Current and Potential Difference

• Science
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)

Current and Potential Difference

Circuit Symbols

Circuit symbols are used to represent electrical components in diagrams. Familiarize yourself with common symbols for resistors, batteries, switches, etc.

Link the symbol to the electric component

Write the physical properties of metals

True or false: Metals are excellent conductors of both electricity and heat.

1. True
2. False

What material is commonly used as a conductor of electric current?

1. Copper
2. Aluminum
3. Gold
4. Silver

Which can conduct electricity

1. Gold
2. Iodine
3. Chlorine
4. Wood

What is electric current?

1. The measurement of electric charge
2. The opposition to the flow of electric current
3. The driving force that pushes the electric charge through a circuit
4. The flow of electric charge through a conductor

What is the device that measures electrical current?

1. Ammeter
2. Multimeter
3. Oscilloscope
4. Voltmeter

Which component makes electricity flow in a circuit?

1. Switch
2. Fuse
3. Cell
4. Resistor

Which unit is used to measure electrical power?

1. Watt
2. Volt
3. Ohm
4. Ampere

What is the purpose of a resistor in an electrical circuit?

1. Storing electrical energy
2. Converting electrical energy to heat
3. Increasing the flow of electrical current
4. Limiting the flow of electrical current

What is the unit of measurement for electric current?

1. Volts (V)
2. Watts (W)
3. Ohms (Ω)
4. Amperes (A)

Which instrument is used to measure electric current?

1. Voltmeter
2. Ammeter
3. Multimeter
4. Ohmmeter

What is the symbol for electric current?

1. R
2. I
3. P
4. V

Match the keyword to the definition.

Flow of electrons through a wire.

Components arranged in a loop, joined by wires.

Push that makes charge move (provided by a battery/cell).

Current 

Potential difference

Circuit 

Drag the unit to the physical quantity:

charge

time

potential difference

current

resistance

energy

power

C

J

V

Ω

s

A

W

Complete the circuit to show the symbols of the component used to measure potential difference and the component used to measure current.

V

A

In a series circuit...

1. current is shared between components
2. current is the same in each component
3. p.d. is shared between components
4. p.d. is the same across each component

In a parallel circuit...

1. current is shared between branches
2. p.d. is shared between branches
3. p.d. is the same across each branch
4. current is the same across each branch

Current is the rate of flow of...

1. Electrons
2. Atoms
3. Protons
4. Neutrons

Series circuits provides the current with

1. multiple pathways
2. one pathway
3. two pathways
4. five pathways

Parallel circuits provides the current with

1. multiple pathways
2. one pathway
3. two pathways
4. five pathways

What is electric current?

1. The measurement of electric charge
2. The opposition to the flow of electric current
3. The driving force that pushes the electric charge through a circuit
4. The flow of electric charge through a conductor

If resistance increases, current...

1. Increases
2. Decreases

How is an ammeter connected to measure current?

1. In parallel
2. Across the component
3. In series-parallel
4. In series

In which direction does current flow?

1. From positive to negative
2. From negative to positive
3. In both directions
4. None of the above

What is the characteristic of the current in a series circuit?

1. Current varies with resistance
2. Total current is divided among the branches
3. Current is constant throughout
4. Same current flows through each component

What do we call the flow of electrons around a circuit?

1. Current
2. Potential difference
3. Resistance
4. Energy

What is potential difference?

What provides potential difference in a circuit?

What is potential difference?

1. The resistance in a circuit
2. The flow of current
3. The amount of charge
4. A difference in charge that can cause current to flow

How is potential difference measured?

1. In amperes (A)
2. In ohms (Ω)
3. In coulombs (C)
4. In volts (V)

How does potential difference affect current in a circuit?

1. Potential difference only affects resistance
2. Potential difference has no effect on current
3. Higher potential difference leads to lower current
4. Higher potential difference leads to higher current

What provides potential difference in a circuit?

1. bulb
2. cell or battery
3. motor
4. resistor

A potential difference pushes .............. around a circuit.

1. Protons
2. Electrons
3. neutrons
4. atoms

Potential difference is measured in...

1. Ohms
2. Volts
3. joules
4. ampere