plumiE.m.f. and internal resistance: Edexcel A‑Level Physics questions
Every Edexcel A-Level Physics exam question on E.m.f. and internal resistance (specification points 45–46), 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Calculations
Q13(a)
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Q13(b)(iii)
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Q15(a)(ii)
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Q15(b)(ii)
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Q16(c)
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Q2(a)
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Q2(b)
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Q18(b)(iii)
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Q14(a)
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Q10(b)
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Q17(b)(i)
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Q11(a)
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Q11(c)
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Q2(a)
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All 26 questions on E.m.f. and internal resistance, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q13(a) (2 marks): Complete the circuit diagram below to show how the data for the graph could be obtained. (2)
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q13(b)(iii) (3 marks): Calculate the internal resistance of the solar cell when operating at maximum power. (3) Internal resistance =
- June 2025, AS Paper 1, Q4 (1 mark): A circuit consists of a cell of e.m.f. 1.50 V connected to a 100 Ω resistor. A voltmeter is connected across the 100 Ω resistor, as shown. The voltmeter reading
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q15(a)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why the reading on the voltmeter indicates the e.m.f. of the power supply. (2)
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q15(b)(ii) (3 marks): Explain why the voltmeter reading decreases significantly whenever sparks are produced. (3)
- June 2024, AS Paper 1, Q4 (1 mark): The circuit shown contains a cell with internal resistance. A V The cell is replaced with another cell, with the same e.m.f. but greater internal resistance. Wh
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q16(c) (3 marks): A website suggests that ‘fast‑charging’ the battery in an electric vehicle can increase the internal resistance of the battery. Explain why an increase in inter
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q2(a) (4 marks): Initially the switch is open. Calculate the terminal p.d. of the battery when bulb 1 is lit. Assume that the resistance of the bulb has its normal working value
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q2(b) (3 marks): Explain how the brightness of bulb 1 changes when the switch is closed. No further calculations are necessary. (3)
- June 2023, AS Paper 1, Q7 (1 mark): A student investigated the e.m.f. and internal resistance of a battery. The student produced the following sketch graph. Which row of the table gives the quanti
- June 2023, AS Paper 1, Q14 (6 marks): * 14 A student connects a filament bulb to a battery. The battery has internal resistance. The student connects an identical bulb in parallel with the first bul
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q18(b)(iii) (3 marks): When the circuit is assembled, using the correctly calculated resistance value and a battery of e.m.f. 12 V, it is found that the maximum output from the potent
- June 2022, AS Paper 1, Q5 (1 mark): A variable resistor is connected in a circuit as shown. The cell has internal resistance. V A The resistance of the variable resistor is increased. Which row of
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q14(a) (3 marks): One of the solar panels has an e.m.f. of 8.2 V when in sunlight. The terminal potential difference is 5.5 V when a current of 0.45 A is drawn from the solar pan
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q10(b) (4 marks): This resistor combination is connected to a battery of e.m.f. ε and internal resistance r. 120 Ω 180 Ω The switch is closed for 5 minutes. Calculate the energy
- October 2020, Paper 1, Q17(b)(i) (3 marks): Show that the current I drawn by the electric motor when operating at this power would be given by the equation 0.036I 2 − 180I + 88 000 = 0 (3)
- October 2020, AS Paper 1, Q11(a) (1 mark): Show how the value in B2 is calculated. (1)
- October 2020, AS Paper 1, Q11(c) (2 marks): The student concluded that the power dissipated by the resistor is a maximum when R is between 2.5 Ω and 3.5 Ω. Explain how this spreadsheet could be improved s
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q2 (1 mark): A cell is connected across a resistor. After a while the internal resistance of the cell increases. Which row of the table correctly shows the change in the cur
- June 2018, Paper 3, Q2(a) (1 mark): State why a data logger would be suitable to collect data in this investigation. (1)
- June 2018, Paper 3, Q2(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain, using the graph, why the current drawn from the cell decreases as the chemical energy store in the cell is depleted. (2)
- June 2018, Paper 3, Q2(b)(ii) (3 marks): Determine the internal resistance of the cell when its chemical energy store is 80% depleted. Assume that the e.m.f. of the cell remains constant at 4.0 V. (3)
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q7 (1 mark): A student carried out an experiment to determine the electromotive force (e.m.f.) of a cell. The current in a circuit was changed by adjusting a variable resist
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q9(a) (2 marks): Student A sets up the following circuit in an attempt to measure the e.m.f. of a cell. V Explain why the voltmeter reading will not be the e.m.f. of the cell. (
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q9(b) (5 marks): Student B correctly determined the e.m.f. of an unused cell as 1.63 V and its internal resistance as 1.15 Ω. He repeated this after the cell had been used for s
- June 2016, AS Paper 1, Q4 (1 mark): Which of the following correctly defines electromotive force? A Force per unit charge to move a charge across a component. B Force per unit charge to move a cha
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