D.C. circuits: past paper questions

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• Question 33May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a circuit. Which resistor dissipates the least power?

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• Question 34Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a circuit containing a battery and cells with negligible internal resistance. Some values of current, electromotive force (e.m.f.) and resistance are shown. One resistor is labelled P. What is the resistance of resistor P?

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• Question 31Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Kirchhoff's second law is a consequence of a basic principle. What is this principle?

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• Question 31Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  In the circuit shown, the battery has an electromotive force (e.m.f.) of $6.0\text{ V}$ and negligible internal resistance. The three resistors each have resistance $R$. The total power dissipated in the resistor network is $24\text{ W}$.

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• Question 35May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  In the diagrams shown, the cells have negligible internal resistance and the wires have negligible resistance. Which diagram demonstrates Kirchhoff's second law?

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• Question 35Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a circuit with a battery connected to a resistor R. The battery has an internal resistance represented by resistor r. A second resistor…

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• Question 32Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a circuit with a light-dependent resistor (LDR). The ammeter reads zero current. What is the resistance of the LDR?

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• Question 35Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Kirchhoff’s first and second laws are a consequence of the conservation of which quantities?

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• Question 37Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows the currents in part of an electric circuit. The resistors are identical. Which equation is not correct?

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• Question 37May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a resistor connected in series with a light-dependent resistor (LDR) and a battery. The light intensity incident on the LDR increases. What is the effect of this change on the voltmeter and ammeter readings?

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• Question 35Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a circuit with a battery of electromotive force (e.m.f.) $60\text{ V}$ and negligible internal resistance, a $20\text{ k}\mathrm{\Omega }$ resistor, a thermistor and a voltmeter. The resistance of the thermistor is $20\text{ k}\mathrm{\Omega }$.

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• Question 37Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A potential divider consists of two resistors of resistances $R_1$ and $R_2$ connected in series across a source of potential difference (p.d.) $V_{\text{in}}$. The p.d. across $R_1$ is $V_{\text{out}}$.

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• Question 35May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a circuit with a battery connected to a resistor with a resistance of $4.0\mathrm{\Omega }$. The battery has an internal resistance of $2.0\mathrm{\Omega }$. The voltmeter reads $12\text{ V}$.

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• Question 36Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A potentiometer circuit is used to determine the electromotive force (e.m.f.) $E_{\text{X}}$ of a cell.

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• Question 35Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The circuit shown contains a cell with negligible internal resistance. The energy transferred per unit charge in driving charge around the complete circuit is $E$.

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• Question 33Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A student sets up a circuit. The circuit diagram shows how the positive and negative terminals of a voltmeter are connected to the circuit. The voltmeter has an initial reading that is positive.

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• Question 36May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Kirchhoff’s first and second laws are a consequence of the conservation of different quantities. What are those quantities?

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• Question 37Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The principles of conservation of which two quantities are associated with Kirchhoff's first and second laws?

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• Question 36Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  In the circuits shown, the batteries are identical and all have negligible internal resistance. All of the resistors have the same resistance. The diodes have zero resistance when conducting and infinite resistance when not conducting.

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• Question 34Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Some resistors and a battery of electromotive force (e.m.f.) $E$ and negligible internal resistance are connected in series, as shown. Which statement is correct?

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• Question 35Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Kirchhoff's first law is a consequence of the conservation of which physical quantity?

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• Question 35May/June 2026, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a thermistor and a variable resistor connected to a battery. The temperature of the thermistor decreases.

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• Question 35Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Three resistors are connected to a cell of negligible internal resistance. Which circuit has a combined resistance of $100\mathrm{\Omega }$?

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• Question 36Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a network of resistors. Each resistor has a resistance of $6.0\mathrm{\Omega }$. What is the total resistance of the network between points X and Y?

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• Question 36May/June 2026, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Three resistor networks, X, Y and Z, are formed from identical resistors as shown. What is the order of the networks from smallest total resistance to largest total resistance?

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• Question 36Oct/Nov 2025, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Two identical wires X and Y, each of length $L$ and radius $r$, are connected in parallel as shown. The total resistance of this combination is $R_1$. Wire X is replaced with a wire of the same material with length $L$ and radius $2r$.

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• Question 36Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Each of Kirchhoff's laws is a statement based on the conservation of a physical quantity. Which quantity is conserved in each law?

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• Question 37Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  In the circuit shown, a battery of negligible internal resistance is connected in series with a pair of fixed resistors ${\text{R}}_1$ and ${\text{R}}_2$. The circuit is to be used to test whether the electromotive force (e.m.f.) of a particular cell is $1.5\text{ V}$.

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• Question 37May/June 2026, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  Which piece of apparatus is represented by the circuit symbol shown?

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• Question 33Oct/Nov 2023, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A battery of electromotive force (e.m.f.) 12 V and negligible internal resistance is connected to a fixed resistor of resistance $40\mathrm{\Omega }$ and a thermistor of resistance $R_{\text{T}}$, as shown.

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