Study Hub

Study Guides

This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.

Back to Study HubBrowse Year 10 Science Guides

Year 10 - Science

Potential divider circuits

Circuit components

Unit Summary

This unit explores current, resistance, and potential difference. It covers circuit design for lamps, diodes, and thermistors, and emphasises planning experiments, data interpretation, and presenting scientific conclusions.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to calculate p.d. across one of two components in a series circuit with a battery.

Key Notes

  • The p.d. across a component in an electric circuit measures the size of push that is moving current through it.
  • The p.d. across each component in a series circuit adds up to the p.d. across the battery.
  • The current is the same through every component in a series circuit.
  • The larger the total resistance of a series circuit, the smaller the current through it.
  • In a series circuit, the share of p.d. across each component is proportional to its resistance.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • series circuit: an electrical circuit with a single loop
  • potential difference (p.d.): a measure of the push an electric field gives to charges
  • resistance: a property of a material that opposes the flow of current
  • potential divider: a series circuit that divides the p.d. across a power supply into two or more smaller voltages

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • A battery pushes a constant current around a circuit.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.

The p.d. across a component in an electric circuit measures the size of push that is moving current through it. The p.d. across each component in a series circuit adds up to the p.d. across the battery.

2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'series circuit'

an electrical circuit with a single loop. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.

3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.

Mistake: A battery pushes a constant current around a circuit. Correction: Provide opportunity for pupils to measure p.d. across a power supply when the resistance of a circuit it is connected to is altered.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 10 Science guide library.