9 Current-potential difference relationships

Exam practice questions

Page 126–127 Exam practice questions

1 A typical semiconductor diode will not start to conduct until a potential
difference of about 0.5 V is applied – the answer is C. [Total 1 Mark]
2 The filament will have resistance even when there is no potential difference applied – its
resistance is a property of the wire from which it is constructed. This resistance will increase
when a potential difference is applied as the current heats the filament – the answer is D.
[Total 1 Mark]
𝑉2 2
3 From P = ⇒ P α V as R is constant, since the resistor obeys Ohm’s law – the answer is B.
𝑅

[Total 1 Mark]
4 If the resistor obeys Ohm’s law, its resistance will remain constant irrespective of the current –
the answer is B. [Total 1 Mark]
𝑉 1
5 R = ⇒ R α if V is constant – the answer is D. [Total 1 Mark]
𝐼 𝐼

6 a) Graph A, for the carbon resistor, is a straight line through the origin. This indicates that the
current is proportional to the potential difference so that the resistor obeys Ohm’s law and
has a constant resistance. As graph B, for the filament lamp, is a curve, it shows that the lamp
does not obey Ohm’s law. As the curve gets less steep, it indicates that the resistance of the
lamp increases with increased potential difference due to the heating effect of the current in
the tungsten filament wire. (4)
𝑉
b) i) As the resistor is ohmic, 𝑅 = = constant = inverse gradient.
𝐼

Using a large triangle:

(8.0 − 0.0) 𝑉
𝑅 = (0.25 − 0.0)𝐴
= 32 Ω [2]
difference in values
ii) Percentage difference = × 100%
stated value
(33 − 32)Ω
= × 100% = 3%
33 Ω

which is within the stated 5% tolerance.

or
The nominal value is 33 Ω ± 5% = (33 ± 1.65)Ω, so the measured value of 32 Ω is
within the stated tolerance. [2]
c) i) Reading off from graph B, when the potential difference across the lamp is 12 V, the
current in it is 0.375 A, so:
𝑃 = 𝑉𝑉 = 12 V × 0.375 A = 4.5 W [2]
ii) Percentage difference between this value and the stated value of 5 W
(5.0 − 4.5)W
= × 100% = 10% [1]
5.0 W

© Graham George & Mike Benn 2015

9 Current-potential difference relationships
Exam practice questions

d) i) From graph B, when the potential difference across the lamp is 12.0 V, the current in it
is 0.375 A, so:
𝑉 12.0 V
𝑅 = = = 32 Ω [2]
𝐼 0.375 A

ii) From graph B when the potential difference across the lamp is 1.0 V, the current in it is
0.10 A, so:
𝑉 1.0 V
𝑅 = = = 10 Ω [1]
𝐼 0.10 A

[Total 14 Marks]

7 a) From the graph, the current in the lamp at 12 V = 0.37 A [1]

𝑉 12 V
Resistance of lamp at 12 V: R = = = 32 Ω [1]
𝐼 0.37 A

The student therefore mistakenly thinks that the circuit resistance will be
(32 + 33) Ω = 65 Ω. [1]
𝑉 12 V
This would give a current of I = = = 0.18 A [1]
𝑅 65 Ω

b) What the student has forgotten is that there will no longer be 12 V across the lamp

and so the lamp will be cooler and have less resistance. [2]
If the current is actually 0.24 A, the p.d. across the resistor will be:
V = IR = 0.24 A × 33 Ω = 7.9 V [1]
The p.d. across the lamp will therefore be (12.0 – 7.9) V = 4.1 V [1]
Check: From the graph, the current in the lamp at a p.d. of 4.1 V is 0.24 A, which is
the stated circuit current.
(Remember: It is always a good idea, time permitting, to check answers. If this can
be done by working out the answer by a different method this is even better.)
c) ‘Quantitatively’ means we must justify our answer with some numbers, so:

At 12 V: power developed in lamp P = VI = 12 V × 0.37 A = 4.4 W. [2]

At 4.1 V: power developed in lamp P = VI = 4.1 V × 0.24 A = 0.98 W. [1]
As the power is less than ¼ of the normal working power, the lamp will only glow
dimly. [1]
(Remember: If possible, any argument or discussion should be backed up with
numerical evidence.)
d) We have just found that the lamp consumes 0.98 W.

The power consumed by the resistor is P = I2R = (0.24 A)2 × 33 Ω = 1.9 W [2]
The resistor therefore consumes about twice as much power as the lamp. [1]
[Total 15 Marks]

© Graham George & Mike Benn 2015

9 Current-potential difference relationships
Exam practice questions

8 a) i) Ohm’s law states that for a metallic conductor at a constant temperature the current in
the conductor is proportional to the potential difference across the conductor. [2]
ii) The resistance of any conductor is defined as the potential difference across the
conductor divided by the current in the conductor. [1]
𝑉 2.0 V
b) 𝐼 = = = 0.177 A = 177 mA [2]
𝑅 11.3 Ω

c)

[3]
d)

[3]
The current sensor and voltage sensor are connected to the data logger (analogue to digital
converter), the output of which is fed into a computer. The potential divider is used to vary
the potential difference from zero to 2.0 V (note that a series variable resistor cannot do this
– see page 117) and the current and potential difference are recorded at set intervals. This
data is stored in the data logger and can then be used to plot a graph via the computer.
The main advantage of using a data logger is that a large amount of data can be collected and
processed in a relatively short time, and thus gives better average values. [1]
The only real disadvantage is the complexity of the set-up compared with just using digital
meters. [1]
e) The resistance of the whole ribbon when the toaster is operating at 240 V, 1000 W is given by
𝑉2 𝑉2 (240 V)2
𝑃 = ⟹𝑅 = = = 57.6 Ω [2]
𝑅 𝑃 1000 W

© Graham George & Mike Benn 2015

9 Current-potential difference relationships
Exam practice questions

If a length of 1.00 m has a resistance of 11.3 Ω, then the total length of the ribbon will be:
57.6 Ω
length of ribbon = × 1.00 m = 5.10 m [1]
11.3 Ω

This assumes that the resistivity of the nichrome is the same when it is at the operating
temperature of the toaster as it is at 2.0 V. In practice, the resistivity will increase with
temperature and so the length of ribbon will be less than the calculated value. An estimate of
‘about 5 m’ would not be unreasonable. [2]
[Total 18 Marks]

9) Reading from the graph (figure 9.20 on page 127), when the current in the diode is 25 mA, its
resistance is 30 Ω. [1]
The potential difference across the diode is then given by 𝑉 = 𝐼𝐼:
𝑉 = 25 × 10−3 A × 30 Ω = 0.75 V [1]
The potential difference across the resistor will therefore be
(1.58 − 0.75)V = 0.83 V. [1]
𝑉
The required value of resistance is given by 𝑅 = :
𝐼
0.83 V
𝑅 = = 33.2 Ω [1]
25 ×10−3 A

The most suitable value would therefore be the 33 Ω resistor. [1]

[Total 5 Marks]

Stretch and challenge

10)
a)

[3]

© Graham George & Mike Benn 2015

9 Current-potential difference relationships
Exam practice questions

b) [3]

[3]

c)

i) See part (i) of figure above. Make sure you label the p.d. axis so that the peak p.d. is
1
4.0 V and that you label the time axis to show that one wave takes = 0.02 s = 20 ms. [2]
50 s-1

ii) See part (ii) of figure above. Your graph should have three distinct features as discussed
in part (iii). [2]
iii) You should explain the following:

© Graham George & Mike Benn 2015

9 Current-potential difference relationships
Exam practice questions

• The diode will not start to conduct until the p.d. across rises to 0.7 V. This means that
there will be a short time delay before it starts to conduct and that it will stop
conducting 0.7 V before the p.d. falls to zero. This means that the positive half-cycles
are not quite a full half-cycle. [2]
• As 0.7 V is dropped across the diode, the output p.d. will only be:
V out = (5.0 – 0.7) V = 3.3 V
Your peak should therefore be drawn at 3.3 V instead of 4.0 V [2]
• The diode will not conduct at all during the negative half-cycle. [1]
[Total 15 Marks]

© Graham George & Mike Benn 2015