A student investigated how the potential difference across a filament lamp affects the current in
1. the lamp.
Figure 1 shows the circuit the student used.
Figure 1
(a) Figure 2 shows a circuit symbol.
Figure 2
What component does the symbol represent?
✓) one box.
Tick (✓
Ammeter
Battery
Lamp
Variable resistor
(1)
(b) Which component from Figure 1 did the student use to adjust the potential difference
across the lamp?
___________________________________________________________________
(1)
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(c) When the voltmeter was not connected to the circuit it gave a reading of 0.4 volts.
How can the student correct all the readings taken from the voltmeter?
✓) one box.
Tick (✓
Add 0.4 volts to each reading
Divide each reading by 0.4 volts
Multiply each reading by 0.4 volts
Subtract 0.4 volts from each reading
(1)
(d) The student recorded three values of current for each potential difference.
The table below shows the results for 2.5 volts.
Current in amps
Potential difference in
volts
1 2 3
2.5 0.54 0.58 0.53
Calculate the mean current in the lamp.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Mean current = _______________ A
(2)
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(e) Calculate the power of the lamp when the potential difference across the lamp was 4.8 V
The current in the lamp was 0.75 A
Use the equation:
power = potential difference × current
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Power = _______________ W
(2)
(f) Calculate the resistance of the lamp when the potential difference across the lamp was
4.8 V
The current in the lamp was 0.75 A
Use the equation:
resistance =
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Resistance = _______________ Ω
(2)
(g) Complete the sentence.
Choose answers from the box.
Each answer may be used once, more than once or not at all.
decrease increase stay the same
Increasing the current in a filament lamp makes the temperature
of the lamp ____________________ and the
resistance of the lamp ____________________.
(2)
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(h) Which graph shows the relationship between potential difference and current for a filament
lamp?
✓) one box.
Tick (✓
(1)
(Total 12 marks)
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Mark schemes
(a) battery
1. 1
(b) variable resistor
allow resistor
allow battery / cells
allow correct circuit symbol
1
(c) subtract 0.4 volts from each reading
1
(d) mean =
1
allow mean =
mean = 0.55 (A)
1
(e) P = 4.8 × 0.75
1
P = 3.6 (W)
1
(f) R=
R = 6.4 (Ω)
1
(g) increase
1
increase
1
(h)
1
[12]
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