Science Department

UNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL

PHYSICS

CHAPTER 17: CURRENT ELECTRICITY

ANSWERS

Name: ___________________________ ( ) Class: ______ Date: __________

Exercise 17A: Electric Current

1. Explain what is meant by electric current.

Electric current is the rate of flow of charges.

2. Complete the following table.

Quantity S.I. Unit

name symbol name symbol
(a) charge Q coulomb C
(b) electric current I Ampere A

3. During the flash from a camera bulb, 5.0 C of charge flows for 0.25 s. What is the
average current?

5.0 C
Current, I = Q / t =
0.25 s

= 20 A

4. The current through an electric bulb is 5 A. How much charge flows through the bulb
in 5 minutes?

Charge, Q = It = 5 A x (5 x 60) s

= 1500 C

5. Find the time taken for 8 C of charges to flow through a circuit carrying 300 mA of
current.

8C
Time, t = Q / I =
300x10 −3

= 26.7 s

Chapter 17: Current Electricity 1

Science Department

UNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL

PHYSICS

CHAPTER 17: CURRENT ELECTRICITY

ANSWERS

Name: ___________________________ ( ) Class: ______ Date: __________

Exercise 17B: Electromotive force and potential difference

1. Define the electromotive force of a cell.

The electromotive force of a cell is the work done by the cell in driving a unit charge round

a complete circuit.

2. Complete the following table.

Quantity S.I. Unit

name symbol name symbol
(a) electromotive force ε volt V
(b) potential difference V volt V

3. The total energy dissipated when a charge of 20 C flows from a battery is 60 J. What
is the e.m.f of the battery?

W 60 J
e.m.f., ε = =
Q 20C
= 3.0 V

4. The potential difference across a conductor is 6.0V. What is the energy dissipated
when
(a) 3.2 C of charge flows through it?

Energy, W = QV = 3.2 C x 6.0 V

= 19.2 J

(b) a current of 5.0 A flows for 1 minute?

Energy, W = QV = (I x t)V
= (5.0 A x 60 s) x 6.0 V
= 1800 J

5. A voltmeter is used to measure the potential difference across a resistor and it must

be connected in parallel with the resistor.

Chapter 17: Current Electricity 2

Science Department

UNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL

PHYSICS

CHAPTER 17: CURRENT ELECTRICITY

ANSWERS

Name: ______________________ ( ) Class: ______ Date: __________

Exercise 17C: Resistance

1. Define resistance and state its S.I. unit.

Resistance is defined as the ratio of the potential diference across the conductor to the

current flowing through it. Its S.I. unit is ohm.

2. Calculate the resistance of the following resistors if

(a) The current is 2.0 A when the potential difference is 12.0 V.

V 12.0V
R = =
I 2.0 A
= 6.0 Ω

(b) The current is 4.0 mA when the potential difference is 1.8 V.

V 1.8V
R = =
I 4.0 x 10 − 3

= 450 Ω
3. With reference to the circuit,

15 V 50 Ω V

(a) what is the reading on the ammeter?

0.3 A
(b) calculate the charge that flows through the battery in 2 mins.

Q=Ixt = 0.3 A x (2 x 60) s

= 36 C
(c) what is the reading on the voltmeter?

15 V

Chapter 17: Current Electricity 3

Science Department

4. Complete the table below to show the resistance of a metallic wire when the length
and cross-sectional area of the wire changes.

length area Resistance/Ω

l A 20
2l A 40
l 2A 10
2l 2A 20
3l 4A 15

5. Calculate the effective resistance of the following circuit.

(a)
2Ω 3 Ω 5Ω R = 2 + 3 + 5 = 10 Ω

2Ω
(b)
1/R = 1/2 + 1/3 + 1/4
= 13/12 Ω
3Ω R = 12/13 = 0.92 Ω

4Ω

1/R = 1/5 + 1/5

2Ω 3 Ω
= 2/5
R = 5/2 = 2.5 Ω
(c)
5Ω

(d) 2Ω

1/R = 1/2 + 1/5 = 7/10

3 Ω
R = 10/7 + 3 = 4.43 Ω
5Ω

Chapter 17: Current Electricity 4

Science Department

6. The figure below shows the V/I (voltage-current) characteristic graphs for two components, P
and Q, at constant temperature.

(a) Which component obeys Ohm's Law? Explain your answer.

P, as its V-I graph is a straight line passing through the origin.

(b) Find the resistance of P.

3
R = gradient of graph = = 5Ω
0.6

7. Sketch the V/I graph for:

(a) a metallic conductor at constant temperature, (b) a filament lamp.

voltage/V

current/A

Chapter 17: Current Electricity 5

Science Department

UNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL

PHYSICS

CHAPTER 17: CURRENT ELECTRICITY

ANSWERS

Name: ______________________ ( ) Class: ______ Date: __________

Exercise 17D: Electric Current, EMF & P.D.

1. In an electric circuit, a charge of 60 C flows past a point in 10 s. What is the

current in the circuit?

Q 60 C
I= = = 6A
t 10 s

2 A current of 10 A flows through an electric heater for 10 mins. What is the total
charge through the heater?

Q = It = 10 × 10 × 60 = 6000C

3 The current through an electric bulb is 500 mA. Find the time taken for 150 C of
charge to flow through the bulb.

Q 150 C
t= = = 300 s
I 0.5 A

4 The diagram shows an electric circuit in which a direct current is flowing.

(b) Electrons flow

(a) Calculate the number of electrons per second passing a point B, in the wire, when
a current of 0.7 A is flowing. [The charge on an electron is 1.6 x 10-19 C.]

0.7 C
No . of electrons passing per sec = = 4.4 × 10 18
1.6 × 10 − 19

(b) Show on the diagram the direction in which these electrons move past the point B.

Chapter 17: Current Electricity 6

Science Department

5 A battery is charged for 6 hours using a current of 0.50 A. Calculate

(a) the total charge which flows through the battery,

Q = It = 0.5 × 6 × 3600 = 10 ,800C

(b) the work done in passing this charge through the battery if the average
voltage between the battery terminals during charging is 11.0 V.

E = QV = 10 ,800C × 11V = 118 ,800 J

6 How much energy is transferred by a battery of e.m.f. 4.5 V when 1.0 C of charge
passes through it?

E = QV = 1C × 4.5V = 4.5 J

7 The work done in moving a charge of 2 C from one point A to another point B on
the same wire is 5 J. Calculate the p.d. between points A and B.

E 5J
V= = = 2.5V
Q 2C

8 When a current of 0.25 A flows through a lamp for 2 minutes, 3 300 J of energy is
transformed. What is the potential difference across the lamp?

Q = It = 0.25 × 2 × 60 = 30 C
E 3 ,300
V= = = 110V
Q 30

Chapter 17: Current Electricity 7