Name: _____________________________ SNC1D Unit 3|Electricity

Lesson 6:
Voltage & Potential Difference
A battery has chemical potential energy. Energy (E) is measured in _____________________. Chemical
reactions in a battery energize and separate electrons from atoms. The __________ terminal of the
battery produces _____________________________________________. The
______________________ terminal lacks electrons.
When the switch on a circuit is closed, the energized electrons move from the negative terminal,
through a _____________ and ________ to the positive terminal with
______________________________________. The chemical energy from the battery is converted to
light energy.
Potential difference is_____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________ .
Potential difference is also called _______________ or ________________________________.
Potential difference is measured in ________________ by a voltmeter.
The voltmeter must be connected at the two points where the voltage is being compared. That’s why
________________ must be connected in _________________________.
The formula for potential difference is:

Potential Difference =

OR
Variable Variable Symbol Unit Unit
Symbol
Potential difference or Voltage
Energy

Electric Charge

NOTE:Potential difference or voltage is the only variable where the symbol for the units is the same as
the symbol for the variable.
Recap:
1. What is another name for stored energy?
2. How is an apple falling from a tree like the potential difference in a battery?
3. What does potential difference measure?
4. What is another name for potential difference?
5. When you walk into a dark room and turn the light on, do the electrons travel all the way from
the switch to the light? Explain.

19
Name: _____________________________ SNC1D Unit 3|Electricity

ELECTRIC CURRENT PROBLEMS

The formula for electric current is:

Variable Variable Unit Unit Symbol
Symbol
Time seconds
Current Amperes
Electric charge Coulombs

Example Problem:
The current flowing through a smoke alarm circuit is 15 A. How much charge flows through the circuit in
20 seconds?

Solving Problems with GRASS:

The GRASS method is a series of steps that are helpful for problem-solving. Each letter in GRASS stands
for a step. Let us solve the example problem using this method:

Given: write down all information given,

including variable symbols and units

Required: write down the variable that you

are trying to calculate or solve for

Approach: write down the equation that you

will use to solve the problem
Solve: rearrange the equation if necessary,
enter in the numbers for the variables that
you have, perform the calculation

State: write a final statement that includes

the variable and the proper units

For some equations, you can use a formula triangle instead of algebra to
rearrange an equation with three variables. The horizontal line represents
division and the vertical line represents multiply.
Q=Ixt
I=Q/t
t=Q/I

20
Name: _____________________________ SNC1D Unit 3|Electricity

ELECTRIC CURRENT PROBLEMS WORKSHEET:

Use the GRASS method to solve the following problems.
Problem #1 Problem #2
A circuit has 12 C of charge pass through How long does it take 40 Coulombs of
a given point in 5 s. What is the electric charge to pass by a given point if the
current in this circuit? current is 16 A?
Given: Given:

Required: Required:

Approach: Approach:

Solve: Solve:

State: State:

Use GRASS to solve these problems. You do NOT need to write the words Given, Required etc but you
must follow all the steps. Include units after every number.
3. In 25 seconds, how much 4. If 46 C of electric charge flows 5. A 15 A circuit has 3 C of
charge flows through a circuit if through a circuit in 1.5 minutes, charge pass through. How long
the current is 3 A? what was the current? did it take?

21
Name: _____________________________ SNC1D Unit 3|Electricity

SOLVING ELECTRICITY PROBLEMS

The formula for electric current is: , the formula for voltage is:
The corresponding formula triangles and equations are:

Complete the formula for the triangles.

Q= E=
I= V=
t= Q=

Complete this table identifying the variable symbols and the unit symbols. Variable symbols are always
written before the equal sign. Unit symbols are always written after a number.
Variable Variable Unit Unit Symbol
Symbol
Energy Joules
Voltage (Potential volts
Difference)
Time seconds
Current Amperes
Electric charge Coulombs

Solving Problems with GRASS:

Each letter in the acronym GRASS represent a distinct problem-solving step:
Given: write down all information given, including variable symbols and units
Required: write down the variable that you are trying to calculate or solve for
Approach: write down the equation that you will use to solve the problem
Solve: rearrange the equation or use the correct formula triangle, enter in the numbers for the
variables that you have, perform the calculation
State: write a final statement that includes the variable and the proper units

22
Name: _____________________________ SNC1D Unit 3|Electricity

Example Problems :
Use the GRASS method to solve the following example problems.
Problem #1 Problem #2
Find the potential difference of a battery If 240 C of electric charge passes a certain point
that uses 54 J of energy to energize 18 C of in a circuit in 5.0 minutes, what is the current
electric charge. through that point?
Given: Given:

Required: Required:

Approach: Approach:

Solve: Solve:

State: State:

Recap and Homework Problems:

1. Suppose that a 9.0 V battery delivers 4.0 C of charge.
a) How much energy is provided to the charge by the battery? (36 J)

b) If the total current in (a) is 1.5 A, for how long was the battery used? (2.7 s)

2. What amount of energy does a kettle use to boil water if it has 800 C of charge passing through it
with a potential difference of 120 V? (96,000 J)

23
Name: _____________________________ SNC1D Unit 3|Electricity

3. A flash of lightning transfers 1.5 x 109 (=1,500,000,000) J of electrical energy through a potential
difference of 5.0 x 10 7 (=50,000,000) V between cloud and ground. Calculate the quantity of charge
transferred in the lightning bolt. (30 C)

4. A lightning strike carries 5.0 C of charge in the 0.02 s it takes to reach the ground. What is the electric
current carried by the lightning strike? (250 A)

5. A small electric motor draws a current of 0.40 A. How long will it take for 8.0 C of charge to pass
through it? (20 s)

6. How much current is flowing through a light bulb when it takes 24 s for 18 C of charge to pass
through its filament? (0.75 A)

7. Suppose your calculator requires 0.00020 A to operate, and that it will be on for 2.0 minutes while
you solve this problem. What quantity of charge will flow during this time? (0.024 C)

8. Challenge! Calculate the energy stored in a 9.0 V battery that can deliver a current of 5.0 mA (=0.005
A) for 2.0 x 103 (=2000) s. Hint: Calculate charge first. (90 J)

24