Year 8 Electricity and Magnetism Worksheet - Beginner

Year 8 Electricity and Magnetism worksheet for Year 8 (Key Stage 3 / Year 7-9 (Ages 11-14)). Beginner level science practice, aligned to the UK National Curriculum. Print-ready with answer key included.

Science•Key Stage 3 / Year 7-9 (Ages 11-14)•Electricitybeginner

33 views

Electricity and Magnetism: Circuits, Charges and Fields

Year 8 | Ages 12–13 | Beginner

Name:

Date:

Score:

Instructions: Work through each activity in order, using the guidance to help you recall key ideas and explain your thinking. Write units where needed, and show a clear step in your working for calculations. All questions focus on electricity and magnetism.

Current, Voltage and Resistance

Use the relationship voltage = current × resistance. Rearrange it when needed: current = voltage ÷ resistance, and resistance = voltage ÷ current. Include the correct unit in each answer: amperes (A), volts (V) or ohms (Ω).

1. A 6 V battery drives a current of 2 A through a lamp. Calculate the lamp's resistance. [2 marks]

2. A resistor has a resistance of 4 Ω and a current of 0.5 A. Calculate the voltage across it. [2 marks]

3. A 12 V supply is connected across a 6 Ω resistor. Calculate the current. [2 marks]

4. For the same voltage, what happens to the current if the resistance increases? [1 mark]

Series and Parallel Circuits

Recall that a series circuit has one path for current, while a parallel circuit has separate branches. Use these ideas to answer each question. Give a short explanation as well as the requested value where appropriate.

1. Two lamps are connected in series. The current through the first lamp is 0.3 A. What is the current through the second lamp? [1 mark]

2. A 9 V battery is connected to two lamps in series. One lamp has a potential difference of 4 V. What is the potential difference across the other lamp? [2 marks]

3. One lamp in a parallel circuit breaks. What happens to the other lamp, and why? [2 marks]

4. A student wants two lamps to keep working independently. Should they connect them in series or in parallel? [1 mark]

Using Ammeters and Voltmeters

An ammeter measures current and is connected in series with the component. A voltmeter measures potential difference and is connected in parallel across the component. Use these rules to complete the questions.

1. Which instrument measures the current through a lamp: an ammeter or a voltmeter? [1 mark]

2. How should an ammeter be connected to measure the current through a resistor? [1 mark]

3. How should a voltmeter be connected to measure the potential difference across a lamp? [1 mark]

4. A voltmeter reads 3 V across a component. What physical quantity has been measured? [1 mark]

Static Electricity

Static electricity involves electric charge building up on an object. Remember that friction can transfer electrons: an object that gains electrons becomes negatively charged, while one that loses electrons becomes positively charged.

1. A plastic rod gains electrons when rubbed with a cloth. What charge does the rod have afterwards? [1 mark]

2. Two objects both have a negative charge. Do they attract or repel? [1 mark]

3. A charged balloon sticks to a neutral wall. Give one simple explanation for this attraction. [2 marks]

4. Which tiny particles are transferred when objects become statically charged: protons or electrons? [1 mark]

Magnets and Magnetic Fields

A magnet has north and south poles. Unlike poles attract and like poles repel. Magnetic field lines show the direction a north pole would move; around a bar magnet, they go from north to south outside the magnet.

1. What happens when the north pole of one magnet is brought near the south pole of another? [1 mark]

2. What happens when two north poles are brought close together? [1 mark]

3. Outside a bar magnet, in which direction do magnetic field lines go? [1 mark]

4. Name one magnetic material that can be attracted to a magnet. [1 mark]

Electromagnets

An electromagnet is made when current flows through a coil of wire, producing a magnetic field. An iron core can make the electromagnet stronger. Answer using the information in each question and your knowledge of how current affects the magnetic field.

1. What must flow through a coil of wire to make it act as an electromagnet? [1 mark]

2. Name the metal commonly used as the core of a school electromagnet. [1 mark]

3. A student adds more turns to the coil while keeping the current the same. What usually happens to the electromagnet's strength? [1 mark]

4. What happens to an electromagnet's magnetic field when the current is switched off? [1 mark]

Answer Key

Activity 1: 3 Ω ; 2 V ; 2 A ; The current decreases

Activity 2: 0.3 A ; 5 V ; It stays lit because the other branch still provides a complete path ; In parallel

Activity 3: Ammeter ; In series ; In parallel across the lamp ; Potential difference (voltage)

Activity 4: Negative ; Repel ; The charged balloon causes charges in the wall to shift slightly, leaving an oppositely charged region nearest the balloon ; Electrons

Activity 5: They attract ; They repel ; From north to south ; Iron (steel is also acceptable)

Activity 6: Electric current ; Iron ; It becomes stronger ; The magnetic field disappears (or becomes much weaker)