Lesson 3.5.1.5

3.5.1.5 Potential divider Quiz: AQA Physics, Unit 5

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.5.1.5, Potential divider: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Physics (7408), Unit 5: Electricity, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What is the main purpose of a potential divider circuit?

    • Step up frequency
    • Increase total current
    • Supply variable voltage
    • Store electrical charge

  2. Two resistors R1 and R2 are in series across a supply pd V. The output pd across R2 is:

    • V R1 / (R1 + R2)
    • V R2 / (R1 + R2)
    • V (R1 + R2) / R2
    • V / (R1 + R2)

  3. A thermistor with negative temperature coefficient is used as the output-side resistor of a potential divider. As temperature rises, the pd across it:

    • decreases
    • stays the same
    • increases
    • becomes negative

  4. How does the resistance of a light-dependent resistor change in the dark?

    • Very low
    • Negative
    • Very high
    • Zero

  5. Which component is adjusted manually to vary the output voltage in a potential divider?

    • Variable resistor
    • Diode
    • Thermistor
    • Capacitor

  6. In a potential divider, the output pd across R2 is zero when:

    • R1 is zero
    • R2 is zero
    • R2 is infinite
    • R1 equals R2

  7. A 6.0 V supply is across two resistors in series, 2.0 kohm and 4.0 kohm. What is the output pd across the 4.0 kohm resistor?

    • 2 V
    • 4 V
    • 3 V
    • 6 V

  8. A 9.0 V supply is across a 3.0 ohm and a 6.0 ohm resistor in series. What is the pd across the 6.0 ohm resistor?

    • 4.5 V
    • 9 V
    • 3 V
    • 6 V

  9. A 12 V supply is across a 10 kohm fixed resistor in series with an LDR. In darkness the LDR is 100 kohm. What is the pd across the LDR?

    • about 6.0 V
    • 12 V
    • about 1.1 V
    • about 10.9 V

  10. As a slider moves along a potentiometer from end to end, how does output voltage vary?

    • Zero to maximum
    • Decreases to zero
    • Increases infinitely
    • Constant output

  11. A 6.0 V supply is across a fixed 2.0 kohm resistor in series with an NTC thermistor of 1.0 kohm. What is the pd across the thermistor?

    • 2 V
    • 4 V
    • 1 V
    • 3 V

  12. A 12 V supply must give a 3 V output across R2 in a potential divider. What ratio R2 : R1 is needed?

    • 1 : 4
    • 3 : 1
    • 1 : 3
    • 1 : 1

  13. A potential divider has total resistance 1.5 kohm. Its output across R2 is two thirds of the supply pd. What is R2?

    • 0.5 kohm
    • 1.5 kohm
    • 0.67 kohm
    • 1.0 kohm

  14. A divider with R1 = 1.0 kohm and R2 = 3.0 kohm is across an 8.0 V supply. What is the output pd across R2?

    • 2 V
    • 6 V
    • 4 V
    • 8 V

  15. A variable resistor is a 10 ohm track connected across 10 V with no load. The output is taken from its midpoint. What is the output pd?

    • 0 V
    • 5 V
    • 10 V
    • 2.5 V

  16. Why does connecting a load resistor across the output of a potential divider reduce output voltage?

    • Supply voltage drops
    • Parallel resistance decreases
    • Series resistance increases
    • Current stops flowing

  17. A 2.0 kΩ resistor and 4.0 kΩ thermistor are in series across 5.0 V. What is the thermistor voltage?

    • 3.3 V
    • 2.5 V
    • 5.0 V
    • 1.7 V

  18. A 5.0 kohm fixed resistor is in series with a 10 kohm LDR across 6.0 V. What is the pd across the fixed resistor?

    • 1.2 V
    • 3.0 V
    • 4.0 V
    • 2.0 V

  19. Under what condition does attaching a device to a potential divider significantly alter output voltage?

    • Low load resistance
    • Zero input voltage
    • High input current
    • High load resistance

  20. A 12 V supply is across R1 = 4.0 kohm and R2 = 8.0 kohm. An 8.0 kohm load is connected across R2. What is the output pd?

    • 12 V
    • 8 V
    • 4 V
    • 6 V

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