Lesson 3.2.1

3.2.1 Current and potential difference in circuits Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Physics, Unit 3

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.2.1, Current and potential difference in circuits: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel Physics (9PH0), Unit 3: Electric Circuits, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Kirchhoff's first law is a statement of conservation of:

    • Mass, since resistors have fixed masses.
    • Energy, since the sum of potential differences is zero.
    • Momentum, since the currents at a junction cancel.
    • Charge, since the current entering a junction equals the current leaving it.

  2. Kirchhoff's second law states that, around a closed loop in a circuit:

    • The sum of the emfs equals the sum of the potential differences.
    • The sum of the resistances is zero.
    • The sum of the currents is zero.
    • The sum of the powers is zero.

  3. In a series circuit with a 12 V supply and resistors of 4.0 ohm and 2.0 ohm, what is the current?

    • 2.0 A
    • 3.0 A
    • 0.5 A
    • 6.0 A

  4. Using the same series circuit (12 V, 4.0 ohm and 2.0 ohm, 2.0 A), what is the potential difference across the 4.0 ohm resistor?

    • 12 V
    • 8.0 V
    • 4.0 V
    • 2.0 V

  5. In a parallel junction, one branch carries 1.5 A and another carries 0.5 A. What is the total current from the supply?

    • 2.0 A
    • 1.0 A
    • 0.75 A
    • 3.0 A

  6. At a junction, 3.0 A flows in. One outgoing branch carries 1.2 A. What is the current in the other outgoing branch?

    • 1.8 A
    • 0.6 A
    • 4.2 A
    • 3.6 A

  7. Two identical lamps are connected in series with a 6.0 V cell. Each lamp is 3.0 ohm. What is the current in each lamp?

    • 3.0 A
    • 1.0 A
    • 0.5 A
    • 2.0 A

  8. A 9.0 V supply is connected across a 3.0 ohm resistor and a 6.0 ohm resistor in parallel. What is the total current from the supply?

    • 4.5 A
    • 1.5 A
    • 6.0 A
    • 3.0 A

  9. Two lamps are connected in series across a supply. Compared with a single lamp across the same supply, each lamp is:

    • Brighter, because the current is larger.
    • The same brightness, because the current is unchanged.
    • Dimmer, because each receives a smaller share of the potential difference.
    • Dimmer, because the potential difference across each is increased.

  10. An ammeter is connected to measure current, and a voltmeter is connected to measure potential difference. Where must each be placed?

    • Ammeter in series, voltmeter in parallel
    • Both in parallel
    • Ammeter in parallel, voltmeter in series
    • Both in series

  11. In a parallel circuit with several lamps, one lamp breaks and disconnects. What happens to the others?

    • They get brighter, because the current is redistributed.
    • They stay at the same brightness, because each is connected directly across the supply.
    • They go out, because the circuit is broken.
    • They get dimmer, because the total resistance increases.

  12. A 12 V cell drives current through a 2.0 ohm resistor in series with a 4.0 ohm resistor. What is the power dissipated in the 2.0 ohm resistor?

    • 4.0 W
    • 16 W
    • 32 W
    • 8.0 W

  13. In a series circuit, which quantity is the same at every point?

    • The current
    • The power
    • The resistance of each component
    • The potential difference

  14. In a parallel circuit, which quantity is the same across each branch?

    • The power
    • The potential difference
    • The resistance
    • The current

  15. A 6.0 V cell drives a current through a 2.0 ohm resistor and a 4.0 ohm resistor in series. What is the potential difference across the 4.0 ohm resistor?

    • 6.0 V
    • 1.5 V
    • 2.0 V
    • 4.0 V

  16. A 12 V supply is connected across two identical resistors in series. What is the potential difference across one resistor?

    • 3.0 V
    • 6.0 V
    • 24 V
    • 12 V

  17. Three branches of a parallel circuit carry currents of 2.0 A, 1.0 A and 0.5 A. What is the total current?

    • 3.5 A
    • 5.0 A
    • 1.5 A
    • 2.5 A

  18. A cell with negligible internal resistance supplies a series circuit of lamps. If one more lamp is added in series, what happens to the current from the cell?

    • It decreases, because the total resistance increases.
    • It increases, because the total resistance increases.
    • It doubles, because there are more lamps.
    • It stays the same, because the emf is constant.

  19. A lamp is connected in parallel with a resistor. Which statement about the current from the supply is correct?

    • It is the difference between the currents in the lamp and resistor.
    • It is the sum of the currents in the lamp and in the resistor.
    • It equals the current in the resistor only.
    • It equals the current in the lamp only.

  20. A 5.0 V supply powers a circuit with a 2.0 A current through a single resistor. What is the resistance?

    • 3.0 ohm
    • 0.4 ohm
    • 10 ohm
    • 2.5 ohm

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