plumiThermistors and LDRs: Edexcel International A Level Physics questions
Every Edexcel International A Level Physics exam question on Thermistors and LDRs (specification points 79–80), 2019–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
Paper
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Calculations
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Q13(a)
The whole paper ↗Q16(b)
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- Your answer
Q16(a)
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Q18(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q18(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q18(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q14(a)
The whole paper ↗Q14(b)
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- Your answer
Q14(b)
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All 56 questions on Thermistors and LDRs, as a list
- June 2025, AS Unit 2, Q6 (1 mark): A negative temperature coefficient thermistor is connected in a circuit, as shown. A V The temperature of the thermistor is increased. Which row of the table gi
- January 2025, AS Unit 2, Q5 (1 mark): The circuit shown includes a thermistor. A Which of the following explains the change in the ammeter reading as the temperature of the thermistor decreases? A
- January 2025, AS Unit 2, Q13(a) (3 marks): Explain how the resistance of the wire changes as the temperature of the wire increases. (3)
- January 2025, AS Unit 2, Q16(b) (6 marks): The voltmeter measures the terminal potential difference across the cell. Explain how increasing the intensity of light incident on the LDR affects the reading
- October 2024, AS Unit 2, Q5 (1 mark): A current in a wire causes the temperature of the wire to increase. Which row of the table describes the changes to the wire as the temperature increases? Ampli
- October 2024, AS Unit 2, Q6 (1 mark): The circuit shown includes a thermistor. A V The temperature of the thermistor increases. Which row of the table shows how the readings on the ammeter and voltm
- October 2024, Unit 5, Q16 (6 marks): The diagram shows some equipment that could be used to calibrate a thermistor. ohmmeter thermistor beaker of water tripod Describe a method a student could use
- June 2024, AS Unit 2, Q1 (1 mark): The temperature of a thermistor and the temperature of a metal wire are increased. Which row of the table gives the changes in resistance of the thermistor and
- June 2024, AS Unit 2, Q16(a) (2 marks): The light intensity incident on the LDR decreases. Explain what happens to the potential difference across the fixed resistor. (2)
- January 2024, AS Unit 2, Q2 (1 mark): There is an increase in the intensity of light incident on a light dependent resistor (LDR). This causes a change in the number of conduction electrons and a ch
- January 2024, AS Unit 2, Q18(a)(ii) (4 marks): Determine the potential difference across the battery. (4) Potential difference =
- January 2024, AS Unit 2, Q18(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the resistance of a thermistor decreases as the temperature increases. (2)
- January 2024, AS Unit 2, Q18(b)(ii) (5 marks): The student increased the temperature of both the wire resistor and the thermistor from 80 °C to 90 °C. Explain why the current in the circuit decreased. (5)
- October 2023, AS Unit 2, Q14(a) (6 marks): Deduce whether this circuit would switch on the heater when the temperature falls below 10 °C. You should include a calculation of the p.d. across the thermisto
- October 2023, AS Unit 2, Q14(b) (2 marks): Explain why the resistance of the thermistor changes with temperature. (2)
- October 2023, Unit 5, Q15 (6 marks): * 15 A student is planning an experiment to investigate how the resistance of a thermistor changes with temperature. The student wants to use the temperature ra
- June 2023, AS Unit 2, Q10 (1 mark): As the temperature of the filament in a bulb decreases, the resistance of the filament changes. Which of the following is the reason for this change in resistan
- June 2023, AS Unit 2, Q14 (6 marks): *14 The circuit shown contains a fixed resistor and a light dependent resistor (LDR). Explain why the power dissipated by the whole circuit changes as the inten
- January 2023, AS Unit 2, Q6 (1 mark): A light dependent resistor is connected in a circuit, as shown. A V The intensity of light incident on the light dependent resistor decreases. Which row of the
- January 2023, AS Unit 2, Q14(b) (4 marks): The student decreases the temperature of the thermistor. Explain the effect of decreasing the temperature of the thermistor on the ammeter and voltmeter reading
- October 2022, AS Unit 2, Q3 (1 mark): A negative temperature coefficient thermistor and a fixed resistor are connected in a circuit, as shown. A V The temperature of the thermistor increases. Which
- October 2022, AS Unit 2, Q5 (1 mark): The graphs show how current I varies with potential difference V for three components. I I I V V V Which of the following components is not represented by any o
- October 2022, AS Unit 2, Q6 (1 mark): When the temperature of a metal wire increases, the resistance of the wire increases. Which of the following explains this increase in resistance? A the amplitu
- June 2022, AS Unit 2, Q9 (1 mark): The number of conduction electrons in a light dependent resistor changes as light intensity increases. Which of the following best explains how the number of co
- June 2022, AS Unit 2, Q12(a) (4 marks): Determine the milliammeter reading when the temperature of the thermistor is 54 °C. (4) Milliammeter reading = mA
- June 2022, AS Unit 2, Q12(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain how decreasing the temperature of the thermistor affects the voltmeter reading. Do not include calculations in your answer. (2)
- June 2022, AS Unit 2, Q12(b)(ii) (2 marks): Explain how decreasing the temperature of the thermistor affects the power dissipated by the 2.0 kΩ resistor. Do not include calculations in your answer. (2)
- June 2022, AS Unit 2, Q13(a) (2 marks): Complete the sketch graph to show how current varies with potential difference for a filament bulb. (2) I V
- June 2022, AS Unit 3, Q3(a) (2 marks): The student determined R using a circuit that included an ammeter and a voltmeter. Draw a circuit the student could have used. (2)
- June 2022, AS Unit 3, Q3(b) (3 marks): She varied I by varying the distance d between the LDR and a filament bulb. Describe a method the student could have used to obtain accurate values for R and d.
- January 2022, AS Unit 2, Q4 (1 mark): As temperature increases, the resistance of a negative temperature coefficient thermistor changes. Which of the following describes the reason for this change?
- January 2022, AS Unit 2, Q10 (1 mark): A light dependent resistor (LDR) and a fixed resistor are connected in a circuit, as shown. The intensity of the light incident on the LDR is increased. Which o
- January 2022, AS Unit 3, Q2(b) (4 marks): The student shone the light from the bulb onto a light dependent resistor (LDR). The student measured the resistance of the LDR using an ohmmeter. The student p
- January 2022, AS Unit 3, Q2(c) (1 mark): The LDR is connected to the ohmmeter using two connecting wires. The ohmmeter reading includes the resistance of the two connecting wires. State why the student
- October 2021, AS Unit 2, Q4 (1 mark): The temperature of a thermistor is increased. Which row in the table identifies the effect of the temperature increase on the number of conduction electrons and
- October 2021, AS Unit 3, Q1(a) (2 marks): Describe how the student was able to vary the temperature θ of the thermistor for this investigation. (2)
- October 2021, AS Unit 3, Q1(c)(i) (2 marks): Estimate the value of V for a temperature of 0 °C. (2)
- October 2021, AS Unit 3, Q1(c)(ii) (3 marks): Calculate the resistance of the thermistor at a temperature of 0 °C. (3) Resistance =
- October 2021, AS Unit 3, Q1(d) (2 marks): The student suggested that V is inversely proportional to temperature measured in kelvin. Determine whether she is correct. (2)
- June 2021, AS Unit 2, Q6 (1 mark): A graph of current against potential difference for an electrical component is shown. I V Which component would give this graph? A diode B filament bulb C ohmic
- June 2021, AS Unit 2, Q14(a) (4 marks): The reading on the voltmeter is 3.42 V. Determine the temperature of the thermistor. (4) Temperature =
- June 2021, AS Unit 2, Q14(b) (4 marks): The student suggests that if the e.m.f. of the battery is doubled, the reading on the voltmeter will double. Assess whether the student’s suggestion is correct.
- June 2021, AS Unit 2, Q18(c)(ii) (3 marks): After switch Y had been closed for a few minutes, the power dissipated by the resistor decreased. Explain why. (3)
- January 2021, AS Unit 2, Q13(a) (2 marks): Calculate the resistance of the LDR when the lights were off. (2) Resistance of LDR =
- January 2021, AS Unit 2, Q13(b) (2 marks): When the lights were switched back on, the student discovered that it was impossible to calculate the resistance of the LDR using this circuit. The teacher said
- January 2021, AS Unit 2, Q16 (6 marks): *16 The graphs show how current I varies with potential difference V for a filament bulb and for a negative temperature coefficient thermistor. I I V V Filament
- January 2021, AS Unit 3, Q5(a) (2 marks): Criticise these results. (2)
- January 2021, AS Unit 3, Q5(b) (5 marks): Plot a graph of resistance on the y-axis against temperature on the x-axis. (5)
- January 2021, AS Unit 3, Q5(c) (6 marks): The relationship between the temperature T and the resistance R of the copper wire is given by R = αR0T + R0 where R0 is the resistance of the wire at 0 °C and
- January 2021, AS Unit 3, Q5(d) (2 marks): Explain one modification to this investigation that would improve the accuracy of the values of R0 and α determined in (c). (2)
- October 2020, AS Unit 2, Q6 (1 mark): Which electrical component has the current-potential difference graph shown? I V A diode B filament lamp C resistor D thermistor
- October 2020, AS Unit 2, Q18(c) (4 marks): If the resistors in the circuit used in (a) were replaced with filament lamps, the resistance of each lamp would be different depending on the potential differe
- October 2020, Unit 5, Q4 (1 mark): A negative temperature coefficient thermistor and a resistor are connected as shown. A V The temperature of the thermistor decreases. Select the row of the tabl
- January 2020, AS Unit 2, Q7 (1 mark): A negative temperature coefficient thermistor is connected in a circuit as shown. A V1 V2 The temperature of the thermistor is increased. Which row of the table
- June 2019, AS Unit 2, Q5 (1 mark): Which of the following graphs shows how current I varies with potential difference V for a negative temperature coefficient thermistor? I A V I B V I C V I D V
- June 2019, AS Unit 2, Q15(c)(ii) (4 marks): As the light intensity incident upon the LDR decreases, the power dissipated in the fixed resistor decreases. Explain why the power in the fixed resistor decrea
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