Electricity and Circuits | Edexcel GCSE Physics, Foundation tier (1PH0)
Electricity and Circuits
- 264 questions
- 20 subtopics
- Paper 2
- Paper 2
Electricity and Circuits is examined in Paper 2, Physics 2.
It covers the atom, and drawing circuit diagrams, series and parallel circuits, potential difference and the voltmeter, energy transferred by moving charge, current, charge and measuring current, resistance and the equation V = IR, resistors in series and in parallel, designing circuits to test components, investigating resistance in circuits, current-potential difference graphs for components, light-dependent resistors and thermistors, the heating effect of an electric current, uses of the heating effect, and the equation E = IVt, power as energy transferred per second, calculating electrical power, energy transfer in domestic devices, and power ratings, direct and alternating current, alternating current and the UK mains supply, live and neutral wires, earthing and fuses and fuses in the live wire, mains voltages and electrical dangers.
Sample questions from Electricity and Circuits
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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The atom, and drawing circuit diagrams
Why is almost all the mass of an atom concentrated in a tiny part of its volume?
Show the answer
The protons and neutrons carry nearly all the mass and are packed into the nucleus, which is far smaller than the whole atom. -
Potential difference and the voltmeter
A charge of 1 C passes through a resistor and 6 J are transferred. What is the potential difference across the resistor?
Show the answer
The potential difference is 6 V, because 6 J are transferred for each coulomb. -
Resistance and the equation V = IR
What unit is resistance measured in, and what is its symbol?
Show the answer
Resistance is measured in ohms, symbol Ω. -
Designing circuits to test components
How can a circuit be used to show that a diode conducts in one direction only?
Show the answer
The current is measured with the diode one way round and then with its connections reversed, and it is almost zero one way round. -
Light-dependent resistors and thermistors
Name one everyday device that uses a light-dependent resistor to respond to changing light levels.
Show the answer
An automatic outdoor lighting circuit or a camera light meter uses a light-dependent resistor. -
Uses of the heating effect, and the equation E = IVt
A device connected to 12 V transfers 4800 J in 40 s. What current passes through it?
Show the answer
The current is 4800 J ÷ (12 V × 40 s) = 10 A. -
Energy transfer in domestic devices, and power ratings
How does the energy source of a cordless drill differ from that of a mains-powered drill?
Show the answer
The cordless drill takes energy from the chemical store of its battery, while the mains drill takes energy from the alternating mains supply. -
Alternating current and the UK mains supply
Is the domestic mains supply in the United Kingdom alternating or direct?
Show the answer
It is alternating.
The 20 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| The atom, and drawing circuit diagrams | The charges, relative masses and positions of protons, neutrons and electrons, why atoms are neutral, conventional current, and circuit symbols for cells, batteries, diodes, LEDs, variable resistors, lamps, light-dependent resistors, thermistors, motors, meters and switches. | 17 |
| Series and parallel circuits | Current and potential difference in series and parallel circuits, why lamps go out or stay lit when one breaks, household wiring, and currents splitting and adding at a junction. | 12 |
| Potential difference and the voltmeter | How a voltmeter is connected and what it reads, why its resistance is very high, potential difference as energy per coulomb, and why one volt is one joule per coulomb. | 11 |
| Energy transferred by moving charge | The energy, charge and potential difference equation with calculations, why a higher voltage transfers more per coulomb, and the two conditions for a current to flow in a circuit. | 12 |
| Current, charge and measuring current | Connecting an ammeter in series, its low resistance, current as the rate of flow of charge, free electrons in a metal, the ampere, and charge from current and time. | 18 |
| Resistance and the equation V = IR | What resistance is, how a variable resistor dims a lamp and gives a range of readings, the ohm, and the equation linking potential difference, current and resistance with calculations. | 15 |
| Resistors in series and in parallel | Why series resistors add and parallel resistors reduce the total, two identical resistors in parallel, and calculations of current and potential difference in series circuits. | 14 |
| Designing circuits to test components | Placing a switch, ammeter, variable resistor and protective resistor in series with a voltmeter across the component, and circuits for a filament lamp, a diode, a thermistor and a light-dependent resistor. | 13 |
| Investigating resistance in circuits | The circuit for a fixed resistor, the variables changed, measured and controlled, the straight-line and curved graphs for a resistor and a filament lamp, and results for series and parallel combinations. | 15 |
| Current-potential difference graphs for components | The straight line for a fixed resistor, the flattening curve for a filament lamp as it heats, and the one-way conduction of a diode. | 8 |
| Light-dependent resistors and thermistors | How the resistance of a light-dependent resistor falls in brighter light and of a thermistor as it warms, switching street lamps and cooling fans, and the devices that use them. | 10 |
| The heating effect of an electric current | Why a resistor warms when current passes, heating elements in toasters, energy dissipated as thermal energy and wasted in wires, and electrons colliding with lattice ions, so larger currents, thinner wires and hotter metals mean more heating. | 16 |
| Uses of the heating effect, and the equation E = IVt | Kettles, toasters and filament lamps using the heating effect, its drawbacks in cables, wiring, laptops and battery devices, and energy transferred from current, potential difference and time. | 13 |
| Power as energy transferred per second | Power as the energy transferred each second, the watt, comparing appliances by rating, and the equation linking power, energy and time with calculations. | 12 |
| Calculating electrical power | Power as current times potential difference, why larger currents or voltages transfer power faster, the current squared times resistance equation, and calculations from each. | 13 |
| Energy transfer in domestic devices, and power ratings | Energy transfers in a washing machine motor, a kettle, a torch, a hair dryer and drills, what a power rating means, and comparing the energy transferred by appliances over time. | 12 |
| Direct and alternating current | Direct and alternating voltages and their traces against time, the frequency of an alternating voltage, batteries and wall sockets, direct current from cells and batteries, and devices such as laptops that need direct current. | 11 |
| Alternating current and the UK mains supply | How charge moves in an alternating current compared with direct current, why a heater still works, direction changes per cycle, and the 50 Hz, 230 V UK mains supply. | 10 |
| Live and neutral wires, earthing and fuses | The functions and colours of the live, neutral and earth wires, why the live wire is dangerous, equal currents in live and neutral, earthing a metal case, how fuses and circuit breakers protect a circuit, and choosing a fuse rating. | 14 |
| Fuses in the live wire, mains voltages and electrical dangers | Why the switch and fuse sit in the live wire, the potential differences between live, neutral and earth, and why touching the live wire while earthed causes shocks and fires. | 18 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
Edexcel GCSE Physics, Foundation tier Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 1,778 questions with their answers.