Understanding Electric Currents and Circuits

What does the flow of electric current through a wire resemble?

• Growth of a plant

• Flow of water in a river

• Movement of air in the atmosphere

• Rotation of the earth

Who invented the first voltaic cell?

• Thomas Edison

• Benjamin Franklin

• Nikola Tesla

• Alessandro Volta

What is the unit of electric current?

• Ohm

• Watt

• Volt

• Ampere

According to Ohm's Law, what happens when resistance is constant and voltage increases?

• Current increases

• Current remains constant

• Current decreases

• Voltage decreases

What is the effect of a higher voltage on the current in a circuit, assuming no change in resistance?

• Decreases the current

• Increases the current

• Makes the circuit non-functional

• No change in current

What property do superconductors have at extremely low temperatures?

• Constant voltage

• High resistance

• Decreased conductivity

• Zero resistance

What does the power equation in a circuit relate?

• Voltage and resistance

• Voltage and current

• Current, voltage, and resistance

• Current and resistance

What happens to electrical energy when it passes through a light bulb?

• It is stored

• It is entirely converted to light

• It is transformed into thermal energy and light

• It dissipates as sound

Since there are multiple pathways the current can take from the positive side of the battery to the negative side, in a ​ (a)   circuit, the ​ (b)   is divided up among the pathways, but the potential is the same for each pathway. ​In ​ (c)   circuits with only one pathway for the current, the ​ (d)   is divided up among the different elements.

• parallel
• current
• series
• potential

Match the following quantities with their units.

• Amps, A

• Resistance, R

• Ohms, Ω

• Energy, E

• Volts, V

• Current, I

• Joules, J

• Voltage, V