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Electricity Questions

The document contains a set of electricity-related questions, covering topics such as resistors in series and parallel, power dissipation, internal resistance of cells, and magnetic forces in circuits. It includes calculations and explanations required for various scenarios involving resistors, cells, and electric heaters. The questions are structured to assess understanding of fundamental electrical principles and their applications.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
5 views25 pages

Electricity Questions

The document contains a set of electricity-related questions, covering topics such as resistors in series and parallel, power dissipation, internal resistance of cells, and magnetic forces in circuits. It includes calculations and explanations required for various scenarios involving resistors, cells, and electric heaters. The questions are structured to assess understanding of fundamental electrical principles and their applications.

Uploaded by

quentinishimwe
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ELECTRICITY QUESTIONS [87 marks]

1. [Maximum mark: 8]
(a) Two resistors, X and Y, are connected in series to a cell of emf E
and negligible internal resistance. The resistances of X and Y are
constant.

The power dissipated in X is greater than that in Y.

State and explain how the resistance of X compares with the


resistance of Y. [2] 

(b) X and Y are now connected in parallel to the same cell.

State and explain which resistor has the greater power


dissipation.
[2] 

Y has greater power because it has a lower resistance, therefore it has more
power

(c) A lamp Z and a resistor R have the I -V characteristics shown in


the graph.

(c.i) Calculate the resistance of R.


[1] 

(c.ii) R and Z are connected in series to a cell of emf 12 V and


negligible internal resistance.
[3] 

Determine, using the graph, the power dissipated in lamp Z.

2. [Maximum mark: 9]
A 50.0 Ω resistor is connected to a cell of emf 3.00 V. The voltmeter and the
ammeter in the circuit are ideal.

(a) The current in the ammeter is 59.0 mA.

Calculate the internal resistance of the cell. [2] 


The circuit is changed by connecting another resistor R in parallel to the 50.0 Ω
resistor.

(b) Explain the effect of this change on

(b.i) the reading of the ammeter.


[2] 

The ammeter would show an increase in current because resistance increased

(b.ii) the reading of the voltmeter.


[2] 
R is made of a resistive wire of uniform cross-sectional area 3.1 × 10−8 m2,
resistivity 4.9 × 10−7 Ω m and length L. The resistance of R is given by the equation

R = kL

where k is a constant.

(c) Calculate k. State an appropriate unit for your answer.


[3] 

3. [Maximum mark: 9]
(a) The diagram shows a junction in a circuit.
[1] 

The currents in the three wires are related by I1 = I2 + I3.

State the fundamental law of Physics from which this relation is


derived.

(b) A cell of emf 1.50 V and internal resistance r is connected to a


resistor of resistance 5.00 Ω and an ideal voltmeter V.

The reading of the voltmeter is 1.20 V.

(b.i) Determine the internal resistance r of the cell.


[2] 
(b.ii) A second 5.00 Ω resistor is connected in parallel to the first
resistor.

State and explain the change, if any, in the voltmeter reading


without further calculation. [2] 

(c) A proton moves on a circular path in a region of uniform


magnetic field of magnetic flux density B that is directed into
the plane of the page.
(c.i) On the diagram, draw an arrow to indicate the velocity of the
proton at the position shown. [1] 

(c.ii) Show that the frequency of revolution of the proton is given by


f =
eB

2πmp
. [3] 

4. [Maximum mark: 12]


An electrically heated pad is designed to keep a pet warm.

The pad is heated using a resistor that is placed inside the pad. The dimensions of
the resistor are shown on the diagram. The resistor has a resistance of 4.2 Ω and a
total length of 1.25 m.

diagram not to scale


When there is a current in the resistor, the temperature in the pad changes from a
room temperature of 20 °C to its operating temperature at 35 °C.
(a) The designers state that the energy transferred by the resistor
every second is 15 J.

Calculate the current in the resistor. [1]

(b) The designers wish to make the resistor from carbon fibre.

The graph shows the variation with temperature, in Kelvin, of


the resistivity of carbon fibre.
(b.i) The resistor has a cross-sectional area of 9.6 × 10−6 m2.

Show that a resistor made from carbon fibre will be suitable for
the pad. [3]

(b.ii) The power supply to the pad has a negligible internal


resistance.

State and explain the variation in current in the resistor as the


temperature of the pad increases. [2]
(c) When there is a current in the resistor, magnetic forces act
between the resistor strips.

For the part of the resistor labelled RS,

(c.i) outline the magnetic force acting on it due to the current in PQ. [1]

(c.ii) state and explain the net magnetic force acting on it due to the
currents in PQ and TU. [2]

(d) The design of the pad encloses the resistor in a material that
traps air. The design also places the resistor close to the top
surface of the pad.
[3]

Explain, with reference to thermal energy transfer, why the pad


is designed in this way.

5. [Maximum mark: 8]
(a) Two resistors, X and Y, are connected in series to a cell of emf E
and negligible internal resistance. The resistances of X and Y are
constant.

The power dissipated in X is greater than that in Y.


State and explain how the resistance of X compares with the
[2] 
resistance of Y.

(b) X and Y are now connected in parallel to the same cell.

State and explain which resistor has the greater power


dissipation. [2] 

(c) A lamp Z and a resistor R have the I -V characteristics shown in


the graph.
(c.i) Calculate the resistance of R.
[1] 

(c.ii) R and Z are connected in series to a cell of emf 12 V and


negligible internal resistance.

Determine, using the graph, the power dissipated in lamp Z. [3] 


6. [Maximum mark: 9]
A 50.0 Ω resistor is connected to a cell of emf 3.00 V. The voltmeter and the
ammeter in the circuit are ideal.

(a) The current in the ammeter is 59.0 mA.

Calculate the internal resistance of the cell. [2] 

The circuit is changed by connecting another resistor R in parallel to the 50.0 Ω


resistor.
(b) Explain the effect of this change on

(b.i) the reading of the ammeter.


[2] 

(b.ii) the reading of the voltmeter.


[2] 

R is made of a resistive wire of uniform cross-sectional area 3.1 × 10−8 m2,


resistivity 4.9 × 10−7 Ω m and length L. The resistance of R is given by the equation

R = kL

where k is a constant.
(c) Calculate k. State an appropriate unit for your answer.
[3] 

7. [Maximum mark: 9]
(a) The diagram shows a junction in a circuit.

The currents in the three wires are related by I1 = I2 + I3.

State the fundamental law of Physics from which this relation is


derived. [1] 

(b) A cell of emf 1.50 V and internal resistance r is connected to a


resistor of resistance 5.00 Ω and an ideal voltmeter V.
The reading of the voltmeter is 1.20 V.

(b.i) Determine the internal resistance r of the cell.


[2] 

(b.ii) A second 5.00 Ω resistor is connected in parallel to the first


resistor.

State and explain the change, if any, in the voltmeter reading


without further calculation. [2] 
(c) A proton moves on a circular path in a region of uniform
magnetic field of magnetic flux density B that is directed into
the plane of the page.

(c.i) On the diagram, draw an arrow to indicate the velocity of the


proton at the position shown. [1] 

(c.ii) Show that the frequency of revolution of the proton is given by


f =
eB

2πmp
. [3] 

8. [Maximum mark: 11]


An engineer designs an electric heater to melt ice from the rear window of a car.
The heater consists of a single thin metal wire made from a high-resistance alloy.
The horizontal parts of the wire are 0.60 m long and are separated by a vertical
distance of 0.030 m. The heater is designed for a 12 V supply and for an output
power of 150 W.

(a.i) Calculate the resistance of the heater when it is at its working


temperature. [1]

(a.ii) The total length of the metal wire is 5.0 m. Calculate the radius
of the wire.

Resistivity of the high-resistance alloy = 1.5×10−6 Ω m [3]


(b) The heater is used to clear a layer of ice from the window over an
area indicated by the dotted line on the diagram. The water that
has melted immediately flows away from the heater. Determine
the minimum time required to melt the ice.

Thickness of ice layer = 0.50 mm

Initial temperature of ice = 0 °C

Density of ice = 900 kg m−3


[3]
Specific latent heat of fusion of ice = 0.336 MJ kg−1

(c) The battery of the car was almost discharged before turning on
the heater. Discuss how this is likely to affect your answer to (b). [2]

(c) Outline two reasons why it is important for scientists to research


effective solutions for energy storage using battery technology.

1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...........

.................................................................
...........

2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...........

................................................................... [2]
.........

9. [Maximum mark: 12]


An electrically heated pad is designed to keep a pet warm.

The pad is heated using a resistor that is placed inside the pad. The dimensions of
the resistor are shown on the diagram. The resistor has a resistance of 4.2 Ω and a
total length of 1.25 m.

diagram not to scale

When there is a current in the resistor, the temperature in the pad changes from a
room temperature of 20 °C to its operating temperature at 35 °C.

(a) The designers state that the energy transferred by the resistor
every second is 15 J.
Calculate the current in the resistor. [1]

(b) The designers wish to make the resistor from carbon fibre.

The graph shows the variation with temperature, in Kelvin, of


the resistivity of carbon fibre.

(b.i) The resistor has a cross-sectional area of 9.6 × 10−6 m2.

Show that a resistor made from carbon fibre will be suitable for
the pad. [3]
(b.ii) The power supply to the pad has a negligible internal
resistance.

State and explain the variation in current in the resistor as the


temperature of the pad increases. [2]

(c) When there is a current in the resistor, magnetic forces act


between the resistor strips.

For the part of the resistor labelled RS,

(c.i) outline the magnetic force acting on it due to the current in PQ. [1]

(c.ii) state and explain the net magnetic force acting on it due to the
currents in PQ and TU. [2]
(d) The design of the pad encloses the resistor in a material that
traps air. The design also places the resistor close to the top
surface of the pad.

Explain, with reference to thermal energy transfer, why the pad


is designed in this way. [3]

© International Baccalaureate Organization, 2025

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