PHYSICAL

SCIENCES

MAGAZINE

AN ENERGY BASED ANALOGY FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS

by Kevin P. McCarthy, Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra, Rathmore, Co. Kerry
Much research has taken place into students understanding of simple electric circuits. This research indicates that in many cases students use mental models of current flow which act as a hindrance to correct understanding of the electric circuits. Some common student problems are, (1) Lack of differentiation between electric current, energy, power and voltage. (2) Most children initially approach their studies with a source-consumer view of electricity. They believe that the current leaves the battery through a single wire to whatever device is in the circuit where it is consumed. (3) Consumption of current. Students often believe that the current returning to the battery is less than the current leaving it. As the current passes through components in a circuit, each one will receive less than the one before. This is a very persistent model and one that is familiar to all Physics teachers. The idea of consumption of current is an attractive idea for many students as conservation of current appears to be at variance to the fact that the battery must eventually become empty. (4) Use of sequential reasoning. The student analyses the circuit in terms of before and after each component. Increasing the resistance of a variable resistor before a bulb will decrease the current and consequently the brightness of the bulb. Some students believe that adjusting a variable resistor situated after a bulb will have no effect on its brightness. Figure 2. Basic electric circuit. The research indicates that it is not easy to modify students ideas. An analogy which is based on energy rather than current may prove successful in overcoming students misconceptions. Students will intuitively know that something is lost by the water as it moves through the radiator. This is where the idea of energy being carried around the circuit can be introduced. The water before the radiator is carrying more energy/heat than the water leaving. The energy lost by the water is taken in by the radiator and transferred to the room. Similarities can be drawn with the idea that the current carries electrical energy in an electric circuit. When the current passes through a bulb (or other component) some of this energy is converted into other forms such as heat and light. This will mean that the current returning to the battery is carrying less electrical energy than the current leaving. This will fit into the students knowledge that the battery will eventually get flat while also preserving the idea of conservation of current. The main ideas are summarised in the table below. Figure 1. Basic domestic heating circuit.

An Analogy for Current Flow

The following analogy for current flow has the advantage that it differentiates clearly between energy and current. It offers the student an explanation of why a battery must eventually get flat while at the same time demonstrating the concept of conservation of current. In this analogy a domestic heating system is compared with a basic electric circuit. A domestic heating circuit consisting of a boiler, pump, radiator and connecting pipes, is first described. The basic operation of the system is explained to the students, i.e. the boiler heats the water and the pump pushes it through the system. The first task is to convince the students that the rate of flow of water is the same at every point in the circuit. This can be done by introducing the idea of meters into the diagram which measure the flow rate in millilitres per second (ml/s) after some discussion students will have very little difficulty in accepting that if the flow rate at point A is say 10 ml/s then the flow rate at B will have to be the same (see Figure 1.) It can be pointed out that if the flow rate is less at B, this can only mean a leak in the system and a should there be a greater flow rate at B then where can the extra water have come from? By using similar arguments, the students can be convinced that the flow rate is the same at all points in the circuit.

WATER CIRCUIT
Boiler gives heat energy to water and pump pushes it around circuit. Water flows in only one direction around circuit. Rate of flow same at all points. Energy (heat) lost by water is gained by radiator.

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT
Battery gives electrical energy to current and pushes it around circuit. Current flows in one direction only around circuit. Size of current same at all points. Electrical energy is converted to heat & light by bulb.

The analogy can be developed further by introducing the idea that the electric current consists of a flow of electrons moving around the circuit. These carry the energy and distribute it to the load.
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