Module Test Answers

ELECTRIC CURRENT AND CIRCUITS

All numerical answers have been rounded to the correct number of significant figures.
1. Match each unit of measurement to 5. The potential difference between
its physical quantity on the left. two points in space is 1000 V, and 2
coulombs of charge is transferred
a. charge—coulomb
from the point of lower potential to
b. potential energy—joule the point of higher potential. The
c. current—ampere amount of work done is ______.

d. resistance—ohm 2000 J

e. electric potential difference—volt 6. A 9-V battery is connected to a toy

car, and the current produced is 2
f. power—watt A. The rate at which energy is
2. Match each description to the items delivered to the toy car is ______.
below. 18 W
a. the depiction of lightbulbs or 7. A 60-W lightbulb runs for 2 hours.
heating elements in a circuit The energy transformed is ______.
diagram—resistors
432,000 J
b. potential difference divided by
resistance—current 8. A heater that operates at 220 W
is connected to a 110-V outlet.
c. the instrument that measures The current through the heater
current—ammeter is ______.
d. a circuit in which there are several 2A
current paths—parallel
9. A lamp is connected to a battery of
e. the type of circuit in which the 50 V, and the current through the
equivalent resistance is the sum circuit is 2 A. The resistance of the
of the resistances of each lamp is ______.
resistor—series
25 Ω
f. a safety device that stops current
through a circuit—fuse 10. The current through a resistor of
15 Ω is 5.0 A. The potential
3. The conservation of charge in a difference across the resistor
circuit implies that ______. is ______.
all of the above 75 V
4. A conventional current is the flow of 11. A series circuit has a power source
______. of 120 V and a 150-Ω resistor. The
positive charge power delivered by the power
source is ______.
96 W

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20. A series circuit has a 120-V
12. The rating of a lightbulb is 100 W
generator, but requires a source
and its resistance is 50 Ω. The
that provides a potential difference
current through the lightbulb when
of only 60 V. To achieve the desired
it is on is ______.
potential difference, a ____ can be
1.4 A used.
13. The amount of energy transformed voltage divider
by a 150-W lightbulb in 24 h is
21. A closed circuit connects a 36-V
______.
battery, a potentiometer, an
3.6 kWh ammeter, a bulb, and voltmeter. The
14. A household’s electric bill is $56 for voltmeter is connected in parallel
the month of February and the cost across the potentiometer, and the
of electricity is $0.12 per kilowatt- other components are connected in
hour. The household used ______ series. Suppose that the initial
of energy in this month. setting of the potentiometer is 1 Ω.
Fill in the missing values in the table
467 kWh below for the current in the lamp as
15. A conducting wire has a resistance the resistance in the potentiometer
of 0.02 Ω/m. The power of this 100- increases from 1 Ω to 100 Ω, 200 Ω,
m wire when it carries a current of and finally, 300 Ω.
20 A is ______. Resistance Current (A)
800 W (Ω)
16. If four electric devices are 1 36
connected in a series circuit, the 100 0.4
number of current paths is equal to
____. 200 0.2
one 300 0.1
17. A series circuit contains four 22. Suppose an ammeter reads 1.0 A,
resistors. Each resistor has a 0.12 A, 0.18 A, and 0.36 A. Fill in the
different resistance. What is the table below showing the resistance
equivalent resistance of the circuit? of the potentiometer for each
reading on the ammeter for a closed
R1 + R2 + R3 + R4
circuit with a 36-V battery.
18. In an electric circuit, ____ are
switches that act as safety devices. Current (A) Resistance (Ω)
fuses and circuit breakers 1.0 36
19. If three resistors are connected in 0.12 300.0
parallel, there are ____ current
0.18 200.0
paths in the circuit.
0.36 100.0
Three

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23. A wire is connected to a 9-V battery 29. The increase in electric potential
and ammeter, and its resistance is provided by the generator or other
measured. The length of the wire is energy source is equal to the sum of
varied, and the values shown in the the drops in electric __ across the
table are obtained. Complete the lamps in the circuit.
table by filling in the missing values potential
for resistance and current.
30. The current produced in a given
Lengt Curren Voltag Resist- circuit hooked up to a given
h (m) t (A) e (V) ance potential difference depends on the
(Ω) __ of that circuit.
1 12.7 9 0.7 resistance
2 6.4 9 1.4 31. Complete the following statements
about parallel electric circuits.
3 4.3 9 2.1
a. The potential difference across
4 3.2 9 2.8 each path is __.
5 2.6 9 3.5 the same (or equal or equivalent)
24. To measure the current through a b. The __ of the total resistance is
resistor, an ammeter should be the sum of the reciprocals of the
connected in series with the individual resistances.
resistor.
reciprocal
True
c. In a parallel circuit, the total
25. The equivalent resistance of a current is the __ of the currents
parallel circuit is always less than through each path.
the resistance of any resistor in the
circuit. sum
True d. __ enable a user to turn on some
of the electric devices and not
26. A voltmeter should have a very low others.
resistance so that it causes the
largest possible changes in currents switches (or switch)
and potential differences in the 32. Current is represented by the
circuit. symbol __.
False I
27. The resistance of an ammeter 33. A __ can measure the potential
should be as low as possible. difference across a lightbulb.
True voltmeter
28. To measure the potential difference 34. Current can only travel in a __
across a resistor, connect a circuit—one in which all of the
voltmeter in parallel with the switches are closed.
resistor.
complete (or closed)
True

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35. To measure the potential drop 39. How is it possible to turn devices on
across a resistor, a voltmeter is and off independently of each other
connected in __ with the resistor. in a house?
parallel The electric wiring uses parallel
36. What would happen to the current circuits, so the current in one circuit
in a circuit if a voltmeter were does not depend on the current in
substituted for an ammeter? any other circuit.
40. Why is a ground-fault interrupter
An ammeter is connected in series.
often required by law for electric
Its low resistance does not affect the
current. If a voltmeter were outlets in bathrooms and kitchens,
substituted for the ammeter, the high but not in other rooms in a house?
resistance of the voltmeter would In the bathroom and kitchen, there is
decrease the current. plumbing. If an appliance in use
37. For the following experimental touches a cold water pipe or a sink or
results, provide an explanation or tub full of water, it could create
theory. another current path through a
person. A ground-fault interrupter
a. The resistance of a wire detects the small difference in
increases as its length increases. current this would cause and opens
With a greater length of wire, the the circuit, preventing electric shock.
material contains more atoms and 41. Why does turning on additional
electrons along the path to collide appliances on the same circuit
and impede the progress of an breaker increase the current
electric current. through that circuit breaker?
b. The resistance of a wire Because the appliances are
increases as its cross section connected in parallel, each additional
decreases. appliance that is turned on reduces
In a thicker wire, there is more the equivalent resistance in the
material in the cross-section and circuit and causes the current to
thus more pathways for electrons increase.
to move. 42. What happens to a series current if
c. The resistance of a wire one device fails?
increases as its temperature If one device fails, the current in the
increases. whole circuit ceases. Strings of
At a higher temperature, the holiday lights are a good example of
kinetic energy of the atoms in the this phenomenon.
wire is greater. Thus, there are 43. Two lamps are connected in
more collisions with the electrons. parallel. If there are 6 V across one
38. What happens to resistance when a lamp, must there also be 6 V across
resistor is added in parallel to a the other lamp? Explain.
circuit that already has two Yes, in a parallel circuit, the potential
resistors? difference across all devices
As the number of parallel branches is connected to the same two points in
increased, the overall resistance of the circuit must be the same.
the circuit decreases.
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44. Household circuits are normally 46. A 15-Ω bell and an 8.0-Ω lamp are
wired in parallel. connected in parallel and placed
across a potential difference of
a. What would happen in a
42 V.
household if it were wired in
series and one device failed? a. What is the equivalent
resistance of the circuit?
If one device failed, current would
cease throughout the entire 5.2 Ω
household circuit. b. What is the current in the circuit?
b. What would happen in that same 8.1 A
household when additional
devices were turned on? c. What is the current through each
resistor?
The currents and potential
differences in the other devices Ibell = 2.8 A
would be reduced. Ilamp = 5.3 A
45. Two resistors of 3.0 Ω and 8.0 Ω are d. What is the potential difference
connected in series across a 9.0-V across each resistor?
battery.
Vbell = 42 V
a. What is the equivalent
resistance of the circuit? Vlamp = 42 V
11.0 Ω 47. Refer to the diagram to answer the
following questions.
b. What is the current through the
3.0-Ω resistor?
0.82 A
c. What is the current through the
8.0-Ω resistor?
0.82 A
a. What is the total current?
d. What is the potential difference
across the 3.0-Ω resistor? 3.0 A

2.5 V b. What is the potential difference

across the 20-Ω resistor?
e. What is the potential difference
across the 8.0-Ω resistor? 60 V

6.6 V c. What is the potential difference

across the 16-Ω resistor?
48 V

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d. What is the potential difference
across each 8-Ω resistor?
12 V
e. What is the current at the branch
measured by ammeter 1?
1.5 A
f. How much power is used by the
20.0-Ω resistor?
180 W
g. How much power is used by the
16.0-Ω resistor?
140 W
h. How much power is used by the
8.0-Ω resistor?
18 W

Module 19 • Electric Current and Circuits

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