Practical 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 5Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  State Kirchhoff’s first law.

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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 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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• 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 5Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Structured11 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 5.1 shows a circuit containing a battery, two fixed resistors X and Y, and a light-dependent resistor (LDR) Z. The battery has electromotive force (e.m.f.) $5.0\text{ V}$ and internal resistance $4.7\mathrm{\Omega }$. The current in X is $I_1$ and the current in Y is $I_2$.

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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 34Oct/Nov 2023, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A cell of electromotive force (e.m.f.) 3.0 V and internal resistance $0.50\mathrm{\Omega }$ is connected to a variable resistor, a voltmeter and an ammeter, as shown. The resistance of the variable resistor is varied.

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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 36Oct/Nov 2023, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Three resistors, each of resistance $R$, are connected in a network, as shown. The total resistance between points X and Y is $8.0\mathrm{\Omega }$. What is the value of $R$?

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• Question 5May/June 2026, paper 22Structured12 marksHas a diagram

  Three resistors of resistances $R_1$, $R_2$ and $R_3$ are connected in a network in parallel as shown in Figure 5.1. The currents in the resistors are $I_1$, $I_2$ and $I_3$ respectively. The total current entering the network is $I_{\text{T}}$.

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• Question 34May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows six identical resistors connected in a circuit. In which branch of the circuit is the most power dissipated?

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• Question 36Oct/Nov 2024, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a circuit. Which statement about the circuit is not correct?

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• Question 6Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  A battery is connected in a circuit with a light-dependent resistor (LDR), two fixed resistors and a voltmeter, as shown in Fig. 6.1. The battery has an electromotive force (e.m.f.) of $25\text{ V}$ and negligible internal resistance.

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• Question 4May/June 2026, paper 23Structured11 marks

  A light-dependent resistor (LDR) is connected across the terminals of a cell that has internal resistance. A voltmeter is connected across the LDR. Draw a circuit diagram to show this arrangement.

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• Question 35May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a circuit containing a thermistor, a fixed resistor and a battery. The graph shows the $I$–$V$ characteristics of both components. The battery has an e.m.f.

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• Question 34May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Which circuit symbol represents a microphone?

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• Question 36May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Two resistors of resistances $R_1$ and $R_2$ are connected in parallel. What is the combined resistance between X and Y?

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• Question 7Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Structured8 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 7.1 shows two resistors connected in series with a cell of electromotive force (e.m.f.) $1.50\text{ V}$ and internal resistance $0.28\mathrm{\Omega }$. One of the resistors has resistance $1.0\mathrm{\Omega }$. The other resistor has resistance $R$.

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• Question 35May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A battery with internal resistance is connected to a fixed resistor, an ammeter and a voltmeter, as shown. The battery is replaced by a different battery that has the same electromotive force (e.m.f.) but a greater internal resistance.

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• Question 5Oct/Nov 2024, paper 22Structured12 marksHas a diagram

  Define electric potential difference (p.d.).

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• Question 34May/June 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Four resistors, each of resistance $R$, are connected as shown. The total resistance between point X and point Y is $120\mathrm{\Omega }$. What is the magnitude of the resistance $R$?

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• Question 36May/June 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a four-terminal box connected to a battery and two ammeters. The currents in the two ammeters are identical. Which circuit, within the box, gives this result?

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