Lesson 3.4.1

3.4.1 Potential gradient and potential divider circuits Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Physics, Unit 3

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.4.1, Potential gradient and potential divider circuits: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel Physics (9PH0), Unit 3: Electric Circuits, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What is defined as the potential difference per unit length along a wire?

    • Electromotive force
    • Potential gradient
    • Terminal p.d.
    • Internal resistance

  2. Two resistors R1 and R2 are in series across a supply of p.d. V. What is the p.d. across R2?

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

  3. What does a potential divider convert a sensor's resistance change into?

    • Current change
    • Power change
    • Voltage change
    • Frequency change

  4. In a potential divider, how does output p.d. across fixed R2 change as NTC thermistor temperature rises?

    • Stays constant
    • Increases
    • Fluctuates
    • Decreases

  5. To keep the output p.d. steady, how should load resistance compare to potential divider resistance?

    • Zero
    • Much lower
    • Exactly equal
    • Much higher

  6. A 2.0 m uniform wire has a p.d. of 6.0 V across its ends. What is its potential gradient?

    • 4.0 V/m
    • 12 V/m
    • 0.33 V/m
    • 3.0 V/m

  7. In an unloaded potential divider, what is the output p.d. across R2 if R2 is much larger than R1?

    • Full supply p.d.
    • Zero volts
    • Quarter supply p.d.
    • Half supply p.d.

  8. A 4.0 ohm wire of length 2.0 m carries a current of 0.50 A. What is its potential gradient?

    • 4.0 V/m
    • 2.0 V/m
    • 1.0 V/m
    • 0.25 V/m

  9. A potential divider has R1 = 300 ohm and R2 = 100 ohm across a 12 V supply. What is the p.d. across R2?

    • 3.0 V
    • 9.0 V
    • 4.0 V
    • 1.5 V

  10. A 6.0 V supply is across a 2.0 kohm fixed resistor R1 in series with an LDR R2 of 4.0 kohm. What is the output p.d. across the LDR?

    • 6.0 V
    • 3.0 V
    • 2.0 V
    • 4.0 V

  11. Two 100 ohm resistors are in series across 10 V. A voltmeter of resistance 100 ohm is connected across one of them. What does it read?

    • 3.3 V
    • 10 V
    • 2.5 V
    • 5.0 V

  12. A divider has a fixed R1 of 12 ohm across a 9.0 V supply, and the output across R2 is 3.0 V. What is R2?

    • 18 ohm
    • 4.0 ohm
    • 6.0 ohm
    • 12 ohm

  13. A 1.0 m uniform wire is connected across 10.0 V. How far from the 0 V end is the point at which the potential is 2.0 V?

    • 0.20 m
    • 0.80 m
    • 2.0 m
    • 0.50 m

  14. A wire has a p.d. of 1.5 V across 0.30 m. What is the p.d. between two points 0.12 m apart on the wire?

    • 0.15 V
    • 1.2 V
    • 0.60 V
    • 0.36 V

  15. Which component arrangement provides an output voltage that varies smoothly from zero to full supply?

    • Fixed potential divider
    • Series resistor circuit
    • Potentiometer
    • Parallel thermistor

  16. A potential divider has R1 = 100 ohm and R2 = 100 ohm across 6.0 V. A 100 ohm load is connected across R2. What is the output p.d. across the load?

    • 2.4 V
    • 2.0 V
    • 3.0 V
    • 1.5 V

  17. Two resistors R1 and R2 are in series across V. The p.d. across R2 is V2. Which expression gives R1?

    • R1 = R2 V2/(V - V2)
    • R1 = R2(V - V2)/V2
    • R1 = R2(V + V2)/V2
    • R1 = V2(V - R2)/R2

  18. Resistors of 2.0 kohm, 3.0 kohm and 5.0 kohm are in series across 10 V. What is the p.d. across the 3.0 kohm and 5.0 kohm resistors together?

    • 8.0 V
    • 3.0 V
    • 6.0 V
    • 5.0 V

  19. Along a uniform wire carrying steady current, how does potential drop with distance?

    • Exponentially
    • Linearly
    • Logarithmically
    • Inversely

  20. Why is the output voltage of an NTC thermistor potential divider non-linear with temperature?

    • Constant thermistor resistance
    • Zero supply resistance
    • Non-linear thermistor resistance
    • Linear resistance change

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