ELECTRICITY

INDEX
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Electric charge. Electric current. The electric circuit. Symbols of circuit components. Basic magnitudes. Ohms law. Electric current effects. How to get and transport electric energy. Types of circuits.

1. Electric charge
Everything in the world is made up of atoms. Each atom has smaller particles in it called electrons. Electrons can move from atom to atom. When electrons move quickly from one atom to another we call it Electricity.

electron

neutron

proton

Inside an atom, electrons have a negative charge and protons have a positive charge. These particles attract each other. Electric charge is a measure of the lack or excess of electrons that an object has.

2. Electric current
Electric current is the flow of electrons from one place to another.

Types of materials
A conductor is a material that a current can pass through easily, such as metals.
An insulator is a material that a current cannot pass through easily, such as plastic.

3. The electric circuit.

A circuit is a closed path for the flow of electrons. An electrical circuit is made up of a generator, a wire and a receiver.

Generators
A generator is a device that transforms mechanical or chemical energy into electric energy. Electric energy is necessary for electrons to flow. Batteries and dynamos are examples of generators.

Receivers
A receiver is a device that transforms electric energy into another type of energy. Some examples are bulbs, motors, resistors and buzzers (or bells). A bulb transforms electric energy into luminous energy.
-

- A motor transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy so it can do work.

- A resistor transforms electric energy into heat (thermal energy). - A buzzer transforms electric energy into a sound (acoustic energy).

Switches
A switch is used for closing and opening an electric circuit. Only when the circuit is closed, by switching it on, the current will flow.

4. Symbols of circuit components

Component Cell Battery of two cells Bulb, lamp Motor Resistance Symbol

Switch
Switch SPDT
(Single pole, double throw)

Push switch Buzzer

5. Basic magnitudes. Ohms law.

There are three basic magnitudes in a circuit: Voltage, current and resistance. - Voltage: This is a measure of how much energy the electrons are carrying around to the elements in the circuit (measured in Volts (V))
(la energa que producen los electrones al desplazarse por cada componente del circuito)

- Current : This is a measure of the flow of electrons around a circuit (measured in Amperes or Amps (A))

- Resistance - This is a measure of how hard it is for the electrons to travel through a part of the circuit (measured in Ohms ())

How curious! Current flows from the positive (+) terminal of the battery to the negative (-). This is called conventional current flow. The problem is, electrons flow from the negative terminal to the positive (how confusing is that!).

Ohms law
V = I R
V is Voltage in Volts, I is Current in Amps and R is resistance in Ohms

Practice with Ohms Law

Volts 100 150 30 Amps 25 10 15 5 48 9 6 Ohms

6. Electric current effects

Heat: When a current flows through a material, the material will heat. It is called Joules effect. Light: When the material is hot enough it will light. Motion: we can transform electric energy into motion (mechanical energy) using motors.

7. How to get and transport electric energy.

Types of Sources used to make Electricity:

- Thermal - Geothermal - Nuclear - Hydroelectric - Solar - Wind

Pictures of each Source

How do we get Electricity?

Energy from one of the sources is converted to electricity by machines at the power plant and then passed to the Electric Power Grid.

-Electric energy is transported in a high voltage to our houses. Electric energy is easy to transform and transport. (Not to store)

8. Types of circuits
There are two types of circuits: - A series circuit is a circuit that has only one path for the current.

- A parallel circuit has more than one path for current to travel.

Rule of the series circuit

Only one path for the current.

RT R1 R2

VT V AB VCD

I T I 1 I 2 The current doesnt change!!!!

Rule of the parallel circuit

More than one path for current to travel.

RT

1 1 1 R1 R2

I T I1 I 2

VT VAB VCD

The voltage doesnt change!!!