Head to www.savemyexams.

com for more awesome resources

CIE A Level Physics Your notes

9.1 Electric Current

Contents
Electric Current
Calculating Electric Current & Charge

Page 1 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Electric Current
Your notes
Defining Electric Current
Electric current is the flow of charge carriers and is measured in units of amperes (A) or amps
Charge can be either positive or negative
When two oppositely charged conductors are connected together (by a length of wire), charge will
flow between the two conductors, causing a current
Charge Flowing Between Conductors

Charge can flow between two conductors. The direction of conventional current in a metal is from
positive to negative
In electrical wires, the current is a flow of electrons
Electrons are negatively charged; they flow away from the negative terminal of a cell towards the
positive terminal
Conventional current is defined as the flow of positive charge from the positive terminal of a cell to
the negative terminal
This is the opposite to the direction of electron flow, as conventional current was described before
electric current was really understood
Conventional Current

Page 2 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Your notes

By definition, conventional current always goes from positive to negative (even though electrons go the
other way)
There are several examples of electric currents, including in household wiring and electrical appliances
Current is measured using an ammeter
Ammeters should always be connected in series with the part of the circuit you wish to measure the
current through
An Ammeter in a Circuit

An ammeter can be used to measure the current around a circuit and always connected in series

Page 3 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Quantisation of Charge
The charge on charge carriers is quantised Your notes
Charge comes in definite bits - e.g. a single proton has a single positive charge, whereas a single
electron has a single negative charge
In this way, the quantity of charge can be quantised dependent on how many protons or electrons are
present - positive and negative charge has a definite minimum magnitude and always comes in
multiples of that magnitude
This means that if we say something has a given charge, the charge is always a multiple of the charge of
an electron by convention
The charge of an electron is -1.60 × 10-19 C
The charge of a proton by comparison is 1.60 × 10-19 C (this is known as the elementary charge,
denoted by e and measured in coulombs (C) )

Page 4 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Calculating Electric Current & Charge

Your notes
Calculating Electric Charge
Current can also be defined as the charge passing through a circuit per unit time
Electric charge is measured in units of coulombs (C)
Charge, current and time are related by the following equation:
Q = It
Q = charge (C)
I = current (A)
t = time (s)

Worked example
When will 8 mA of current pass through an electrical circuit?

A. When 1 J of energy is used by 1 C of charge

B. When a charge of 4 C passes in 500 s
C. When a charge of 8 C passes in 100 s
D. When a charge of 1 C passes in 8 s
Answer: B
Step 1: Write out the equation relating current, charge and time
Q = It
Step 2: Rule out any obviously incorrect options
Option A does not contain charge or time, so can be ruled out
Step 3: Try the rest of the options to determine the correct answer
Consider option B:
I = 4 ÷ 500 = 8 × 10–3 = 8 mA
Consider option C:
I = 8 ÷ 100 = 80 × 10–3 = 80 mA
Consider option D:
I = 1 ÷ 8 = 125 × 10–3 = 125 mA
Therefore, the correct answer is B

Page 5 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Exam Tip
Your notes
Although electric charge can be positive or negative, since the conventional direction of current is the
flow of positive charge the current should always be a positive value for your exam answers.

Page 6 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Calculating Current in a Current Carrying Conductor

In a conductor, current is due to the movement of charge carriers Your notes
These charge carriers can be negative or positive, however the current is always taken to be in the same
direction
In conductors, the charge carrier is usually free electrons
In the image below, the current in each conductor is from right to left but the charge carriers move in
opposite directions shown by the direction of the drift speed v
In diagram A (positive charge carriers), the drift speed is in the same direction as the current
In diagram B (negative charge carriers), the drift speed is in the opposite direction to the current
Current in a Current Carrying Conductor

The charge carriers move in opposite directions shown by the direction of the drift speed v.
The drift speed is the average speed the charge carriers are travelling through the conductor. You will
find this value is quite slow. However, since the number density of charge carriers is so large, we still see
current flow happen instantaneously
The current can be expressed in terms of the number density (number of charge carriers per unit
volume) n, the cross-sectional area A, the drift speed v and the charge of the charge carriers q
I = Anvq
I = current (A)
A = cross-sectional area (m2)
n = number density of charge carriers (m-3)
v = average drift speed of charge carriers (ms-1)
q = charge of each charge carrier (C)
The same equation is used whether the charge carriers are positive or negative

Page 7 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Worked example
Your notes
A copper wire has 9.2 × 1028 free electrons m-3. The wire has a current of 3.5 A and a cross-sectional
area of 1.5 mm2.Calculate the average drift speed of the electrons.
Step 1: Current in a conductor equation
I = Anvq
Step 2: Rearrange for drift speed v

I
v =
Anq
Step 3: Substitute in values
I = 3.5 A
A = 1.5 x 10-6 m2
n = 9.2 x 1028 m-3
q = 1.60 x 10-19 C charge of an electron (on data sheet)

3.5
v = = 0 . 16 × 10 − 3 ms − 1
1 . 5 × 10 − 6 × 9 . 2 × 10 28 × 1 . 60 × 10 − 19
0.16 mms-1 (2 s.f.)

Page 8 of 8

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

CIE A Level Physics Your notes

9.2 Potential Difference & Power

Contents
Potential Difference
Electrical Power

Page 1 of 7

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Potential Difference
Your notes
Defining Potential Difference
A cell makes one end of the circuit positive and the other negative. This sets up a potential difference
(d) across the circuit
The potential difference across a component in a circuit is defined as the energy transferred per unit
charge flowing from one point to another
The energy transfer is from electrical energy into other forms
Potential difference is measured in volts (V). This is the same as a Joule per coulomb (J C-1)
If a bulb has a voltage of 3 V, every coulomb of charge passing through the bulb will lose 3 J of
energy
The potential difference of a power supply connected in series is always shared between all the
components in the circuit
Potential Difference in a Series Circuit

The potential difference is the voltage across each component in a circuit

Potential difference or voltage is measured using a voltmeter
A voltmeter is always set up in parallel to the component you are measuring the voltage for
Potential Difference in a Parallel Circuit

Page 2 of 7

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Your notes

Potential difference can be measured by connecting a voltmeter in parallel between two points in a
circuit.

Page 3 of 7

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Calculating Potential Difference

The potential difference is defined as the energy transferred per unit charge Your notes
Another measure of energy transfer is work done
Therefore, potential difference can also be defined as the work done per unit charge
W
V =
Q
V = potential difference (V)
W = work done (J)
Q = charge (C)

Worked example
A lamp is connected to a 240 V mains supply and another to a 12 V car battery. Both lamps have the
same current, yet 240 V lamp glows more brightly.

Explain in terms of energy transfer why the 240 V lamp is brighter than the 12 V lamp.
ANSWER:
Both lamps have the same current, which means charge flows at the same rate in both
The 240 V lamp has 20 times more voltage than the 12 V lamp
Voltage is the energy transferred (work done) per unit charge
This means the energy transferred to each coulomb of charge in the 240 V lamp is 20 times
greater than for the 12 V lamp
This makes the 240 V lamp shine much brighter than the 12 V lamp

Exam Tip
Think of potential difference as being the energy per coulomb of charge transferred between two
points in a circuit

Page 4 of 7

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Electrical Power
Your notes
Calculating Electrical Power
In “Work, Energy and Power”, Power P was defined as the rate of doing work
Potential difference is the work done per unit charge
Current is the rate of flow of charge
So, the power dissipated (produced) by an electrical device is defined as:
P = IV
P = power (W)
I = current (A)
V = potential difference/voltage (V)
Using V = IR to rearrange for either V or I and substituting into the power equation means we also write
power in terms of resistance R
P = I 2R
V2
P =
R
R = resistance (Ω)
This means for a given resistance for example, if the current or voltage doubles the power will be four
times as great

Page 5 of 7

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Worked example
Your notes
Two lamps are connected in series to a 150 V power supply.

Which statement most accurately describes what happens?

A. Both lamps light normally

B. The 15 V lamp blows
C. Only the 41 W lamp lights
D. Both lamps light at less than their normal brightness
ANSWER: A
Step 1: Calculate current needed for both lamps to operate
P = IV
Step 2: Rearrange for I

P
I =
V
Step 3: Substitute in values
For the 41W lamp:

41W
I = = 0 . 3A
135 V
For the 4.5W lamp:

4 . 5W
I= = 0 . 3A
15V

Page 6 of 7

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Step 4:
For both to operate at their normal brightness, a current of 0.3A is required. Since the lamps Your notes
are connected in series, the same current would flow through both.
Step 5:
The lamps will light at their normal brightness - option A

Exam Tip
You can use the mnemonic “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Power equals I squared R” to remember whether
to multiply or divide by resistance in the power equationsWhich equation to use will depend on
whether the value of current or voltage has been given in the question

Page 7 of 7

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

CIE A Level Physics Your notes

9.3 Resistance & Resistivity

Contents
Resistance
Ohm's Law
I-V Characteristics
Resistivity
Resistance in Sensory Resistors

Page 1 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Resistance
Your notes
Defining Resistance
Resistance is defined as the opposition to current
For a given potential difference: The higher the resistance the lower the current
Wires are often made from copper because copper has a low electrical resistance. This is also known
as a good conductor
The resistance R of a conductor is defined as the ratio of the potential difference V across to the
current I in it

V
R=
I
R = resistance (Ω)
V = potential difference (V)
I = current (A)
Resistance is measured in Ohms (Ω)
An Ohm is defined as one volt per ampere
The resistance controls the size of the current in a circuit
A higher resistance means a smaller current
A lower resistance means a larger current
All electrical components, including wires, have some value of resistance

Page 2 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Calculating Resistance
To find the resistance of a component, we can set up a circuit like the one shown below Your notes
Determining Resistance

A circuit to determine the resistance of a component.

The power supply should be set to a low voltage to avoid heating the component, typically 1-2 V
Measurements of the potential difference and current should then be taken from the voltmeter and
ammeter respectively
Finally, these readings should be substituted into the resistance equation

Page 3 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Worked example
Your notes
A charge of 5.0 C passes through a resistor of resistance R Ω at a constant rate in 30 s. If the potential
difference across the resistor is 2.0 V, calculate the value of R.
Step 1: Recall the Resistance equation
𝑉
𝑅= 𝐼

Step 2: Calculate the current from the charge and time

𝑄 = 𝐼𝑡

Rearrange for I
𝑄 5.0
𝐼 = 𝑡 = 30 = 0 . 167𝐴 = 0 . 17𝐴 (2 𝑠 . 𝑓 . )

Step 3: Substitute values into the Resistance equation

𝑅 = 2 . 0𝑉 = 11 . 764 . . . = 12 . 0𝛺 (2 𝑠 . 𝑓 . )
0 . 17𝐴

Page 4 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Ohm's Law
Your notes
Ohm's Law
Ohm’s law states that for a conductor at a constant temperature, the current through it is proportional
to the potential difference across it
Constant temperature implies constant resistance
This is shown the equation below:
V = IR
V = potential difference (V)
I = current (A)
R = resistance (Ω)
The relation between potential difference across an electrical component (in this case a fixed resistor)
and the current can be investigated through a circuit such as the one below
Investigating Potential Difference and Current in a Circuit

Circuit for plotting graphs of current against voltage

By adjusting the resistance on the variable resistor, the current and potential difference will vary in the
circuit
Measuring the variation of current with potential difference through the fixed resistor will produce the
straight line graph below
Plotting Current Against Voltage

Page 5 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Your notes

Circuit for plotting graphs of current against voltage.

Since the gradient is constant, the resistance R of the resistor can be calculated by using 1 ÷ gradient of
the graph
An electrical component obeys Ohm’s law if its graph of current against potential difference is a
straight line through the origin
A resistor obeys Ohm’s law
A filament lamp does not obey Ohm’s law
This applies to any metal wires, provided that the current isn’t large enough to increase their
temperature

Page 6 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Worked example
Your notes
The current flowing through a component varies with the potential difference V across it as shown.

Which graph best represents how the resistance R varies with V?

Page 7 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Exam Tip
Your notes
In maths, the gradient is the slope of the graph
The graphs below show a summary of how the slope of the graph represents the gradient

Graphs showing varying gradients

Page 8 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

I-V Characteristics
Your notes
I–V Characteristics
As the potential difference (voltage) across a component is increased, the current also increases (by
Ohm’s law)
The precise relationship between voltage and current is different for different components and can be
shown on an I-V graph:
I-V Characteristics of Different Components

I-V characteristics for metallic conductor (e.g. resistor) and semiconductor diode
The I-V graph for a metallic conductor at constant temperature e.g. a resistor, is very simple:
The current is directly proportional to the potential difference
This is demonstrated by the straight line graph through the origin
The I-V graph for a semiconductor diode is slightly different. A diode is used in a circuit to allow current
to flow only in a specific direction:
When the current is in the direction of the arrowhead symbol, this is forward bias. This is shown by
the sharp increase in potential difference and current on the right side of the graph
When the diode is switched around, it does not conduct and is called reverse bias. This is shown
by a zero reading of current or potential difference on the left side of the graph

Page 9 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Worked example
Your notes
The I–V characteristic of two electrical component X and Y are shown.

Which statement is correct?

A. The resistance of X increases as the current increases

B. At 2 V, the resistance of X is half the resistance of Y
C. Y is a semiconductor diode and X is a resistor
D. X is a resistor and Y is a filament lamp
ANSWER: C
The I-V graph X is linear
This means the graph has a constant gradient. I/V and the resistance is therefore also constant
(since gradient = 1/R)
This is the I-V graph for a conductor at constant temperature e.g. a resistor
The I-V graph Y starts with zero gradient and then the gradient increases rapidly
This means it has infinite resistance at the start which then decreases rapidly
This is characters of a device that only has current in one direction e.g a semiconductor diode
Therefore the answer is C

Page 10 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Resistance in a Filament Lamp

The I-V graph for a filament lamp shows the current increasing at a proportionally slower rate than the Your notes
potential difference
I-V Characteristics for a Filament Lamp

A graph showing the I-V characteristics for a filament lamp.

This is because:
As the current increases, the temperature of the filament in the lamp increases
Since the filament is a metal, the higher temperature causes an increase in resistance
Resistance opposes the current, causing the current to increase at a slower rate
Where the graph is a straight line, the resistance is constant
The resistance increases as the graph curves

Resistance and Temperature

All solids are made up of vibrating atoms
The higher the temperature, the faster these atoms vibrate
Electric current is the flow of free electrons in a material
The electrons collide with the vibrating atoms which impedes their flow, hence the current decreases
So, if the temperature increases, the resistance increases
And as the resistance increases, the current decreases

Page 11 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Resistivity
Your notes
Resistivity
All materials have some resistance to the flow of charge
As free electrons move through a metal wire, they collide with ions which get in their way
As a result, they transfer some, or all, of their kinetic energy on collision, which causes electrical
heating
Free Electrons and Resistivity

Free electrons collide with ions which resist their flow

Since current is the flow of charge, the ions resisting their flow causes resistance
Resistance depends on the length of the wire, the cross-sectional area through which the current is
passing and the resistivity of the material
𝜌𝐿
𝑅 = 𝐴

R = resistance (Ω)
ρ = resistivity (Ωm)
L = length (m)
A = cross-sectional area (m2)
The resistivity equation shows that:
The longer the wire, the greater its resistance
The thicker the wire, the smaller its resistance
Wire Properties and Resistance

Page 12 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Your notes

The length and width of the wire affect its resistance

Resistivity is a property that describes the extent to which a material opposes the flow of electric
current through it
It is a property of the material, and is dependent on temperature
Resistivity is measured in Ω m
Resistivity of Materials at Room Temperature Table
Material Resistivity ρ/Ωm
Copper 1.7 x 10-8
Metals Gold 2.4 x 10-8
Aluminium 2.6 x 10-8
Germanium 0.6
Semiconductors
Silicon 2.3 x 103
Glass 1012
Insulators
Sulfur 1015

The higher the resistivity of a material, the higher its resistance

This is why copper, with its relatively low resistivity at room temperature, is used for electrical wires —
current flows through it very easily
Insulators have such a high resistivity that virtually no current will flow through them

Page 13 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Worked example
Your notes
Two electrically-conducting cylinders made from copper and aluminium respectively.
Their dimensions are shown below.

Copper resistivity = 1.7 × 10-8 Ω m

Aluminium resistivity = 2.6 × 10-8 Ω m
Which cylinder is the better conductor?
Step 1: The better conductor will have lower resistance
Step 2: Resistance is calculated from
𝜌𝐿
𝑅 = 𝐴

Step 3: Resistance of the copper cylinder

2 2
10-3 -5
𝐴 = 𝜋 × 𝑟2 = 𝜋 × ( 𝑑2 ) = 𝜋 × ( 5 ×
2 ) = 2 . 0 × 10 𝑚2

1.7 × 10-8 × 8 × 10-3 -6

𝑅 = = 6 . 8 × 10 𝛺
2 . 0 × 10-5 𝑚2

Step 4: Resistance of the aluminium cylinder

2 -3 2
-5
𝐴 = 𝜋 × 𝑟2 = 𝜋 × ( 𝑑2 ) = 𝜋 × ( 10 ×210 ) = 7 . 9 × 10 𝑚2

2 . 6 × 10-8 × 16 × 10-3 -6
𝑅 = -5 = 5 . 3 × 10 𝛺
7 . 9 × 10 𝑚2

Step 5: Resistance of aluminium cylinder < resistance of copper cylinder

The aluminium cylinder is the better conductor

Page 14 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Exam Tip
Your notes
You won’t need to memorise the value of the resistivity of any material, these will be given in the
exam question.
Remember if the cross-sectional area is a circle e.g. in a wire, it is proportional to the diameter
squared. This means if the diameter doubles, the area quadruples causing the resistance to drop
by a quarter.

Page 15 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Resistance in Sensory Resistors

Your notes
Resistance in a Light-Dependent Resistor
A light-dependent resistor (LDR) is a non-ohmic conductor and sensory resistor
Its resistance automatically changes depending on the light energy falling onto it (illumination)
As the light intensity increases, the resistance of an LDR decreases
This is shown by the following graph:
LDR Graph

Graph of light intensity and resistance for an LDR

LDRs can be used as light sensors, so, they are useful in circuits which automatically switch on lights
when it gets dark, for example, street lighting and garden lights
In the dark, its resistance is very large (millions of ohms)
In bright light, its resistance is small (tens of ohms)
Resistance of an LDR

Page 16 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Your notes

Resistance of an LDR depends on the light intensity falling on it

Page 17 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Worked example
Your notes
Which graph best represents the way in which the current I through an LDR depends upon the potential
difference V across it?

As the potential difference across the LDR increases, the current increases causing its resistance
to decrease
Ohm’s law states that V = IR
The resistance is equal to V/I, or 1/R = I/V = gradient of the graph
Since R decreases, the value of 1/R increases, so the gradient must increase
Therefore, I increases with the p.d with an increasing gradient

Page 18 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Resistance in a Thermistor
A thermistor is a non-ohmic conductor and sensory resistor Your notes
Its resistance changes depending on its temperature
As the temperature increases the resistance of a thermistor decreases
This is shown by the following graph:
Thermistor Graph

Graph of temperature and resistance for a thermistor

Thermistors are temperature sensors and are used in circuits in ovens, fire alarms and digital
thermometers
As the thermistor gets hotter, its resistance decreases
As the thermistor gets cooler, its resistance increases
Resistance through a Thermistor

Page 19 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Your notes

The resistance through a thermistor is dependent on the temperature of it

Page 20 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Worked example
Your notes
A thermistor is connected in series with a resistor R and a battery.

The resistance of the thermistor is equal to the resistance of R at room temperature.When the
temperature of the thermistor decreases, which statement is correct?

A. The p.d across the thermistor increases

B. The current in R increases
C. The current through the thermistor decreases
D. The p.d across R increases
ANSWER: A
The resistance of the thermistor increases as the temperature decreases
Since the thermistor and resistor R are connected in series, the current I in both of them is the same
Ohm’s law states that V = IR
Since the resistance of the thermistor increases, and I is the same, the potential difference V
across it increases
Therefore, statement A is correct

Page 21 of 21

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers