Resistance, series and parallel circuits: Edexcel GCSE Physics questions

Every Edexcel GCSE Physics exam question on Resistance, series and parallel circuits (specification points 10.12–10.21), 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

All 69 questions on Resistance, series and parallel circuits, as a list

June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q10(a)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the resistance of the resistor. (2) resistance = Ω
June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q10(a)(ii) (2 marks): Describe how an additional component could be used to vary the current in the resistor. (2)
June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q10(c) (6 marks): The table in Figure 23 gives some information about series and parallel circuits. series and parallel circuits A battery can be connected to two equal value res
June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(a)(i) (1 mark): Calculate the total resistance of the lamps in the circuit. (1) total resistance of lamps = Ω
June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(a)(ii) (2 marks): The current in a lamp in Figure 1 is 0.50 A. The resistance of the lamp is 12 Ω. Calculate the voltage across this lamp. Use the equation V = I × R (2) voltage
June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(b)(ii) (1 mark): The resistance of the circuit is increased by adding one resistor to the circuit. State how increasing the resistance changes the current in the circuit. (1)
June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(i) (1 mark): On Figure 5, draw a voltmeter connected to measure the voltage (p.d.) across the resistors. (1) The students remove one resistor and measure the current and vo
June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(ii) (1 mark): Using data from the table in Figure 6, predict the current from the power supply when there are 4 resistors in the circuit. (1) current = mA
June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(iii) (3 marks): Using data from the table in Figure 6, calculate the resistance of only 1 resistor. (3) resistance = Ω
June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(iv) (3 marks): Using data from the table in Figure 6, explain what happens to the total resistance of the circuit as the number of resistors in parallel decreases. (3)
June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(a) (3 marks): A student investigates how current varies with potential difference across a filament lamp. The student uses a power supply, a variable resistor, the filament l
June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(b)(i) (1 mark): Suggest one advantage of using a data logger instead of meters in this investigation. (1)
June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(b)(ii) (2 marks): Describe how current varies with potential difference in the graph in Figure 20. (2)
June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(b)(iii) (2 marks): Use data from the graph in Figure 20 to show how the resistance changes with potential difference for the filament lamp. (2)
June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(b)(i) (1 mark): On Figure 21, draw a voltmeter connected to measure the voltage (p.d.) across the resistors. (1) The students remove one resistor and measure the current and v
June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(b)(ii) (1 mark): Using data from the table in Figure 22, predict the current from the power supply when there are 4 resistors in the circuit. (1) current = mA
June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(b)(iii) (3 marks): Using data from the table in Figure 22, calculate the resistance of only 1 resistor. (3) resistance = Ω
June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(b)(iv) (3 marks): Using data from the table in Figure 22, explain what happens to the total resistance of the circuit as the number of resistors in parallel decreases. (3)
June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(a) (2 marks): Figure 3 shows some of the apparatus that students use to determine the resistance of a piece of iron wire. connector iron wire connector variable resistor batt
June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(i) (1 mark): Give the name of one additional piece of apparatus the students would need. (1)
June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(ii) (1 mark): Figure 4 shows a graph of the results. 4.00 3.50 3.00 2.50 resistance 2.00 in Ω 1.50 1.00 0.50 0.00 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 length in cm Figure 4 Draw a straight
June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(iii) (1 mark): Use Figure 4 to estimate the resistance of a 100 cm length of the iron wire. (1) resistance = Ω
June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(iv) (2 marks): The variable resistor shown in Figure 3 is used to prevent the iron wire from becoming too hot. Explain how the variable resistor is used to prevent the iron wi
June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(c) (2 marks): The potential difference (voltage) across another piece of wire is 1.56 V. The current in the wire is 0.45 A. Calculate the resistance of this piece of wire. Us
June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(b) (2 marks): Figure 20 shows some of the apparatus that students use to determine the resistance of a piece of iron wire. connector iron wire connector variable resistor bat
June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(c)(i) (1 mark): Give the name of one additional piece of apparatus the students would need. (1)
June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(c)(ii) (1 mark): Figure 21 shows a graph of the results. 4.00 3.50 3.00 2.50 resistance 2.00 in Ω 1.50 1.00 0.50 0.00 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 length in cm Figure 21 Draw a straigh
June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(c)(iii) (1 mark): Use Figure 21 to estimate the resistance of a 100 cm length of the iron wire. (1) resistance = Ω
June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(c)(iv) (2 marks): The variable resistor shown in Figure 20 is used to prevent the iron wire from becoming too hot. Explain how the variable resistor is used to prevent the iron w
June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(d) (2 marks): The potential difference (voltage) across another piece of wire is 1.56 V. The current in the wire is 0.45 A. Calculate the resistance of this piece of wire. Us
June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(a)(i) (1 mark): Calculate the resistance of the lamp. Use the equation R = V I (1) resistance = Ω
June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b) (3 marks): Another identical lamp is added to the circuit, as shown in Figure 4. d.c. power supply Figure 4 The power supply provides the same potential difference as it p
June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(c) (3 marks): A student is given a low voltage power supply and 1 m of resistance wire. The student uses these and other pieces of equipment to measure the resistance of just
June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(b)(i) (2 marks): Describe how the resistance of this thermistor varies with temperature. (2)
June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(b)(ii) (3 marks): Draw the tangent to the curve at a temperature of 30 °C, to find the rate of change of resistance with temperature at 30 °C. State the unit. (3) rate of change
June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(c)(i) (2 marks): Explain one improvement in measurement that the student could make in the investigation. (2) In this investigation, the resistance can be measured in two ways.
June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(c)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why method 2 gives more precise results than method 1. (2)
June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(a)(i) (1 mark): Calculate the resistance of the lamp. Use the equation R = V I (1) resistance = Ω
June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(b) (3 marks): Another identical lamp is added to the circuit, as shown in Figure 20. d.c. power supply Figure 20 The power supply provides the same potential difference as it
June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(c) (3 marks): A student is given a low voltage power supply and 1 m of resistance wire. The student uses these and other pieces of equipment to measure the resistance of just
November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(a)(i) (2 marks): Describe the relationship between the current and the voltage as shown in the graph in Figure 4. (2)
November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(a)(ii) (2 marks): Use the values of the voltage and current at point P and at point Q on the graph in Figure 4 to complete the table in Figure 5. (2) voltage in V current in mA p
November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(a)(iii) (2 marks): Calculate the resistance of the filament lamp when the voltage is 4.5 V and the current is 51 mA. Use the equation R = V I (2) resistance = Ω
November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(a)(iv) (3 marks): Explain why the resistance of the filament lamp changes as the voltage across it increases. (3)
November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(b)(i) (1 mark): Calculate the current in the wires to the battery when all the devices are switched on. (1) current = A
November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(b)(ii) (1 mark): State how the overall resistance of the circuit changes when any one of the devices is switched off. (1)
November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(b) (2 marks): When the current in a lamp is 0.15 A, the resistance of the lamp is 40 Ω. Calculate the voltage across the lamp. Use the equation V = I × R (2) voltage = V
November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(c)(i) (2 marks): Describe the relationship between the current and the voltage as shown in the graph in Figure 18. (2)
November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(c)(ii) (2 marks): Use the values of the voltage and current at point P and at point Q on the graph in Figure 18 to complete the table in Figure 19. (2) voltage in V current in mA
November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(c)(iii) (2 marks): Calculate the resistance of the filament lamp when the voltage is 4.5 V and the current is 51 mA. Use the equation R = V I (2) resistance = Ω
November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(c)(iv) (3 marks): Explain why the resistance of the filament lamp changes as the voltage across it increases. (3)
November 2020, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(a)(i) (2 marks): Add to Figure 19:  a voltmeter to find the potential difference across resistor R  another resistor in parallel with resistor R. (2)
November 2020, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(a)(ii) (2 marks): State the measurements that the student must take to find the overall resistance of the resistors in parallel. (2)
November 2020, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(a)(iii) (1 mark): The student investigates how the overall resistance of the circuit changes when additional resistors are added in parallel to R. Each resistor has the same resi
November 2020, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(a)(iv) (3 marks): Comment on the relationship between the overall resistance of the circuit and the number of resistors in parallel. Use information from Figure 20 to support you
November 2020, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(b)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the potential difference across the 15 Ω resistor. (2) potential difference = V
November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(b)(i) (1 mark): State the value of the voltage across the 22 Ω resistor. (1) voltage across 22 Ω resistor = V
November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(b)(ii) (2 marks): The current in resistor X is 0.041 A. The voltage across resistor X is 2.1 V. Show that the resistance of resistor X must be about 50 ohms. Use the equation V =
November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(b)(iv) (2 marks): Calculate the overall resistance of the 22 ohm resistor and resistor X. (2) overall resistance = Ω
June 2019, Paper 2 Higher, Q3(b)(i) (3 marks): One value of resistance is missing from the table in Figure 5. Calculate the value of resistance that is missing from the table. (3) missing resistance = Ω
June 2019, Paper 2 Higher, Q3(b)(ii) (3 marks): The student writes this conclusion: ‘The resistance of the lamp is directly proportional to the potential difference.’ Comment on the student’s conclusion. Use
June 2019, Paper 2 Higher, Q3(b)(iii) (2 marks): The student used a power supply that had fixed output voltage settings. Each of these outputs was a whole number of volts. Describe how the student could add a
June 2019, Paper 2 Foundation, Q9(b)(i) (3 marks): One value of resistance is missing from the table in Figure 17. Calculate the value of resistance that is missing from the table. (3) missing resistance = Ω
June 2019, Paper 2 Foundation, Q9(b)(ii) (3 marks): The student writes this conclusion: ‘The resistance of the lamp is directly proportional to the potential difference.’ Comment on the student’s conclusion. Use
June 2018, Paper 2 Higher, Q8(c) (3 marks): Figure 16 shows a cardboard tube with a wire coming out from each end. P Q Figure 16 There are two 10 ohm resistors inside the cardboard tube. A potential diffe
June 2018, Paper 2 Higher, Q10(a)(i) (1 mark): Calculate the potential difference across each lamp. (1) potential difference = V
June 2018, Paper 2 Higher, Q10(b) (6 marks): Explain, with the aid of a circuit diagram, the method a student could use to investigate how the resistance of a single lamp changes with the potential differe
June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(a) (1 mark): Figure 12 shows a graph of current against potential difference for an electrical component. current (A) 0 0 potential difference Figure 12 Which electrical com
June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(c) (3 marks): A student measures the current in the lamp for several values of potential difference across the lamp. Figure 13 shows the student’s results. potential differen

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