This document contains multiple choice questions about electric circuits and current. It addresses topics like the flow of electric charge in circuits, factors that influence current, components of electric current, differences between direct and alternating current, and ways to prevent overloading circuits. The questions are from a chapter about electric current and cover foundational concepts in introductory electricity.

1. Clicker Questions
Chapter 23:
Electric Current
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

2. The flow of charge in an electric circuit is much
a) like the flow of water in a system of pipes.
b) different than water flow in pipes.
c) like an electric valve.
d) like an electric pump.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

3. The flow of charge in an electric circuit is much
a) like the flow of water in a system of pipes.
b) different than water flow in pipes.
c) like an electric valve.
d) like an electric pump.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

4. Electric charge will flow in an electric circuit
when
a) electrical resistance is low enough.
b) a potential difference exists.
c) the circuit is grounded.
d) electrical devices in the circuit are not defective.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

5. Electric charge will flow in an electric circuit
when
a) electrical resistance is low enough.
b) a potential difference exists.
c) the circuit is grounded.
d) electrical devices in the circuit are not defective.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

6. The electric current in a copper wire is normally
composed of
a) electrons.
b) protons.
c) ions.
d) All or any of these.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

7. The electric current in a copper wire is normally
composed of
a) electrons.
b) protons.
c) ions.
d) All or any of these.
Explanation:
Although current can consist of protons and ions, in a copper
wire current consists of electrons appropriately called conduction
electrons.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

8. Which statement is correct?
a) Voltage flows in a circuit.
b) Charge flows in a circuit.
c) A battery is the source of electrons in a circuit.
d) All are correct.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

9. Which statement is correct?
a) Voltage flows in a circuit.
b) Charge flows in a circuit.
c) A battery is the source of electrons in a circuit.
d) All are correct.
Explanation:
Voltage causes the flow of electrons, and doesn't flow. Charges
flow. A battery is a source of energy, not electrons.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

10. Apply heat to a copper wire and the resistance
of the wire
a) decreases.
b) remains unchanged.
c) increases.
d) vanishes with enough heat.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

11. Apply heat to a copper wire and the resistance
of the wire
a) decreases.
b) remains unchanged.
c) increases.
d) vanishes with enough heat.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

12. The amount of current in a circuit depends on
the
a) voltage across the circuit.
b) electrical resistance of the circuit.
c) Both of these.
d) None of these.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

13. The amount of current in a circuit depends on
the
a) voltage across the circuit.
b) electrical resistance of the circuit.
c) Both of these.
d) None of these.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

14. When you double the voltage in a simple
electric circuit, you double the
a) current.
b) resistance.
c) Both of these.
d) None of these.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

15. When you double the voltage in a simple
electric circuit, you double the
a) current.
b) resistance.
c) Both of these.
d) None of these.
Explanation:
This is straight-forward Ohm's law. Current =
voltage/resistance.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

16. When 110 volts are impressed across a 22-ohm
resistor, the current in the resistor is
a) 5 A.
b) 10 A.
c) 132 A.
d) 2420 A.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

17. When 110 volts are impressed across a 22-ohm
resistor, the current in the resistor is
a) 5 A.
b) 10 A.
c) 132 A.
d) 2420 A.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

18. To receive an electric shock there must be
a) current in one direction.
b) moisture in the electrical device being used.
c) a difference in potential across part or all of the
body.
d) high voltage and low body resistance.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

19. To receive an electric shock there must be
a) current in one direction.
b) moisture in the electrical device being used.
c) a difference in potential across part or all of the
body.
d) high voltage and low body resistance.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

20. The difference between dc and ac in electrical
circuits is that in dc the electrons
a) flow steadily in one direction only.
b) flow in one direction only.
c) steadily flow to and fro.
d) flow to and fro.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

21. The difference between dc and ac in electrical
circuits is that in dc the electrons
a) flow steadily in one direction only.
b) flow in one direction only.
c) steadily flow to and fro.
d) flow to and fro.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

22. Which device is used to convert ac to a fairly
steady dc?
a) Diode
b) Capacitor
c) Both of these.
d) None of these.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

23. Which device is used to convert ac to a fairly
steady dc?
a) Diode
b) Capacitor
c) Both of these.
d) None of these.
Explanation:
Although a diode will convert ac to dc, the additional use of a
capacitor produces steadiness (as Figure 23.11 in the text
shows).
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

24. What travels at about the speed of light in an
electric circuit?
a) Electric charges
b) Electric current
c) Electric field
d) All of these.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

25. What travels at about the speed of light in an
electric circuit?
a) Electric charges
b) Electric current
c) Electric field
d) All of these.
Explanation:
The electric field in a circuit travels at nearly the speed
of light, not the electrons nor the current.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

26. When you buy a water pipe in a hardware
store, the water isn't included. When you buy
copper wire, electrons
a) must be supplied by you, just as water must be
supplied for a water pipe.
b) are already in the wire.
c) may fall out, which is why wires are insulated.
d) None of these.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

27. When you buy a water pipe in a hardware
store, the water isn't included. When you buy
copper wire, electrons
a) must be supplied by you, just as water must be
supplied for a water pipe.
b) are already in the wire.
c) may fall out, which is why wires are insulated.
d) None of these.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

28. The drift speed of electrons that make up
current in a circuit is
a) near the speed of light.
b) near the speed of sound.
c) about a snail's pace.
d) imaginary.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

29. The drift speed of electrons that make up
current in a circuit is
a) near the speed of light.
b) near the speed of sound.
c) about a snail's pace.
d) imaginary.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

30. If you double both the current and the voltage
in a circuit, the power
a) remains unchanged if resistance remains constant.
b) halves.
c) doubles.
d) quadruples.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

31. If you double both the current and the voltage
in a circuit, the power
a) remains unchanged if resistance remains constant.
b) halves.
c) doubles.
d) quadruples.
Explanation:
Electric power = current  voltage. Doubling both current
and voltage corresponds to 4 times as much power.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

32. A lamp with a current of 10 A connected to 120
volts consumes a power of
a) 10 W.
b) 12 W.
c) 120 W
d) 1200 W.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

33. A lamp with a current of 10 A connected to 120
volts consumes a power of
a) 10 W.
b) 12 W.
c) 120 W
d) 1200 W.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

34. Which of these lamps is the longer lasting in a
common circuit?
a) Incandescent lamp
b) Compact fluorescent lamp
c) Light-emitting diode
d) All about the same.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

35. Which of these lamps is the longer lasting in a
common circuit?
a) Incandescent lamp
b) Compact fluorescent lamp
c) Light-emitting diode
d) All about the same.
Comment:
More about LEDs in Chapter 30.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

36. In a simple circuit consisting of a single lamp
and a single battery, when current in the lamp
is 2 amperes, the current in the battery is
a) half, 1 A.
b) 2 A.
c) dependent on internal battery resistance.
d) Not enough information to say.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

37. In a simple circuit consisting of a single lamp
and a single battery, when current in the lamp
is 2 amperes, the current in the battery is
a) half, 1 A.
b) 2 A.
c) dependent on internal battery resistance.
d) Not enough information to say.
Comment:
It is important to know that the current in the devices in series is
also the current in the battery. Current will depend on battery
resistance, but if there's 2 A in the circuit, there's 2 A in the battery!
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

38. In a circuit with two lamps in parallel, if the
current in one lamp is 2 amperes, the current in
the battery is
a) half, 1 A.
b) 2 A.
c) more than 2 A.
d) Not enough information to say.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

39. In a circuit with two lamps in parallel, if the
current in one lamp is 2 amperes, the current in
the battery is
a) half, 1 A.
b) 2 A.
c) more than 2 A.
d) Not enough information to say.
Explanation:
Current in the battery will be the sum of currents in the
two branches.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

40. One way to prevent overloading in your home
circuit is to
a) operate fewer devices at the same time.
b) change the wiring from parallel to series for
troublesome devices.
c) find a way to bypass the fuse or circuit breaker.
d) All of these.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

41. One way to prevent overloading in your home
circuit is to
a) operate fewer devices at the same time.
b) change the wiring from parallel to series for
troublesome devices.
c) find a way to bypass the fuse or circuit breaker.
d) All of these.
© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.