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Junior Cycle Applied Technology: Electronic components & symbols

How often Electronic components & symbols 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

Electronic components & symbols, Common Level(8 marks)

Quick ones on Electronic components & symbols.

(a)Why is a resistor connected in series with an LED?
  1. To make the LED flash on and off
  2. To limit the current through it
  3. To store charge for later
(b)A resistor's bands are brown, black, red. What is its value?
  1. 100 ohms
  2. 102 ohms
  3. 1000 ohms
(c)In a circuit diagram, a circle with the letter M inside it is the symbol for a?
  1. Motor
  2. Lamp
  3. Microswitch
Show the answers

(a) To limit the current through it

(b) 1000 ohms

(c) Motor

Your turn: Common Level questions on Electronic components & symbols.

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
2026Q1d(i), Q1d(ii), Q3b(iii), Q4a(iii)
2025Q2d(ii), Q2d(iv)
2024Q2c(i)
2023Q1d(i), Q1d(ii), Q1d(iii)
2022Q2g(i), Q2g(ii), Q3b(i), Q3d(i), Q3d(ii)

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

More Electronic components & symbols questions

Electronic components & symbols, 2 marks

On a new LED, the longer leg is the?

  1. Cathode (negative)
  2. Base
  3. Anode (positive)
Show the answer

Anode (positive)

Long leg = anode (+), which goes towards the positive supply. The cathode (-) is the short leg, beside the flat edge on the LED's rim. Fitted backwards, it will not light.

Electronic components & symbols, 2 marks

Which component changes its resistance as its temperature changes?

  1. LED
  2. Thermistor
  3. Potentiometer
Show the answer

Thermistor

A thermistor is a heat-sensitive resistor, used in fire alarms, thermostats and fans that switch on when a room gets warm. A potentiometer is changed by turning a knob.

Electronic components & symbols, 2 marks

Which component lets you adjust a motor's speed by turning a knob?

  1. Potentiometer
  2. Thermistor
  3. Microswitch
Show the answer

Potentiometer

A potentiometer is a variable resistor: turning the knob changes its resistance, which changes the current. It is used as a speed or volume control or to set a trigger level.

Other Applied Technology topics

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