Questions 1 and 2 refer to the scenario below.

The figure to the right shows four resistors connected in a circuit with a
battery.

1) Which of the following correctly ranks the potential difference, ΔV,

across the four resistors?

(A) ΔV4R > ΔV3R > ΔV2R > ΔVR (C) ΔV4R = ΔV3R > ΔVR > ΔV2R
(B) ΔV4R > ΔV3R > ΔV2R = ΔVR (D) ΔV2R = ΔVR > ΔV3R > ΔV4R

2) Which of the following correctly ranks the current, I, in the four resistors?

(A) I 4R > I 3R > I 2R > I R (C) I 4R = I 3R > I 2R > I R

(B) I R > I 2R > I 3R > I 4R (D) I 4R = I 3R > I R > I 2R

3) The figure to the right shows three resistors connected in a circuit with a battery.
Which of the following correctly ranks the energy E dissipated in the three
resistors during a given time interval?

(A) E300 Ω > E200 Ω > E100 Ω (C) E200 Ω > E300 Ω > E100 Ω
(B) E300 Ω > E100 Ω > E200 Ω (D) E200 Ω > E100 Ω > E300 Ω

4) A circuit is designed with two resistors, R1 = 200 Ω and R2 = 400 Ω , and a

battery with internal resistance R = 10 Ω , as shown to the right. What is the
relationship between the three labeled currents?

(A) I1 + I2 = I (C) I2 > I1 > I

(B) I > I1 > I2 (D) I1 = I2 = I
5) When the circuit shown to the right is set up, the potential difference
across the battery is 3.0 V. By how much will the magnitude of the
potential difference across R2 change when R3 is removed and its
branch is left open?

(A) The magnitude of the potential difference across R2 does not change.
(B) The magnitude of the potential difference across R2 decreases by 0.5 V.
(C) The magnitude of the potential difference across R2 increases by 0.5 V.
(D) The magnitude of the potential difference across R2 increases by 1.0 V.

6) A physics student creates the following circuit in their lab

station. Which of the following best describes the reading
in the ammeter as the switch changes from open to closed?

(A) The ammeter reading remains at 0 A for a few seconds and

then jumps to 2 A when the current reaches the ammeter.
(B) The ammeter reading remains at 0 A for a few seconds and
then jumps to 1.2 A when the current from the 4-Ω and 6-Ω resistor reaches it. Then the reading jumps to
2 Amps when the current from the 3-Ω resistor reaches the ammeter.
(C) The ammeter reading immediately jumps to 1.2 A when the current from the 4-Ω and 6-Ω resistor reaches
it. Then the reading jumps to 2 A when the current from the 3-Ω resistor reaches the ammeter.
(D) The ammeter reading immediately jumps from 0 A to 2 A because it reads the entire current in the circuit.

7) Light bulbs A and B are identical in all ways except that B’s filament is
thicker than A’s. If screwed into 110- volt sockets,

(A) Bulb A will be brighter because it has more resistance

(B) Bulb B will be brighter because it has more resistance
(C) Bulb A will be brighter because it has less resistance
(D) Bulb B will be brighter because it has less resistance

8) In the circuit shown to the right, the arrows give the direction of the
conventional current, and the numbers in the circles indicate the
ammeter readings in amperes. What is the current in branch WX?

(A) 0 amp
(B) 1 amp
(C) 2 amp
(D) 3 amp
9) A 30-ohm resistor and a 60-ohm resistor are connected as
shown to a battery of emf 20 volts and internal resistance r.
The current in the circuit is 0.8 ampere. What is the value of r?

(A) 4.5 Ω
(B) 5 Ω
(C) 16 Ω
(D) 70 Ω

10) Which two arrangements of resistors shown have the same

resistance between the terminals?

(A) I and II
(B) I and IV
(C) II and III
(D) II and IV

11) Compare the brightness of identical bulbs A and B in the circuits to the right with identical emf sources.
Bulb A is _____ bright as bulb B.

(A) Four times as

(B) Twice as
(C) Half as
(D) One fourth as

12) The circuit shown to the right contains a battery with 2 identical lightbulbs. Rank
the currents at points 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 from HIGHEST to LOWEST.

(A) 5, 3, 1, 2, 4, 6
(B) 5, 3, 1, 4, 2, 6
(C) 5 = 6, 1 = 2 = 3 = 4
(D) 1 = 2 = 3 = 4 = 5 = 6

13) In the circuit shown to the right, what is the value of the potential
difference between points X and Y if the 6-volt battery has no internal
resistance?

A. 2V
B. 3V
C. 4V
D. 6V
14) A wire of length L and radius r has a resistance R. What is the resistance of a second wire made from the same
material that has a length L/2 and a radius r/2?

(A) 4R (C) R
(B) 2R (D) R/4

15) A lamp, a voltmeter V, an ammeter A, and a battery with zero

internal resistance are connected as shown. Connecting another
lamp in parallel with the first lamp as shown by the dashed lines
would

(A) increase the ammeter reading

(B) decrease the ammeter reading
(C) increase the voltmeter reading
(D) decrease the voltmeter reading

16) In the circuit to the right, what is the resistance R?

(A) 3 Ω
(B) 4 Ω
(C) 6 Ω
(D) 12 Ω

17) In the diagrams to the right, resistors R1 and R2 are shown in two
different connections to the same source of emf that has no internal
resistance. How does the power dissipated by the resistors in these
two cases compare?

(A) It is greater for the series connection.

(B) It is greater for the parallel connection.
(C) It is the same for both connections.
(D) It is different for each connection, but one must know the values
of R1 and R2 to know which is greater.

18) If three resistors with unequal resistance are connected in parallel in a DC circuit, which of the following is true
of the total resistance?

(A) It is higher than the value of the highest resistance.

(B) It is equal to the middle resistance.
(C) It is equal to the average of the three resistances.
(D) It is lower than the value of the lowest resistance.
 19) The total equivalent resistance between points X and Y in the circuit
shown to the right is

(A) 3 Ω
(B) 4 Ω
(C) 5 Ω
(D) 6 Ω

Questions 20-22

In the circuit shown, the resistors all have the same resistance. The
battery, wires, and ammeter have negligible resistance. A closed switch
also has negligible resistance.

20) Closing which of the switches will produce the greatest power
dissipation in R2?

A. S2 only
B. S1 and S2 only
C. S1 and S3 only
D. S1 , S2 , and S3

21) Closing which of the switches will produce the greatest reading on the ammeter?

A. S1 only
B. S3 only
C. S1 and S2
D. S1 and S3

22) Closing which of the switches will produce the greatest voltage across R1?

A. S1 only
B. S2 only
C. S1 and S2 only
D. S1 and S3 only
23) A student is attempting to demonstrate Kirchhoff ’s loop rule using a 12-V battery, 50 cm of copper wire, 2 100
Mega-ohm resistors, and a voltmeter. The student sets up a series circuit and places the voltmeter as shown.
The student places the voltmeter over the first 100 Mega-ohm resistor and receives a reading of 4 Volts, and
then records another 4 Volts when the voltmeter is placed over the second 100 Mega-ohm resistor. Which of
the following best explains the student’s findings are inconsistent with Kirchhoff ’s loop rule?

(A) Kirchoff ’s loop rule only applies circuits with more than one
loop.
(B) The readings are affected by the internal resistance of the
voltmeter.
(C) The readings are affected by the internal resistance of the
battery.
(D) The readings are affected by the resistance of the 50 cm of
copper wire.