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QUESTIONS & EXERCISES

P2
P2

Topic 1
Topic 2

Static & Current Electricity

Controlling & Using Electric Currents

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FORMULAE
You may find theses formulae useful
charge = current time

Q=It

potential difference = current resistance

V=IR

electrical power = current potential difference

P=IV

energy transferred = current potential difference time

E=IVt

distance
time

speed =

acceleration =

change in velocity
time taken

v=

s
t

a=

v-u
t

force = mass acceleration

F=ma

weight = mass gravitational field strength

W=mg

momentum = mass velocity

p=mv

force =

change in momentum
time

F=

work done = force distance moved in the direction of the force

power =

work done
time taken

kinetic energy =

E=Fd
P=

gravitational potential energy = mass gravitational field strength vertical height

1
mass (velocity)2
2

(mv - mu)
t

E
t

GPE = m g h
KE =

Do not forget to include units in all your answers.

1
m v2
2

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1.

(a)

Below you can see the picture of a neutral atom.

(i)

Identify the subatomic particles protons, neutrons and electrons.

[2 marks]

(ii)

Put a cross (

) in the box next to the correct answer.

[1 mark]

Which row concerning the charges of subatomic particles is correct?

electron

neutron

proton

negative

neutral

positive

neutral

positive

negative

positive

neutral

negative

positive

negative

neutral

(iii)

Explain how the charge of the subatomic particles keeps the atom together.
[2 marks]

(b)

An acetate rod is rubbed with a cloth.

It becomes positively charged.
(i)

Explain why the acetate becomes positive.

Comment on the type and amount of charge on the cloth.
[3 marks]

The acetate rod is brought close to a second hanging acetate rod that has also
been rubbed with a cloth.

(ii)

Draw the direction in which the second acetate will move.

[1 mark]

(iii)

Explain your answer.

[2 marks]

(c)

In a similar experiment John rubs a metal rod with a cloth but the rod does not get charged.
Then John rubs it with the same cloth while wearing plastic gloves.
The metal rod then gets positively charged.
Explain these observations.
* (i)

Explain these observations.

[4 marks]

(ii)

The charged metal rod could attract uncharged objects.

Explain how this is possible.
[3 marks]

[Total for Question 1 = 18 marks]

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2.

(a)

Complete the table below with the properties of subatomic particles

[3 marks]

Property

Proton

Neutron

Relative mass

Electron

Relative charge
Position in atom

(b)

1
nucleus

Many car parts are painted by electrostatic spray painting.

++
++
++
++

car part

earthing
(i)

Explain the advantage of giving a positive charge to the paint particles?

[2 marks]

(ii)

Explain why the paint is attracted to the earthed car part.

How do we call such an attraction?
[3 marks]

(iii)

What happens to the charge on the paint particles when it lands on the car part?
[1 marks]

(iv)

Unwillingly the earhing is cut.

Explain why the paint on the car part ends up patchy.
[2 marks]

(c)

The pictures below show loading instructions for a helicopter.

The instructions aim at avoiding electroshocks due to build-up of electrostatic charge.

(i)

Explain how charge can build up on a helicopter.

[2 marks]

* (ii)

Explain how lowering a cable to Earth will prevent the workers from getting
an electroshock.
Suggest a suitable material for the cable.
[4 marks]

[Total for Question 2 = 17 marks]

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3.

Static electricity is used in spraying insecticides from a plane.

Insecticide droplets are given extra electrons on their way out of the plane.

(a)

Explain why the insecticide spreads more evenly.

[2 marks]

(b)

Refuelling a plane can lead to a dangerous build-up of charge.

(i)

Put a cross (

) in the box next to the correct answer.

[1 mark]

The build-up of charge results from

A

electrons moving from Earth

electrons returning to Earth

earthing the plane

the friction as fuel flows through the pipes

* (ii)

Explain the danger that such a build-up of charge presents.

Describe the way by which this problem is solved.
[4 marks]

(iii)

Explain the connection to lightning.

[2 marks]

(b)

The pump that sprays the insecticide uses a current of 20 .

(i)

Put a cross (

) in the box next to the correct answer.

[1 mark]

The current in Amperes is defined as

A

the amount of charge that flows in one second

the number of electrons that flow in one second

the energy of electrons that flow through a conductor

the amount of charge that has an energy of 1 J

(ii)

The battery supplying the pump can work for 2.5 hours.
Calculate the total charge that is stored in the battery.
[3 marks]

Charge =
(iii)

The battery provides a potential difference of 12 V.

Calculate the power output of the battery and the total energy stored in the battery.
Careful with the units.
[4 marks]

Power =
Energy =
[Total for Question 3 = 17 marks]
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4.

A torch uses an electrical source that provides a potential difference of 3 V.

(a)

Initially the power output of the torch bulb is 0.6 W.

(i)

Calculate the current initially used by the bulb.

[2 marks]

Current =
(ii)

The electrical source in the torch stores 6 000 C of charge.

Calculate the time during which the source can provide the current you found in (i).
[2 marks]

Time =

(b)

The graph below shows the actual current given out by the electrical source of the torch.

Current

Time
(i)

Explain whether you think this is a dc or ac current.

[2 marks]

(ii)

How will the time that you calculated in (a) (ii) differ from the actual time the electrical
source will work until it runs out?
[2 marks]

(iii)

Name an electrical source that could provide the current in the graph.
[1 mark]

(c)

The bulb lights up because it gets hot as current goes through.

(i)

Calculate the resistance of the bulb when it works under a voltage of 3 V.

[2 marks]

Resistance =
(ii)

Sketch the graph of how current changes with voltage in the filament of the bulb.
[2 marks]

Current

Voltage
(iii)

Explain the shape of the graph by using resistance.

[2 marks]

[Total for Question 4 = 15 marks]

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5.

(a)

John builds the following circuit to investigate the resistance of a resistor.

6V

M1

(i)

Put a cross (

M2

) in the box next to the correct answer.

[1 mark]

Which is correct about meters M1 and M2?

A

M1 is an ammeter in series, M2 is an ammeter in parallel

M1 is an ammeter in series, M2 is a voltmeter in parallel

M1 is a voltmeter in series, M2 is an ammeter in parallel

M1 is a voltmeter in series, M2 is a voltmeter in parallel

(ii)

Put a cross (

) in the box next to the correct answer.

[1 mark]

To calculate the resistance John should

A

add the reading of the ammeter to the reading of the voltmeter

divide the reading of the ammeter by the reading of the voltmeter

divide the reading of the voltmeter by the reading of the ammeter

multiply the reading of the ammeter and the reading of the voltmeter

(b)

John uses a 6 V cell.

(i)

Put a cross (

) in the box next to the correct answer.

[1 mark]

What does this tell you about the cell?

A

Every Ampere of current receives 1 J of energy

Every Coulomb of charge receives 6 J of energy

Every Joule of energy receives 6 C of charge

Every Joule of energy receives 6 A of current

10

(ii)

The cell delivers a total of 200 C.

Calculate the total amount of energy given out by the cell.
[2 marks]

Energy =

(c)

The voltmeter shows 6 V.

The ammeter shows 0.5 A.
(i)

Calculate the resistance of the resistor that John is using.

[2 marks]

Resistance =
(ii)

John reduces the voltage across the resistor until it is equal to zero.
He then plots a graph of current against voltage.
The resistance of the resistor remains constant.
Draw the graph of current against voltage that John should get.
[4 marks]
0.6

Current
(A)

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0

Voltage (V)

[Total for Question 5 = 11 marks]

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11

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6.

(a)

A dimmer switch is one in which you can vary the light intensity from a minimum to a
maximum.
It is achieved by using a variable resistor in the circuit.
mains
L1

L2

(i)

For each question below answer shortly with one of the words in italic.
[4 marks]

1.

Which of the two lamps, L1 or L2, in the circuit above uses a

dimmer?

2.

The two lamps are connected to the mains.

Are they using ac or dc?

3.

Are the lamps connected in series or in parallel?

4.

What happens to the resistance of the lamps as current increases?

Does resistance increase or decrease?

(ii)

Explain how the variable resistor is used to change the light intensity in a dimmer
switch.
[3 marks]

(iii)

The current in L1 is 0.25 A.

The current in L2 is 0.4 A
Calculate the current provided by the mains.
[2 marks]

Current from mains =

12

(b)

A thermistor is used to measure the temperature in an oven.

Below you can see a graph of resistance against temperature for a thermistor.
50
40
30
Resistance
(k)
20
10
0
0

(i)

50

100
150
200
Temperature (C)

250

300

Describe how resistance changes with temperature.

[1 marks]

(ii)

The oven is connected to a 230 V mains supply.

Calculate the current in the thermistor when the temperature is 150 C.
Be careful with units.
[3 marks]

Current =
The thermistor is connected to an ammeter in the circuit.
mains

A
(iii)

Explain how the reading of the ammeter changes with increasing temperature.
[2 marks]

[Total for Question 6 = 15 marks]

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13

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7.

(a)

There are two types of current, ac and dc.

(i)

* (ii)

Join each type of current to its method of production and the way electrons move.
[2 marks]

cell

ac

generator

dc

Explain how the way the electrons move causes heat to be produced.
Describe one device where this is used.
Discuss the disadvantages of heat production.
[4 marks]

(iii)

Below you can see how current changes in a filament lamp and a thermistor
when a constant voltage is applied.
Thermistor
Filament lamp

Current

Time
Explain why the two graphs are different.
[3 marks]

14

(iv)

Below you see how current changes in a filament lamp.

In the same space sketch the corresponding graph for a thermistor.
[2 marks]
Current

Voltage
(b)

Below you can see the current-voltage characteristic of a diode.

Current

Voltage
(i)

Describe how current flows in a diode.

[2 marks]

(ii)

Below on the left is a picture of the current we get from a generator.

Complete the second graph to show how the current will change with time after
passing through a diode.
[2 marks]

Current

Current
Time

Time

Current from a generator

(iii)

Current after passing through diode

Explain why this type of current is not the one that can be used by a device like a TV
that uses dc current.
[2 marks]

[Total for Question 7 = 17 marks]

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15

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8.

(a)

A greenhouse uses an LDR and a thermistor to control the current in the window mechanism
that opens and closes the windows.
electrical source

Window
mechanism

(i)

Below you can see a graph of how resistance changes in an LDR.

Complete the y-axis label and describe how resistance in an LDR changes.
[2 marks]

Resistance

(ii)

Put a cross (

) in the box next to the correct answer.

[1 mark]

Which row gives the conditions for maximum current through the window mechanism?
light intensity

temperature

high

high

high

low

low

high

low

low

(iii)

State the main form of energy loss when current flows.

[1 mark]

16

(b)

An electric kettle is connected to the mains.

The mains provide a potential difference of 230 V.

(i)

Put a cross (

) in the box next to the correct answer.

[1 mark]

Which is an equivalent unit for the Volt?

A

J/C

A/

A/C
(ii)

The filament gets hot as current goes through it.

Explain how heat is produced.
[3 marks]

(iii)

When boiling water the filament uses a current of 9 A.

It takes 315 kJ to heat a litre of water to boiling point.
How long will the kettle take to heat the water?
[2 marks]

Time =
(iv)

Explain why the kettle will actually take longer to heat the water.
[2 marks]

17

(c)

Modern digital cameras use an LDR to control the time that the shutter stays open.

LDR

(i)

For a certain light intensity the LDR has a resistance of 1.4 k.

A current of 2.1 mA flows through it.
Calculate the potential difference across the LDR.
Be careful with units.
[2 marks]

Potential difference =
* (ii)

The graph below shows the relationship between current in the LDR
and the time that the shutter remains open.

Current in LDR

Time that shutter is open

Explain the shape of the graph.
Describe and explain what the picture will look like if the LDR is accidentally covered.
[4 marks]

[Total for Question 8 = 18 marks]

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18

ANSWERS
P2 Topic 1
Static & Current Electricity
P2 Topic 2
Controlling & Using Electric Currents
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____
1 (a) (i) Neutral => No of p+s = No of es
electron

proton

neutron

(ii) A
(iii) p+s and es oppositely charged => attract each other & es stay around nucleus
(b) (i) Loses es. Cloth has equal and opposite charge (because it gains the es that the rod loses).
(ii)

(iii) 2nd rod also +ve. Like charges repel

(c)*(i) Metal = conductor =>
Loses charge through body (also conductor), electrons flow from Earth and neutralize the rod
Plastic = insulator => Now it can retain the charge obtained from friction, es cannot flow to metal.
(ii) Induces an opposite charge on surface of neutral object, sends es on surface away / deeper.
+ve charge left on surface => unlike charges attract, attracted to ve metal.

2 (a)
Property
Relative mass
Relative charge
Position in atom

Proton
1
+1
nucleus

Neutron
1
0
nucleus

Electron
1/2000
1
around / orbit nucleus

(b) (i) Like charges repel => spread more evenly

(ii) es attracted from Earth => so became ve (unlike charges attract). Called charging by induction.
(iii) Neutralized, lost to Earth. Neutralized by es from Earth.
(iv) No more es attracted to part from Earth => Paint not attracted evenly, ends where it lands.
(c) (i) There is friction of the blades with air as they rotate => get charged by losing or gaining es
*(ii) Charge that accumulated on helicopter will flow to Earth through cable and not through workers.
Neutralize before workers touch it and get electric shock.
Any conductor will do, e.g. copper, steel, iron etc.

3 (a) All droplets vely charged => repel each other

(b) (i) D
*(ii) Charge can build up so much until es can jump through air and create a spark.
Discharge through fuel fumes will cause them to catch fire or cause explosion.
Solved by connecting a conductor / metal rod with Earth for extra charge to flow without accumulating.
(iii) Lightning is discharge through atmosphere, when Earth and clouds have accumulated great amounts of
opposite charge.
(b) (i) A
(ii) Q = I t => Q = 20 2.5 60 60 = 180 000 C
(iii) P = I V => P = 20 12 = 240 W
E = P t => E = 240 2.5 60 60 = 2 160 000 J OR E = I V t = 20 12 2.5 60 60 = 2 160 000 J
OR E = Q V = 180 000 12 = 2 160 000 J

4 (a) (i) P = I V => 0.6 = I 3 => I = 0.6 / 3 = 0.2 A

(ii) Q = I t => 6000 = 0.2 t => t = 6000 / 0.2 = 30 000 sec (= 500 min = 8.3 hrs)
(b) (i) dc because its only +ve / one direction etc.
(ii) Time will be more because current most of the time smaller than initial calculated in (a)(i).
(iii) Any cell / battery etc
(c) (i) V = I R => 3 = 0.2 R => R = 3 / 0.2 = 15
(ii)

Current
Voltage
(iii) As voltage increases current increases, but as current flows temperature increases.
=> resistance increases and current increases but at a smaller rate than initially.

5 (a) (i) B
(ii) C
(b) (i) C
(ii) 6 V = 1 C gets 6 J => E = 200 6 = 1200 J OR E = Q V = 200 6 = 1200 J
(c) (i) V = I R => 6 = 0.5 R => R = 6 / 0.5 = 12
(ii)
0.5
0.4
Current 0.3
(A)
0.2
0.1
0
0

Voltage (V)

6 (a) (i) 1. L2, 2. ac, 3. parallel, 4. increase

(ii) We change resistance of variable resistor, e.g. make it larger => current decreases => L2 less bright
OR vice versa, make resistance of variable resistor smaller => current increases => L2 brighter
(iii) Total current = 0.4 + 0.25 = 0.65 A
(b) (i) As temperature increases resistance decreases
(ii) At 150 C: R = 20 k = 20 000
V = I R => 230 = I 20000 => R = 230 / 20000 = 0.0115 A
(iii) As temperature increases resistance decreases => current increases => reading on ammeter increases

7 (a) (i)
cell

ac

generator

dc

*(ii) es collide with ions in the lattice => pass some of their KE => vibrations increase => temperature
increases
Used in filaments in electric heaters, filament lamps
Disadvantages: energy losses, not all energy output as electrical, needs cooling e.g. in computers etc.
(iii) As current flows temperature increases at the beginning until it reaches a constant value.
In filament lamp: temperature increases => resistance increases => current decreases
In thermistor: temperature increases => resistance decreases => current increases
(iv)
(given)

Current

Voltage
(b) (i) Diode allows current only in one direction OR current flows in forward bias and no current in reverse
bias
(ii)
Current

Current
Time

Time

Current from a generator

Current after passing through diode

(iii) It is dc as used by TV but it is not constant

8 (a) (i)

light intensity

Resistance
As light intensity increases resistance of LDR decreases
(ii) A
(iii) Heat
(b) (i) B
(ii) es collide with lattice ions => pass some of their KE to ions => ions vibrate more => temperature
increases
(iii) E = I V t => 315 000 = 9 230 t => t = 315000 / (9 230) = 152 sec (= 2.54 min)
(iv) Some heat will be lost to surroundings => longer time to heat water to boiling point
(c) (i) V = I R = 0.0021 A 1400 = 2.94 V
*(ii) If it is bright => resistance is low => current is high => shutter time should be low
If it is darker => resistance is higher => current is lower => shutter time should be higher
If LDR covered then camera interprets as dark => allows shutter to be open for long
=> photographs will appear too bright