Electricity & Magnetism Quiz

Name:

Date:

Instructions: From lightning bolts to electromagnets, test your recall of electrical and magnetic concepts and history.

1.
What particle carries a negative electric charge?
A
Neutron
B
Electron
C
Proton
D
Positron
2.
Who demonstrated that lightning is electrical with a kite experiment?
A
Thomas Edison
B
Alessandro Volta
C
Nikola Tesla
D
Benjamin Franklin
3.
What is the unit of electrical resistance?
A
Volt
B
Ampere
C
Ohm
D
Watt
4.
What type of current flows in one direction only?
A
Direct current (DC)
B
Alternating current (AC)
C
Static current
D
Pulsating current
5.
Which scientist discovered electromagnetic induction?
A
James Clerk Maxwell
B
Michael Faraday
C
Hans Christian Ørsted
D
André-Marie Ampère
6.
What does a compass needle point toward?
A
Geographic South Pole
B
The Sun
C
The nearest mountain
D
Magnetic North Pole
7.
What material is commonly used in permanent magnets?
A
Aluminum
B
Tin
C
Iron
D
Copper
8.
Who unified electricity, magnetism, and light into one theory?
A
James Clerk Maxwell
B
Heinrich Hertz
C
Michael Faraday
D
Nikola Tesla
9.
What device converts mechanical energy into electrical energy?
A
Generator
B
Motor
C
Capacitor
D
Transformer
10.
What is the term for the flow of electric charge?
A
Power
B
Voltage
C
Current
D
Resistance
11.
What did Hans Christian Ørsted discover in 1820?
A
The photoelectric effect
B
Electric current creates a magnetic field
C
Superconductivity
D
Static electricity
12.
What type of device stores electrical energy in an electric field?
A
Diode
B
Resistor
C
Capacitor
D
Inductor
13.
What causes the aurora borealis (Northern Lights)?
A
Volcanic gases
B
Moonlight reflection
C
Lightning in the upper atmosphere
D
Charged particles from the Sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field
14.
Which famous rivalry was called the 'War of the Currents'?
A
Edison (DC) vs. Tesla/Westinghouse (AC)
B
Franklin vs. Faraday
C
Volta vs. Galvani
D
Ampère vs. Ohm
15.
What happens when you cut a magnet in half?
A
Only one piece retains magnetism
B
The magnetism disappears
C
Each piece becomes a complete magnet with north and south poles
D
One piece becomes north, the other south

Answer Key

Question 1

B. Electron

Question 2

D. Benjamin Franklin

Question 3

C. Ohm

Question 4

A. Direct current (DC)

Question 5

B. Michael Faraday

Question 6

D. Magnetic North Pole

Question 7

C. Iron

Question 8

A. James Clerk Maxwell

Question 9

A. Generator

Question 10

C. Current

Question 11

B. Electric current creates a magnetic field

Question 12

C. Capacitor

Question 13

D. Charged particles from the Sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field

Question 14

A. Edison (DC) vs. Tesla/Westinghouse (AC)

Question 15

C. Each piece becomes a complete magnet with north and south poles

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