CURRENT ELECTRICITY
Characteristics of Current Electricity
Potential Differenceaka VOLTAGE The difference in electric potential
between two points (the positive end and the negative end of a battery)
The greater the potential difference in a circuit, the greater the potential energy of each electron traveling through the circuit
Causes current to flow in a closed circuit Can be measured using a voltmeter Units: Volts (V)
How Electrons Transfer Energy in a Circuit When a light switch is flipped you
instantly get light because the electrons that are in the conducting wire “push” other electrons that are nearby, and they continue this motion, like a chain reaction
Electric Currentaka AMPERES Electric current measure the amount of
electric charge that passes by a point in an electrical circuit each second
Can be measured using an ammeter Units: Amperes (A)
Resistance
Resistance is how much a device/substance slows down the flow of electric current through it
Every substance resists the flow of electric current to a certain degree
When a substance resists the flow of electric current it converts the electrical energy into another form of energy, typically heat Ex. An element on your stove, light bulb
Conductors have a low resistance, insulators have a high resistance (more resistance = less conductivity)
Can be measured using an ohmmeter Units: Ohms (Ω)
Resistance continued
Resistors are useful in circuits Can control the current or voltage in a
circuit because the amount of energy that the electric current has before it enters the resistor is greater than when it leaves because some of the energy is used as it PASSES THROUGH the resistor
TYPES OF CIRCUITS
Series Circuits
Electric circuit where all the parts of the circuit are put in line, one following the other
There is only one path for the electric current to travel along
At any place in the circuit the current is equal The energy that the electric current has when it
leaves the battery is completely consumed by the time it returns to the battery
Parallel Circuits
Electric circuit where the electricity has more than one path that it can follow
At any place in the circuit the potential difference is the same
The current is different in different places in the circuit, depending on the amount of resistance present (smaller resistance = greater current)
