Electricity
Each subtopic includes About section, revision page link, 10 preview questions, and practice CTAs.
Series circuits and circuit diagrams
SubtopicSeries circuits and circuit diagrams under Electricity for Grade 5 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
In a simple series circuit, what component is represented by the symbol in the diagram?
A.A motor
B.A buzzer
C.A lamp
D.A switch
- 2.
Which symbol in a circuit diagram is represented by a circle with a cross (X) inside it?
A.A battery
B.A switch
C.A wire
D.A lamp
- 3.
In a series circuit, what happens to the other lamps if one lamp breaks or is removed?
A.The other lamps stay lit.
B.The other lamps get brighter.
C.All other lamps stop working.
D.The battery explodes.
- 4.
Identify the component shown in this symbol.
A.Switch
B.Battery
C.Buzzer
D.Ammeter
- 5.
What will happen to the remaining lamps if the wire is cut at the position marked 'X' in the provided series circuit diagram?
A.All the lamps will turn off.
B.Only the lamp nearest to the battery will stay lit.
C.All the lamps will get brighter.
D.The other lamps will stay lit.
- 6.
If you add a third lamp to this series circuit without changing the battery, what change would you observe in the lamps?
A.All lamps will get brighter.
B.All lamps will get dimmer.
C.The first lamp stays bright, the others are dim.
D.The battery will charge up.
- 7.
Looking at the diagram, if you add a second battery in the same direction as the first, what will happen to the lamp?
A.The lamp will become brighter.
B.The lamp will become dimmer.
C.The lamp will turn off.
D.The lamp will stay the same brightness.
- 8.
An engineer is testing a safety warning system. The circuit contains a battery, a switch, and two buzzers connected in series. During the test, one of the buzzers fails and its internal wire breaks (creating a gap). How will this affect the second buzzer in the circuit, and which diagram symbol represents the component that can open or close this circuit?
A.The second buzzer will continue to sound; the switch is represented by a circle with an 'X'.
B.The second buzzer will stop sounding because the circuit is now broken; the switch is represented by two dots and a moveable bar.
C.The second buzzer will get louder because it receives all the electricity; the switch is represented by a rectangle.
D.The second buzzer will flicker on and off; the switch is represented by a zigzag line.
- 9.
Sarah is building a model lighthouse for her school project. She connects two identical bulbs in a series circuit with a battery. She notices the bulbs are very dim. If she adds a third identical bulb into the same series loop without changing the battery, what will happen to the brightness of the first two bulbs and why?
A.The first two bulbs will become even dimmer because the battery's energy is shared among more components.
B.The first two bulbs will stay the same brightness because the battery provides constant energy to each bulb.
C.The first two bulbs will become brighter because the total resistance of the circuit has decreased.
D.The first two bulbs will go out completely because a series circuit can only power exactly two bulbs.
- 10.
Which of the following scientific symbols should be used in a circuit diagram to represent a component that can turn the flow of electricity on and off in a series loop?
A.A circle with a cross inside ()
B.A straight line with a break and a tilted line segment
C.A series of long and short parallel lines
D.A circle with a large letter 'A' inside
Download the worksheet for Electricity - Series circuits and circuit diagrams to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
The effect of voltage and number of components on a circuit
SubtopicThe effect of voltage and number of components on a circuit under Electricity for Grade 5 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
What happens to the lamps in this circuit if a second lamp is added in series (one after the other) while keeping the same battery?
A.Both lamps will be brighter than the original lamp
B.Both lamps will be dimmer than the original lamp
C.The first lamp will be bright and the second will be off
D.The battery will provide more voltage automatically
- 2.
In the circuit shown, if you add one more battery in series with the existing one, what will happen to the brightness of the lamp?
A.The lamp will get brighter
B.The lamp will get dimmer
C.The lamp will stay the same brightness
D.The lamp will turn off
- 3.
What happens if you use a battery instead of a cell for a small bulb?
A.The bulb will be very dim
B.The bulb might burn out or 'blow'
C.The bulb will not light up at all
D.The bulb will stay the same
- 4.
If a circuit has three bulbs in a row and one bulb breaks, what happens to the other two?
A.They stay lit
B.They get brighter
C.They go out
D.They start flashing
- 5.
In the circuit diagram provided, there are three identical lamps. If the student removes one lamp and closes the gap with a wire, how does the voltage from the battery get distributed between the remaining two lamps?
A.Each remaining lamp receives less voltage than before
B.Each remaining lamp receives the same voltage as before
C.Each remaining lamp receives more voltage than before
D.The voltage of the battery decreases to match the fewer lamps
- 6.
A student builds the circuit shown below. If they replace the single battery with a higher voltage battery (e.g., from to ), what change is observed in the components?
A.The lamps will glow more brightly because there is more energy per unit of charge
B.The lamps will glow less brightly because there is more resistance
C.The lamps will blow out immediately regardless of the voltage
D.The direction of the current will reverse
- 7.
A circuit has two cells connected positive to negative. What is the total voltage?
A.B.C.D. - 8.
An engineer is designing a signaling device. They have a circuit with one 9V battery and three identical lamps in series. If they want to make all three lamps shine more brightly without removing any lamps, which modification should they make to the circuit?
A.Replace the 9V battery with a 12V battery to increase the electrical push.
B.Replace the 9V battery with a 1.5V battery to reduce the electrical load.
C.Add a switch to the circuit and leave it in the 'open' position.
D.Increase the length of the connecting wires to allow more room for current.
- 9.
A technician is testing a circuit in a dollhouse. The circuit has two 1.5V batteries and two lamps connected in a single loop (series). If the technician adds a third lamp to this same loop without changing the batteries, how will the brightness of the original two lamps change?
A.They will get brighter because there are more bulbs to use the energy.
B.They will stay the same because the voltage of the batteries has not changed.
C.They will get dimmer because the same voltage must now be shared across more components.
D.They will go out completely because circuits cannot function with three lamps.
- 10.
Sarah is building a model lighthouse. She initially uses one 1.5V cell and one small lamp, but the light is too dim. She decides to add a second 1.5V cell in series to the circuit. What will most likely happen to the lamp, and why?
A.The lamp will stay the same brightness because the number of components increased.
B.The lamp will become brighter because the total voltage pushing the current has increased.
C.The lamp will become dimmer because the extra cell adds too much resistance to the wires.
D.The lamp will blow out immediately because 1.5V is the maximum any bulb can ever take.
Download the worksheet for Electricity - The effect of voltage and number of components on a circuit to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
Circuit symbols and components (switches, buzzers, motors)
SubtopicCircuit symbols and components (switches, buzzers, motors) under Electricity for Grade 5 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
In the circuit diagram shown, which component is represented by the symbol in the top branch?
A.A motor
B.A buzzer
C.A lamp
D.A battery
- 2.
What does this symbol represent in a circuit diagram?
A.A wire crossing another
B.A single cell
C.A light bulb
D.A motor
- 3.
How many cells are shown in this battery symbol?
A.1
B.2
C.3
D.4
- 4.
What is the purpose of the component shown in this diagram?
A.To provide energy to the circuit
B.To turn the circuit on or off
C.To make a loud noise
D.To measure the temperature
- 5.
Which of these components is a 'load' that converts electricity into light and heat?
A.A Switch
B.A Wire
C.A Lamp
D.A Battery
- 6.
A student is planning to build a circuit with a motor and a buzzer as shown in the diagram below. They want to add a single switch that can turn both components on or off at the same time. At which of the labeled positions (1, 2, or 3) would the switch be able to do this?
A.Position 1 only
B.Any of the positions: 1, 2, or 3
C.Position 2 only
D.Positions 1 and 3 only
- 7.
What happens if a wire in a circuit is connected from one end of a cell directly to the other end without passing through a component like a lamp or motor?
A.It creates a short circuit
B.The cell lasts longer
C.The motor spins faster
D.The light gets brighter
- 8.
A lighthouse model uses a motor to rotate the lens and a lamp to provide light. If the motor and lamp are in series and the motor gets stuck (seizes up), it often acts like a break in the wire. What will happen to the lamp in this specific scenario?
A.The lamp will turn off because the circuit is broken
B.The lamp will get brighter because it has more energy
C.The lamp will stay the same brightness
D.The lamp will flash on and off rapidly
- 9.
An engineer is designing a cooling fan for a computer. The fan (motor) should only turn on when the computer gets hot. He uses a temperature-sensitive component that acts like a switch. In his schematic, he needs to represent the motor correctly. Which symbol should he use to ensure a technician knows it is a motor and not a light bulb?
A.A circle with the letter 'M' inside
B.A circle with a cross (X) inside
C.A zigzag line representing resistance
D.Two parallel lines of different lengths
- 10.
James has a toy car with two motors. He wants both motors to run at the same time, but he notices that when he adds the second motor in a single loop (series), they both spin much slower. If he wants both motors to spin at full speed using the same battery, how should he rearrange his circuit?
A.Connect the motors in a parallel circuit so each has its own path to the battery
B.Add a second switch in series to increase the voltage
C.Replace the motors with lamps to reduce the energy usage
D.Connect the motors in a longer series loop with more wires
Download the worksheet for Electricity - Circuit symbols and components (switches, buzzers, motors) to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
Electrical safety
SubtopicElectrical safety under Electricity for Grade 5 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
Why is it important to turn off the power at the main switch if a house is flooding?
A.To save money on the electric bill
B.To prevent electricity from traveling through the floodwater
C.To make the water drain faster
D.Because the lights will be too bright
- 2.
What can happen if you leave a phone charging under your pillow while you sleep?
A.The phone will have better signal
B.The phone can overheat and cause a fire
C.The pillow will become more comfortable
D.The battery will last for a week
- 3.
Which of these is the safest way to store spare batteries?
A.In a drawer mixed with metal paperclips
B.Loose in your pocket with coins
C.In their original packaging or a plastic container
D.In a bowl of water
- 4.
Why should you never use a hairdryer while standing on a wet floor?
A.The hairdryer will get dirty
B.Electricity can travel through the water and give you a shock
C.The floor will dry too quickly
D.Your hair will not dry properly
- 5.
Why do electrical appliances with metal cases often require an Earth wire?
A.To make the metal case shinier
B.To prevent the metal case from becoming 'live' if a wire touches it
C.To help the appliance heat up faster
D.To keep the appliance from moving on the counter
- 6.
What is the main reason for not using water to put out an electrical fire?
A.Water is too heavy for the fire
B.Water conducts electricity and can give you a shock
C.Water makes the fire burn brighter
D.Water will damage the carpet
- 7.
Why is it dangerous to climb a tree that is near power lines?
A.The leaves might be poisonous
B.The tree could conduct electricity if it touches a power line
C.The birds will be scared away
D.The power lines make the tree grow too tall
- 8.
Which of these is the best example of using electricity safely?
A.Unplugging the toaster before trying to clear a jam
B.Using a wet hand to turn off the kitchen light
C.Leaving a space heater on and covered with a blanket
D.Plugging five adapters into one socket
- 9.
How does a modern circuit breaker 'know' when to trip?
A.It uses an electromagnet or a bimetallic strip to detect excessive current
B.It has a small eye that watches the appliances
C.It waits for a human to tell it to turn off
D.It turns off every 2 hours just to be safe
- 10.
Why should you never use an appliance with a cord that feels 'stiff' or has 'kinks' that won't straighten out?
A.It looks untidy and messy
B.The internal copper strands may be broken, leading to overheating or sparks
C.The electricity will get stuck in the kinks and slow down
D.The cord will be too short to reach the wall
Download the worksheet for Electricity - Electrical safety to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.