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4.2 Electrical quantities

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Question 2

A student is investigating how the resistance of a wire depends on its cross-sectional area. The student aims to plot a graph of resistance RRR against the reciprocal of the cross-sectional area 1/A1/A1/A.

The following apparatus is available to the student:

  • ammeter
  • voltmeter
  • power supply
  • variable resistor (rheostat)
  • switch
  • connecting leads
  • micrometer screw gauge
  • five resistance wires of different diameters, all made of the same material
  • metre rule

Plan an experiment to investigate how the resistance of a wire depends on its cross-sectional area.

You should:

  • describe a circuit diagram you would use to determine the resistance of each wire (stating how components are connected)
  • explain briefly how you would carry out the investigation, including how you would determine the cross-sectional area of each wire
  • suggest five suitable diameters of wire
  • state the key variables that you would control
  • draw a table, or tables, with column headings to show how you would display your readings. (You are not required to enter any readings in the table.)
[6]
Markscheme

4.2 Electrical quantities Questions

  1. IGCSE
  2. /Physics
  3. /4.2 Electrical quantities

452 exam-style questions on CIE IGCSE Physics 4.2 Electrical quantities, covering 4.2.1a Positive and negative charge, 4.2.1b Charging by friction and detecting charge, 4.2.1c Electrical conductors and insulators, 4.2.1d Electric fields and electric field patterns, 4.2.2a Electric current, charge and measuring current, 4.2.2b Conduction in metals and the direction of current, 4.2.2c Direct current and alternating current, 4.2.3a Electromotive force, 4.2.3b Potential difference and voltmeters, 4.2.4a Resistance, 4.2.4b Resistance of a metallic wire, 4.2.4c Current–voltage graphs, and 4.2.5 Electrical energy and electrical power. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.

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