Electric Circuits

EC#: We have 15 ready-to-use problem sets on the topic of Electric Circuits. These problem sets focus on the use of circuit concepts and equations to analyze simple circuits, series circuits, parallel circuits, and combination circuits.

EVC#: There are 9 ready-to-use problem sets on the topic of Electric Field, Potential, and Capacitance. Most problems are multi-part problems requiring an extensive analysis. The problems target your ability to use the concepts of electric field, electric potential, electric potential energy, and electric capacitance to solve problems related to the interaction of charges with electrical fields.

EVCC#: There are 6 ready-to-use problem sets on the topic of Electric Field, Potential, and Capacitance using Calculus. All problems are multi-part problems requiring an extensive analysis. The problems target your ability to use the concepts of electric field, electric potential, and electric capacitance to solve problems related to the interaction of charges that create electrical fields.

RC#: We have 4 ready-to-use problem sets on the topic of Transient RC Circuits. Most problems are multi-part problems requiring an extensive analysis. The problems target your ability to apply concepts of potential, capacitance, resistance, and current in order to analyze transient RC circuits.

Along with these problem sets are some review sets comprised of the problems in these sets (CP = Conceptual Physics, HP = Honors Physics).

Problem Sets

Set EC1: Electric Current
9 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Relate the amount of charge passing a point on a circuit to the current and the time. Some problems requiring multiple steps (for example, unit conversions or calculating the Coulombs of charge from the number of electrons).

Set EC2: Electric Resistance
5 Problems - Hard Difficulty

Relate the resistance of a wire to the cross-sectional area, the length, and the resistivity of the material the wire is composed of.

Set EC3: Voltage-Current-Resistance 1
7 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use the ∆V=I•R equation to solve for an unknown quantity when given the other two quantities.

Set EC4: Voltage-Current-Resistance 2
4 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Use the ∆V=I•R equation to solve for an unknown quantity when given the other two quantities. Problems require unit conversions.

Set EC5: Power-Energy-Time
7 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Relate the power of an electrical device to the ration of the energy it uses and the time of use (and in some instances, to the cost of using it).

Set EC6: Electric Power 1
8 Problems - Very Easy Difficulty

Determine the power of an electrical device from knowledge of two of the following quantities: current, resistance, and electric potential difference.

Set EC7: Electric Power 2
10 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use the known power rating of an electrical device to determine either the current in, the resistance of, or the electric potential across the device. Some problems include non-customary units.

Set EC8: Electric Power 3
10 Problems - Hard Difficulty

Integrate an understanding of power as the rate at which energy is used by an electrical device with the equations that relate power to circuit quantities like current, resistance, and electric potential difference.

Set EC9: Series Circuits 1
8 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Relate the voltage of a source to the voltage drops of individual resistors in a series circuit and relate the equivalent resistance to the individual resistor’s resistance values.

Set EC10: Series Circuits 2
5 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use the ∆V=I•R relationship to relate the individual resistance values to the equivalent resistance and the current in a series circuit.

Set EC11: Series Circuits 3
10 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Conduct a complete analysis of a series circuit to determine quantities such as equivalent resistance, currents, voltage drops, and power.

Set EC12: Parallel Circuits 1
10 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Determine a branch current from currents in other branches and outside the branches; determine voltage drops across a branch from the voltage of a source; and determine the equivalent resistance from the resistance of all resistors.

Set EC13: Parallel Circuits 2
5 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Analyze 2-resistor parallel circuits to determine equivalent resistance values, currents in each branch, and the current outside of the branches.

Set EC14: Parallel Circuits 3
6 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Analyze 3-resistor parallel circuits to determine equivalent resistance values, currents in each branch, and the current outside of the branches.

Set EC15: Combination Circuits
6 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Analyze a combination circuit to determine the equivalent resistance and the currents in the branches and outside of the branches.

Set EVC1: Point Charge Characteristics
9 Problems - Hard Difficulty

For a point charge, relate the distance from the point charge and the charge value to the electric field strength, the electric potential value, and the electric potential energy.

Set EVC2: Point Charge W=∆E
6 Problems - Hard Difficulty

Relate the work done on a test charge to the change in its electric potential energy as it is moved from one location to another location in the space surrounding a point charge or system of point charges. Determine the total Electric Potential given 2 charges near the same location.

Set EVC3: Parallel Plate Characteristics
4 Problems - Very Hard Difficulty

For a set of charged parallel plates, relate the distance between plates and voltage across the plates to the electric field strength, the electric potential value, the electric potential energy, the work required to move against the field, the force on a charged ion, and the velocity and acceleration of a released charged ion.

Set EVC4: Parallel Plate Proportional Reasoning
9 Problems - Hard Difficulty

For a set of charged parallel plates, determine the effect on Electric Potential, Electric Field, Electric Potential Energy, Force, acceleration and exit velocity of a charged ion released at the positive plate if a combination of plate charge, plate area, distance between plates, and mass of ion are altered.

Set EVC5: Capacitor in a Circuit
7 Problems - Hard Difficulty

Use the relationship between capacitor physical characteristics and a fully charged RC circuit to perform calculations involving charge moved and energy stored in a capacitor.

Set EVC6: Two Capacitors in Series
7 Problems - Hard Difficulty

Use the relationship between capacitor physical characteristics and a fully charged RC circuit to perform calculations involving charge moved and energy stored in capacitors in series.

Set EVC7: Two Capacitors in Parallel
7 Problems - Hard Difficulty

Use the relationship between capacitor physical characteristics and a fully charged RC circuit to perform calculations involving charge moved and energy stored in capacitors in parallel.

Set EVC8: Capacitors in Combination 1
6 Problems - Hard Difficulty

Use the relationship between capacitor physical characteristics and a fully charged RC circuit to perform calculations involving charge moved and energy stored in 3 capacitors arranged with 2 in parallel with 1 in series.

Set EVC9: Capacitors in Combination 2
6 Problems - Hard Difficulty

Set EVCC1: Sphere with Constant Charge Density
3 Problems - Very Hard Difficulty

Set EVCC2: Sphere with Differing Charge Density
3 Problems - Very Hard Difficulty

Set EVCC3: Flat Plate with Constant Charge Density
4 Problems - Very Hard Difficulty

Set EVCC4: Charged Concentric Spherical Shells
3 Problems - Very Hard Difficulty

Set EVCC5: Cylinder with Constant Charge Density
3 Problems - Very Hard Difficulty

Set EVCC6: Ring with Constant Charge Density
4 Problems - Very Hard Difficulty

Set RC1: Charging an RC Circuit
6 Problems - Hard Difficulty

Use the relationships between capacitor characteristics, complete circuits, and transient charging equations to perform calculations involving charge moved and energy stored in a capacitor in series with a resistor.

Set RC2: Discharging an RC Circuit
6 Problems - Hard Difficulty

Use the relationships between capacitor characteristics, complete circuits, and transient discharging equations to perform calculations involving charge moved and energy stored in a capacitor in series with a resistor.

Set RC3: Initial and Final States of an RC Circuit
5 Problems - Hard Difficulty

To determine the initial and final voltage drop, current, and capacitor charge for the capacitor and the resistor(s) during the charging of several different RC circuits.

Set RC4: Working with the Time Constant in RC Circuits
4 Problems - Very Hard Difficulty

To determine the voltage across the capacitor, the quantity of charge stored in the capacitor, and the current in the resistor at various times during the charging and the discharging of the capacitor of an RC circuit. Emphasis is on using the time constant to determine fractions and percentages of the maximum values of V, Q, and I.

Summary Sets

These activities are combinations of the above Problem Sets, used primarily for Lesson Plans activities and Review

Circuits 1: ∆V = I•R (CP)
5 Problems - Very Easy Difficulty

Use ∆V = I•R to solve the following problems.

Circuits 1: Circuit Quantities
5 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use the various equations for common circuit quantities - I, ∆V, P, W, ∆E, t, Q, etc. - to solve the following problems.

Circuits 1: Circuit Quantities (HP)
7 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Use the various equations for common circuit quantities - I, ∆V, P, W, ∆E, t, Q, etc. - to solve the following problems.

Circuits 2: Series Circuits Analysis (CP)
5 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use ∆V = I•R and series circuit concepts to solve the following problems.

Circuits 2: Circuit Quantities
7 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use the various equations for common circuit quantities - I, ∆V, P, W, ∆E, t, Q, etc. - to solve the following problems.

Circuits 2: Circuit Quantities (HP)
8 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Use the various equations for common circuit quantities - I, ∆V, P, W, ∆E, t, Q, etc. - to solve the following problems.

Circuits 3: Parallel Circuits Analysis (CP)
4 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use ∆V = I•R and parallel circuit concepts to solve the following problems.

Circuits 3: Series Circuits
5 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use the equations and concepts associated with series circuits in order to solve the following problems.

Circuits 3: Series Circuits (HP)
7 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use the equations and concepts associated with series circuits in order to solve the following problems.

Circuits 4: Parallel Circuits
5 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use the equations and concepts associated with parallel circuits in order to solve the following problems.

Circuits 4: Parallel Circuits (HP)
7 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use the equations and concepts associated with parallel circuits in order to solve the following problems.

Circuits 5: Series and Parallel Circuits
6 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Use the equations and concepts associated with series and parallel circuits in order to solve the following problems.

Circuits 5: Series and Parallel Circuits (HP)
8 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Use the equations and concepts associated with series and with parallel circuits in order to solve the following problems.

Circuits 6: Unit Review
14 Problems - Easy Difficulty

The following problems span the entire Electric Circuits unit and serve as a review of the mathematics of the unit.

Circuits 6: Combination Circuits (HP)
4 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Use the equations and concepts associated with combination circuits in order to solve the following problems.

Circuits 7: Circuit Analysis (HP)
7 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Use the equations and concepts associated with series, parallel, and combination circuits in order to solve the following problems.