Electric current: past paper questions
Real questions on electric current
The newest 20 of 32 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.
- 0972/41 · May/June 2026 · Q7b(ii)[1]
Complete the equation that defines electric current I.
See it on the paper → - 0972/41 · May/June 2026 · Q8a(i)[2]
(a) (i) Calculate the current in the lawnmower. CUITONt .......... .......... .......... [2]
See it on the paper → - 0972/42 · May/June 2026 · Q7a(i)[3]
(i) Complete the sentences to describe and explain how a loudspeaker produces sound. changing magnetic field produced .......... coil. This magnetic field interacts with the magnetic field due to .......... .......... .......... This causes cone vibrate. vibration .......... .......... .......... transfers energy to a...
See it on the paper → - 0972/42 · May/June 2026 · Q8b(iii)[2]
(iii) The current in the lamp is 3.2A. Calculate the charge that flows through the lamp in 120s. CHALGE .......... [2]
See it on the paper → - 0972/31 · October/November 2025 · Q7c(ii)[2]
Explain how electrical conducting materials allow a current to pass.
See it on the paper → - 0972/61 · October/November 2025 · Q2a[1]
Record the ammeter reading shown in Fig. 2.2. 0.2 0.6 0.4 0.8 1.0 0 A Fig. 2.2 I = A
See it on the paper → - 0972/31 · May/June 2025 · Q8c[1]
State the name of the particles that move through the metal wires when there is a current in the circuit.
See it on the paper → - 0972/31 · May/June 2025 · Q9a[3]
The power input to the router circuit is 9.0 W. The potential difference across the router circuit is 12 V. Calculate the current in the router circuit. current in router circuit = A
See it on the paper → - 0972/42 · May/June 2025 · Q8b(ii)[1]
Calculate the value of the current I. current I =
See it on the paper → - 0972/31 · October/November 2024 · Q9a[2]
The student connects a piece of tin metal between X and Y. Describe how the student can determine whether tin is an electrical conductor.
See it on the paper → - 0972/31 · October/November 2024 · Q9b[3]
Describe electrical conduction in a metal. Use your ideas about electrons in your answer.
See it on the paper → - 0972/41 · May/June 2024 · Q6b(i)[3]
State what happens in the wire as the sphere is discharged.
See it on the paper → - 0972/41 · May/June 2024 · Q6b(ii)[3]
It takes a time of 0.14 ns for the sphere to discharge completely. Calculate the average current in the earthed wire as the sphere discharges. average current =
See it on the paper → - 0972/42 · May/June 2024 · Q8b[3]
Fig. 8.2 shows another circuit. Lamps A and B are identical filament lamps. 240 V A B Fig. 8.2 The current supplied by the power supply is 0.50 A. Calculate the resistance of lamp A. resistance =
See it on the paper → - 0972/41 · October/November 2023 · Q8a(i)[2]
the magnitude X of the charge that flows through P in 600 s X =
See it on the paper → - 0972/41 · May/June 2023 · Q6c(i)[3]
Describe, with the aid of a diagram, how a digital signal differs from an analogue signal.
See it on the paper → - 0972/41 · May/June 2023 · Q6c(ii)[2]
State two advantages of using digital signals rather than analogue signals.
See it on the paper → - 0972/61 · October/November 2022 · Q2b(i)[1]
Record the readings shown in Fig. 2.2 and Fig. 2.3. V 1 = V I = A
See it on the paper → - 0972/32 · May/June 2022 · Q8a(i)[1]
State which objects are made of electrically insulating materials.
See it on the paper → - 0972/32 · May/June 2022 · Q9b(i)[1]
State the current in the brass connecting strip. current = A
See it on the paper →
What examiners said
Most candidates correctly identified electrons as the particles moving through metal wires. However, this was not well understood, as many answers of ‘electricity’, ‘charge’ and ‘protons’ were seen.
— Examiner report, May/June 2025, 0972/31 Q8(c) (Cambridge)
Candidates found this question challenging but many correctly determined the current in the router as 0.75 A. A common error was to try and use V = I R rather than using P = I V. Many candidates then incorrectly calculated P as 12 ÷ 9 or 1.25 W. Centres are advised to ensure that candidates can recall and rearrange equations for electric circuits. They should also encourage candidates to study the...
— Examiner report, May/June 2025, 0972/31 Q9(a) (Cambridge)
Only stronger candidates gained credit here for realising that the current I was the sum of the currents in all the branches. Some candidates gained credit from an error carried forward by adding their value from (i) to 4.8 A. A common error was multiplying their answer to (i) by 4.
— Examiner report, May/June 2025, 0972/42 Q8(b)(ii) (Cambridge)
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