ElectricityHigher Tier

Higher Tier Only: Charge on Electrons and Current

Part of Current & Charge · GCSE GCSE Physics revision

This higher tier covers Higher Tier Only: Charge on Electrons and Current within Current & Charge for GCSE Physics. Revise Current & Charge in Electricity for GCSE Physics with 19 exam-style questions and 30 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 10 of 13 in this topic. This section is most useful once the core foundation idea is secure, because it adds the detail that pushes answers higher.

Topic position

Section 10 of 13

Practice

19 questions

Recall

30 flashcards

🎓 Higher Tier Only: Charge on Electrons and Current

Each electron carries a charge of 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C. This means one coulomb of charge is carried by approximately 6.25 × 10¹⁸ electrons.

You can relate current to the number of electrons passing a point per second:

I = n × q

where n = number of charges per second, q = charge per carrier (1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C for electrons)

This also explains why metals conduct better than semiconductors — metals have far more free (delocalised) electrons per unit volume available to carry charge.

Keep building this topic

Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in Current & Charge. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.

Memory Aid Exam Focus The River of Electrons Understanding Current and Charge

Practice Questions for Current & Charge

What is electric current?

A. The total energy stored in a circuit
B. The rate of flow of charge
C. The force that pushes electrons around a circuit
D. The opposition to the flow of charge

1 markfoundation

Explain why an ammeter must be connected in series in a circuit.

2 marksstandard

Quick Recall Flashcards

What is 1 Ampere?

1 Coulomb of charge flowing per second (1 A = 1 C/s)

Charge equation?

Q = It where Q = charge (C), I = current (A), t = time (s)

19 questions on Current & Charge — practise free

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Memory Aid

Exam Focus