Electrical Circuits
Silver is a good electrical conductor.

Electrical Circuits

This KS2 Science quiz will take you on a tour of electrical circuits, looking at how they work and some of their parts - such as batteries, switches and wires.

Electrical circuits are closed paths for currents to flow and they are usually made of components joined by wires. Have you ever counted how many electrical items you have in your house? And would you remember to include those that use batteries? We have become very reliant on electrical goods since the first modern battery was invented by Allesandro Volta in 1800. At the flick of a switch we can have things our ancestors could only have dreamt of!

How much do you know about electrical circuits? Why are electric wires coated with plastic or rubber? What do switches do? What is another name for batteries? Take this quiz to find out!

1.
You have made a simple circuit with one bulb. If you wanted to add an extra bulb without the first bulb dimming, what would you need to design?
A series circuit
A parallel circuit
A complex circuit
An incomplete circuit
Unlike a series circuit, the lamps stay bright if you add more in a parallel circuit
2.
Why might a circuit fail to work?
It might have a dead battery
It might have two leads connected to the positive pole of the battery and none connected to the negative
It might have a break in the circuit
All of the above
Dead batteries, incorrectly wired leads and breaks in the circuit are just some of the reasons why a circuit might not work
3.
A material which allows electrical current to pass through it is called what?
An insulator
A cell
A connection
A conductor
Metals make good conductors
4.
What symbol is used in a circuit diagram to represent a bulb?
A circle
Two parallel lines: one short and one long
An X inside a circle
The letter M inside a circle
The letter M inside a circle represents a motor
5.
Why are electrical wires covered with plastic or rubber?
Plastic and rubber are comfortable materials to touch
Smooth materials keep wires from getting tangled
Plastic and rubber are good electrical insulators
Plastic and rubber can be made in different colours so people can tell different leads apart
Covering electrical wires in insulating materials such as rubber and plastic makes the leads safe to touch - an exposed wire is extremely dangerous and should NEVER be touched
6.
Which of these materials would not be a good electrical conductor?
Copper
Glass
Silver
Iron
Most metals are excellent electrical conductors. Some metals, such as aluminium, do not conduct electricity as well as other metals
7.
With which group of items could you not build a complete circuit?
Crocodile leads, bulbs, switch, buzzer
Bulbs, crocodile leads, cell
Cell, switch, buzzer, crocodile leads
Wires, bulb, cell
Cells, or batteries, are the source of energy in a circuit
8.
Besides cells, or batteries, what is another source of electrical power?
Lightbulbs
Motors
Petrol
Electricity mains
Mains electricity is the most common power source used in homes
9.
What is an electrical circuit?
A collection of electrical equipment
A path around which electrical current flows
A series of conductors and insulators
A light bulb and battery
Electrical current flows in one direction from the negative pole of a battery around a complete circuit to the positive pole of the battery
10.
What will a circuit with an open switch do?
It will not allow electricity to pass through
It will allow electricity to pass through
It will resist electricity
It will make a good electrical insulator
If the switch is open then there is a break in the circuit. By closing the switch the circuit is made complete
You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Electrical components

Author:  Sheri Smith

© Copyright 2016-2023 - Education Quizzes
Work Innovate Ltd - Design | Development | Marketing

Valid HTML5

We use cookies to make your experience of our website better.

To comply with the new e-Privacy directive, we need to ask for your consent - I agree - No thanks - Find out more