Grade 10 · CAPS

Grade 10 Electric Circuits

Physical Sciences practice questions and a worked example

Grade 10 electric circuits covers resistance, current and potential difference in series and parallel circuits. The questions here ask you to calculate equivalent resistance, use V = IR and Q = IΔt, read meters in circuits with switches open or closed, and explain how adding or removing a resistor changes the current. They come from the DBE Grade 10 common Paper 1 for November 2016, 2017 and 2018, each with the answer from the marking guideline.

Worked example

In the circuit diagram below the reading on voltmeter V₁ is 12 V and the reading on ammeter A₁ is 2 A. 11.1 Calculate the: 11.1.1 Total resistance of the circuit

Answer

1/R∥ = 1/R1 + 1/R2 = 1/6 + 1/3, so R∥ = 2 Ω Rtotal = 4 + 2 = 6 Ω

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Electric Circuits

Question 1 of 3

1.10 Consider the circuit diagram below. How will the readings on ammeters A₁, A₂ and A₃ compare with each other?
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More practice questions

Explore additional Grade 10 Electric Circuits questions.

  • 2
    In the circuit diagram below the reading on voltmeter V₁ is 12 V and the reading on ammeter A₁ is 2 A. 11.1 Calculate the: 11.1.2 Reading on V₂
  • 3
    In the circuit diagram below the reading on voltmeter V₁ is 12 V and the reading on ammeter A₁ is 2 A. 11.1 Calculate the: 11.1.3 Reading on A₂
  • 4
    In the circuit diagram below the reading on voltmeter V₁ is 12 V and the reading on ammeter A₁ is 2 A. 11.1 Calculate the: 11.1.4 Amount of charge that flows through ammeter A₁ in 120 s
  • 5
    In the circuit diagram below the reading on voltmeter V₁ is 12 V and the reading on ammeter A₁ is 2 A. 11.2 How will the reading on ammeter A₁ be affected if the 6 Ω resistor is removed from the circuit? Write down only INCREASE, DECREASE or REMAIN THE SAME. 11.3 Explain the answer to QUESTION 11.2 WITHOUT any calculations.

Common mistakes

  • Adding parallel resistors like series resistors. For parallel resistors use 1/Rp = 1/R1 + 1/R2.
  • Thinking the current is used up in a series circuit. The current is the same everywhere in a series circuit.
  • Forgetting that adding a resistor in parallel lowers the total resistance, so the total current increases.

More Grade 10 Physical Sciences topics

Aligned to CAPS Grade 10 Physical Sciences — Electric Circuits. Curriculum source: CAPS for the FET Phase, Department of Basic Education.

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