Edexcel GCSE Physics Your notes
Current, Potential Difference &
Resistance
Contents
Atomic Structure
Circuit Diagrams
Potential Difference
Current
Current in Circuits
Resistance
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Atomic Structure
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Protons, Neutrons & Electrons
Atoms are the building blocks of all matter
They are incredibly small - for instance, about one hundred million atoms could fit side by
side across your thumbnail
Atoms have a tiny, dense nucleus at their centre, with electrons orbiting around the
nucleus
The nucleus is made up of protons and neutrons
The radius of the nucleus is over 10,000 times smaller than the whole atom, but it
contains almost all of the mass of the atom
Diagram showing the structure of a Lithium atom. If drawn to scale then the electrons
would be around 100 metres away from the nucleus!
Parts of the Atom
The nucleus contains:
Protons - positively charged particles with a relative atomic mass of one unit
Neutrons – no charge, and also with a relative atomic mass of one unit
Almost all of the atom is empty space, but moving around the nucleus there are:
Electrons – negative charge with almost no mass (1/2000 the mass of a proton or
neutron)
The properties of each of the particles are shown in the table below:
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Examiner Tips and Tricks
There are many different models of the atom, such as the Plum Pudding Model.
But for your exam, make sure to only use the model and descriptions described here!
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Circuit Diagrams
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Circuit Diagrams
All students in the GCSE examination will be expected to recognise the following
standard circuit symbols and be able to construct circuits using them:
Common circuit symbols
The function of the most common components are:
Cell / battery: Provides the circuit with a source of potential difference - i.e. energy
per unit of charge. A battery is two or more cells
Switch: Turn the circuit on (closed), or off (open)
Fixed resistor: A resistor limits the flow of current. A fixed resistor has a resistance it
cannot change
Variable resistor: A resistor with a slider that can be used to change its resistance.
These are often used in dimmer switches and volume controls
Thermistor: The resistance of a thermistor depends on its temperature. As its
temperature increases, its resistance decreases and vice versa
Light-dependent resistor (LDR): The resistance of an LDR depends on the light
intensity. As the light intensity increases, its resistance decreases and vice versa
Motor: A device that converts electrical energy to mechanical energy
Diode: A diode allows current to flow in one direction only. They are used to convert
AC to DC current
Light-emitting diode (LED): This is equivalent to a diode and emits light when a
current passes through it. These are used for aviation lighting and displays (TVs, road
signs)
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Ammeter: Used to measure the current in a circuit. Connected in series with other
components
Your notes
Voltmeter: Use to measure the potential difference of an electrical component.
Connected in parallel with the relevant component
Each of these components have an electrical resistance that may impact the current in
the circuit
However, the resistance of the ammeter and voltmeter are taken as negligible in
exam questions
Drawing & Interpreting Circuit Diagrams
Being able to draw and interpret circuit diagrams using circuit symbols is an essential
skill in the electricity & circuits topic
Electric circuit diagrams require the following to work correctly:
An energy source – This is a source of potential difference so a current can flow.
This can be a cell, battery, or a power supply
A closed path or a complete circuit – Electrons need to flow in a complete loop for
a current to flow. A circuit can be open and closed using a switch
Electrical components – These could act as sensors that respond to the
environment (LDR, thermistor), or measure a value (ammeter, voltmeter), or transfer
electrical energy to other forms of energy (LED, lamp). These must be drawn with the
correct circuit symbol
The key rules to remember are:
An ammeter is always connected in series
A voltmeter is always connected in parallel to the component the voltage is being
measured
The direction of current flow is always from the positive to the negative terminal of
the power supply
Worked Example
Which circuit diagram correctly represents a circuit with current flowing through?
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Your notes
For a circuit to be connected, the switch must be closed
This is either circuit B or D
The other circuit symbol is a diode
Diodes only allow current to flow in one direction
Since current flow is from positive to negative, a forward-biased diode must
point in this direction in order for the current to flow
This is seen in circuit B
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When asked to draw a circuit diagram, make sure to draw the wires as straight lines
with a straight edge or a ruler and make it as neat as possible, especially the circuit
symbols. If the diagram is too small or there is ambiguity as to what a symbol
represents, the examiner may not award you full marks!
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Potential Difference
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Potential Difference
The terminals of a cell make one end of the circuit positive and the other negative
This sets up a potential difference across the circuit
This is sometimes known as the voltage
Potential difference is defined as:
The amount of energy transferred per unit of charge passing through the terminals
This means that one volt (the unit of potential difference) is equivalent to one joule (the
unit of energy) per coulomb (the unit of charge):
1V=1J/C
Potential difference can be calculated using the equation below:
Where:
V = potential difference, measured in volts (V)
E = energy transferred, measured in joules (J)
Q = charge moved, measured in coulombs (C)
The equation for potential difference can be rearranged using the formula triangle
below:
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Your notes
Energy, charge, potential difference formula triangle
Voltmeters
Potential difference (or voltage) is measured using a voltmeter
A voltmeter is always set up in parallel to the component being measured
This is described as measuring voltage 'across' the component
Potential difference (voltage) can be measured by connecting a voltmeter in parallel
between two points in a circuit. Here, the voltmeter is measuring the voltage across the
resistor
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Worked Example
The normal operating voltage (potential difference) for a lamp is 6 V. Calculate how Your notes
much energy is transferred in the lamp when 4200 C of charge flows through it.
Answer:
Step 1: List the known quantities
Voltage (potential difference), V = 6 V
Charge moved, Q = 4200 C
Step 2: State the equation linking potential difference, energy and charge
The equation linking potential difference, energy and charge is:
Step 3: Rearrange the equation for energy transferred
Using the formula triangle, the energy transferred is given by:
E=V×Q
Step 4: Substitute the known values and calculate the energy transferred
E = 6 × 4200
E = 25 200 J
Therefore, 25 200 J of energy is transferred in the lamp
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Don't be confused by the symbol for potential difference (the symbol V) being the
same as its unit (the volt, V). Learn the equation and remember especially that one volt
is equivalent to 'a joule per coulomb'.
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Current
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Current & Charge
Electric current is defined as the rate of flow charge
In other words, the size of an electric current is the amount of charge passing
through a component per second
The current, charge and time are related by the equation:
Where:
I = current, measured in amperes (or amps, A)
Q = charge, measured in coulombs (C)
t = time, measured in seconds (s)
The equation for current can be rearranged using the formula triangle below:
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Charge, current, time formula triangle
The wires in an electric circuit are made of metal, because metal is a good conductor of
electric current
In the wires, the current is a flow of electrons
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In metal wires, the current is a flow of electrons. This image shows the electrons flowing
through a lattice of metal ions
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Worked Example
When will 8 mA of current pass through an electrical circuit?
A. When 1 J of energy is used by 1 C of charge
B. When a charge of 4 C passes in 500 s
C. When a charge of 8 C passes in 100 s
D. When a charge of 1 C passes in 8 s
Answer: B
Step 1: Write out the equation relating current, charge and time
Step 2: Rule out any obviously incorrect options
Option A does not mention time, so can be ruled out
Step 3: Try the rest of the options by applying the equation to determine the
correct answer
Consider option B:
I = 4 ÷ 500 = 8 × 10–3 = 8 mA
Consider option C:
I = 8 ÷ 100 = 80 × 10–3 = 80 mA
Consider option D:
I = 1 ÷ 8 = 125 × 10–3 = 125 mA
Therefore, the correct answer is B
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Electric currents in everyday circuits tend to be quite small, so it's really common for
examiners to throw in a unit prefix like 'm' next to quantities of current, e.g. 10 mA (10
milliamperes). Make sure that you are on the lookout for these prefixes and that you
can convert them into standard units, so 10 mA = 10 × 10-3 A.
Ammeters
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The amount of current flowing through a component is measured using an ammeter
Ammeters should always be connected in series with the part of the circuit you wish to Your notes
measure the current through
An ammeter can be used to measure the current around a circuit and always connected in
series
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Current in Circuits
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Current in Circuits
A current will flow in a circuit if:
The circuit includes a source of potential difference
The circuit is closed - i.e. there are no gaps in the circuit
Sources of potential difference include:
A cell
Batteries (multiple cells)
Electrical generator
Charge Conservation
In a circuit that is a closed-loop, such as a series circuit, the current is the same value at
any point
This is because the number of electrons per second that passes through one part of the
circuit is the same number that passes through any other part
This means that all components in a closed-loop have the same current
The current is the same at each point in a closed-loop
Current at a Junction
At a junction in a circuit (where two or more wires meet) the current is conserved
This means the amount of current flowing into the junction is equal to the amount of
current flowing out of it
This is because charge is conserved
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Your notes
The current coming into a junction must equal the current coming out of a junction
In electrical wires, the current is a flow of electrons
Electrons are negatively charged; they flow away from the negative terminal of a cell
towards the positive terminal
Conventional current is defined as the flow of positive charge from the positive terminal
of a cell to the negative terminal
This is the opposite to the direction of electron flow, as conventional current was
described before electric current was really understood
By definition, conventional current always goes from positive to negative (even through
electrons go the other way)
Worked Example
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In the circuit below, ammeter A0 shows a reading of 10 A, and ammeter A1 shows a
reading of 6 A.
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What is the reading on ammeter A2?
Answer:
Step 1: Recall that at a junction, the current is conserved
This means that the total amount of current flowing into a junction is equal to the
total amount flowing out
Step 2: Consider the first junction in the circuit where current splits
The diagram below shows the first junction in the circuit
Step 3: Calculate the missing amount of current
Since 10 A flows into the junction (the total current from the battery), 10 A must
flow out of the junction
The question says that 6 A flows through ammeter A1 so the remaining current
flowing through ammeter A2 must be:
10 A − 6 A = 4 A
Therefore, 4 A flows through ammeter A2
Examiner Tips and Tricks
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The direction of current flow is super important when considering junctions in a circuit,
you should remember that current flows from the positive terminal to the negative
terminal of a cell / battery Your notes
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Resistance
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Resistance & Current
Resistors come in two types:
Fixed resistors
Variable resistors
Fixed resistors have a resistance that remains constant
Variable resistors can change the resistance by changing the length of wire that makes
up the circuit
A longer length of wire has more resistance than a shorter length of wire
This therefore can vary the amount of current through the circuit:
The larger the resistance, the smaller the current
The smaller the resistance, the larger the current
For fixed and variable resistors, once the resistance is set, it will stay at this value no
matter how the current changes
However, the resistance of components such as lamps, diodes (diodes and LEDs),
thermistors and LDRs (light dependent resistors) changes with the current through the
component
Fixed and variable resistor circuit symbols
Calculating Resistance
The current, resistance and potential difference of a component in a circuit are
calculated using the equation:
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This equation can be rearranged with the help of the following formula triangle:
Your notes
Voltage, current, resistance formula triangle
Worked Example
Calculate the potential difference through a resistor of resistance 10 Ω if there is a
current of 0.3 A through it.
Answer:
Step 1: List the known quantities
Resistance, R = 10 Ω
Current, I = 0.3 A
Step 2: Write the equation relating resistance, potential difference and current
V = IR
Step 3: Substitute in the values
V = 0.3 × 10 = 3 V
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Examiner Tips and Tricks
Remember that 'voltage' and 'potential difference' are the same, either wording will Your notes
be accepted in your exam answers
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