These questions all probe pupils’ understandings of very basic ideas about electric circuits, in particular the idea of a circuit itself – the need for a closed loop of conducting material from one terminal of the battery, through all the components and back to the other terminal of the battery. We have found that more pupils have difficulty with Q4 than with the others here. Similarly in Q7, bulb 3 is likely to be the most difficult part – again exploring the same situation. These might be circuits that are worth letting pupils explore practically (ask them to predict what will happen, and then try it out to see what does happen).
Qs8-9 test understanding of the difference between conductors and insulators and basic ideas about a closed circuit loop. There is no point in asking these until pupils are secure with the earlier ones.
Q10 tests a different basic idea – that the order of objects in a series circuit makes no difference to how they work.
Strand: 4. Physical World
Strand unit: 5. Simple Electronic Circuits
Suggestions for use: Authorship and copyright is held by the University of York. These questions are available to teachers for any non-commercial use.
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