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A student investigated how the current in a series circuit varied with the resistance of a
variable resistor.
Figure 1
Figure 2
(a) The battery had a power output of 230 mW when the resistance of the variable
resistor was 36 Ω.
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‘the current in the circuit was inversely proportional to the resistance of the variable
resistor.’
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(2)
Figure 3
Explain how closing the switch would affect the current in the variable resistor.
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(2)
(Total 8 marks)
Q2.
A student investigated how the total resistance of identical resistors connected in parallel
varied with the number of resistors.
The student used an ohmmeter to measure the total resistance of the resistors.
The table below shows some of the results for 3 resistors in parallel.
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X = _______________ Ω
(2)
(b) The student thought that taking a fourth reading would improve the precision of the
results.
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(2)
(c) The student concluded that the number of resistors in parallel was inversely
proportional to the mean total resistance.
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(3)
(d) Explain why adding resistors in parallel decreases the total resistance.
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(2)
(Total 9 marks)
Q3.
A student investigated how the total resistance of identical resistors connected in series
varied with the number of resistors.
The student used an ohmmeter to measure the total resistance of the resistors.
The table below shows the student’s results for 3 resistors in series.
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Resistance = _______________ Ω
(2)
(b) What was the resolution of the ohmmeter the student used?
(1)
(c) How do the results show that the student’s measurements were precise?
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The measurements are accurate.
(1)
(d) How do the results show that the total resistance is directly proportional to the
number of resistors?
(1)
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(e) Predict the mean total resistance of 7 resistors.
When more resistors are added in series, the total resistance increases.
Each answer may be used once, more than once or not at all.
When the number of resistors increases, the potential difference across each
resistor _______________.
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(2)
(Total 8 marks)
Q4.
A student investigated how the resistance of a piece of nichrome wire varies with length.
Figure 1
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(3)
(b) Describe how the student would obtain the data needed for the investigation.
Your answer should include a risk assessment for one hazard in the investigation.
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(6)
(c) Why would switching off the circuit between readings have improved the accuracy of
the student’s investigation?
(1)
(d) The student used crocodile clips to make connections to the wire.
Figure 2
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How would using the jockey have affected the accuracy and resolution of the
student’s results compared to using the crocodile clip?
(2)
(Total 12 marks)
Q5.
(a) Complete the sentence. Choose answers from the box.
potential
charge power temperature time
difference
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(b) Figure 1 shows a current − potential difference graph for a filament lamp.
Figure 1
Explain how the resistance of a filament lamp changes as the potential difference
across it increases.
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(3)
(c) Many householders are replacing their filament lamps with LED lamps which are
more energy efficient.
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(1)
A Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) is used to turn on an outside lamp when it gets dark.
Figure 2
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(d) The light intensity decreases.
What happens to the potential difference across the LDR and the current in the
LDR?
Current ____________________________________________________________
(2)
(e) What is the resistance of the LDR when the potential difference across it is 4 V?
Resistance = _______________________ Ω
Reason ____________________________________________________________
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(2)
(f) Calculate the current through the LDR when the resistance of the LDR is 5000 Ω.
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Current = _______________________ A
(4)
(Total 14 marks)
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Q6.
A student investigated how the current in a filament lamp varied with the potential
difference across the filament lamp.
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(b) The student reversed the connections to the power supply and obtained negative
values for the current and potential difference.
Draw a line on the graph to show the relationship between the negative values of
current and potential difference.
(2)
(c) Write down the equation which links current (I), potential difference (V) and
resistance (R).
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(1)
(d) Determine the resistance of the filament lamp when the potential difference across it
is 1.0 V.
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Resistance = _______________ Ω
(4)
(e) A second student did the same investigation. The ammeter used had a zero error.
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(1)
(Total 11 marks)
Q7.
Student A investigated how the current in resistor R at constant temperature varied with
the potential difference across the resistor.
Figure 1
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(a) Describe a method that Student A could use for this investigation.
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(6)
Explain how the increased temperature of resistor R would have affected Student
B’s results.
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(2)
Figure 2 shows the scale on a moving coil ammeter at one time in the investigation.
Figure 2
Resolution = __________ A
(1)
(d) Student B replaced the moving coil ammeter with a digital ammeter.
Figure 3
The digital ammeter has a higher resolution than the moving coil ammeter.
Give one other reason why it would have been better to use the digital ammeter
throughout this investigation.
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(1)
(Total 10 marks)
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