Yr12 Assessed Homework – Series & Parallel Pack

Q1.
The circuit shown in the figure below shows an arrangement of resistors, W, X, Y, Z, connected to
a battery of negligible internal resistance.

The emf of the battery is 10V and the reading on the ammeter is 2.0 A.

(a) (i) Calculate the total resistance of the circuit.

answer = ______________________ Ω
(1)

(ii) The resistors W, X, Y, and Z all have the same resistance. Show that your answer to
part (a) (i) is consistent with the resistance of each resistor being 3.0 Ω.
 answer = ______________________ Ω
(3)

(b) (i) Calculate the current through resistor Y.

answer = ______________________ A
(2)

(ii) Calculate the pd across resistor W.

answer = ______________________ V
(2)
(Total 8 marks)

Q2. The circuit shown below shows a thermistor connected in a circuit with two resistors, an ammeter and a
battery of emf 15V and negligible internal resistance.

(a) When the thermistor is at a certain temperature the current through the ammeter is 10.0 mA.

(i) Calculate the pd across the 540 Ω resistor.

 answer = ______________________ V
(1)

(ii) Calculate the pd across the 1200 Ω resistor.

answer = ______________________ V
(1)

(iii) Calculate the resistance of the parallel combination of the resistor and the thermistor.

answer = ______________________ Ω
(2)

(iv) Calculate the resistance of the thermistor.

answer = ______________________ Ω
(2)

(b) The temperature of the thermistor is increased so that its resistance decreases.
State and explain what happens to the pd across the 1200 Ω resistor.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 9 marks)
Q3.
(a) A set of decorative lights consists of a string of lamps. Each lamp is rated at 5.0 V, 0.40 W
and is connected in series to a 230 V supply.

Calculate

(i) the number of lamps in the set, so that each lamp operates at the correct rating,

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(ii) the current in the circuit,

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(iii) the resistance of each lamp,

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(iv) the total electrical energy transferred by the set of lights in 2 hours.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(5)

(b) When assembled at the factory, one set of lights inadvertently contains 10 lamps too many.
All are connected in series. Assume that the resistance of each lamp is the same as that
calculated in part (a) (iii).

(i) Calculate the current in this set of lights when connected to a 230 V supply.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(ii) How would the brightness of each lamp in this set compare with the brightness of each
lamp in the correct set?

______________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 8 marks)
Q4.
In the circuit shown in Figure 1, the battery, of emf 6.0V, has negligible internal resistance.

Figure 1

(a) Calculate the current through the ammeter when the switch S is

(i) open,

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(ii) closed.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(3)

(b) The switch S is now replaced with a voltmeter of infinite resistance.

Determine the reading on the voltmeter.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

Q5.
(a) In the circuit in Figure 1, the battery, of emf 15 V and the negligible internal resistance, is
connected in series with two lamps and a resistor. The three components each have a
resistance of 12 Ω.
 Figure 1

(i) What is the voltage across each lamp?

______________________________________________________________

(ii) Calculate the current through the lamps.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(3)

(b) The two lamps are now disconnected and reconnected in parallel as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2

(i) Show that the current supplied by the battery is 0.83 A.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(ii) Hence show that the current in each lamp is the same as the current in the lamps in the
circuit in Figure 1.

______________________________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(3)

(c) How does the brightness of the lamps in the circuit in Figure 1 compare with the brightness
of the lamps in the circuit in Figure 2?

Explain your answer.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 8 marks)

Q6.
(a) Define the electrical resistance of a component.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(b) Calculate the total resistance of the arrangement of resistors in the figure below.

total resistance ____________________

(3)

(c) (i) Calculate the current in the 3.0 Ω resistor in the figure above when the current in the
9.0 Ω resistor is 2.4 A.
 current in the 3.0 Ω resistor ____________________

(ii) Calculate the total power dissipated by the arrangement of resistors in the figure above
when the current in the 9.0 Ω resistor is 2.4 A.

total power ____________________

(4)
(Total 9 marks)

Q7.
A student is provided with three resistors with the values of 1 Ω, 2 Ω and 3 Ω.

(a) (i) Show how all 3 resistors can be connected together to provide the greatest value of
resistance.

(1)

(ii) Calculate this largest value of resistance.

(2)

(b) (i) Sketch the arrangement of the same resistors that will provide the smallest value of
resistance.

(1)

(ii) Calculate this smallest value of resistance.

(2)
(Total 6 marks)