Lesson T5.1.1

T5.1.1 Current in series and parallel circuits Quiz: KS3 Physics, Unit 5

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson T5.1.1, Current in series and parallel circuits: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Physics (National Curriculum), Unit 5: Electricity and magnetism, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What is the scientific term for the flow of electric charge?

    • Voltage
    • Electric current
    • Power
    • Resistance

  2. What SI unit is used to measure electric current?

    • Volts
    • Amperes
    • Coulombs
    • Ohms

  3. How does the current compare at different points in a series circuit?

    • It decreases
    • It is identical
    • It increases
    • It halves

  4. In a parallel circuit, what do the branch currents add up to?

    • Resistance
    • Voltage drop
    • Total current
    • Zero

  5. How must an ammeter be connected to measure component current?

    • In parallel
    • Across the battery
    • In reverse
    • In series

  6. What total charge flows if a current of 2 A runs for 30 s?

    • 60 C
    • 15 C
    • 120 C
    • 32 C

  7. What is true about the current flowing through three identical lamps connected in series?

    • It drops to zero
    • It is equal
    • It doubles each lamp
    • It splits three ways

  8. How does total battery current change when adding a second identical parallel lamp?

    • It doubles
    • It stays the same
    • It halves
    • It drops to zero

  9. From which terminal does conventional current flow around a circuit?

    • Negative to positive
    • Positive to negative
    • Neutral to earth
    • Earth to live

  10. Which graphical features represent a standard electrical cell in a circuit diagram?

    • Crossed diagonal lines
    • Long and short lines
    • Dotted parallel curves
    • Two open circles

  11. What happens to working branches if one branch breaks in a parallel circuit?

    • They stay on
    • They reverse direction
    • They turn off
    • They grow brighter

  12. What happens to the remaining lamp if one is removed from a series circuit?

    • It gets brighter
    • It flashes
    • It turns off
    • It stays on

  13. What is the branch current if 0.6 A splits equally into two parallel branches?

    • 0.15 A
    • 0.6 A
    • 0.3 A
    • 1.2 A

  14. Which physical quantity equals charge divided by time?

    • Potential difference
    • Electrical resistance
    • Electrical power
    • Electric current

  15. What is the scientific term for the rate of flow of charge?

    • Voltage
    • Power
    • Resistance
    • Current

  16. What happens to the current in a series circuit when another lamp is added?

    • It stays the same
    • It decreases
    • It stops completely
    • It increases

  17. What ideal property must an ammeter have to avoid changing circuit current?

    • Very low resistance
    • Zero capacitance
    • Very high resistance
    • High voltage rating

  18. How many paths for current does a simple parallel circuit have?

    • More than one
    • Zero paths
    • Only one
    • Always three

  19. What is the SI unit of electric charge?

    • Coulomb
    • Ohm
    • Ampere
    • Volt

  20. What happens to circuit current if the battery voltage doubles for a fixed resistance?

    • It stays the same
    • It quadruples
    • It doubles
    • It halves

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