Series and parallel circuits: past paper questions

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

  The diagram shows four identical lamps that are connected in parallel. What are possible ammeter readings $I_1$ and $I_2$?

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• Question 29Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A student connects four circuits using two identical cells, two identical resistors and a motor. In which circuit does the coil of the motor rotate the fastest?

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• Question 33Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Four $1.5\text{V}$ cells are connected in a circuit as shown. The switch is closed. What is the reading on the voltmeter?

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• Question 26Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Circuits P and Q each contain two identical resistors, each of resistance $R$.

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• Question 34May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a circuit that contains three resistors, a cell and a voltmeter. What is the reading on the voltmeter?

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• Question 34Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Two resistors are connected in series with a battery, as shown. The readings on three voltmeters $V_0$, $V_1$ and $V_2$ and the currents $I_0$, $I_1$ and $I_2$ are also shown. Which row gives values for the current $I_0$ and the potential difference $V_0$?

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• Question 34Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Two identical resistors are connected first in series and then in parallel. The two resistors in series are connected to a power supply and the current is $I_s$. The parallel combination is connected to the same power supply and the current supplied is $I_p$.

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• Question 32May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a lamp, three resistors and three switches, X, Y and Z, connected to a battery. For which combination of switch settings does the lamp shine the brightest?

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• Question 28Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Four resistors, each of resistance R, are connected in series with a cell of e.m.f. E. From left to right, what is the current in each of the resistors?

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• Question 6Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Structured7 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 6.1 shows a circuit that contains two identical cells, each of e.m.f. $1.5\text{ V}$, that are connected in parallel. The circuit also contains two ammeters, a thermistor T and two resistors R and S. The reading on ammeter 1 is $0.20\text{ A}$.

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• Question 6May/June 2026, paper 21Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Figure 6.1 shows two identical car headlamps connected in parallel to the $12\text{ V}$ battery of a car. The lamps are filament lamps. Figure 6.1 The switch is closed, and both lamps operate at normal brightness.

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• Question 6Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  A circuit consists of a battery of e.m.f. $9.0\text{ V}$, a switch, a resistor P, an ammeter, a $4.0\mathrm{\Omega }$ resistor and a voltmeter. Fig. 6.1 is the circuit diagram of the circuit.

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• Question 30Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  X is a piece of wire with length l, area a and resistance R. Wire Y is made from the same material and is connected to wire X to produce a component with a total resistance of $\frac{R}{2}$. What are the dimensions of Y and how is it connected to X? length | area | connection

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• Question 7Oct/Nov 2023, paper 22Structured7 marksHas a diagram

  An electric circuit contains a battery, a fixed resistor R, a voltmeter and a thermistor. Fig. 7.1 is an incomplete circuit diagram of the arrangement. The thermistor is connected between terminals ${\text{T}}_1$ and ${\text{T}}_2$.

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• Question 6May/June 2026, paper 22Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  Figure 6.1 shows a light-dependent resistor (LDR) connected in series with a fixed resistor of resistance $200\mathrm{\Omega }$ and a battery. The electromotive force (e.m.f.) of the battery is $6.0\text{ V}$. The potential difference (p.d.) across the LDR is $2.4\text{ V}$.

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• Question 30May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The graph shows how the resistance of a thermistor varies with temperature. The thermistor is at a temperature of $10{}^{\circ }\text{C}$ and is connected in series with a fixed resistor of resistance $20\mathrm{\Omega }$. What is the combined resistance of both components?

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• Question 2Oct/Nov 2024, paper 41Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  A student investigates series and parallel combinations of resistors. The student is provided with two resistors, X and Y, connected in the circuit shown in Fig. 2.1. The resistors are not identical.

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• Question 29May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a battery of three $1.5\text{ V}$ cells. What is an advantage of this arrangement of cells?

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• Question 31May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Each of the resistors in the circuit shown has a resistance of $6.0\mathrm{\Omega }$. What is the total resistance of the circuit?

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• Question 29May/June 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagrams show five electrical circuits.

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• Question 31May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Three students each suggest a consequence of wiring lamps in parallel rather than in series.

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• Question 30May/June 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Two resistors connected in series act as a potential divider as shown. The resistors have resistances $R_1$ and $R_2$ and the potential differences across them are $V_1$ and $V_2$ respectively. Which expression is equal to $\frac{V_1}{V_2}$?

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• Question 6May/June 2024, paper 22Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 6.1 shows a circuit diagram containing a battery, a light-dependent resistor (LDR) and a fixed resistor of resistance $240\mathrm{\Omega }$ connected in series. There is a lamp near the circuit. Light from the lamp is incident on the LDR when the lamp is switched on.

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• Question 28May/June 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Three identical cells are connected in parallel to a resistor. What is the advantage of using three cells in parallel rather than using a single cell?

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• Question 6May/June 2025, paper 22Structured8 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 6.1 shows part of a mains circuit that includes three lamps and a heater. The mains voltage is $230\text{ V}$, and the power of the heater is $2000\text{ W}$. There is a $5\text{ A}$ fuse in the lighting circuit.

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• Question 29May/June 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A student has three $15\mathrm{\Omega }$ resistors. She connects the resistors together in different arrangements. What is the minimum resistance and what is the maximum resistance of the arrangements that the student can produce?

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• Question 1May/June 2025, paper 41Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  A student investigates the resistance of a lamp. (a) Fig. 1.1 shows the circuit used. The student closes the switch.

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• Question 30May/June 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The circuit diagram shows a variable resistor R connected in parallel to the lower section of a potential divider. The resistance of R increases. What happens to the two voltmeter readings $V_1$ and $V_2$?

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• Question 3May/June 2023, paper 21Structured6 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 3.1 shows a circuit containing three resistors, a 12 V power supply and an ammeter.

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• Question 6May/June 2023, paper 22Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 6.1 shows an electric circuit containing a filament lamp, a resistor R, a $12\text{ V}$ battery and five meters. The reading on ammeter ${\text{A}}_1$ is $0.25\text{ A}$. The reading on voltmeter ${\text{V}}_1$ is $3.0\text{ V}$.

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