plumiCurrent, potential difference and resistance: AQA GCSE Physics questions
Every AQA GCSE Physics exam question on 4.2.1 Current, potential difference and resistance, 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Q03.1
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 1 Higher, question 03.1: Give one way the student could have varied the potential difference across the LED. [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84631h-jun25-03-1-qp.webp)
Q03.2
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 1 Higher, question 03.2: and 03.3. 0 3 . 2 Which of the following equations links current (I), potential difference (V) and resistance (R)? [1 mark] Tick () one box. V = I 2 × R V = I](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84631h-jun25-03-2-qp.webp)
Q03.3
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 1 Higher, question 03.3: Determine the resistance of the LED when the potential difference across the LED was 3.0 V. Use Figure 6. [4 marks] Resistance = Ω](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84631h-jun25-03-3-qp.webp)
Q03.4
The whole paper ↗
Q09.2
The whole paper ↗
Q05.2
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 1 Foundation, question 05.2: The plug in Figure 9 contains a fuse. What is the circuit symbol for a fuse? [1 mark] Tick () one box.](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84631f-jun25-05-2-qp.webp)
Q07.1
The whole paper ↗
Q10.1
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 1 Foundation, question 10.1: Give one way the student could have varied the potential difference across the LED. [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84631f-jun25-10-1-qp.webp)
Q10.2
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 1 Foundation, question 10.2: and 10.3. 1 0 . 2 Which of the following equations links current (I), potential difference (V) and resistance (R)? [1 mark] Tick () one box. V = I 2 × R V = I](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84631f-jun25-10-2-qp.webp)
Q10.3
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 1 Foundation, question 10.3: Determine the resistance of the LED when the potential difference across the LED was 3.0 V. Use Figure 19. [4 marks] Resistance = Ω](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84631f-jun25-10-3-qp.webp)
Q10.4
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Q03.1
The whole paper ↗
Q03.2
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 1 Higher, question 03.2: Which graph shows the relationship between the resistance of a wire at constant temperature and its length? [1 mark] Tick () one box.](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84631h-jun24-03-2-qp.webp)
Q03.3
The whole paper ↗
Q05.3
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 1 Higher, question 05.3: Coins that are dirty are not recognised by the vending machine. Suggest one reason why. [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84631h-jun24-05-3-qp.webp)
Q05.4
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 1 Higher, question 05.4: The circuit symbol for a thermistor has not been included. Draw the circuit symbol for a thermistor in the box below. [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84631h-jun24-05-4-qp.webp)
Q10.2
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 1 Higher, question 10.2: Draw the circuit symbol for a fuse in the box below. [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84631h-jun24-10-2-qp.webp)
Q10.3
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 1 Higher, question 10.3: The fuse wire melts when there is a charge flow of 2.0 C for 400 ms. Calculate the current in the fuse wire. Use the Physics Equations Sheet. [4 marks] Current](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84631h-jun24-10-3-qp.webp)
Q02.3
The whole paper ↗
Q02.4
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 1 Foundation, question 02.4: The circuit symbol for the thermistor is wrong. What is the circuit symbol for a thermistor? [1 mark] Tick () one box.](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84631f-jun24-02-4-qp.webp)
All 100 questions on Current, potential difference and resistance, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 1 Higher, Q03.1 (1 mark): Give one way the student could have varied the potential difference across the LED. [1 mark]
- June 2025, Paper 1 Higher, Q03.2 (1 mark): and 03.3. 0 3 . 2 Which of the following equations links current (I), potential difference (V) and resistance (R)? [1 mark] Tick () one box. V = I 2 × R V = I
- June 2025, Paper 1 Higher, Q03.3 (4 marks): Determine the resistance of the LED when the potential difference across the LED was 3.0 V. Use Figure 6. [4 marks] Resistance = Ω
- June 2025, Paper 1 Higher, Q03.4 (2 marks): The student reversed the connections to the power supply and varied the potential difference across the LED. Explain why the ammeter displayed a value of 0.0 A
- June 2025, Paper 1 Higher, Q09.2 (6 marks): The power of the pump motor is 4.86 W. The resistance of the pump motor is 6.0 Ω. Calculate the charge flow through the motor in 30 minutes. Use the Physics Equ
- June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.2 (1 mark): The plug in Figure 9 contains a fuse. What is the circuit symbol for a fuse? [1 mark] Tick () one box.
- June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.1 (2 marks): The motor took 12 seconds to lift the mass. The charge flow through the circuit was 6.0 C. Calculate the current in the circuit. Use the equation: current = cha
- June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10.1 (1 mark): Give one way the student could have varied the potential difference across the LED. [1 mark]
- June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10.2 (1 mark): and 10.3. 1 0 . 2 Which of the following equations links current (I), potential difference (V) and resistance (R)? [1 mark] Tick () one box. V = I 2 × R V = I
- June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10.3 (4 marks): Determine the resistance of the LED when the potential difference across the LED was 3.0 V. Use Figure 19. [4 marks] Resistance = Ω
- June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10.4 (2 marks): The student reversed the connections to the power supply and varied the potential difference across the LED. Explain why the ammeter displayed a value of 0.0 A
- June 2024, Paper 1 Higher, Q03.1 (6 marks): The student plotted a graph of resistance against the length of wire. Describe a method the student could have used to collect the data needed to plot the graph
- June 2024, Paper 1 Higher, Q03.2 (1 mark): Which graph shows the relationship between the resistance of a wire at constant temperature and its length? [1 mark] Tick () one box.
- June 2024, Paper 1 Higher, Q03.3 (2 marks): The student used a cell that had a potential difference of 1.50 V. Explain why the cell was not an electrical hazard to the student in the investigation. [2 mar
- June 2024, Paper 1 Higher, Q05.3 (1 mark): Coins that are dirty are not recognised by the vending machine. Suggest one reason why. [1 mark]
- June 2024, Paper 1 Higher, Q05.4 (1 mark): The circuit symbol for a thermistor has not been included. Draw the circuit symbol for a thermistor in the box below. [1 mark]
- June 2024, Paper 1 Higher, Q10.2 (1 mark): Draw the circuit symbol for a fuse in the box below. [1 mark]
- June 2024, Paper 1 Higher, Q10.3 (4 marks): The fuse wire melts when there is a charge flow of 2.0 C for 400 ms. Calculate the current in the fuse wire. Use the Physics Equations Sheet. [4 marks] Current
- June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.3 (2 marks): The machine applies a potential difference of 0.45 V across the coin. The current in the coin is 0.75 A. Calculate the resistance of the coin. Use the equation:
- June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.4 (1 mark): The circuit symbol for the thermistor is wrong. What is the circuit symbol for a thermistor? [1 mark] Tick () one box.
- June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q02.7 (2 marks): When the temperature of the thermistor is 10 °C, the resistance of the thermistor is 600 Ω. Calculate the change in resistance when the temperature increased fr
- June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.3 (1 mark): What is the circuit symbol for a fuse? [1 mark] Tick () one box.
- June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.4 (2 marks): The wire in the fuse melts when there is a charge flow of 2.0 C in a time of 0.40 s. Calculate the current in the wire when it melts. Use the equation: current
- June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q08.1 (2 marks): Calculate value X in Table 3. [2 marks] X = A Figure 15 shows the results. Figure 15
- June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q08.3 (1 mark): Complete the sentence. Choose the answer from the box. [1 mark] decreases stays the same increases As the potential difference across the component increases, t
- June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q08.4 (1 mark): What is the component in the sealed box? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Diode Filament lamp Resistor at constant temperature
- June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q11.1 (6 marks): The student plotted a graph of resistance against the length of wire. Describe a method the student could have used to collect the data needed to plot the graph
- June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q11.2 (1 mark): Which graph shows the relationship between the resistance of a wire at constant temperature and its length? [1 mark] Tick () one box.
- June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q11.3 (2 marks): The student used a cell that had a potential difference of 1.50 V. Explain why the cell was not an electrical hazard to the student in the investigation. [2 mar
- June 2023, Paper 1 Higher, Q06.1 (6 marks): Describe a method the student could use to obtain these results. You should include a circuit diagram. [6 marks]
- June 2023, Paper 1 Higher, Q06.2 (3 marks): Determine the resistance of the filament lamp when the potential difference across it is +3.0 V. Use the Physics Equations Sheet. Use Figure 6 on page 18. [3 ma
- June 2023, Paper 1 Higher, Q06.4 (2 marks): The power output of the lamp is 1.0 W when the potential difference across the lamp is 5.0 V. A student predicts that the power output would be 4.0 W if the pot
- June 2023, Paper 1 Foundation, Q01.1 (1 mark): What is component P? [1 mark]
- June 2023, Paper 1 Foundation, Q01.2 (2 marks): Complete the sentences. Choose answers from the box. [2 marks] charge current energy potential difference power The ammeter in the circuit measures . The voltme
- June 2023, Paper 1 Foundation, Q01.3 (3 marks): How will increasing the resistance of the variable resistor in Figure 1 affect each of the following quantities? [3 marks] Tick () one box in each row. Quantit
- June 2023, Paper 1 Foundation, Q01.4 (2 marks): A charge flow of 15 coulombs passed through the filament lamp in a time of 60 seconds. Calculate the current in the lamp. Use the equation: current = charge flo
- June 2023, Paper 1 Foundation, Q01.5 (2 marks): When the current in the filament lamp is 0.12 A, the potential difference across the lamp is 6.0 V. Calculate the resistance of the filament lamp. Use the equat
- June 2023, Paper 1 Foundation, Q01.6 (2 marks): The student repeated the investigation after replacing the lamp with a resistor at constant temperature and then a diode. The student plotted a graph for each c
- June 2023, Paper 1 Foundation, Q01.7 (1 mark): Figure 2 shows an ammeter. The ammeter is not connected to a circuit. Figure 2 What type of error does the ammeter display? [1 mark] Tick () one box. A positiv
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.4 (2 marks): Figure 8 shows an incomplete sequence of how the bell works. Figure 8 Write one letter in each box to show the correct sequence. Use each letter once. [2 marks]
- June 2022, Paper 1 Higher, Q11.1 (1 mark): When the hair straighteners reach normal operating temperature, an LED turns on. Draw the circuit symbol for an LED in the box. [1 mark]
- June 2022, Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.6 (1 mark): The hair dryer has LEDs to indicate the power setting. What is the circuit symbol for an LED? [1 mark] Tick () one box.
- June 2022, Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.3 (1 mark): and 07.4. 0 7 . 3 Write down the equation which links charge flow (Q), current (I) and time (t). [1 mark]
- June 2022, Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.4 (4 marks): The town of Hornsdale in Australia has electricity supplied by a huge battery. The battery supplies a current of 130 000 A. Calculate the charge flow from the b
- November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q01.4 (1 mark): Which equation links current (I), potential difference (V) and resistance (R)? [1 mark] Tick () one box. I = V × R I = V 2 × R R = I × V V = I × R
- November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q01.5 (3 marks): The potential difference across the battery is 480 V. There is a current of 15 A in the circuit connecting the battery to the motor of the electric car. Calcula
- November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q03.1 (6 marks): Describe a method that Student A could use for this investigation. [6 marks]
- November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q03.2 (2 marks): Student B repeated the investigation. During Student B’s investigation the temperature of resistor R increased. Explain how the increased temperature of resisto
- November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q05.2 (4 marks): The charge flow through the cable between the solar cells and the battery in 24 hours was 27 000 coulombs. Calculate the mean current in the cable. [4 marks] Me
- November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q07.2 (2 marks): The student concluded: ‘the current in the circuit was inversely proportional to the resistance of the variable resistor.’ Explain how Figure 9 shows that the s
- November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q07.3 (2 marks): Figure 10 shows a circuit with a switch connected incorrectly. Figure 10 Explain how closing the switch would affect the current in the variable resistor. [2 ma
- November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q10.4 (2 marks): Figure 16 shows a cross-section through a power cable. Figure 16 A 1 metre length of a single aluminium wire is a better conductor than a 1 metre length of the
- November 2021, Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.1 (3 marks): Complete the sentences. Choose answers from the box. Each answer can be used once, more than once or not at all. [3 marks] As the number of lamps increased, the
- November 2021, Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.2 (1 mark): When there were three lamps in the circuit the ammeter reading kept changing between 0.35 A and 0.36 A. What type of error would this lead to? [1 mark] Tick ()
- November 2021, Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.2 (2 marks): The mean current from the solar cells to the battery is 3.5 A. Calculate the charge flow from the solar cells to the battery in 3600 seconds. Use the equation:
- November 2021, Paper 1 Foundation, Q09.4 (1 mark): Which equation links current (I), potential difference (V) and resistance (R)? [1 mark] Tick () one box. I = V × R I = V 2 × R R = I × V V = I × R
- November 2021, Paper 1 Foundation, Q09.5 (3 marks): The potential difference across the battery is 480 V. There is a current of 15 A in the circuit connecting the battery to the motor of the electric car. Calcula
- November 2021, Paper 1 Foundation, Q11.1 (6 marks): Describe a method that Student A could use for this investigation. [6 marks]
- November 2021, Paper 1 Foundation, Q11.2 (2 marks): Student B repeated the investigation. During Student B’s investigation the temperature of resistor R increased. Explain how the increased temperature of resisto
- November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q01.1 (3 marks): Complete Figure 1 by adding an ammeter and a voltmeter. Use the correct circuit symbols. [3 marks]
- November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q01.2 (2 marks): The student reversed the connections to the power supply and obtained negative values for the current and potential difference. Draw a line on Figure 2 to show
- November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q01.3 (1 mark): Write down the equation which links current (I), potential difference (V) and resistance (R). [1 mark]
- November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q01.4 (4 marks): Determine the resistance of the filament lamp when the potential difference across it is 1.0 V. Use data from Figure 2. [4 marks] Resistance = Ω
- November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q01.5 (1 mark): A second student did the same investigation. The ammeter used had a zero error. What is meant by a zero error? [1 mark]
- November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q02.1 (1 mark): The torch contains one LED, one switch and three cells. Which diagram shows the correct circuit for the torch? [1 mark] Tick () one box.
- November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q02.2 (1 mark): Write down the equation which links charge flow (Q), current (I) and time (t). [1 mark]
- November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q02.3 (3 marks): The torch worked for 14 400 seconds before the cells needed replacing. The current in the LED was 50 mA. Calculate the total charge flow through the cells. [3 m
- November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q02.4 (2 marks): When replaced, the cells were put into the torch the wrong way around. Explain why the torch did not work. [2 marks]
- November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.4 (3 marks): A thermistor can be used to measure temperature. Figure 8 shows how the resistance of four different thermistors A, B, C and D, varies with temperature. Figure
- November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q08.1 (2 marks): Calculate value X in Table 1. [2 marks] X = Ω
- November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q08.2 (2 marks): The student thought that taking a fourth reading would improve the precision of the results. The fourth reading was 16.2 Ω. Explain why the student was wrong. [
- November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q08.3 (3 marks): The student concluded that the number of resistors in parallel was inversely proportional to the mean total resistance. Explain why the student was correct. Use
- November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q08.4 (2 marks): Explain why adding resistors in parallel decreases the total resistance. [2 marks]
- November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q09.1 (5 marks): A fault in the switch caused a householder to receive a mild electric shock before a safety device switched the circuit off. The mean power transfer to the pers
- November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.2 (1 mark): The kettle circuit contains a thermistor which is used to switch the kettle off when the water reaches 100 °C. What is the correct symbol for a thermistor? [1 m
- November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q08.1 (3 marks): Complete Figure 11 by adding an ammeter and a voltmeter. Use the correct circuit symbols. [3 marks]
- November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q08.2 (2 marks): The student reversed the connections to the power supply and obtained negative values for the current and potential difference. Draw a line on Figure 12 to show
- November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q08.3 (1 mark): Write down the equation which links current (I), potential difference (V) and resistance (R). [1 mark]
- November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q08.4 (4 marks): Determine the resistance of the filament lamp when the potential difference across it is 1.0 V. Use data from Figure 12. [4 marks] Resistance = Ω
- November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q08.5 (1 mark): A second student did the same investigation. The ammeter used had a zero error. What is meant by a zero error? [1 mark]
- November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q09.1 (1 mark): The torch contains one LED, one switch and three cells. Which diagram shows the correct circuit for the torch? [1 mark] Tick () one box.
- November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q09.2 (1 mark): Write down the equation which links charge flow (Q), current (I) and time (t). [1 mark]
- November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q09.3 (3 marks): The torch worked for 14 400 seconds before the cells needed replacing. The current in the LED was 50 mA. Calculate the total charge flow through the cells. [3 m
- November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q09.4 (2 marks): When replaced, the cells were put into the torch the wrong way around. Explain why the torch did not work. [2 marks]
- June 2019, Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.2 (1 mark): Draw the circuit symbol for a switch in the box below. [1 mark]
- June 2019, Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.3 (2 marks): In 30 seconds, 24 coulombs of charge flow through the battery. Calculate the current in the battery. Use the equation: current = charge flow time [2 marks] Curr
- June 2019, Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.7 (1 mark): Write down the equation which links current, potential difference and resistance. [1 mark]
- June 2019, Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.8 (3 marks): There is a potential difference of 3.6 V across the lamp in Figure 11. The current through the lamp is 0.80 A Calculate the resistance of the lamp. [3 marks] Re
- Specimen, Paper 1 Higher, Q07.1 (2 marks): The ammeter displays a reading of 0.10 A. Calculate the potential difference across the 45 Ω resistor. [2 marks] Potential difference = V
- Specimen, Paper 1 Higher, Q07.2 (3 marks): Calculate the resistance of the resistor labelled R. [3 marks] Resistance = Ω
- Specimen, Paper 1 Higher, Q07.3 (2 marks): State what happens to the total resistance of the circuit and the current through the circuit when switch S is closed. [2 marks]
- Specimen, Paper 1 Higher, Q08.1 (3 marks): Complete the circuit diagram for the circuit that the student could have used to obta the results shown in Figure 10. [3 mark
- Specimen, Paper 1 Higher, Q08.3 (2 marks): Lamp B has the higher resistance at any potential difference. Explain how Figure 10 shows this. [2 marks]
- Specimen, Paper 1 Higher, Q08.4 (3 marks): Both lamps behave like ohmic conductors through a range of values of potential difference. Use Figure 10 to determine the range for these lamps. Explain your an
- Specimen, Paper 1 Higher, Q13.3 (5 marks): The charge that flows through the new shower in 300 seconds is 18 000 C. The new electric shower has a power of 13.8 kW. Calculate the resistance of the heating
- Specimen, Paper 1 Foundation, Q03.2 (3 marks): The equation which links current, potential difference and resistance is: potential difference = current x resistance Calculate the potential difference across
- Specimen, Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.1 (2 marks): Use the circuit symbols in the boxes to draw a circuit diagram that she could use. [2 marks 12 V battery variable resistor filament lamp voltmeter ammeter
- Specimen, Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.3 (1 mark): Describe how the resistance of the filament lamp changes as the current through it increases. [1 mark]
- Specimen, Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.4 (1 mark): Use Figure 6 to estimate the resistance of the filament lamp when a current of 0.10 A passes through the lamp. [1 mark] Resistance = Ω The current–potential dif
- Specimen, Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.5 (3 marks): Use answers from the box to identify each component. [3 marks diode filament lamp light dependent resistor resistor at constant temperature thermistor Figure 7
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