Electronics Worksheet: LEDs and Resistors
Remember (Long leg plus, resistor always): Long leg (anode) → +; short leg by the flat edge (cathode) → −. Backwards: no light. Always a series resistor; without one the LED may burn out. R = (supply V − LED V) ÷ current in A. Example: (5 − 2) ÷ 0.02 = 150 Ω.
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- 1.💡 What happens if an LED is put in backwards? (a) it changes colour (b) it makes a sound (c) it does not light (d) it lights brighter
- 2.💡 On an LED, is the longer leg the anode (+) or the cathode (−)? (a) anode (+) (b) cathode (−)
- 3.💡 An LED is joined to a 6 V battery through a 470 Ω resistor; the leg next to the flat edge of its rim goes to the + side. What happens? (a) may burn out (b) does not light (c) lights up
- 4.💡 What does LED stand for? (a) light energy dial (b) low energy device (c) large electric dial (d) light-emitting diode
- 5.💡 An LED is joined to a 9 V battery through a 470 Ω resistor; its long leg goes to the + side and its short leg to the − side. What happens? (a) does not light (b) may burn out (c) lights up
- 6.True or false: on an LED, the longer leg is the cathode (−). (a) False (b) True
- 7.💡 Why does an LED need a resistor in series? (a) to store charge (b) to change its colour (c) to make it brighter (d) to limit the current
- 8.💡 An LED is joined to a 12 V battery with no resistor; its long leg goes to the + side and its short leg to the − side. What happens? (a) lights up (b) does not light (c) may burn out
- 9.💡 A red LED uses 2 V and should get 25 mA. It runs from a 5 V supply. What resistor (in ohms) is needed in series?
- 10.💡 On an LED, is the shorter leg the anode (+) or the cathode (−)? (a) anode (+) (b) cathode (−)
- 11.💡 A red LED uses 2 V and should get 10 mA. It runs from a 6 V supply. What resistor (in ohms) is needed in series?
- 12.💡 A red LED (it uses 2 V) is joined with a 100 Ω resistor to a 3 V supply. What current flows (in mA)?
- 13.💡 On an LED, is the leg by the flat edge the anode (+) or the cathode (−)? (a) anode (+) (b) cathode (−)
- 14.True or false: on an LED, the round-side leg is the anode (+). (a) True (b) False
- 15.💡 A red LED (it uses 2 V) is joined with a 200 Ω resistor to a 3 V supply. What current flows (in mA)?
- 16.True or false: on an LED, the shorter leg is the anode (+). (a) True (b) False
- 17.True or false: on an LED, the shorter leg is the cathode (−). (a) False (b) True
- 18.💡 An LED is joined to a 9 V battery through a 1000 Ω resistor; the leg next to the flat edge of its rim goes to the − side. What happens? (a) does not light (b) may burn out (c) lights up
- 19.💡 An LED is joined to a 5 V battery through a 330 Ω resistor; its long leg goes to the − side and its short leg to the + side. What happens? (a) does not light (b) may burn out (c) lights up
- 20.💡 A red LED (it uses 2 V) is joined with a 300 Ω resistor to a 6.5 V supply. What current flows (in mA)?
- 21.💡 A red LED uses 2 V and should get 25 mA. It runs from a 12 V supply. What resistor (in ohms) is needed in series?
- 22.💡 An LED is joined to a 3 V battery through a 220 Ω resistor; its long leg goes to the + side and its short leg to the − side. What happens? (a) may burn out (b) lights up (c) does not light
- 23.💡 A red LED (it uses 2 V) is joined with a 150 Ω resistor to a 3.5 V supply. What current flows (in mA)?
- 24.True or false: on an LED, the round-side leg is the cathode (−). (a) True (b) False
- 25.True or false: on an LED, the leg by the flat edge is the anode (+). (a) False (b) True
- 26.True or false: on an LED, the leg by the flat edge is the cathode (−). (a) False (b) True
- 27.💡 An LED is joined to a 6 V battery through a 220 Ω resistor; the leg next to the flat edge of its rim goes to the − side. What happens? (a) does not light (b) lights up (c) may burn out
- 28.💡 An LED is joined to a 5 V battery through a 470 Ω resistor; the leg next to the flat edge of its rim goes to the + side. What happens? (a) does not light (b) lights up (c) may burn out
- 29.💡 A red LED (it uses 2 V) is joined with a 300 Ω resistor to a 3.5 V supply. What current flows (in mA)?
- 30.💡 On an LED, is the round-side leg the anode (+) or the cathode (−)? (a) cathode (−) (b) anode (+)
- 31.💡 A blue LED uses 3 V and should get 10 mA. It runs from a 9 V supply. What resistor (in ohms) is needed in series?
- 32.💡 An LED is joined to a 6 V battery with no resistor; the leg next to the flat edge of its rim goes to the − side. What happens? (a) lights up (b) does not light (c) may burn out
- 33.💡 A red LED (it uses 2 V) is joined with a 100 Ω resistor to a 4 V supply. What current flows (in mA)?
- 34.💡 An LED is joined to a 9 V battery with no resistor; the leg next to the flat edge of its rim goes to the − side. What happens? (a) does not light (b) lights up (c) may burn out
- 35.💡 A red LED (it uses 2 V) is joined with a 100 Ω resistor to a 3.5 V supply. What current flows (in mA)?
- 36.💡 A red LED uses 2 V and should get 10 mA. It runs from a 9 V supply. What resistor (in ohms) is needed in series?
- 37.💡 A red LED (it uses 2 V) is joined with a 150 Ω resistor to a 2.75 V supply. What current flows (in mA)?
- 38.💡 A blue LED uses 3 V and should get 25 mA. It runs from a 5 V supply. What resistor (in ohms) is needed in series?
- 39.💡 A red LED uses 2 V and should get 20 mA. It runs from a 12 V supply. What resistor (in ohms) is needed in series?
- 40.💡 A blue LED uses 3 V and should get 10 mA. It runs from a 12 V supply. What resistor (in ohms) is needed in series?
Answer key
- it does not light
- anode (+)
- does not light
- light-emitting diode
- lights up
- False
- to limit the current
- may burn out
- 120
- cathode (−)
- 400
- 10
- cathode (−)
- True
- 5
- False
- True
- lights up
- does not light
- 15
- 400
- lights up
- 10
- False
- False
- True
- lights up
- does not light
- 5
- anode (+)
- 600
- may burn out
- 20
- may burn out
- 15
- 700
- 5
- 80
- 500
- 900
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