plumiHow do series and parallel circuits work?: OCR GCSE Combined Science B questions
Every OCR GCSE Combined Science B exam question on P3.2 How do series and parallel circuits work?, 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
Paper
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Exam
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Calculations
Q7(d)
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Q3(d)
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Q4(b)(i)
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Q4(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q3(a)(i)
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Q3(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q3(a)
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Q3(b)
The whole paper ↗Q4(c)(i)
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Q4(d)
The whole paper ↗Q4(b)(ii)
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Q4(c)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q4(c)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q4(c)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Q2(b)(ii)
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Q2(b)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Q2(b)(iv)
The whole paper ↗Q2(c)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q2(c)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q6(a)(i)
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All 28 questions on How do series and parallel circuits work?, as a list
- June 2025, Physics Paper 3 Foundation, Q7(d) (6 marks): Ling wants to find out more about the electricity supply and electricity usage in their home. (d)* Ling makes Circuits A and B to work out what kind of circuit
- June 2025, Physics Paper 7 Higher, Q3(d) (6 marks): Li is visiting the United States (US). (d)* Li makes Circuits A and B to help work out what kind of circuit is used to connect the lights in a house they are st
- June 2023, Physics Paper 3 Foundation, Q4(b)(i) (1 mark): Alex builds a circuit with one fixed resistor, as shown in Fig. 4.1. Alex then adds a second resistor in series as shown in Fig. 4.2. Fig. 4.1 Fig. 4.2 A A V V
- June 2023, Physics Paper 3 Foundation, Q4(b)(ii) (2 marks): Alex rebuilds his original circuit (Fig. 4.1). Alex then adds a second resistor in parallel as shown in Fig. 4.3. Fig. 4.1 Fig. 4.3 A A V V Complete the sentenc
- June 2023, Physics Paper 7 Higher, Q3(a)(i) (2 marks): Draw a circuit diagram using circuit symbols to show two filament lamps connected in a parallel circuit with a cell. [2]
- June 2023, Physics Paper 7 Higher, Q3(a)(ii) (2 marks): Describe how Ben can find out how the brightness of the filament lamps connected in parallel change as more lamps are added in parallel. [2]
- June 2022, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q3(a) (2 marks): Mia wants to increase the potential difference across the bulb. Here are three possible circuits she could make. A B A C All the resistors in each circuit are i
- June 2022, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q3(b) (2 marks): Mia builds the circuit in the diagram to investigate current in the circuit. A1 A2 Mia thinks the reading on ammeter A1 in the circuit in the diagram will be gr
- June 2022, Physics Paper 7 Higher, Q4(c)(i) (3 marks): Explain why the resistance of Y is smaller than the resistance of X. [3]
- June 2022, Physics Paper 7 Higher, Q4(d) (1 mark): Fig. 4.4 shows a graph of the current through resistor X for different values of the total current in the circuit. 0.20 0.18 0.16 0.14 0.12 Current through 0.10
- November 2021, Physics Paper 3 Foundation, Q4(b)(ii) (2 marks): The resistance of the variable resistor is set to 1.54 Ω and the resistance of the wand motor is 0.56 Ω. Calculate the total resistance of the variable resistor
- November 2021, Physics Paper 3 Foundation, Q4(c)(i) (1 mark): The current through the variable resistor [1]
- November 2021, Physics Paper 3 Foundation, Q4(c)(ii) (1 mark): The potential difference across the wand motor [1]
- November 2021, Physics Paper 3 Foundation, Q4(c)(iii) (1 mark): The total potential difference across the variable resistor and wand motor [1]
- November 2020, Physics Paper 3 Foundation, Q2(b)(ii) (2 marks): Describe how Ben can investigate if the brightness of the first bulb changes when a second bulb is added in parallel. [2]
- November 2020, Physics Paper 3 Foundation, Q2(b)(iii) (1 mark): Ben compares the brightness of two bulbs in series, and two bulbs in parallel. Alex says: Use two identical bulbs and keep the battery the same. Why is it impor
- November 2020, Physics Paper 3 Foundation, Q2(b)(iv) (2 marks): Complete the sentences to describe the changes to the bulb brightness when more of the same bulbs are added to the circuit. Use words from the list. You can use
- November 2020, Physics Paper 3 Foundation, Q2(c)(i) (1 mark): Suggest one hazard associated with adding more bulbs in series to the circuit. [1]
- November 2020, Physics Paper 3 Foundation, Q2(c)(ii) (1 mark): Suggest one way of making the experiment safer when more bulbs are added in series to the circuit. [1]
- November 2020, Physics Paper 7 Higher, Q6(a)(i) (2 marks): Complete the sentences below about the two circuits. Put a ring around the correct choice to complete each sentence. The current at W is equal to / higher / low
- November 2020, Physics Paper 7 Higher, Q6(a)(ii) (2 marks): Kai replaces resistor RA with another resistor that has much smaller resistance. Describe what happens to the current measured by ammeter W and the potential di
- November 2020, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q3(b) (2 marks): Layla says that placing the two resistors in parallel should give the same total resistance in the circuit as placing them in series. Is Layla correct? Yes No E
- November 2020, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q3(c)(i) (1 mark): Calculate the total resistance in Layla’s circuit when the two resistors are connected in series. Total resistance in series = Ω [1]
- November 2020, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q3(c)(ii) (1 mark): Estimate the total resistance in Layla’s circuit when the two resistors are connected in parallel. Estimated total resistance in parallel = Ω [1]
- June 2018, Physics Paper 7 Higher, Q3(c) (2 marks): Some electric heaters have two identical heating elements. Fig. 3.2 shows a heater circuit with two elements each of resistance R. S1 X S2 R R Y Fig. 3.2 With b
- June 2018, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q6(b)(i) (3 marks): Amir sets up the circuit above. Vin = 10 V Resistor R2 has a value of 10 kΩ. Amir replaces R1 in the circuit diagram with the thermistor he used in his experime
- June 2018, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q6(b)(ii) (1 mark): Using this model, what effect would increasing the temperature to 90 °C have on Vout? [1]
- June 2018, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q6(b)(iii) (4 marks): Calculate the current in the potential divider circuit at 60 °C. Current = A [4]
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