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Electricity class 10: CBSE previous question paper problems

Prepare for class 10 CBSE exam using this analysis of the last 10 years’ question papers from the chapter Electricity. Explore common and important questions, with solutions.
Let's explore some of the main types of problems that appeared in the last ten years of CBSE board exams, arranged by subtopic.
Happy practicing!

Electric current and circuit

Type A. Definitions
Frequency of appearance:
Q1. What is an electric circuit? Distinguish between an open and a closed circuit.
[2 marks, AI 2009]
Type B. Applying the definitions of Coulomb and current
Frequency of appearance:
Q2. A current of 10 A flows through a conductor for two minutes.
(i) Calculate the amount of charge passed through any area of cross section of the conductor.
(ii) If the charge of an electron is 1.6×1019 C, then calculate the total number of electrons flowing.
[3 marks, Board Term I, 2013]
Feeling stuck?

Electric potential and potential difference

Type C. Relation between potential difference and work
Frequency of appearance:
Q3. (a) Define the term 'volt'.
(b) State the relation between work, charge and potential difference for an electric circuit.
Calculate the potential difference between the two terminals of a battery if 100 J of work is required to transfer 20 C of charge from one terminal of the battery to the other.
[3 marks, AI 2009]
Feeling stuck?

Circuit diagram

Type D. Drawing circuit elements and circuits
Frequency of appearance:
Q4. Draw a schematic diagram of an electric circuit consisting of a battery of two cells each of 1.5 V, 5 Ω, 10 Ω and 15 Ω resistors and a plug key, all connected in series.
[1 mark, AI 2009]
Q5. Draw the symbols of commonly used components in electric circuit diagrams for
(i) an electric cell
(ii) open plug key
(iii) wires crossing without connection
(iv) variable resistor
(v) battery
(vi) electric bulb
(vii) resistance.
[4 marks, Board Term I 2017]

Ohm's law

Type E. V-I graph and applying Ohm's law
Frequency of appearance:
Q6. State Ohm's law. Draw a labelled circuit diagram to verify this law in the laboratory. If you draw a graph between the potential difference and current flowing through a metallic conductor, what kind of curve will you get? Explain how you would use this graph to determine the resistance of the conductor.
[5 marks, Board Term I, 2016]
Feeling stuck?

Factor on which the resistance of a conductor depends

Type F. Word problems and numericals
Frequency of appearance:
Q7. (a) List the factors on which the resistance of a conductor in the shape of a wire depends.
(b) Why are metals good conductors of electricity while glass is a bad conductor of electricity? Give reasons.
(c) Why are alloys commonly used in electrical heating devices? Give reason.
[3 marks, 2018 (AI, Delhi, Foreign)]
Q8. The resistance of a wire of 0.01 cm radius is 10 Ω. If the resistivity of the material of the wire is 50×108 Ωm, find the length of the wire.
[3 marks, Board Term I, 2014]
Q9. Define resistance of a conductor. State the factors on which resistance of a conductor depends. Name the device which is often used to change the resistance without changing the voltage source in an electric circuit.
Calculate the resistance of 50 cm length of wire of cross sectional area 0.01 mm2 and of resistivity 5×108 Ωm.
[5 marks, Board Term I, 2009]
Feeling stuck?

Resistance of system of resistors

Type G. Calculating equivalent resistance and currents
Frequency of appearance:
Q10. Two resistors, of resistances 5 Ω and 10 Ω respectively are to be connected to a battery of e.m.f. 6 V so as to obtain
(i) minimum current flowing
(ii) maximum current flowing.
(a)How will you connect the resistances in each case?
(b) Calculate the strength of the total current in the circuit in the two cases.
[3 marks, Delhi 2009]
Q11. Consider the following electric circuit.

(i) Which two resistors are connected in series?
(ii) Which two resistors are connected in parallel?
(iii) If every resistor is 2 Ω, what current will flow in the circuit?
[3 marks, Delhi 2009]
Type H. Derivations
Frequency of appearance:
Q12. Deduce the expression for the equivalent resistance of the parallel combination of three resistors R1, R2, and R3.
[2 marks, Foreign 2010]
Feeling stuck?

Heating effect of electric current

Type I. Relation between heat produced in a wire and resistance
Frequency of appearance:
Q13. A fuse wire melts at 5 A. If it is desired that the fuse wire of the same material melt at 10 A, then should the new fuse wire be of smaller or larger radius than the earlier one? Give reasons for your answer.
[3 marks, Board Term I, 2014]
J. Derivations and conceptual problems
Frequency of appearance:
Q14. Derive an expression for the heat produced in a conductor of resistance R when a current I flows through it for some time t.
Two identical resistors of resistance R are connected in series with a battery of potential difference V for time t. The resistors are then connected in parallel with the same battery for the same time t. Compare the heat produced in the two cases.
[5 marks, Foreign 2010]
Feeling stuck?

Electric power

Type K. Calculating power and energy consumed
Frequency of appearance:
Q15. Two lamps, one rated 100 W; 220 V, and the other 60 W; 220 V, are connected in parallel to electric mains supply. Find the current drawn by the two lamps from the line, if the supply voltage is 220 V.
[2 marks, Board Term I, 2014]
Q16. (a) How should two resistors, with resistances R1 Ω and R2 Ω be connected to a battery of e.m.f. V volts so that the electrical power consumed is minimum?
(b) In a house, 3 bulbs of 100 watt each are lighted for 5 hours daily, 2 fans of 50 watt each are used for 10 hours daily and an electric heater of 1.00 kWh is used for half an hour daily. Calculate the total energy consumed in a month of 31 days and its cost at the rate of  3.60/kWh.
[5 marks, Board Term I, 2017]
Feeling stuck?

Want to join the conversation?

  • marcimus pink style avatar for user 🌺Nandini Sharma🌺
    What does it mean by resistor R1 is shorted and does not contribute to equivalent resistance in Q11] iii) solution?
    (2 votes)
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    • leaf blue style avatar for user Jyotiraditya Pradhan
      Hey Nandini

      Take an example involving yourself - If you have an option of going to the same destination through a flat route as well as a steep hilly route, which one would you choose? Generally, the flat route - because it is easier

      Current always flows through the easiest path it gets.
      As you know, a resistor is something that opposes the flow of current. Hence, if the current finds a path with no resistor at a place, it would go through that instead of the path with the resistor. This is also called short-circuiting.

      In Q)11 iii), you see that there is a wire with no resistor joining the same points which R1 does; the current rather flows through the non-resistor path. Here we say, R1 is shorted. Hence R1 has no impact on the current flowing through the circuit as no current is flowing through R1.

      Hope it helps. Feel free to comment if your doubt persists...Have fun learning :)
      (8 votes)
  • blobby green style avatar for user samadhan2003.2017
    diffrentiate between joules and watt
    (2 votes)
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  • blobby green style avatar for user SANVEE
    Is this both electricity and its effects and magnetic effects of electric current, or one only?
    (1 vote)
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  • blobby green style avatar for user Swirly Candy
    can you guys explain to me functions and the functioning of a fuse wire?
    I love what you do at Khan Academy. Thank you for the unrelentless hard work you guys put it. Mad respect!
    (2 votes)
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    • piceratops ultimate style avatar for user Nolan Ryzen Terrence
      Hey @ Swirly Candy a fuse is a simple wire. That's how it looks. But this wire has a really low melting point that when some extra amount of electricity passes it, it melts. When it melts it breaks the circuit. If it breaks the circuit well you can imagine what can happen.

      So this fuse wire is to help cut extra electricity from passing through to prevent overheating or overloading the appliance connected.

      Hope this helps
      Nolan R.T :)
      (3 votes)
  • blobby green style avatar for user samadhan2003.2017
    diffrentiate between series and parralles
    (2 votes)
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    • male robot donald style avatar for user Atharva Singh Parihar
      In series combination(1. The potential difference is divided[v=v1+v2]. 2. It is not used in domestic circuits because if one of the middle appliances goes off, the other appliances will also get affected. 3. Current is the same throughout the series combo. 4. The resistors are connected in series one after the other.)
      In the parallel combination(1. The Potential Difference in the parallel combo is divided. 2. It is used in domestic circuits because if one of the appliances goes off, then also the other appliances aren't affected. 3. The current is divided in the parallel combo. 4. The resistors here are connected parallel to each other by joining end to end.)
      (2 votes)