Deep Dive IBDP Physics: - B.5 Current and Circuits Teacher Resource Pack

Delivering impactful lessons in the IBDP Physics classroom means combining rigorous curriculum standards with real-world relevance. Two areas where this becomes especially crucial are understanding temperature-dependent resistance and navigating the limitations of real-world measurement tools. To support educators in this endeavor, we present two classroom-ready, experiment-based resources:

• Resistance Variation Experiment: Investigating the Effect of Temperature on Ohmic and Non-Ohmic Devices

• Ammeters and Voltmeters in Real-Life Circuits: Understanding Instrument Limitations

Both activities bring IBDP Topic B.5: Current and Circuits to life, building students’ conceptual understanding and experimental skills through hands-on learning.

🌡️ Resistance Variation Experiment: Ohmic vs. Non-Ohmic Devices

Curriculum Link: Topic B.5 – Current and Circuits | Ohm’s Law | I-V Characteristics

In this comprehensive activity, students explore how temperature affects the resistance of both Ohmic and Non-Ohmic devices. Using familiar components like metal resistors and light bulbs, they analyze how current and voltage respond as temperature changes, leading to a nuanced understanding of device behavior.

Key Learning Goals:

• Differentiate between Ohmic (linear I-V behavior) and Non-Ohmic (non-linear I-V behavior) materials.

• Investigate the effect of heat on resistance, using controlled temperature changes.

• Graph and interpret I-V characteristics at multiple temperature points.

• Apply Ohm’s Law and calculate resistance changes with temperature using .

Activity Overview:

• Students collect current and voltage data for both resistors and light bulbs.

• A heat source is used to gradually raise temperature, while thermometers or thermocouples track the change.

• Resistance is calculated at each stage and plotted to reveal trends.

Why This Resource Stands Out:

• Encourages data-driven discovery: Students see for themselves how temperature affects electron motion.

• Strengthens graph interpretation: Great preparation for IA and Paper 2.

• Demonstrates real-world applicability, from electronics to sensor design.

Sample Student Discussion Prompts:

• How does the resistance of a filament lamp evolve with temperature?

• Why does the metal resistor behave differently from the light bulb?

• What implications do these differences have in designing electrical systems?

🔌 Ammeters and Voltmeters in Real-Life Circuits: Understanding Instrument Limitations

Curriculum Link: Topic B.5 – Measurement and Experimental Skills | Real vs. Ideal Components | Ohm’s Law Application

This unique activity shifts the focus to instrumentation awareness, teaching students that measuring devices themselves influence circuit behavior. It highlights how the internal resistance of ammeters and voltmeters introduces real-world deviations from theoretical predictions.

Key Learning Goals:

• Understand the difference between ideal and real measuring instruments.

• Analyze how internal resistance alters voltage and current readings.

• Compare calculated vs. observed values using percentage error analysis.

• Build awareness of practical limitations in electrical measurements.

Activity Highlights:

• Circuits are built twice: once with ideal instrument assumptions and again using real instruments with known internal resistances.

• Students collect current and voltage data for multiple resistor values.

• Calculations include:

  • Total circuit resistance adjustments

  • Effective resistance in parallel (for voltmeters)

  • Ohm’s Law-based predictions

Benefits for Educators:

• Bridges theory and practical troubleshooting, enhancing lab accuracy skills.

• Prepares students for IA-level experimental critique and evaluation.

• Sparks conversation about engineering design and scientific instrumentation.

Suggested Discussion Questions:

• Why must voltmeters have high internal resistance?

• When might an ammeter’s internal resistance significantly affect a reading?

• How could engineers reduce or compensate for these limitations in critical systems?

🧠 Why These Resources Belong in Every IBDP Physics Toolkit

✔ Deep Curriculum Alignment

These activities aren’t just engaging—they’re directly mapped to core learning outcomes in Topic B.5: Current and Circuits, making them valuable for both SL and HL classes.

✔ Skill-Building Beyond Equations

By integrating hands-on inquiry, data interpretation, and error analysis, students practice:

• Graph construction and slope interpretation

• Applying formulas under non-ideal conditions

• Critical thinking about measurement precision—vital for success in the IA and Paper 3

✔ Real-World Relevance

Whether you’re discussing:

• How heat affects light bulb efficiency

• Or why voltage readings might differ between theory and practice…

These labs show students that Physics is not just numbers on paper, but a lens into how the world really works.

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🚀 Elevate Physics Education with Real-World Precision

Teaching physics at the IBDP level means helping students think like scientists and problem-solvers. These resources help you do exactly that—by providing meaningful, standards-aligned experiments that blend mathematical reasoning, scientific observation, and engineering insight.

If you’re ready to enhance your students’ understanding of electricity, resistance, and instrumentation—these labs are your new classroom essentials.

👉 Add them to your physics resource library today and watch your students grow into confident, curious experimenters.

DP PHY B.5 Current and Circuits Teacher Resource Pack

$49.00

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