Formative assessment marking key
Electricity module quiz
This marking key is constructed so that it can be used for formative purposes. Possible
answers to each question are provided. These answers show different levels of conceptual
development from low (*), medium (**) to high (***). This information can be used in a
formative manner to match students’ levels of conceptual development to activities of
appropriate conceptual challenge designated by one, two or three stars. Some questions
only provide opportunity for students to respond at the lower levels of conceptual
development.
1. The following diagram shows torch batteries connected to torch globes in different
ways.
Complete the following table to show which of the above globes will light and explain
why.
Level of
conceptual
development
Typical student response at this level
Globe A: No. Wrong connection points on globe.
Globe B: Yes. Connected up correctly.
Globe C: No. Needs another wire.
Globe D: Yes. Connected up correctly.
Globe E: No. The lower wire should connect to the bottom of the
battery.
Responses at this level involve explanations that include
statements about the circuit being incomplete (globes A, C and E)
or being complete (globes B and D).
 Commonwealth of Australia, 2003
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Formative assessment marking key
Electricity module quiz
2. a. Give two examples of conductors.
b. Give two examples of insulators.
c. Why do some materials conduct electricity while other materials do not?
Level of
conceptual
development
Typical student response at this level
(a) Copper, iron, Nichrome, mercury, carbon rod, etc.
(b) Plastic, wood, paper, etc.
(c) Only metals conduct electricity.
(c) The electrons in conductors are free to flow through them,
whereas in insulators the electrons are not free to flow through
them.
3. The torch globe is connected to the torch battery and it is glowing.
a. Put arrows on wire A and wire B to show the direction in which the electric current is
flowing. Why does the current flow in that direction?
b. How much current is flowing in each wire: more in A than B, the same in A and B; or
less in A than B? Explain why.
Level of
conceptual
development
Typical student response at this level
(b) There is the same amount of current in each wire.
(a) Arrows show a flow of current in a circuit out of the top of the
battery back to the bottom of the battery ie the students have a
concept of circuit rather than believing that current flows through
both wires towards the globe. The direction of current flow is
based on ‘conventional current’ ie + to -.
(a) Arrows show a flow of electrons from the negative terminal
(base) of the battery through the globe back to the positive
terminal (top) of the battery in a circuit. The electrons flow from
– to +.
(b) There is the same amount of current in each wire as the current
does not get consumed in the globe, only the energy carried by
the current/electrons gets consumed.
 Commonwealth of Australia, 2003
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Formative assessment marking key
Electricity module quiz
4. Is a battery:
a. a store of electricity?
b. a store of electrical energy?
c. a store of chemicals?
d. a store of chemical energy?
Level of
conceptual
development
Typical student response at this level
A battery is a store of chemicals.
A battery is a store of chemical energy.
5. How does a battery cause an electrical current to flow through a circuit?
Level of
conceptual
development
Typical student response at this level
A battery pushes electricity round a circuit like a pump pushes
water.
The voltage pushes electrons round the circuit.
The chemical reaction in the battery creates a excess of electrons
at the negative terminal which pushes the electrons round the
circuit to the positive terminal where there is a deficit of electrons.
6. Why does a battery go flat?
Level of
conceptual
development
Typical student response at this level
The battery runs out of chemicals.
All of the chemical potential energy has been converted to
electrical energy.
 Commonwealth of Australia, 2003
3
Formative assessment marking key
Electricity module quiz
7. In the following circuit diagrams, all of the batteries are the same type and size, and all
of the globes are of the same type and size. The brightness of the globe in diagram A
is normal.
Will the globes in the other diagrams be brighter, dimmer or the same as in Diagram
A? Explain why in each case.
Level of
conceptual
development
Typical student response at this level
Circuit B: Brighter because there are two batteries for one globe.
Circuit C: Dimmer because there are two globes for the one
battery.
Circuit D: Normal brightness or the same brightness as in Diagram
A.
Circuit B: Brighter because there is twice the voltage applied to
the globe.
Circuit C: Dimmer because the voltage of the one battery is
shared between two globes or the extra globe increases the
resistance.
Circuit D: Each lamp is effectively connected directly back to the
battery, so each lamp gets the same full voltage and thus should
be at the same full brightness.
Circuit B: Brighter because there is twice the voltage applied to
the one globe therefore twice the current.
Circuit C: Dimmer because the additional resistance of the extra
globe reduces the flow of current.
Circuit D: Normal brightness or the same brightness as in Diagram
A because the voltage of the battery is applied equally to the two
globes because they are connected in parallel.
8. In this Electricity module you have been discussing four important electricity concepts;
voltage, current, resistance and power.
a. What is the difference between current and power?
b. Explain how you could increase current by varying voltage and resistance.
Level of
conceptual
development
Typical student response at this level
(b) Current can be increased by using more batteries or by
reducing the number of globes in a circuit.
(a) Current is the flow of electricity/electrons and power is a
property/rating of an electrical appliance.
(a) Current is the flow of electricity/electrons/electrical energy
round a circuit, and power is the rate at which an appliance
consumes electrical energy.
(b) Current can be increased by increasing voltage or by
decreasing resistance.
 Commonwealth of Australia, 2003
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