and Y. (1)
(ii) Calculate the current I3. (2)
(iii) Calculate the resistance of R. (3)

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C17: D.C. Circuits

6 The following shows a circuit containing a 12 V power supply, some resistors and an ammeter
whose resistance is so small that it may be ignored.

(a) (i) Determine the potential difference across the 2 Ω resistor. (2)
(ii) State the potential difference across the 3 Ω resistor. (1)

(b) Calculate the effective resistance of:

(i) the 2 Ω and 4 Ω resistors connected in series; and (1)
(ii) the 3 Ω and 6 Ω resistors connected in parallel. (2)
(c) Calculate the reading on the ammeter. (2)
(d) Without further calculation, state what happens, if any, to the ammeter reading if:
(i) a thick piece of wire is connected in parallel to the 2 Ω resistor; and (1)
(ii) the thick piece of wire in (d) (i) and the 3 Ω resistor are removed. (1)

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C17: D.C. Circuits

7 The following shows an electric circuit.

(a) Describe how the circuit acts as a variable potential divider. (2)
(b) The resistance of the lamp is 4.0 Ω when it is at its normal brightness.

The lamp is rated at 6.0 V, 9.0 W. Calculate the current in the lamp when it is at its
normal brightness. (2)

(c) The sliding contact C is moved to A. The lamp lights at its normal brightness.
(i) Calculate the total resistance in the circuit. (1)
(ii) Calculate the potential difference across the lamp. (2)

(d) The sliding contact C is moved from A to B. The 1 m wire between A and B has a
resistance of 2.0 Ω.
(i) Describe any change that occurs in the brightness of the lamp. (1)
(ii) Explain your answer in (d) (i). (2)

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C17: D.C. Circuits

8 The brightness inside a new car model is built in such a way that it becomes brighter as the
external environment gets darker. The following shows how the brightness inside the car
changes as it cruises through a tunnel.

At t = 0 s, the car starts to enter the tunnel.

(a) If the 12 V battery of the car is using up its energy at a rate of 60 mW, calculate the
current flowing through the lamps. (1)
(b) Suggest two reasons why the curve flattens out after 5 s. (2)
(c) Sketch, on the same axes above, a curve if the car is cruising at twice the original speed.
(2)
(d) Draw a circuit consisting of a 12 V battery, a LDR, a fixed resistor and four lamps with
independent switches that can be used for lighting the inside of the car.(2)
(e) Explain how the circuit drawn in (d) works. (3)

9 The following shows a circuit connected to a battery of unknown e.m.f.

(a) When the switch is opened, the ammeter reads 3.0 A.

(i) Calculate the e.m.f of the battery. (3)
(ii) Calculate the current passing through PSR. (1)

(b) The switch is now closed.

(i) Determine the current that flows through QS. (2)
(ii) Hence, determine the total resistance in the circuit. (1)

(c) Suggest two advantages of connecting electrical appliances in a parallel circuit. (2)

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C17: D.C. Circuits

10 The following shows a circuit consisting of a 6 V battery source, two resistors of 150  each, light
dependent resistor (LDR), and thermistor. The voltage Vout across the LDR is connected to a fan
that will be switched on whenthe output voltage Vout ≥ 4.0 V.

(a) The table below shows the range of resistance values for the LDR and the thermistor. The
resistance of the thermistor varies linearly with temperature.

Device Temperature Light Intensity Resistance

20 °C 200 
thermistor
35 °C 50 

bright noon 100 

LDR day

night 200 

(i) Describe the action of the negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor and the
LDR. (2)
(ii) Explain how the two devices are used as input transducers in the circuit. (2)
(iii) Find the reading of the ammeter when it is during the night and the temperature is
20 °C. (2)

(b) (i) Show, with clear workings, the possible temperature and light intensity, which will
cause the fan to be switched on. (3)
(ii) Calculate, with clear workings, the maximum resistance and minimum temperature of
the thermistor required to switch on the fan at night. (3)

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C17: D.C. Circuits

11 The following shows a circuit containing a battery, three resistors and an ammeter.

(i) Write down the equation for the effective resistance Rp of two resistors of resistances R1 and
R2 connected in parallel. (1)
(ii) Use the equation in (a) (i) to calculate the effective resistance of the two resistors in
parallel in the circuit. (1)

(a) A voltmeter is used to measure the potential difference across the resistors in parallel.
(i) On the circuit above, draw the voltmeter in the circuit. (2)
(ii) The ammeter reads 1.6 A. Calculate the reading on the voltmeter. (2)

(b) State what happens to the ammeter reading if the 1 Ω resistor is replaced by a 3 Ω
resistor. (1)

12 The circuit shown below uses a 12 V battery.

(a) Switch S is opened.

(i) State the value of the reading on the ammeter. (1)
(ii) State the value of the potential difference across S. (1)

(b) Switch S is now closed.

(i) Calculate the current in the ammeter. (1)
(ii) Calculate the potential difference across the 8 Ω resistor. (1)

(c) The two resistors are now connected in parallel. Calculate the new reading on the
ammeter when S is closed, stating clearly the equations used. (2)

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C17: D.C. Circuits

13 The following shows a circuit with an e.m.f supply of 15.0 V. All the resistors in the circuit are
identical with a resistance of 10.0  each.

(a) (i) Calculate the effective resistance of the circuit. (3)

(ii) Calculate the current supplied by the battery. (2)
(iii) Determine the potential difference between points X and Z. (3)

(b) Determine the effective resistance of the whole circuit if a wire is used to connect point X
and Z. (2)

14 The following shows an electric circuit where the e.m.f of the battery is 6.0 V and R1 and R2 are
identical resistors. When switch S is open, the ammeter reading is 0.60 A, and the voltmeter
reading is 2.4 V.

(a) Calculate the resistance of the lamp. (2)

(b) Calculate the resistance of R1. (2)
(c) Switch S is closed.
(i) Calculate the total resistance of the circuit. (2)
(ii) Calculate the current through the bulb. (3)
(d) Compare the brightness of the lamp when switch S is closed to that of the lamp when
switch S is open. Explain the answer. (2)

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