The Physics Classroom » Task Tracker » Teacher Resources » Concept Builder Questions » Electric Circuits » Current

Electric Current - Questions

The Electric Current Concept Builder is comprised of 50 questions. The questions are divided into 18 different Question Groups. Questions in the same group are rather similar to one another. The Concept Builder is coded to select at random a question from each group until a student is successful with that group of questions.

This Concept Builder consists of three different activities. Those three activities are described as follows:
 
  • Fundamentals: Question Groups 1-6. Learners answer multiple choice questions pertaining to the relative amount of current at various locations in a circuit, the direction of conventional current, and the relative bulb brightness.
  • Case Studies: Question Groups 7-12. A diagram of a circuit is shown. Learners must identify what the new diagram would look like if the number of cells, the number of bulbs, or the resistance of one of the bulbs was changed. Relies on an understanding of arrowtail and starburst representations.
  • Law Breakers Question Groups 13-18. Learners are presented with three different circuits. Arrowtails are displayed to reveal information about current direction and amount. Starbursts are shown to indicate information about relative bulb brightness. One or more of the circuits reveal an incorrect idea about current. Learners must identify those circuits as being law breakers.

The questions from each group are shown below. Teachers are encouraged to view the questions in order to judge which activities are most appropriate for their classes. We recommend providing students two or more options. 

The Physics Classroom grants teachers and other users the right to print these questions for private use. Users are also granted the right to copy the text and modify it for their own use. However, this document should not be uploaded to other servers for distribution to and/or display by others. The Physics Classroom website should remain the only website or server from which the document is distributed or displayed. We also provide a PDF that teachers can use under the same conditions. We have included a link to the PDF near the bottom of this page.

 

 

Current

 
Activity 1: Fundamentals
Question Group 1
Question 1
The diagram shows a circuit with a 3-cell battery, a light bulb, and four labeled locations. Which statement describes the direction of conventional current in this circuit?
Current is directed from A to B to C to D.
Current is directed from D to C to B to A.
Current is directed from A to B and from D to C to the bulb.
 
 
 
 
 

Question 2
The diagram shows a circuit with a 3-cell battery, a light bulb, and four labeled locations. Which statement describes the direction of conventional current in this circuit?
Current is directed from D to C to B to A.
Current is directed from A to B to C to D.
Current is directed from A to B and from D to C to the bulb.
 
 
 
 



Question Group 2
Question 3
The diagram shows a circuit with a 3-cell battery, two light bulbs, and three labeled locations. Which statement describes the relative amount current at the three locations?
The current is the same at all three locations.
The current is greatest at A and least at C.
The current is greatest at C and least at A.
 
 



 
Question 4
The diagram shows a circuit with a 3-cell battery, two light bulbs, and three labeled locations. Which statement describes the relative amount current at the three locations?
The current is the same at all three locations.
The current is greatest at A and least at C.
The current is greatest at C and least at A.
 
 
 
 
 

Question Group 3
Question 5
Which one of the following statements about electric current is correct?
Current refers to the rate at which charge passes by a point on a circuit.
Current refers to the speed at which charge moves through a circuit.
Current refers to the energy possessed by charge moving in a circuit.
Current refers to the amount of resistance that charge encounters in a circuit.
 
 
 
 
 
Question 6
Which one of the following statements about electric current is correct?
Current is calculate as the number of charges that pass a point on a circuit per time.
Current is calculated as the distance that a charge moves per unit of time.
Current is calculated as the amount of energy a charge loses per unit of time
Current is calculated as the amount of resistance a charge encounters in a given time.
 
 
 
 
Question Group 4
Question 7
The diagram shows a circuit with a 3-cell battery, two light bulbs, and three labeled locations. If 10 units of charge flow past point A in 20 seconds, then …
5 units of charge will flow past point C in 10 seconds.
20 units of charge will flow past point C in 10 seconds.
10 units of charge will flow past point C in 10 seconds.
10 units of charge will flow past point C in 5 seconds.
 
 



Question 8
The diagram shows a circuit with a 3-cell battery, two light bulbs, and three labeled locations. If 4 units of charge flow past point A in 8 seconds, then …
2 units of charge will flow past point C in 4 seconds.
8 units of charge will flow past point C in 4 seconds.
2 units of charge will flow past point C in 8 seconds.
4 units of charge will flow past point C in 2 seconds.
 
 



Question Group 5
Question 9
The diagrams shows a circuit with a 3-cell battery and two light bulbs. All light bulbs are identical. Starbursts are drawn around the light bulbs to indicate their relative brightness. In which case are the starbursts correctly drawn. Tap on the diagram to select.
 
 
 
Question 10
The diagrams shows a circuit with a 3-cell battery and two light bulbs. All light bulbs are identical. Starbursts are drawn around the light bulbs to indicate their relative brightness. In which case are the starbursts correctly drawn. Tap on the diagram to select.
 
 
 
Question 11
The diagrams shows a circuit with a 3-cell battery and two light bulbs. All light bulbs are identical. Starbursts are drawn around the light bulbs to indicate their relative brightness. In which case are the starbursts correctly drawn. Tap on the diagram to select.
 
 
 
 
 
Question Group 6
Question 12
The diagrams shows a circuit with a 3-cell battery and two light bulbs. All light bulbs are identical. Arrowtails are shown next to the wires to indicate the relative current. In which case are the arrowtails correctly drawn. Tap on the diagram to select.
 
 
 
Question 13
The diagrams shows a circuit with a 3-cell battery and two light bulbs. All light bulbs are identical. Arrowtails are shown next to the wires to indicate the relative current. In which case are the arrowtails correctly drawn. Tap on the diagram to select.
 
 
 
Question 14
The diagrams shows a circuit with a 3-cell battery and two light bulbs. All light bulbs are identical. Arrowtails are shown next to the wires to indicate the relative current. In which case are the arrowtails correctly drawn. Tap on the diagram to select.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Activity 2:  Case Studies
Question Group 7
Question 15
The circuit at the right shows a 3-cell, 1-bulb circuit. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current in a 3-cell, 2-bulb circuit?
 
 
 
 

 
 

Question 16
The circuit at the right shows a 3-cell, 1-bulb circuit. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current in a 3-cell, 2-bulb circuit?
 
 
 
 
 




Question 17
The circuit at the right shows a 3-cell, 1-bulb circuit. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current in a 3-cell, 2-bulb circuit?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Question Group 8
Question 18
The circuit at the right shows a 2-cell, 1-bulb circuit. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current in a 3-cell, 1-bulb circuit?
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
Question 19
The circuit at the right shows a 2-cell, 1-bulb circuit. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current in a 3-cell, 1-bulb circuit?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Question 20
The circuit at the right shows a 2-cell, 1-bulb circuit. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current in a 3-cell, 1-bulb circuit?
 
 
 
 





 

Question Group 9
Question 21
The circuit at the right shows a 2-cell, 2-bulb circuit. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current in a 3-cell, 2-bulb circuit?
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

Question 22
The circuit at the right shows a 2-cell, 2-bulb circuit. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current in a 3-cell, 2-bulb circuit?
 
 
 
 
 



 
 
Question 23
The circuit at the right shows a 2-cell, 2-bulb circuit. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current in a 3-cell, 2-bulb circuit?
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
Question Group 10
Question 24
The circuit at the right shows a 2-cell, 2-bulb circuit. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current in a 2-cell, 1-bulb circuit?
 
 
 

 



Question 25
The circuit at the right shows a 2-cell, 2-bulb circuit. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current in a 2-cell, 1-bulb circuit?
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

Question 26
The circuit at the right shows a 2-cell, 2-bulb circuit. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current in a 2-cell, 1-bulb circuit?
 
 
 
 
 



 
 

Question Group 11
Question 27
The circuit at the right shows a 2-cell, 1-bulb circuit; the bulb is a round bulb. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current if the round bulb is replaced by a higher-resistance long bulb?
 
 
 


 
 
 

Question 28
The circuit at the right shows a 2-cell, 1-bulb circuit; the bulb is a round bulb. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current if the round bulb is replaced by a higher-resistance long bulb?
 
 
 
 



 
Question 29
The circuit at the right shows a 2-cell, 1-bulb circuit; the bulb is a round bulb. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current if the round bulb is replaced by a higher-resistance long bulb?
 
 
 




 
 
Question Group 12
Question 30
The circuit at the right shows a 2-cell, 1-bulb circuit; the bulb is a long bulb. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current if the long bulb is replaced by a lower-resistance round bulb?
 
 

 


 
 
 
Question 31
The circuit at the right shows a 2-cell, 1-bulb circuit; the bulb is a long bulb. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current if the long bulb is replaced by a lower-resistance round bulb?
 
 
 
 


 
 

Question 32
The circuit at the right shows a 2-cell, 1-bulb circuit; the bulb is a long bulb. Bulb brightness and current is represented by starbursts and arrowtails. Which case – A, B, or C – correctly represents bulb brightness and current if the long bulb is replaced by a lower-resistance round bulb?
 
 
 
 


 

 
Activity 3:  Law Breakers
Question Group 13
Question 33
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.
 


 
 
 
Question 34
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.
 

 

 
 
Question 35
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.


 
 
 
Question Group 14
Question 36
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.

 


 
 
 
Question 37
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.
 

 
 
 
Question 38
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.
 

 
 

 
Question Group 15
Question 39
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.
 

 
 
Question 40
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.
 

 
 
Question 41
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.
 
 
 
 
Question Group 16
Question 42
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.
 

 
 
 
Question 43
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.
 

 
 
 
Question 44
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.
 

 
 
 
 
 
Question Group 17
Question 45
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.
 

 
 
 
Question 46
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.
 


 
 
 
Question 47
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.
 

 
 
 
 
 
Question Group 18
Question 48
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.



 
 
 
Question 49
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.
 
                    
 
 
Question 50
The diagrams represent bulb brightness using starbursts and current using arrowtails. Give attention to the relative brightness of bulbs, to the relative current, and to the current direction. Select any diagrams that incorrectly convey a current concept.