Lesson 3.5.1.6

3.5.1.6 Electromotive force and internal resistance Quiz: AQA Physics, Unit 5

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.5.1.6, Electromotive force and internal resistance: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Physics (7408), Unit 5: Electricity, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. The electromotive force (emf) of a source is defined as:

    • the energy transferred by the source per unit charge passing through it
    • the pd across its terminals when current flows
    • the power delivered per unit charge
    • the charge transferred per unit energy

  2. Terminal potential difference of a cell with emf E, internal resistance r and current I is:

    • E / (Ir)
    • IR only, the external resistance
    • E + Ir
    • E - Ir

  3. The emf equation for a complete circuit is:

    • E = I / (R + r)
    • E = I R
    • E = I(R + r)
    • E = (R + r) / I

  4. The gradient of a graph of terminal pd against current is:

    • the external resistance
    • the emf of the cell
    • the power dissipated
    • the negative of the internal resistance

  5. The y-intercept of a graph of terminal pd against current, at zero current, gives:

    • the external resistance
    • the short-circuit current
    • the internal resistance
    • the emf

  6. When the external resistance is much greater than the internal resistance, the terminal pd is:

    • twice the emf
    • close to the emf
    • close to zero
    • equal to the internal resistance

  7. The short-circuit current of a cell with emf E and internal resistance r is:

    • E / r
    • E x r
    • E + r
    • E / (R + r)

  8. A 1.5 V cell with internal resistance 0.50 ohm is connected to a 2.5 ohm resistor. What is the terminal pd?

    • 1.5 V
    • 2.0 V
    • 1.25 V
    • 0.75 V

  9. A 1.5 V cell with internal resistance 0.50 ohm is connected to a 2.5 ohm resistor. What is the current?

    • 0.50 A
    • 0.60 A
    • 3.0 A
    • 1.5 A

  10. A battery has emf 12 V and internal resistance 0.40 ohm. What is its short-circuit current?

    • 12.4 A
    • 30 A
    • 3.0 A
    • 4.8 A

  11. A 6.0 V cell with internal resistance 2.0 ohm drives a current through a 10 ohm external resistor. What is the lost volts?

    • 1.0 V
    • 2.0 V
    • 5.0 V
    • 0.5 V

  12. Measurements on a cell give terminal pd 8.4 V at 0.50 A and 7.8 V at 1.0 A. What is the emf?

    • 8.4 V
    • 9.0 V
    • 7.8 V
    • 10.2 V

  13. The terminal pd of a cell is 9.0 V with no current and falls to 7.5 V at a current of 2.0 A. What is the internal resistance?

    • 0.75 ohm
    • 4.5 ohm
    • 1.5 ohm
    • 0.13 ohm

  14. A 12 V cell supplies a steady 2.0 A for 10 minutes. What total energy is transferred by the cell?

    • 14.4 kJ
    • 1.44 kJ
    • 7.2 kJ
    • 144 kJ

  15. In an experiment on a cell, which graph gives its emf and internal resistance?

    • current on the vertical axis against terminal pd on the horizontal axis with zero intercept
    • terminal pd on the vertical axis against current on the horizontal axis
    • resistance against time
    • power against time

  16. A 1.5 V cell with internal resistance 1.0 ohm drives a 2.0 ohm external resistor. What power is dissipated in the external resistor?

    • 0.25 W
    • 0.50 W
    • 1.0 W
    • 0.75 W

  17. Two identical 1.5 V cells, each with internal resistance 0.20 ohm, are in series with a 2.6 ohm resistor. What is the current?

    • 0.5 A
    • 3.0 A
    • 1.2 A
    • 1.0 A

  18. Two identical cells, each 1.5 V with internal resistance 0.60 ohm, are in parallel with a 2.4 ohm resistor. What is the current?

    • 1.0 A
    • 0.63 A
    • 0.56 A
    • 0.25 A

  19. A student claims the terminal pd equals the emf whenever the circuit is closed. Which response is best?

    • Incorrect: once current flows the terminal pd falls by Ir, so it equals the emf only when I is zero.
    • Correct: the terminal pd is always equal to the emf.
    • Incorrect, because the terminal pd is always zero in a closed circuit.
    • Correct, because internal resistance is negligible in all real cells.

  20. A 12 V cell with internal resistance 0.50 ohm drives a 5.5 ohm lamp. What power does the lamp dissipate?

    • 22 W
    • 44 W
    • 2.0 W
    • 11 W

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