# Topic Questions: 4 distinguish between root-mean-square (r.m.s.) and peak values and recall and use $I_{r.m.s.} = I_0 / \sqrt{2}$ and $V_{r.m.s.} = V_0 / \sqrt{2}$ for a sinusoidal alternating current — 9702 P4 Characteristics of alternating currents > 8 9702 P4 Characteristics of alternating currents topic questions (18 marks) on 4 distinguish between root-mean-square (r.m.s.)… — 6 papers, 2025–2026. Open… - Canonical HTML: https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/characteristics-of-alternating-currents/4-distinguish-between-root-mean-square-r-m-s-and-peak-values-and-recall-and-use-i-r-m/ - Markdown mirror: https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/characteristics-of-alternating-currents/4-distinguish-between-root-mean-square-r-m-s-and-peak-values-and-recall-and-use-i-r-m/index.md --- CIE IAL · Physics · 9702 P4 · Characteristics of alternating currents 8 9702 P4 Characteristics of alternating currents topic questions are tagged to this syllabus point across 6 papers (2025–2026). Only the parts whose knowledge graph matches this syllabus statement are counted, and the table shows which parts of each question are involved. - 8 topic questions - 6 papers - 18 tagged marks - 38.1% of topic questions - 43.9% of topic marks - 2025–2026 - Syllabus 2025–2027 - [All 9702 P4 Characteristics of alternating currents topic questions](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/characteristics-of-alternating-currents/) - [All paper codes](https://www.examsci.com/topics/) Core finding **This Characteristics of alternating currents syllabus point appears in 6 9702 P4 papers across 2025–2026, contributing 8 topic questions and 18 marks.** The most recent appearance is 9702/41 May/June 2026. That equals 38.1% of the 21 topic questions and 43.9% of the 41 marks tagged to Characteristics of alternating currents. Only parts tagged to this subtopic are counted, so a four-part question can contribute one item and one part's marks. The table lists every matching question, its tagged parts and marks, with a link back to the paper page. Sessions are newest first, so the statement can be traced back through the full paper history. ## Topic questions by session Newest sessions first. Parts and marks count only the parts tagged to this subtopic; “x of y parts” shows how much of the question is tagged elsewhere. Select the paper cell to open the matching question on the paper page, or use **Go to Practice Hub** to answer that exact question in the Interactive Practice Hub. | Paper | Question | Type | Parts | Marks | Difficulty | Practice | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [**9702/41** May/June 2026 · CIE IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/2026-may-june-9702-41/#q-7) | **Q7** Half-Wave Rectification and RMS Values - CIE A-Level Physics 2026 May/Jun Paper 41 Q7 | FRQ | 1 of 3 parts ((b)) | 4 of 8 on the paper | Easy | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=d21ce83a-10e6-4bdf-a0d4-2e58f3af8049&question_id=76d60488-61dd-4849-b0bd-0487eb92f0ff&source_detail=9702%2F41+May%2FJune+2026) | | [**9702/42** May/June 2026 · CIE IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/2026-may-june-9702-42/#q-8) | **Q8** Half-Wave Rectification and Smoothing Analysis - CIE A-Level Physics 2026 Jun Paper 42 Q8 | FRQ | 1 of 5 parts ((c)) | 3 of 7 on the paper | Easy | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=a6b3f991-4e08-4777-b0c1-71ae2ebf6845&question_id=2c745621-d375-48db-8f20-4b58a022223a&source_detail=9702%2F42+May%2FJune+2026) | | [**9702/43** May/June 2026 · CIE IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/2026-may-june-9702-43/#q-7) | **Q7** Half-Wave Rectification and RMS Values - CIE A Level Physics | FRQ | 1 of 3 parts ((b)) | 4 of 8 on the paper | Easy | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=edd532bd-59ad-4999-a78f-544da637ca77&question_id=b1947c41-bd92-4f5b-a341-860595f4a1e6&source_detail=9702%2F43+May%2FJune+2026) | | [**9702/42** October/November 2025 · CIE IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/2025-october-november-9702-42/#q-7) | **Q7** Sinusoidal Alternating Voltage and Rectification - CIE Physics 2025 Nov Paper 42 Q7 | FRQ | 2 of 4 parts ((a)(ii), (c)) | 4 of 8 on the paper | Easy | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=be8ce179-8cd6-48f3-9c64-978393c433d0&question_id=b1c68640-b78f-4486-bf09-b635f2fb4937&source_detail=9702%2F42+October%2FNovember+2025) | | [**9702/44** October/November 2025 · CIE IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/2025-october-november-9702-44/#q-6) | **Q6** Bridge Rectifier and Smoothing Circuit - CIE A Level Physics 2025 Nov Paper 44 Q6 | FRQ | 1 of 9 parts ((b)(ii)) | 1 of 15 on the paper | Easy | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=188bcbde-77c7-4443-9dec-bdf3fb0f0df1&question_id=c9778c44-10e9-417b-8ef2-6188d37b1b8c&source_detail=9702%2F44+October%2FNovember+2025) | | [**9702/42** May/June 2025 · CIE IAL](https://www.examsci.com/past-papers/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/2025-may-june-9702-42/#q-8) | **Q8** Half-Wave Rectification and Power - CIE A-Level Physics 2025 May/June Paper 42 Q8 | FRQ | 2 of 6 parts ((a)(ii), (b)(iv)) | 2 of 10 on the paper | Easy | [Go to Practice Hub](https://www.examsci.com/practice?set_id=befea6ad-6b61-4f2f-bc8d-ff860277e016&question_id=dab33c78-d85e-4806-9a17-ee6e5a31f84e&source_detail=9702%2F42+May%2FJune+2025) | ## Related topic questions in Characteristics of alternating currents - [1 understand and use the terms period, frequency and peak value as applied to an alternating current or voltage](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/characteristics-of-alternating-currents/1-understand-and-use-the-terms-period-frequency-and-peak-value-as-applied-to-an/) — 7 question items · 4 papers — 10 marks · 2025–2026 - [2 use equations of the form $x = x_0 \sin\omega t$ representing a sinusoidally alternating current or voltage](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/characteristics-of-alternating-currents/2-use-equations-of-the-form-x-x-0-sin-omega-t-representing-a-sinusoidally-alternating/) — 7 question items · 5 papers — 13 marks · 2025–2026 - [3 recall and use the fact that the mean power in a resistive load is half the maximum power for a sinusoidal alternating current](https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/characteristics-of-alternating-currents/3-recall-and-use-the-fact-that-the-mean-power-in-a-resistive-load-is-half-the-maximum/) — 4 question items · 2 papers — 10 marks · 2025 ## Topic question rules and edge cases **How many topic questions cover this syllabus point?** 6 question stems cover this subtopic across 6 papers, but only 8 tagged parts and 18 marks belong to it. Other parts of the same questions are assessed under different statements and are excluded from this page. **Which papers include this subtopic?** The table lists every matching session from 2025–2026. Each row links to the question anchor on the paper page, where the full paper context and practice entry point are available. **Why can one question appear under several subtopics?** The parts of one question can assess different syllabus statements. Each part is counted under its own subtopics, so the same question stem can appear on several subtopic pages while each page lists only the parts and marks tagged to that statement. **Can I practise these questions with AI marking?** Yes. Open a paper from the table and use the Interactive Practice Hub entry point. The page itself is static HTML so search engines and retrieval agents can read the full question list without executing JavaScript. --- Full page with native tables, bar charts and Practice Hub links: https://www.examsci.com/topics/cie-ial/physics/9702-paper-4/characteristics-of-alternating-currents/4-distinguish-between-root-mean-square-r-m-s-and-peak-values-and-recall-and-use-i-r-m/