2nd ESO: Technology, Programming and Robotics

Unit 5: Electricity

Autor: Guillermo Gómez

Contents
Prior knowledge............................................................................................................ 2
Keywords...................................................................................................................... 2
Mindmap of the unit ..................................................................................................... 2
5.1. Electricity Basics .............................................................................................. 3
5.2. DC-circuits calculations ................................................................................... 4
5.2.1. Series and parallel......................................................................................... 5
5.2.2. Series-parallel combination .......................................................................... 5
5.3. Components ...................................................................................................... 8
2nd ESO Unit 5: Electricity T.P.R.

Prior knowledge
Activity: Summarize your general knowledge on this topic.

Keywords
Activity: Copy following keywords, understand their meaning and translate them into
English.

Charge Resistance (R) Resistor

Electric current Circuit LED
Direct current Power source Light bulb
Alternative Current Battery Motor
Current (I) Conductor Switch
Voltage (U) Insulator Potenciometer
Potential difference Load device Fuse

Mindmap of the unit

Activity: Analize and try to understand following mindmap

5.1. AC T.P.R. 2nd ESO.

Types e.g.
presents DC Unit 5 Electricity
different

Security has direction Technical Physical

Danger!
a (conventional current) (plain current)
that can be

Electric
Generators Conductors Receptors Control & protection
Current
are represented in a
flows components Symbols
through
with Diagram
are
repesented
series
presents is a set of
in a
presents different types of e.g. combi-
electric circuit Connections
nation
Voltage parallel
U (V) in

Ohm’s allows
e.g. Current are related the
Quantities Law: Calculations e.g. with
I (A) through
U = R·I
Resistance Simulation
R () Software

Autor: Guillermo Gómez 2

2nd ESO Unit 5: Electricity T.P.R.
Model of an atom (Scale ~ 1:1.000.000.000)
Electricity Basics 1m 0,1 nm

 Electricity is any phenomenon that

has to do with electric charges.
X 1.000
_
‘mili’
 Electrical particles: Matter is made 1 mm
up of atoms consisting of a nucleus
X 1.000
in the center with protons (positive
‘micro’
electric charges; +) and an
1 μm
electron cloud in the periphery
(negative electric charges; -). X 1.000

Negative charges repel each other, ‘nano’

as do positive charges, but a 1 nm
positive charge and a negative _
charge attract one another. _ proton neutron
electron
 Electrical conductivity: Some materials (conductors), such as metals,

U
allow electrons to flow through them; others (insulators), such as
plastic, wood and ceramics, do not.
 Electric poles (terminals): With energy (either mechanical, chemical
or electromagnetic) electrons can be separated farther away from
protons, creating an imbalance between two ‘points’ or poles: the
negative pole (cathode), the ‘point’ where electrons has been moved,
and the positive pole (anode), the ‘point’ where the protons remain.
 Electric current: Putting a conductor between a negative
pole (-) an a positive pole (+), causes a continuos 1...2...3... 1s
movement of electrons, from the negative pole to the 4...5...
positive, which is called electric current.
 Types of electric current: When the poles remain the same DC
(always positive or negative, as in batteries), electrons in
the conductor move in one sense, causing a direct
current (DC); when the poles
1...2...3... 1s alternate their position (positive-
4...5... negative-positive-... several times every second, as in
the electrical network), electrons change their sense of
AC movement in the conductor, causing alternating
current (AC).
 Electric circuits: An electric circuit is a set of connected
components through which an electric current flows to
produce an effect such as heat, light, sound and motion.
 Electric variables:
 The energy needed to separate an electron farther away from positive charges
is called voltage (voltaje) or potential difference (diferencia de potencial) and
is represented by the letter U or V and is measured in volts (voltios): V.
 The amount of electrons that pass through a specific point in one second is
called current (intensidad de corriente). It is represented by the letter I and is
measured in amperes (amperios)A (1 A = 1 C / 1 s; 1 C  6,25 · 1018
electrons.)
 The opposition or obstacles that hinder the flow of electrons through a
conductor is called resistance (resistencia). It is represented by the letter R and
is measured in ohms (ohmios) ; 1  = 1 V / 1 A – see Ohm’s law).

Autor: Guillermo Gómez 3

2nd ESO Unit 5: Electricity T.P.R.

 Ohm’s law:
George Ohm concluded in 1822 that there was a proportional U = R· I
Mnemonic
relationship between voltage U, the current I and the triangle for the
resistance R, which is expressed mathematically as:
U three expressions
of Ohm's law

U = R· I R I
So, if R stays the same, doubling U means I will also R=U/I I=U/R
double; if U stays the same, doubling R means I will be
reduced to the half.
Technical sense Physical sense
of current Battery
Baterie
ofStromrichtung
current
 Sense of the electric current: The technical (conventional)
sense of the current through the conductors of a circuit is
Technische Stromrichtung Physikalische

+ - defined from the positive pole to the negative pole. This

agreement was met long before electrons were discovered
Lamp
Lampe
to be the charges flowing through the conductors, namely
from the negative pole to the positive pole (physical sense).

The flow of electric current in your body gives an electric shock.

Electric shock can be highly dangerous (burns, muscular paralysis,
loss of conciousness, heart attack). Therefore:

DO NOT work inside an electrical appliances if connected to the

electrical grid .
DO NOT touch electrical switches or appliances with wet hands.

Activities: Copy following exercises and solve them in your notebook

1) What are the particles of atom? Where exactly are they? Which is their charge?
2) What material is used to make the inner and the outer part of electric cables?
Why?
3) What is electric current? What are the two types of electric current?
4) Complete : Electric currents are created by the movement of _______. The
voltage is measured in ________, the current in_________, the resistance in
__________.
5) Express Ohm’s Law in three different ways: U = ?, I = ?, R = ?
6) Calculate the voltage if I = 1 A and R = 1 .
7) Calculate the the resistance if I = 0,5 A and U = 4,5 V.
8) Calculate the current if U = 12 V and R = 100 .

5.2. DC-circuits calculations

Load devices (receptors) like lamps, electric motors, electric heaters, etc hinder the
electric current (i.e. they show an electrical resistance R) and, therefore, affect the
variables voltage U and current I within a circuit. These variables can be calculated,
depending on the way the devices are conected in the circuit: series circuits, parallel
circuits and series-parallel combination circuits.

Autor: Guillermo Gómez 4

2nd ESO Unit 5: Electricity T.P.R.

5.2.1. Series and parallel

Series circuits Parallel circuits

Example (3 bulbs;
pictures)

Example (2 bulbs;
symbols)

U1 U2 U3
I1 I2 I3 U 1 I1 R 1
R1 R2 R3

Ut U 2 I2 R 2
Example (3 Ut
resistors; symbols) U 3 I3 R 3

Ut= U1+ U2 + U3
Ut= U1= U2 = U3
Rt= R1+ R2 + R3 It= I1= I2 = I3
1/Rt= 1/R1+ 1/R2 + 1/R3 It= I1+ I2 + I3

A single wire leads from one load Each load device has its own
Connections
device into the next branch
The voltage is distributed among The voltage is the same across
Voltage (U) the different load devices every load device
Ut= U1+ U2 + U3 Ut= U1= U2 = U3
The current is distributed among
The same current flows through all the different load devices
Current (I) the load devices It= I1+ I2 + I3
It= I1= I2 = I3 More electric current flows in the
branch with the minor resistance.
The equivalent resistance is equal The equivalent resistance is smaller
to the sum of resistances of all load than the resistances of each one of
Resistance (R)
devices. the load devices. Rt < R1, R2, R3
Rt= R1+ R2 + R3 (*) 1/Rt= 1/R1+ 1/R2 + 1/R3 (**)
What happens if a
The rest stop working. The rest continue working.
load device fails?
Bulbs glow dimmer by increased Bulb’s brightness stays the same
Bulb’s brightness
number of bulbs however bulbs you add

(*) Proof (series circuits):

 Ut= U1 + U2 + U3  Ut/It = U1/It+ U2/It + U3/It Ut/It = U1/I1+ U2/I2 + U3/I3

 It= I1 = I2 = I3  Rt = R1 + R2 + R3

(**) Proof (parallel circuits):

 It= I1 + I2 + I3  It/Ut = I1/Ut+ I2/Ut + I3/Ut It/Ut = I1/U1+ I2/U2 + I3/U3

 Ut= U1 = U2 = U3  1/Rt = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3

Autor: Guillermo Gómez 5

2nd ESO Unit 5: Electricity T.P.R.

To calculate the variables,

1. first we simplify the circuit to an equivalent one with only one equivalent resistor.
2. Then we obtain the variables Ut , Rt and It
3. and finally the values for each resistor: U1 , R1 and I1 ; U2 , R2 and I2 ; etc.

Example of series circuit:

9V 9V
U (V) R () I (A)
Resistor 1 100 · 0,03= 3 100 0,03
Resistor 2 200 · 0,03= 6 200 0,03
100  200  300  Equivalent 100 + 200 =
9 (*) 9/300 = 0,03
resistor 300
(*) Proof: 3+6=9

Example of parallel circuit:

9V U (V) R () I (A)

9V
Resistor 1 9 300 9/300 = 0,03
Resistor 2 9 200 9/200 = 0,045
300 
1/Rt = 1/300+1/200
120  Equivalent 9/120 = 0,075
200  9 = 5/600
resistor (*)
Rt = 600/5 = 120
(*) Proof: 0,03+0,045 = 0,075

5.2.2. Series-parallel combination

To solve a series-parallel combination circuit,
1. we have to simplify the circuit to a “only parallel” or “only series” equivalent one.
2. Then we obtain the variables for the equivalent circuit (see 5.2.1)
3. and finally the values for the remaining resistors of the series-parallel combination.

Example of series-parallel combination in which the simplified circuit is a parallel one:

9V 9V
U (V) R () I (A)
100  200  300  Resistor 1 100·0,03 = 3 9 100 100 + 200 = 0,03 9/300
Resistor 2 200·0,03= 6 (*) 200 300 0,03 = 0,03
Resistor 3 9 300 9/300 = 0,03
300  300  1/Rt = 1/300+1/300
Equivalent 9/150 = 0,06
9 = 2/300
resistor (**)
Rt = 300/2 = 150
(*) Proof: 3 + 6 = 9 ; (**) Proof: 0,03+0,03=0,06

Autor: Guillermo Gómez 6

2nd ESO Unit 5: Electricity T.P.R.

Example of series-parallel combination in which the simplified circuit is a series one:

5V 5V U (V) R () I (A)

100 · 0,02=
Resistor 1 100 0,02
300  2
100  100  150  1/R2,3 = 3/300
Resistor 2 3 150 · 300
1/300+1/300=2/300 = 0,01 0,02
300  0,02=
 3/300 (**)
Resistor 3 3 3 300 R2,3 = 300/2 = 150 = 0,01
Equivalent
5 (*) 100 + 150 = 250 5/250 = 0,02
resistor
(*): Proof: 2 + 3 = 5; (**) Proof: 0,01+0,01=0,02

Activities: Copy following exercises and solve them in your notebook

9) Indicate whether the following circuits are series, parallel or series-parallel
combination circuits (twocircuits have a trick!).

A B C D E

F H I J
G

10) Draw a series-parallel circuit with six resistors in three different ways.

11) We know that a circuit with two identical resistors connected in series to a
battery of 9 V has a current of 0,3 mA. Draw the circuit, calculate all the
variables (Ut, Rt, It, U1, R1, I1, U2, R2, I2) and show the results in a table.

12) We know that a circuit with two identical resistors connected in parallel to a
battery of 9 V has a current of 0,3 mA. Draw the circuit, calculate all the
variables (Ut, Rt, It, U1, R1, I1, U2, R2, I2) and show the results in a table.

13) Calculate all the variables (Ut, Rt, It, U1, R1, I1, U2, R2, I2, ..., etc.) of all the
circuits of exercise 9 and show the results in tables.

Autor: Guillermo Gómez 7

2nd ESO Unit 5: Electricity T.P.R.

5.3. Components
The components can be classified into generators, conductors, receptors, control and
protection components.

Type of
component Pictures Symbol Use
component

Battery Generates electric

(batería) energy

Solar cell,
Converts light energy
photovoltaic cell
directly into electric
(célula fotovoltaica,
energy
célula solar)

Generator Power supply

Supplies electric
(generador) (fuente de
energy
alimentación)

DC
electric poles (+, -):
(corriente continua)
 remain the same
AC
 alternate position
(corriente alterna)

Ground Reference point (0V)

(tierra) for voltage

Converts electrical
Bulb or lamp
energy into light (and
(bombilla)
heat)

Lights up if connected
LED, light-emitting
properly (long leg to +
diode + + + pole); otherwise lets
Receptor or
(LED, diodo emisor
de luz)
+ - no current to flow
load devices through
(receptor o
carga) Motor Converts electrical
(motor) energy into motion.

Buzzer Converts electrical

(zumbador) energy into sound

Autor: Guillermo Gómez 8

2nd ESO Unit 5: Electricity T.P.R.

Type of
component Pictures Symbol Use
component

Limits the flow

Resistor
of current
(resistencia)
(produces heat)
Receptor or
load devices.
(receptor o Is a resistor with
carga) Potenciometer
a value set by
(potenciómetro)
the user

Switch Controls the

(interruptor) flow of current

Alternates the
3-way switch flow of current
(conmutador) between two
circuits
Control
component
(componente Push button Controls the
de control) (pulsador) flow of current

Limit switch Is a switch

(interruptor fin de operated by a
carrera) lever

Protection
component
Fuse Protects the
(componente
(fusible) circuit
de
protección)

Activities: Copy following exercises and solve them in your notebook

14) Which control component are used for the light in the classroom and in a door
bell?

15) How do you think the lights in the classroom are connected – in series or
parallel? Why?

16) A 3-way switch allows you to control a light from two points. Have you got one
in your house? Where? Draw the circuit.

Autor: Guillermo Gómez 9

2nd ESO Unit 5: Electricity T.P.R.

17) Which are the effects of the electric current on following devices? Draw the
diagrams of their electric circuits.
Device Effect(s) of electric current Diagram of electric circuit
Mixer
Vacuum cleaner
Sandwich maker
Hairdryer

18) Design and simulate different circuits with a simulator (e.g. Yenka; previously
Crocodile Technology).

Autor: Guillermo Gómez 10