Electricity - 2.1.1 Standard Circuit Diagram Symbols (GCSE Physics AQA)

Standard Circuit Diagram Symbols

Circuit Symbols

For AQA exams, we need to know the following common circuit symbols. These symbols are from the AQA specification, so know them all well!

Standard Circuit Diagram Symbols
Standard Circuit Diagram Symbols

Drawing and Interpreting Circuit Diagrams

As well as knowing the different symbols in a circuit, we need to be able to draw circuits and interpret them.

Below, we can see a circuit with a cell, an open switch, a lamp and a able. This is a fairly basic layout for a circuit.

Standard Circuit Diagram Symbols
Standard Circuit Diagram Symbols

When drawing circuit diagrams, there are a few important rules to remember:

  1. Cables and wires in a circuit are drawn as straight lines.
  2. Wires should not cross over each other.
  3. We need to use the correct symbols for each component in the circuit.
  4. When drawn, the circuit forms a closed loop. There should be no breaks in a complete circuit.

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