Volume B Chapter 18

Electricity
 What we will Learn…
• What is a current?
• How to draw electric circuit diagrams
• What is potential difference, voltage and E.M.F?
• What is resistance?
• S/E: Circuits arranged in series versus parallel
• S/E: Fixed resistors versus variable resistors
• Effects of electric current
 What i s Electricity???

Definition:

Electricity is a form of energy that can

be easily changed to other forms.
Where does Electricity come from?
Mainly 2 sources:
1) Power Stations
- Supply a lot of electricity
-Used in many electrical
appliances
2) Electric Cells (batteries)
- Supply a little electricity
- Portable
- Safe
 H o w d o e s an E l e c t r i c a l
Appliance Work?
• To make an electrical appliance work,
electricity must flow through it.
• The flow of electricity is called an electric
current.
• The path along which the electric current
moves is called the electric circuit.
 What i s an E l e c t r i c
Cu r r e n t ???
electric
cell connecting
wire

filament

flow of electrons

Definition:

An electric current is the rate of flow of electric

charges in a circuit.
 Electric Charges
• Electric charges are made up of positive
charges (protons) and negative charges
(electrons).

• When these charges flow in a circuit, a

current is produced.
 How does electricity flow?
• The battery in a circuit gives energy to
the electrons and pushes them around
a circuit, from the negative terminal of
the cell, round the circuit and back to
the positive terminal of the cell.
 How to Measure Current?
• The SI unit for electric current is ampere (A).
• Smaller currents are measured in
milliamperes (mA).

1 A = 1,000 mA

1 mA = 0.001 A

• Different electrical components and

appliances require different sizes of current
to turn them on.
 Instrument to Measure Current
• An ammeter is an instrument used for
measuring electric current.
 Ammeter
• It must be connected in series in the circuit.

• Positive side of ammeter must be connected

nearest to the positive terminal of the battery
(electric cell), and vice versa.
 Electric Circuits
• Electric circuits are connecting wires
made up of electrical
components electric cell

• These components
must be joined
together without any
gap in between to
light bulb circuit board
form a closed circuit.
Note:
Components refer to the
light bulb, wires, battery
 Electric Circuits
• Incomplete circuits are called open circuits.

connecting wire is no source of

missing electrical energy

Both the circuits in the diagram are incomplete, hence they are known
as “open circuits”.
 An e l e c t r i c c u r r e n t f l o w s
o n l y when t h e r e is:
• a source of electrical energy and

• a closed circuit
connecting wires

electric cell

light bulb circuit board

 How to draw Circuit Diagrams
Component Symbol Component Symbol

+ +

An electric cell Battery

Switch (open)

Light bulb (lamp) Switch Switch (closed)

Connecting wires Connecting wires

(not joined) (joined)

Symbols are used to represent the various electrical

components in circuits.
Examples o f circuit diagrams:
 Switches
A switch is used to open or close a circuit.

Main s w i t c h used
in b u i l d i n g s

S w i t c h e s used on c i r c u i t
Circ uit d i a g r a m s f o r open
and c l o s e d circuits

Open circuit. C l o s e circuit.

Bulb does not Bulb w i l l light
l i g h t up when up when t h e
t h e s w i t c h is s w i t c h is
Series and P a r a l l e l
T h e r e a r e 2 w a y s in w h i c h an
e l e c t r i c c i r c u i t can be
arranged:

1. Series
2.Parallel
 S eries Circuit
• A series circuit connects the components one
after the other
• A single loop is formed
• A break in any part of a series circuit stops the
flow of current in the whole circuit.
 P a r a l l e l Circuit
• A parallel circuit divides into two or more branches.
• The current divides and flows through each parallel
branch.
• If a component breaks or is removed, the other
components remain on.
Which o f th e f o l l o w i n g is a
series circuit?
Which is a p a r a l l e l c i r c u i t ?

S e r i e s C i rc u i t P a r a l l e l C i r
D r a w the circuit diagram f o r
t h e f o l l o w i n g s e t up a n d s t a t e
w h e t h e r i t is a s e r i e s o r
p a r a l l e l c irc u it .
D r a w the circuit diagram f o r
t h e f o l l o w i n g s e t up a n d s t a t e
w h e t h e r i t is a s e r i e s o r
p a r a l l e l c irc u it .
Which is b r i g h t e r ?
Which o f t h e f o l l o w i n g is a
series circuit?
Which is a p a r a l l e l c i r c u i t ?

S e r i e s C i rc u i t P a r a l l e l C i rc
 Voltage
• An electric cell gives energy to the electrons and
pushes them round a circuit. Voltage is a measure
of how much energy the electrons receive.

• Different voltages are supplied by different cells and

batteries.

1.5 V D r y C e l l

12V C a r B a t t e r y 9 V Dry Cell

 How t o Measure
Voltage?
• The SI unit f o r v o l t a g e is v o l t
(V).
• A v o l t m e t e r is an i n s t r u m e n t
use d f o r m e a s u r i n g v o l t a g e s .
 Voltmeter
• V o l t m e t e r s m u s t be c o n n e c te d
in p a r a l l e l t o t h e c i rc u i t .
• The p o s i t i ve s i d e o f v o l t m e t e r
is c o n n e c te d t o t h e p o s i t i ve
t e r m i n a l o f t h e ce l l , a n d vice
versa.
 R e c a l l : Ammeter!!!
• It m u st be c o n n e c te d in s e r i e s in t h e
c i rc ui t .

• Po s i t i ve s i d e o f a m m e t e r m u st be
c o n n e c te d n e a r e s t t o t h e p o s it ive
t e r m i n a l o f t h e b a t t e r y ( e l e c t r ic
c e l l ) , a n d vice v e r s a .
 Electromotive Force
(e.m.f)
• E l e c t r o m o t i v e f o r c e is t h e
same as voltage.

• E.m.f r e f e r s t o t h e a m o u nt o f
energy supplied by the e l e c t r i c
s o u r c e (eg. b a t t e r y ) t o each unit
o f e l e c t r i c c h a rge .
Electromotive Force
(e.m.f)
Potential Difference
(P. d. )
 Potential Difference
• Remember Diffusion?
(p.d)
• High  Low
electric
• Similarly, electric charges cell connecting
wire
will flow from a point of
filament
higher potential (energy) to
lower potential
flow of electrons

•This difference in electric potential between 2 points in a

circuit is known as the potential difference. It is the same
as VOLTAGE also.
 Resistance
• When an e l e c t r i c c u r r e n t f l o w s
t h r o u g h a c i rc u i t , t h e r e w i l l be
s o m e r e s i s t a n c e t h a t o p p o s e s it.
(similar to friction)

• I t can b e m eaVsu r e dRb=y Rdeisviisdtianngc e

R=
v o l t a g e b y t hI e curVre=nVto.l t a g e
I =C u r r e n t
 Resistance
• Good conductors o f e l e c t r i c i t y
h ave LOW RESISTANCE. (Eg. M e t a l
objects)
– E l e c t r i c i t y is a b l e t o f l o w
through them v e r y e a s i l y

• P o o r conductors o f electricity
h ave HIGH RESISTANCE. (Eg. Wood,
cloth)
– E l e c t r i c i t y is n o t a b l e t o
 Resistance
• The SI unit f o r r e s i s t a n c e is o h m ()
• Different e l e c t r i c a l components
have d i f f e r e n t r e s i s t a n c e
• F o r e x a m p l e , n i c h r o m e w i r e s have a
higher resistance than copper wires.

S o s h o u l d w e use
nichrome o r cop p er
t o m a ke w i r e s ?
 Example 1
• An e l e c t r i c r i c e c o o k e r
o p e r a t e s a t 240 V a n d uses a
c u r r e n t o f 8 A. What is t h e
Vroelstiasgtean(Vc)eo f t h e r i c e c o o k e r ?
240
= 240 V R=
8
C u r r e n t (I)
= 30 
=8 A V
R=
I
 Resistors
• An electrical component that is specially made to have a
certain resistance is called a resistor.
• They can be connected in a circuit to resist the current
flow.
 Fixed R e s i s t o r s and
Variable Resistors
• Fixed resistors have only one resistance value
• Variable resistors can be adjusted to change
the resistance.

fixed resistor symbol variable resistor symbol

•Va r i a b l e
resistors are
u s e f u l in l i g h t
dimmers and
 S/E: R e s i s t o r s
• R e s i s t o r s can be c o n n e c te d in
series o r p a r a l l e l
extra resistor in
R e s i s t o r s c o n n e c te d
series results in
dimmer bulb

in SERIES

extra resistor in
Re s i sto rs connected
parallel results
in brighter bulb
single resistor
in PARALLEL
 S/E: R e s i s t o r s in
Series
• When r e s i s t o r s
a r e c o n n e c te d in
series, the
resistance w i l l
2 3
a d d up a n d
i n c r e a s e.
• R = RT1 h+eRt2ot+alRr3e…sistance for this circuit is:

2+3=5 
 S/E: R e s i s t o r s in
Parallel
• When resistors are
connected in parallel, the
resistance will decrease
• This is because they will
provide alternate routes for
the current to flow.
 S/E: R e s i s t o r s in
Parallel
1 1 1 1
= + +
R R1 R2 R3

What is t h e 6
resistance o f the
cir1 cuit1? + 1 6
=
R 6 6

1
=
2
=
1
R = 3 The f i n a l
R 6 3
r e s i s t a n c e is
 What we will Learn…
• What is a c u r r e n t ?
• How t o d r a w e l e c t r i c circuit
diagrams
• What is p o t e n t i a l d i f fe r e n c e , v o l t a g e
a n d E.M.F?
• What is r e s i st a n c e ?
• S/E: C i rc u i t s a r r a n g e d in s e r i e s v e r s u s
parallel
 Heating E f f e c t o f
E l e c t ri c Current
• When an e l e c t r i c c u r r e n t f l o w s t h r o u g h
a w i r e , t h e w i r e h e a t s up. E l e c t r i c a l
e n e r g y h a s been c o n v e r t e d i n t o h e a t
e n e rg y.

• The g r e a t e r t h e r e s i s t a n c e o f t h e w i r e ,
the g r e a t e r the amount o f heat
p r o d u c e d . This heating e f f e c t is u s e d in
common e l e c t r i c a l appliances.

Iron Kettle Hair Dryer

A kettle uses both copper and nichrome wires.
Copper has low resistance while nichrome has high resistance.

Which material, copper or nichrome, should be used for the heating

element, and for the external wire?

Use copper wire

for the external
wire as it has low
resistance &
produces less heat

Use nichrome wire for the heating

element as it has high resistance&
produces a lot of heat
Heating E f f e c t o f
Electric Current
ARGON ( i n e r t / u n r e a c t i v e ga s )
filament wire produces
heat and light

In a l i g h t b u l b , t h e
h e ate d f i l a m e n t w hi c h is
a l s o a resistance wire,
becomes so hot that
l i g h t is a l s o emitted.
 Chemical Effect o f
Electric Current
What is ELECTROLYSIS?
Definition:
• Electrolysis is the chemical change that occurs when an electric
current passes through solutions or molten compounds.
 Electrolysis
T h e r e a r e 2 uses o f
electrolysis:

1) Electroplating
2) Extraction o f M eta ls
 1.E l e c t r o p l a t i n g
• In e l e c t r o p l a t i n g , a ke y is
c o v e r e d w i t h a thin l a y e r o f
c o p p e r when e l e c t r i c i t y is
-
p a s s e d t h r o u g h t h e sol ution. +

key copper copper on

wire the key

copper
sulphate
solution
start after a few minutes
Uses o f E l e c t r o p l a t i n g

M e t a l o b j e c t s can be
p l ate d with a
thin l a y e r o f a n o t h e r
 2. E x t r a c t i o n o f m e t a l s
• Some metals (eg. sodium, aluminium) are obtained
by electrolysis.

• To extract the metal

– heat the solid compound of the metal until it melts
– pass an electric current through the molten
compound
 Magnetic E f f e c t o f a
C u r r e n t
• A s t r a i g h t w i r e is p l a c e d n e a r a
co mpa s s . When an e l e c t r i c c u r r e n t
f l o w s through the wire, the
c o m p a s s n e e d l e is d e f l e c t e d . This
s h o w s t h a t an e l e c t r i c c u r r e n t ha s
a m agnetic e f fe c t .

current
in wire

compass needle is
deflected
 Electromagnet
• An e l e c t r o m a g n e t is a m a g n e t t h a t
is m a d e b y using e l e c t r i c i t y
• It consist o f a w i r e c o i l e d a ro u n d a
m e t a l r o d (eg. I rwireo n )
coil of
iron core

to battery

compass needle is strongly

attracted to iron core
 Electromagnet
The magnetic effect of the electromagnet can be
increased by:

1. increasing the current (by using more batteries)

2. increasing the number of turns of wire in the coil

3. Using an iron rod

 D i f f e r e n c e s b e tw e e n an
e l e c t r o m a g n e t a n d a magnet:
Electromagnet Magnet

A permanent magnet
A t e m p o r a r y magnet which retains
w h i c h can be t u r n e d m a g n e t i s m u n t i l i t is
o n a n d o f f using purposely
elec tric current. demagnetised
(spoilt).

Magnet can be m a d e Magnet r e m a i n s t h e

stronger o r weaker same strength
 Uses o f
E l e c t r o m a g nets
• Cranes that l i f t
iron/steel
• Iron/steel
se p ar a t o r s crane

• Electric b e l l s
• Magnetically
levitated trains
Electric bell
• E l e ctric mo t o r s
Electric motor in fans