Know Your Potential
The Know Your Potential Concept Builder is comprised of three different activities with four circuits to be analyzed in each activity. While the activities are intended to be completed in order, there is nothing intrinsic about the Concept Builder that would prevent one from skipping the first activity or altering the order in which they are completed. The activities are named as follows:
- Color Those Wires! : Color code wires using a ROYGB palette.
- Which Bulbs Light? : Color code wires using a ROYGB palette and then identify which bulbs in the circuit will be lit.
- Volt On It! : Use listed values of current (I) and resistance (R) to determine the ∆V across each bulb and the electric potential at various locations.
Teachers are encouraged to view the questions in order to judge their level of difficulty and the appropiateness of the various activities for their classroom. We have included the questions below to assist in this process.
The Physics Classroom grants teachers and other users the right to print these questions for private use. Users are also granted the right to copy the text and modify it for their own use. However, this document should not be uploaded to other servers for distribution to and/or display by others. The Physics Classroom website should remain the only website or server from which the document is distributed or displayed. We also provide a PDF that teachers can use under the same conditions. We have included a link to the PDF near the bottom of this page.
Activity 1: Color Those Wires!
Question 1:
Select a color from the
ROYGB palette. Tap on a wire to color it. Use the
Check Answer button once all wires have been colored.
Tip: Begin with
Red; then use
Blue. Then color remaining wires.
Question 2:
Select a color from the ROYGB palette. Tap on a wire to color it. Use the Check Answer button once all wires have been colored. Tip: Begin with Red; then use Blue. Then color remaining wires.
Question 3:
Select a color from the ROYGB palette. Tap on a wire to color it. Use the Check Answer button once all wires have been colored. Tip: Begin with Red; then use Blue. Then color remaining wires.
Question 4:
Select a color from the ROYGB palette. Tap on a wire to color it. Use the Check Answer button once all wires have been colored. Tip: Begin with Red; then use Blue. Then color remaining wires.
Activity 2: Which Bulbs Light?
Question 1:
Use the ROYGB color palette to color all the wires. Then tap on any bulb that would light. Once done, tap the Check Answer button. Note: Tapping on a bulb toggles it on and off.
Question 2:
Use the ROYGB color palette to color all the wires. Then tap on any bulb that would light. Once done, tap the Check Answer button. Note: Tapping on a bulb toggles it on and off.
Question 3:
Use the ROYGB color palette to color all the wires. Then tap on any bulb that would light. Once done, tap the Check Answer button. Note: Tapping on a bulb toggles it on and off.
Question 4:
Use the ROYGB color palette to color all the wires. Then tap on any bulb that would light. Once done, tap the Check Answer button. Note: Tapping on a bulb toggles it on and off.
Activity 3: Volt On It!
Question 1:
The I and R values are given. Use them to determine the electric potential (in volts) at the four indicated positions. If desired, begin by using the ROYGB palette to color code the wires.
Question 2:
The I and R values are given. Use them to determine the electric potential (in volts) at the four indicated positions. If desired, begin by using the ROYGB palette to color code the wires.
Question 3:
The I and R values are given. Use them to determine the electric potential (in volts) at the four indicated positions. If desired, begin by using the ROYGB palette to color code the wires.
Question 4:
The I and R values are given. Use them to determine the electric potential (in volts) at the four indicated positions. If desired, begin by using the ROYGB palette to color code the wires.