Introduction to Electric Circuits

Here we are going to remind what are:

Voltage
Current
Current flow
Voltage Sources
Voltmeter (Multimeter)
1

What is Voltage?
V = Electrical pressure - measured in volts.

H2O

High Pressure

Low Pressure

Figure 1.1
2

What Produces Voltage?

V = Electrical pressure
Lab Power Supply
A Battery

9V
Solar Cell

1.5 V

Electric Power Plant

13,500 V

Nerve Cell

A few
Volts

A few millivolts
when activated by
a synapse

Other Symbols Used for

Specific Voltage Sources

+
_

Battery Time-varying
source

Figure 1.2

Generator
(power plant)

Solar Cell

These are all

Voltage Sources
4

A Typical Voltage Source

Lab Power Supply

This supply goes up
to 10 V

The red (+) and black (-)

terminals emulate the two
ends of a battery.

The voltage is adjustable

via this knob

The white terminal is

connected to earth ground
via the third prong of the
power cord

Remember: A voltage is measured between two points

Measuring Voltages
We can measure voltage between
two points with a meter
Set the meter to read
Voltage

Connect the V of the

meter to power supply red

+2.62
volts

Connect COM (common)

of the meter to power supply
black
I COM V

Read the Voltage

white
6

Exercise
The power supply is changed to 3.2 V.
What does the meter read?
Whats the answer?

Find out

3.2

Answer: 3.2 V
I COM V

What is Ground
Ground refers to the reference terminal to
which all other voltages are measured

V1

+
_

V2

+
_

V3

+
_
Point of Reference

Figure 1.3
8

The earth is really just one big ground node.

V2

+
_

Most people choose the earth as the

reference ground when a connection
to it is available.

A ground connection to earth is often made

via the third prong of a power cord.

Ground Symbol
Positive relative to ground

+
_

V1

V4

V2

+
_

V3

+
_

+
_

Figure 1.4
Negative relative to ground

10

Voltage Relative to Ground

The white terminal is connected to earth ground
Connect the black terminal to ground

The red terminal is

positive with respect to
ground

11

Negative Polarity Relative to

Ground

The black terminal is

negative with respect to
ground.

+
12

What is Current?
Current is the flow of charge from a voltage source
1 Ampere (Amp) = Flow of 1 Coulomb/sec

+++

13

How Does Current Flow?

Current can only flow through conductors
Metal wires (conductors)

+++

Current
flow

14

When Does Current NOT Flow?

Current cannot flow through insulators
Plastic material (insulators)

+++

No current
flow

15

Note that Air is an Insulator

Current cannot flow through insulators

+++

Air

No current flow
Thats why a battery doesnt
discharge if left on its own.
16

What is Current?
Electricity flows when electrons travel through
a conductor.
We call this flow current.
Only some materials have free electrons inside.

YES!

silver
copper
gold
aluminium
iron
steel
brass
bronze
No
mercury
graphite
dirty water
concrete

Conductors:

NO!
Insulators:
free electrons = No current

glass
rubber
oil
asphalt
fiberglass
porcelain
ceramic
quartz
(dry) cotton
(dry) paper
(dry) wood
plastic
air
diamond
pure water

17

Current
Current is the amount of electric charge
(coulombs) flowing past a specific point in a
conductor over an interval of one second.
1 ampere = 1 coulomb/second

Electron flow is from a lower potential

(voltage) to a higher potential (voltage).
+

Wire
18

Current

For historical reasons, current is

conventionally thought to flow from the
positive to the negative potential in a
circuit.

19

Formal Definition of Current Flow

Rate of flow of positive charge
Measured in Coulombs per second of charge
(Its really the electrons flowing in the
opposite direction)
1 Ampere = 1 Coulomb of electrons flowing by per second
in the wire

20

Sign Convention for Current Flow

Electrons carry negative charge
Positive current flow is in opposite direction

- - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - electron motion
positive current direction

21

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