AP Physics C – Current and Circuits Examples

1. A fuse or a circuit breaker is a current limiting

device designed to protect circuits from
overloading. (a) What is the maximum amount of
charge that can pass through a 15.0 A fuse in one
hour? (b) What is the minimum amount of time in
which 100 C can pass through such a fuse?

2. The amount of charge on a particular metal plate

decreases according to the formula q = qoe−kt, where
qo = 3.0 nC, and k = 750 s−1. (a) Find the maximum
current from the plate. (b) Find the current at t =
4.0 ms.

3. In a certain chemical solution positive ions move to

the left and negative ions move to the right. If 3.0
μC moves left every second and -2.5μC moves
right every second, what is the current in the
solution?

4. Suppose the current in a certain solution is 7.0 mA

to the right. After one minute passes, 0.21 C of
positive charge collects on an electrode at the right
end of the solution. How much charge collects on
the electrode at the opposite end of the solution?
5. An AC power circuit has current that varies
according to I(t) = Imax sin(ωt). (a) Derive an
expression that gives the amount of charge that
“enters and exits” an AC light bulb. (b) Given an
AC frequency of 60.0 Hz how many electrons “go
in and out” with an rms current of 130 mA?

6. A certain resistor is rated at 18 kΩ. (a) If this

resistor is connected to a 1.5 V cell, what will be the
current? (b) In order to establish a current of 0.50 A
in this resistor, what voltage is required?

7. A certain piece of wire carries a current of 2.5 A

and has a potential at its left end 30.0 mV greater
than its right end. (a) What is the resistance of the
wire? (b) What would be the voltage across the
wire if the current is 10.0 A? (c) If the voltage
across the same wire is 20.0 mV, what will be the
current?

8. Sketch the wire from part (c) above and show the
direction of the electric field. Also show the
direction of the current and the direction in which
electrons move. If the wire is 0.50 m long, what is
the strength of the electric field, assuming it is
uniform?
9. A typical flashlight bulb carries a current of 0.16 A
when connected to a 6.00 V battery. (a) What is the
resistance of the filament in the bulb? (b) If
connected to a 12 V battery what would you expect
of the current? Describe the resulting amount of
current with an inequality.

10. (a) Determine the resistance of 100.0 m of 12 gauge

copper wire (dia. = 2.05 mm). (b) Repeat for a
length of 50.0 m and 18 gauge (dia. = 1.02 mm).

11. Repeat the previous for silver wire.

12. The filament of a 60.0 W bulb is made of tungsten

and has a length of 580 mm and a diameter of 0.045
mm. The resistivity of the filament increases by a
factor of around 12 when the filament reaches its
normal operating temperature. (a) Find the
resistance at room temperature. (b) Find the
resistance at operating temperature (around 2500
K).
13. A 100 W bulb must have a resistance of 144 Ω at its
operating temperature and around 9.5 Ω at room
temperature. (a) Assuming the filament is the same
length as the previous problem, what must be its
diameter? (b) Assuming the diameter is the same as
the previous problem, what must be the length of
the filament?

14. Within a certain flashlight a current of 0.19 A

occurs when the switch is turned on. Electrons
from the batteries must then travel 15.0 cm along a
copper wire with diameter 0.51 mm before reaching
the filament in the bulb. (a) Find the drift velocity
of the electrons. (b) Find the amount of time for a
single electron to go from the batteries to the
filament.

15. A lamp with a 100.0 W bulb is plugged into a wall

outlet with a cord that is 1.50 m long. When the
switch is turned on a current of 0.83 A occurs in the
wire. (a) Find the drift velocity of electrons in the
wire assuming is copper and has diameter 1.63 mm.
(b) How much time is required for a single electron
to go from the wall to the filament in the bulb
(assuming direct current). (c) Find the electric field
in the wire. (d) Find the current density.
16. A 330 Ω resistor is connected to a 6.00 V battery
that stores 95.0 kJ of energy. (a) Determine the
current. (b) Find the power dissipated by the
resistor. (c) Find the power delivered by the
battery. (d) How much time can the battery provide
current to the resistor before going dead? (e) What
total amount of charge has passed through the
circuit in this time?

17. A certain flashlight has a bulb that emits 1.20 W.

The bulb runs on a 3.0 V rechargeable battery rated
at 2500 mA-h. (a) Determine the current in the
bulb. (b) For what amount of time can the
flashlight be used before the battery needs to be
recharged? (c) What total amount of charge and
energy has the battery delivered in this time?

18. A typical automotive headlamp is 50.0 W. Given

that it runs on a 12.0 V battery, what current does it
draw? What is the resistance of the filament?
19. A typical circuit in a car is protected by a 10.0 A
fuse and is powered by a 12.0 V battery. (a) What
is the maximum energy that can be delivered by this
circuit in a period of 5.00 minutes? (b) What must
be the resistance of the circuit in order for this to
occur?

20. A 12 gauge copper wire (diameter 2.05 mm) of

length 20.0 m carries a current of 15 A. What is the
rate at which it delivers heat to the home? Repeat
for an 18 gauge wire of the same length and half the
diameter.

21. Determine the resistance of the filament of a 75 W

bulb operating on 120 V.

22. A speaker is rated at 4.0 Ω and maximum power

handling of 150 W. What is the maximum voltage
and current it can handle based on these ratings?
23. Solve for all currents and voltages in the following
circuit:

RA = 68 Ω RB = 100 Ω RC = 33 Ω

RD = 68 Ω
6.0 V

24. Find the reading of the meter with the switch open
and with the switch closed:

RA = 68 Ω RB = 100 Ω RC = 33 Ω

RD = 68 Ω
6.0 V V
25. In the circuit below ℇ1 = 6.1 V, ℇ2 = 1.3 V, R1 = 90
kΩ, and R2 = 36 kΩ. (a) Determine current in each
vertical branch. (b) Two of these three currents
would be equal in amount if R2 is changed to what
value?

R1
ℇ2 R2
ℇ1

26. Find all currents and voltages for the circuit shown
below.
100 Ω 120 Ω
1.50 V

470 Ω 9.00 V
220 Ω
27. The circuit below is known as a Wheatstone Bridge.
(a) Solve for the bridge current given the
following: V0 = 6.0 V, R1 = 265 Ω, R2 = 980 Ω, R3
= 830 Ω, R4 = 1200 Ω, R5 = 434 Ω. (b) What is the
equivalent resistance of the five resistors? (b) What
relation would exist among R1, R2, R4, and R5 if
there were no current through the bridge?

R1 R2

V0
R3
R4 R5

28. Two D cells power are connected in series to form a

battery that powers a bulb of 50.0 Ω. Each cell has
emf 1.60 V and internal resistance 1.50 Ω. (a) Find
the efficiency of with which energy is delivered to
the bulb. (b) Repeat for a bulb of 30.0 Ω.
29. A voltaic cell with emf ℇ and internal resistance r is
connected to a resistor R. Determine the power
output of the cell for cases: (a) R = r/2, (b) R = 2r.
(c) What value of R will draw maximum power?

30. A certain galvanometer has internal resistance 77.3

Ω and reads full scale with a current of 508 μA.
Find the resistor necessary to create a voltmeter that
will read 5.0 V full scale. Repeat for 50 V. Make a
schematic of the voltmeter.

31. A certain galvanometer has internal resistance 77.3

Ω and reads full scale with a current of 508 μA.
Find the resistor necessary to create a ammeter that
will read 5.0 mA full scale. Repeat for 5.0 A.
Make a schematic of the ammeter.

32. A simple circuit consists of a battery with emf 6.00

V and internal resistance 2.00 Ω and a resistor of
100 Ω. An ammeter with resistance 5.00 Ω and a
voltmeter with resistance 10.0 kΩ are used
simultaneously to measure the current and voltage
of the resistor. Find the error in the readings caused
by the resistance of the meters.