ID Resources: Topic 5– Current and

Resistance
1. In a certain circuit, the current as a function of time 4. Ohm’s Law states that the potential difference
is given as: across a device is equal to _____.

𝑖(𝑡) = 3𝑡 2 − 2𝑡 the current flowing through the device

A.
times the resistance of the device
where 𝑖 is measured in milliamps and 𝑡 is measured
in seconds. How much charge passes through this the current flowing through the device
B.
circuit during the interval 0 < 𝑡 < 5.00 𝑠? divided by the resistance of the device

the resistance of the device divided by the

A. 28.0 mC C.
current flowing through the device
B. 65.0 mC the current flowing through the device
D.
times the cross-sectional area of the device
C. 100 mC

D. 150 mC 5. Which of the following are the correct units for

conductance and conductivity?

2. Which of the following statements are true

Conductance Conductivity
regarding current density?
I. It is the current flowing per unit area A. Siemens (S) (Ωm)−1
II. It is a vector quantity with a direction
opposite to that of the negative charges B. Ohms (Ω) Ωm
III. Its SI unit is 𝐴𝑚−1
C. Ωm Ohms (Ω)
A. I only D. (Ωm)−1 Siemens (S)
B. II only
C. I and II only 6. A potential difference of 2.0 𝑉 is applied across a
wire of cross sectional area 2.5 𝑚𝑚2 . The current
D. I, II and III which passes through the wire is 3.2 × 10−3 𝐴. What
is the resistance of the wire?
3. A conductor carries a current of 50 μA. If the area
of cross-section of the conductor is 50 mm2, then A. 2.8 × 102 𝛺
value of the current density is ____.
B. 3.6 × 102 𝛺
A. 10−6 𝐴𝑚−2 C. 4.2 × 102 𝛺

B. 10−3 𝐴𝑚−2 D. 6.3 × 102 𝛺

C. 0.5 𝐴𝑚−2
D. 1.0 𝐴𝑚−2

Page 1 of 12
7. Two cylindrical wires, 1 and 2, made of the same 11. A copper wire of diameter 2.0 mm carries 12 A of
material, have the same resistance. If the length of current for an electric stove. Assuming the resistivity
wire 2 is twice that of wire 1, what is the ratio of their of copper of 1.7  10-8 .m, the power dissipated in
cross-sectional areas, A1 and A2? 2.0 m length of the wire is ____.

𝐴1 A. 0. 72 W
A. =2
𝐴2
B. 0. 98 W
𝐴1
B. =4 C. 1.44 W
𝐴2
𝐴1 D. 1.56 W
C. = 0.5
𝐴2
𝐴1 12. Two cylinders are made out of the same material
D. = 0.25
𝐴2 and are of equal length as shown. The cylinders are
connected to a battery with voltage 𝑉𝑏 . If the voltage
8. Which of the following wires has the largest drop across resistor 𝑅2 is 0.810 × 𝑉𝑏 , what is the
current flowing through it? ratio of the radii 𝑟1 /𝑟2 of the two cylinders?

a 1 m long copper wire of diameter 1 mm

A.
connected to a 10 V battery
a 0.5 m long copper wire of diameter 0.5
B.
mm connected to a 5 V battery
a 2 m long copper wire of diameter 2 mm
C.
connected to a 20 V battery
a 1 m long copper wire of diameter 0.5 mm
D.
connected to a 5 V battery

9. A particular wire has a diameter of 1.7 mm and

length of 1.3 m. If its resistance is 15 m, what is the
A. 1.10
resistivity of the metal from which it is made?
B. 1.51
A. 1.0  10−7 m C. 2.06
B. 2.6  10−8 m D. 3.31
C. 4.4  10−6 m
13. The emf (electromotive force) is an _____.
D. 1.8  10−5 m
A. electric force vector
10. A 20 cm long and 1.0 mm diameter thick copper
wire of resistivity 1.7  10-8 m is connected across B. electric field vector
a 3.0 V battery. The current through the wire is ____. C. electric potential produced by a source

A. 7.00 A D. electric current

B. 125 A
C. 693 A
D. 789 A

Page 2 of 12
14. A resistor with R = 10.0 Ω is connected across a 18. Three identical resistors, R1, R2, and R3, are wired
source of emf with potential difference Vemf = 1.50 V. together as shown in the figure. An electric current is
What is the current flowing though the circuit? flowing through the three resistors. The current
through R2 ______.
A. 0.15 A
B. 0.23 A
C. 6.67 A
D. 150 A is the same as the current through
A.
R1 and R3
15. N identical resistors are connected in series. The is a third of the current through R1 and
B.
resistance of one of them is equal to R. What is the R3
equivalent resistance of all N resistors? is twice the sum of the current
C.
through R1 and R3
A. 𝑅/𝑁 is three times the current through
D.
B. 𝑁/𝑅 R1 and R3

C. 𝑅 19. What is voltage across the 8  resistor?

D. 𝑁𝑅
A. ¼V
16. You make a series combination using a resistor A B. 4V
having a very large resistance and a resistor B having
a very small resistance. The equivalent resistance of C. 8V
this combination will be
D. 12 V
slightly greater than the resistance of the
A.
resistor A
20. A battery has an unloaded terminal voltage of 48
slightly less than the resistance of the V. When a load of 15  is connected to the battery,
B.
resistor A the terminal voltage drops to 45.4 V. What is the
slightly greater than the resistance of the internal resistance of the battery?
C.
resistor B
slightly less than the resistance of the A. 0.86 Ω
D.
resistor B B. 1.0 Ω

17. In the diagram below the current in the 3.0  C. 1.2 Ω

resistor is 4.0 A. The potential difference between D. 1.3 Ω
points A and B must be ______.

21. A battery has an internal resistance of 1.3  and a

voltage of 48 V. What is the load resistance which
causes the voltage to drop to 45.4 V?
A. 0.80 V
B. 1.25 V A. 0.587 Ω
C. 12 V B. 1.37 Ω
D. 20 V C. 2.63 Ω
D. 22.7 Ω

Page 3 of 12
22. A battery has an internal resistance of 1.3  and a 26. Two identical light bulbs are connected to a
voltage of 48.0 V. If a load of 15.0  is connected to battery. Will the light bulbs be brighter if they are
the battery, what is the voltage across the terminals connected to the battery in series or in parallel?
of the battery?
A. in series
A. 39.6 V
B. in parallel
B. 44.2 V The brightness will be the same in series
C.
C. 45.4 V and in parallel

D. 48.0 V There is not enough information to

D.
determine an answer
23. N identical resistors are connected in parallel. The
Questions 27 to 29
resistance of one of them is equal to R. What is the
Two resistors are connected to a battery as shown in
equivalent resistance of all N resistors?
the figure below.

A. 𝑅/𝑁
B. 𝑁/𝑅
C. 𝑅
D. 𝑁𝑅

24. What is the equivalent resistance of the circuit 27. What is the current in the 5  resistor?
shown if 𝑅1 = 24 𝛺, 𝑅2 = 40 𝛺, 𝑅3 = 16 𝛺?
A. 2.2 A
B. 3.3 A
C. 6.6 A
D. 9.9 A

A. 7.7 Ω 28. What is the current in the 10  resistor?

B. 10 Ω
A. 2.2 A
C. 56 Ω
B. 3.3 A
D. 61 Ω
C. 6.6 A
25. You make a parallel combination using a resistor D. 9.9 A
A having a very large resistance and a resistor B
having a very small resistance. The equivalent 29. What is the current supplied by the battery?
resistance of this combination will be
A. 2.2 A
slightly greater than the resistance of the
A. B. 3.3 A
resistor A
slightly less than the resistance of the C. 6.6 A
B.
resistor A
D. 9.9 A
slightly greater than the resistance of the
C.
resistor B
slightly less than the resistance of the
D.
resistor B

Page 4 of 12
30. What is the total power dissipated in both 33. A 10 ohm resistor is attached to a 20 ohm resistor
resistors? in series. This combination is then attached to a 30
ohm resistor in parallel. This is then connected to a
A. 0.68 W 120 V battery. What is the current flow through the
20 ohm resistor?
B. 5.2 W
C. 12.3 W
D. 168 W

31. As more identical resistors, R, are added to the

circuit shown in the figure, the resistance between
points A and B will ___.
A. 4.0 A
B. 6.0 A
C. 8.0 A
D. 16 A

34. Two resistors of resistance 𝑅 are connected in

A. increase parallel. The combination is connected in series to a
resistor of resistance 2𝑅. What is the resistance of
B. decrease this combination of resistors?
C. stay the same
D. Change in an unpredictable manner

32. Three light bulbs are connected in series with a

battery that delivers a constant potential difference, A. 0.5 R
Vemf. When a wire is connected across light
bulb 2 as shown in the figure, light bulbs 1 and 3 ___. B. R
C. 1.0 R
D. 2.5 R

35. What is the battery current Ibat when the switch in

the figure is closed?

burn just as brightly as they did before

A.
the wire was connected.
burn more brightly than they did before
B.
the wire was connected A. 1.09 A
burn less brightly than they did before B. 8.00 A
C.
the wire was connected
C. 9.14 A
D. go out
D. 12.5 A

Page 5 of 12
36. What is the current in the 20  resistor in the 39. Which resistor has the greatest current going
circuit in the figure? through it? Assume that all the resistors are equal.

A. 0.33 A
B. 0.60 A A. 𝑅1
C. 1.0 A B. 𝑅5
D. 1.5 A C. 𝑅3 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅4
D. 𝑅1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅2
37. What is the current that flows out of the ideal 9.0
V battery in the circuit in the figure?
40. Which combination of resistors has the highest
equivalent resistance?

A. 0.07 A
B. 0.43 A
C. 0.54 A
D. 0.90 A

38. What happens to the voltage across the resistor

R4 when the switch is closed?
A. Combination (a)
B. Combination (b)
C. Combination (c)
D. Combination (d)
The equivalent resistance is the same for
E.
all the four circuits

41. How much energy is used by a 15 W electric

A. Increases motor if it operates for half an hour?

B. Decreases
A. 127 J
C. Stays the same
B. 450 J
D. Increases and then decreases
C. 9000 J
D. 27000 J

Page 6 of 12
42. The graph below shows experimental data for the 45. In order to double the power dissipated in the
potential difference across a lightbulb as a function of resistor R, ______.
the current through the light bulb. The power
dissipated by the lightbulb when the potential
difference across the bulb is 12 V is most nearly ____.

A. double the resistance R

B. double the voltage V
C. increase the voltage V by about 40%.
decrease the resistance R by a factor of
D.
four

46. Two lightbulbs operate at 120 V, but one has a

power rating of 25 W while the other has a power
rating of 100 W. Which one has the greater
A. 0.067 𝑊
resistance?
B. 7.7 𝑊
C. 9.6 𝑊 A. The 25 W bulb

D. 12 𝑊 B. The 100 W bulb

C. Both have the same resistance
43. If the current through a resistor is increased by a
factor of 4, how does this affect the power D. Resistance is independent of power
dissipated?
47. A fixed voltage is applied across the length of a
A. It decreases by a factor of 4 tungsten wire. An increase in the power dissipated
by the wire would result if which of the following
B. It increases by a factor of 4 could be increased?
C. It decreases by a factor of 8
A. The resistivity of the tungsten
D. It increases by a factor of 16
B. The cross-sectional area of the wire
44. If the electric [potential across a resistor is C. The length of the wire
increased by a factor of 4, how does this affect the D. The temperature of the wire
power dissipated?

48. Copper wire A has twice the length and half the
A. It decreases by a factor of 4 diameter of copper wire B, but carries the same
B. It increases by a factor of 4 current I. If P is the rate at which energy is dissipated
in wire B, what is the rate at which energy is
C. It decreases by a factor of 8 dissipated in wire A?
D. It increases by a factor of 16
A. P/8
B. P/4
C. 4P
D. 8P

Page 7 of 12
49. In the circuit shown, 𝑅1 = 9.00 𝛺, 𝑅2 = 14.0 𝛺, 50. A 12.0 V battery is connected to a 7.54 ohm
𝑅3 = 2.50 𝛺, and 𝑉 = 16.0 𝑉. Find the total power resistor and a current of 0.999A is measured to flow
dissipated in the circuit in W. through the resistor. How much power is dissipated
as heat inside the battery?

A. 4.47 𝑊
B. 7.10 𝑊
C. 12.0 𝑊
D. 19.1 𝑊

A. 2.00 W
B. 10.1 W
C. 22.1 W
D. 32.1 W

Free Response:

1. True or False.

a. Two wires made of different materials, but of same length and area of cross section, have the same
resistivity.
b. Conductors of the same material with different geometries have different resistances. (True)
c. Conductors of the same material with different geometries have the same resistivity. (True)
d. The resistance of a copper wire of constant cross-sectional area is directly proportional to its
length.
e. The resistance of a copper wire of constant length is directly proportional to its cross-sectional
area.

2. A copper wire 3.2 mm in diameter carries a 5.0 A current. Determine the current density in the wire.

3. What is the resistance of a copper wire of length 𝑙 = 10.9 𝑚 and diameter 𝑑 = 1.30 𝑚𝑚? The resistivity
of copper is 1.72 × 10–8 𝛺𝑚.

Page 8 of 12
4. A potential difference of 12.0 V is applied across a wire of cross-sectional area 4.50 mm2 and length
1000 km. The current passing through the wire is 3.20 × 10−3 𝐴.

a. What is the resistance of the wire?

b. What is the resistivity of the wire?

c. What is the conductivity of the wire?

5. Two conductors are made of the same material and have the same length 𝐿. Conductor 𝐴 is a hollow
tube with inside diameter 2.00 𝑚𝑚 and outside diameter 3.00 𝑚𝑚; conductor 𝐵 is a solid wire with
radius 𝑅𝐵 . What value of 𝑅𝐵 is required for the two conductors to have the same resistance measured
between their ends?

6. A potential difference of 12.0 𝑉 is applied across a wire of cross-sectional area 4.50 𝑚𝑚2 and length
1000 𝑘𝑚. The current passing through the wire is 3.20 × 10−3 𝐴.

a. What is the resistance of the wire?

b. What is the resistivity of the wire?

Page 9 of 12
7. Consider a battery that has Vt = 15.0 V when it is not connected to a circuit. When a 10.0 Ω resistor is
connected with the battery, the potential difference across the battery’s terminals drops to 12.5 V. What is
the internal resistance of the battery?

8. A battery with an emf of ℰ = 12.0 𝑉 has a terminal voltage of 11.5 𝑉 when the current is 𝐼 = 3.0 𝐴.

a. Calculate the battery’s internal resistance 𝑟.

b. Find the load resistance 𝑅 .

9. The figure shows a battery of emf ℰ and internal resistance 𝑟 = 0.15 𝛺 connected to an external resistor
𝑅 = 8.00 𝛺.

a. Find the current in an 8.00 𝛺 resistor if the voltage

across the battery (the terminal voltage) is 9.00 V.

b. What is the emf of the battery?

Page 10 of 12
10. The figure below shows three resistors connected in a circuit.

a. What is the equivalent resistance of the

circuit?

b. What is the current through the 10 Ω resistor?

c. What is the voltage across the 20 Ω resistors?

11. The figure below shows a circuit with four resistors.

a. What is the equivalent resistance of the circuit

when the switch is open?

b. What is the current in the circuit when the

switch is open?

c. What is the equivalent resistance of the circuit when the switch is closed?

d. What is the current in the circuit when the switch is closed?

Page 11 of 12
12. For the circuit shown in the figure, 𝑅1 = 6.00 𝛺, 𝑅2 = 6.00 𝛺, 𝑅3 = 2.00 𝛺, 𝑅4 = 4.00 𝛺, 𝑅5 = 3.00 𝛺,
and the potential difference is 12.0 V.

a. What is the equivalent resistance for the

circuit?

b. What is the current through R5?

c. What is the potential drop across R3?

13. Three resistors are connected across a battery as shown in the figure.

a. What is the equivalent resistance of the circuit?

b. How much power is dissipated across the three

resistors?

c. Determine the potential drop across each resistor.

Page 12 of 12