Voltage

These diagnostic questions and response activities (contained in the zip file) support students in being able to:

• Describe the effect of different battery voltages on simple circuits.
• Describe the voltage of a battery, measured with a voltmeter, as the strength with which the battery can ‘push’ current around a circuit. 
• Use the idea of an ‘electrical push’ to explain the effect of different battery voltages on a circuit.
• Apply the idea of an ‘electrical push’ to predict the effect of different series combinations of 1.5V batteries on simple circuits.
• Calculate the total voltage of combinations of different batteries in series.
• Describe the effect of too little, or too much, voltage across a component.
• Describe the voltage across a component as the strength of ‘push’ being used to get current through the component.
• Use the idea of an ‘electrical push’ to explain why different components (usually) work best at a particular voltage.        
• Use the ideas of ‘electrical push’ and resistance to explain why adding components to a series circuit changes the current.
• Calculate the total voltage needed to push the ‘right amount’ of current through a combination of several components.
• Recognise that batteries are full of chemicals that are changed to make a circuit work.   
• Explain why bigger batteries last longer than smaller ones, of the same type and voltage, using the idea of a ‘chemical store’ of energy.           
• Describe the shift of energy from the chemical store of the battery to the moving charge (current); and from the moving charge to circuit components.    
• Describe how we know brighter bulbs shift energy from the chemical store of a battery at a faster rate.
• Use understanding of batteries and voltage to justify battery choice and limitations in real-life situations.

The resources include details of common misconceptions and a summary of the research upon which the resources are based.

Download the zip file for all the questions and activities.

More resources like this can be found on the BEST webpage:  Best Evidence in Science Teaching