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Junior Cycle · Junior Cycle Applied Technology

Junior Cycle Applied Technology: Circuits, PCBs & soldering

How often Circuits, PCBs & soldering comes up on the Applied Technology papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

CL Asked on 5 of the last 5 Common Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

Circuits, PCBs & soldering, Common Level(8 marks)

Quick ones on Circuits, PCBs & soldering.

(a)An on/off switch for a motor must be connected?
  1. In parallel with the motor
  2. In series with the motor
  3. Straight across the battery
(b)What does a good soldered joint on a PCB look like?
  1. A round ball sitting on top of the pad
  2. Dull, grey, lumpy and cracked
  3. Smooth and cone-shaped, covering the pad
(c)Why are the LEDs on a model often wired in parallel rather than in series?
  1. If one fails, the others stay lit
  2. Each LED gets less voltage
  3. If one fails, they all go out
Show the answers

(a) In series with the motor

(b) Smooth and cone-shaped, covering the pad

(c) If one fails, the others stay lit

Your turn: Common Level questions on Circuits, PCBs & soldering.

Common Level

Asked on 5 of the last 5 Common Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026Q1c(iii)
2025Q1e, Q2d(i)
2024Q1e, Q2c(ii), Q3c(ii)
2023Q2e(iii)
2022Q1e, Q2g(iii), Q3d(iii)

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Circuits, PCBs & soldering questions

Circuits, PCBs & soldering, 2 marks

What does PCB stand for?

  1. Plastic circuit box
  2. Programmable control board
  3. Printed circuit board
Show the answer

Printed circuit board

A PCB is a board with copper tracks instead of loose wires. Components are pushed through holes and soldered to the tracks, making a neat, strong circuit.

Circuits, PCBs & soldering, 3 marks

Two identical solar cells are connected in parallel. Compared with one cell, they give?

  1. Half the voltage and current
  2. The same voltage but more current
  3. Double the voltage, same current
Show the answer

The same voltage but more current

In parallel, the positives are joined and the negatives are joined, so the voltage stays the same while the currents add. Connect them in series to add the voltages.

Other Applied Technology topics

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