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Conduction of electricity: Eduqas A‑Level Physics questions

Every Eduqas A-Level Physics exam question on 2.1 Conduction of electricity, 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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1,592 questions

  1. Q1(a)(i)

    June 2025 · Component 2

    1 mark2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Component 2, question 1(a)(i): ‘Copper is an electrical conductor.’ Explain what this statement means. [1]

  2. Q1(a)(ii)

    June 2025 · Component 2

    4 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Component 2, question 1(a)(ii): Derive the equation I = nAve for the current in a wire when the drift velocity of the free electrons is v. Include a clearly labelled diagram. [4]

  3. Q1(a)(iii)

    June 2025 · Component 2

    2 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Component 2, question 1(a)(iii): Two copper wires of diameter 0.20 mm and 0.30 mm are joined in series and a pd is applied. The drift velocity, v, of the free electrons in the wire of diameter

  4. Q3(b)

    June 2025 · AS Component 2

    3 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 AS Component 2, question 3(b): An aluminium wire with a cross-sectional area of 2.0 × 10–7 m2 carries a current of 1.4 A. Each aluminium atom contributes three free electrons, and there are 6

  5. Q2(b)(i)

    June 2023 · Component 2

    2 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Component 2, question 2(b)(i): A 2.0 m length of copper wire has a mass of 36.0 g and a cross-sectional area, A, of 2.0 × 10–6 m2 Each copper atom has a mass of 1.05 × 10–25 kg and contribute

  6. Q2(b)(ii)

    June 2023 · Component 2

    3 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Component 2, question 2(b)(ii): A pd, V, is applied across the wire. Show that the drift velocity, v, can be given by: V v = ρ lne where ρ is the resistivity of copper and l is the length of t

  7. Q2(b)(iii)

    June 2023 · Component 2

    2 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Component 2, question 2(b)(iii): Calculate v when a 1.2 V pd is applied across the wire. (Resistivity of copper, ρ = 1.7 × 10–8Ω m) [2]

  8. Q2(c)

    June 2023 · Component 2

    2 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Component 2, question 2(c): A second copper wire has the same volume as part (b) but is longer. Matthew considers how some properties in the longer wire compare with the original when a 1.

  9. Q5(a)

    June 2023 · AS Component 2

    1 mark2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 AS Component 2, question 5(a): Explain what is meant by electric current. [1]

  10. Q5(b)(i)

    June 2023 · AS Component 2

    4 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 AS Component 2, question 5(b)(i): Derive the equation giving a clearly labelled diagram. [4]

  11. Q5(b)(ii)

    June 2023 · AS Component 2

    2 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 AS Component 2, question 5(b)(ii): Calculate the mean drift velocity in a wire made of aluminium of cross-sectional area 2.52 mm2 and carrying a current of 3.45 A. Free electron concentration, n

  12. Q3(a)

    June 2022 · AS Component 2

    2 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 AS Component 2, question 3(a): There is an electric current of 0.16 A in a filament lamp. Calculate the charge that passes through the lamp in 15 minutes. [2]

  13. Q1(a)

    Autumn 2020 · Component 2

    3 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    Autumn 2020 Component 2, question 1(a): Compare the movement of free electrons in a metal before and after a pd is applied to the metal. [3]

  14. Q1(b)(i)

    Autumn 2020 · Component 2

    4 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    Autumn 2020 Component 2, question 1(b)(i): The current, I, in a wire of cross-sectional area, A, is given by the formula: I = nAve where n is the number of free electrons per unit volume and v is the dri

  15. Q1(b)(ii)

    Autumn 2020 · Component 2

    3 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    Autumn 2020 Component 2, question 1(b)(ii): Wires P and Q are connected to a fixed voltage source. Wire Q is made of a different metal from wire P and has fewer free electrons per unit volume. [nP = 6.4 ×

  16. Q9(b)

    June 2019 · Component 3

    2 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2019 Component 3, question 9(b): The concentration of conduction electrons is 2.4 × 1024 m–3 Calculate the mean drift velocity of the electrons. [2]

  17. Q9(a)

    June 2018 · Component 1

    4 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2018 Component 1, question 9(a): In your own words, describe the motion of electrons both with and without the application of an electric field (see paragraphs 2 and 6). [4]

  18. Q9(d)

    June 2018 · Component 1

    2 marks2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2018 Component 1, question 9(d): Use a mean time of 40 fs to calculate the electric field strength, E, when the mean drift velocity of electrons is 0.25 mm s-1 (see Equation 4). [2]

  19. Q2(a)(i)

    June 2018 · Component 2

    1 mark2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2018 Component 2, question 2(a)(i): State what is meant by electric current. [1]

  20. Q4(a)

    June 2018 · AS Component 2

    1 mark2.1 Conduction of electricity
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2018 AS Component 2, question 4(a): Define electric current. [1]
All 28 questions on Conduction of electricity, as a list
  1. June 2025, Component 2, Q1(a)(i) (1 mark): ‘Copper is an electrical conductor.’ Explain what this statement means. [1]
  2. June 2025, Component 2, Q1(a)(ii) (4 marks): Derive the equation I = nAve for the current in a wire when the drift velocity of the free electrons is v. Include a clearly labelled diagram. [4]
  3. June 2025, Component 2, Q1(a)(iii) (2 marks): Two copper wires of diameter 0.20 mm and 0.30 mm are joined in series and a pd is applied. The drift velocity, v, of the free electrons in the wire of diameter
  4. June 2025, AS Component 2, Q3(b) (3 marks): An aluminium wire with a cross-sectional area of 2.0 × 10–7 m2 carries a current of 1.4 A. Each aluminium atom contributes three free electrons, and there are 6
  5. June 2023, Component 2, Q2(b)(i) (2 marks): A 2.0 m length of copper wire has a mass of 36.0 g and a cross-sectional area, A, of 2.0 × 10–6 m2 Each copper atom has a mass of 1.05 × 10–25 kg and contribute
  6. June 2023, Component 2, Q2(b)(ii) (3 marks): A pd, V, is applied across the wire. Show that the drift velocity, v, can be given by: V v = ρ lne where ρ is the resistivity of copper and l is the length of t
  7. June 2023, Component 2, Q2(b)(iii) (2 marks): Calculate v when a 1.2 V pd is applied across the wire. (Resistivity of copper, ρ = 1.7 × 10–8Ω m) [2]
  8. June 2023, Component 2, Q2(c) (2 marks): A second copper wire has the same volume as part (b) but is longer. Matthew considers how some properties in the longer wire compare with the original when a 1.
  9. June 2023, AS Component 2, Q5(a) (1 mark): Explain what is meant by electric current. [1]
  10. June 2023, AS Component 2, Q5(b)(i) (4 marks): Derive the equation giving a clearly labelled diagram. [4]
  11. June 2023, AS Component 2, Q5(b)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the mean drift velocity in a wire made of aluminium of cross-sectional area 2.52 mm2 and carrying a current of 3.45 A. Free electron concentration, n
  12. June 2022, AS Component 2, Q3(a) (2 marks): There is an electric current of 0.16 A in a filament lamp. Calculate the charge that passes through the lamp in 15 minutes. [2]
  13. Autumn 2020, Component 2, Q1(a) (3 marks): Compare the movement of free electrons in a metal before and after a pd is applied to the metal. [3]
  14. Autumn 2020, Component 2, Q1(b)(i) (4 marks): The current, I, in a wire of cross-sectional area, A, is given by the formula: I = nAve where n is the number of free electrons per unit volume and v is the dri
  15. Autumn 2020, Component 2, Q1(b)(ii) (3 marks): Wires P and Q are connected to a fixed voltage source. Wire Q is made of a different metal from wire P and has fewer free electrons per unit volume. [nP = 6.4 ×
  16. June 2019, Component 3, Q9(b) (2 marks): The concentration of conduction electrons is 2.4 × 1024 m–3 Calculate the mean drift velocity of the electrons. [2]
  17. June 2018, Component 1, Q9(a) (4 marks): In your own words, describe the motion of electrons both with and without the application of an electric field (see paragraphs 2 and 6). [4]
  18. June 2018, Component 1, Q9(d) (2 marks): Use a mean time of 40 fs to calculate the electric field strength, E, when the mean drift velocity of electrons is 0.25 mm s-1 (see Equation 4). [2]
  19. June 2018, Component 2, Q2(a)(i) (1 mark): State what is meant by electric current. [1]
  20. June 2018, AS Component 2, Q4(a) (1 mark): Define electric current. [1]
  21. June 2018, AS Component 2, Q4(b)(i) (4 marks): Describe how the current varies from t = 0 to t = 2.5 s giving appropriate values. [4]
  22. June 2018, AS Component 2, Q4(b)(ii) (3 marks): Calculate the current when t = 3.0 s. [3]
  23. June 2017, Component 2, Q2(c)(i) (1 mark): State the meaning of n. [1]
  24. June 2017, Component 2, Q2(c)(ii) (3 marks): Two pieces of nichrome wire, X and Y, are joined end to end and connected to a battery as shown. The wires are of the same length but the diameter of X is doubl
  25. June 2017, Component 2, Q5(b)(ii) (2 marks): One of the spheres is now discharged. The graph shows how the discharge current varies with time. 4.0 Current / μA 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 Time / ms
  26. June 2017, Component 2, Q5(b)(iii) (1 mark): Hence, estimate the number of electrons on one sphere when the reading on the balance is 0.01 gram and r = 20 mm. [1]
  27. June 2017, AS Component 2, Q4(a) (4 marks): Calculate the mean drift velocity of the free electrons in a wire, which has a diameter of 0.50 mm and carries a current of 2.8 A. Assume each aluminium atom co
  28. June 2017, AS Component 2, Q4(b) (3 marks): The wire is thinner in a small section as shown below. Paula claims that within the thinner section the mean drift velocity of the free electrons will be greate

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