CURRENT ELECTRICITY

Learning Objectives
At the end of the lecture, the students is expected to:
 Define current, Charge , electromotive force and potential difference and internal resistance
of a cell.
 State the Ohms law and solve problems using it.
 Distinguish between series and parallel arrangement of resistors
 Calculate equivalent resistance both for series and parallel combination.
 Define resistance, Electrical power and energy
 State Kirchoffs laws and solve simple problems using the laws
 List the instruments used in the measurement of voltage and currents
INTRODUCTION:

• An electric current consists of motion of charge from one point to

another.
• A circuit is a closed path or loop in which current is flowing.
• The force which pushes the charge into motion is called the electric
force.
• The electric force F is related to the field E and the charge , 𝒒 by
the relation
𝐹 = qE (1)
• The symbol for current is I and the S.I unit of current is Ampere (A)
• One Ampere is defined as one coulomb per second.
• The unit of charge is the coulomb (C)
• Thus (IA = C/S).
• Electric current is a scalar quantity.
CONTD…….
1.1 Potential difference (P.d) and Electromotive force (EMF)
• The potential difference between two ends in a circuit is known as the energy
dissipated when one coulomb of charge flows from one end to another.
• The unit of P.d is joule per second J/C or volt (V)

𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑
• Thus P.d = 𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡
- (2)

• The Volt (V) is thus defined as the p.d between two ends in a circuit if one joule
of energy is dissipated between the two ends when one coulomb of charge flows.
OR It is the p.d between two ends in a circuit, If the power dissipated between the
two ends is 1 watt when the current flowing is 1 Ampere.
• From the above definition, the electrical energy e = charge x potential difference
i.e. e = 𝑞𝑣 (3)
and 𝑞 = 𝐼𝑡 (4)
Therefore, 𝐸 = 𝑞𝑣 = 𝐼𝑉𝑡 (5)
CONTD….
𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦
And electrical power 𝑃 =
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
𝐼𝑉𝑡
i.e 𝑃 = = IV (6)
𝑡

The EMF is defined as the potential difference across the terminals of

a source when it is NOT supplying current to an external circuit. In
short, it is the potential difference of an open circuit.
Note: It is not a force and the unit is Volt (V).
Note: Any device that can maintain a potential difference and supply
current to an external circuit is a source of emf. E.g. batteries, solar
cells, generators etc.
Note also that the higher the value of emf the higher the current it will
deliver. A battery of emf say 10V does 10J of work on every Coulomb
CONTD…..

1.2 Electrical Resistance

The resistance of a conductor is the opposition it offers to the flow of
current.
It is also referred as the ratio of the potential difference across the
conductor to the current flowing through it as shown in Fig. 1

Fig. 1
𝑉
Thus resistance, 𝑅 = (7)
𝐼

The unit of resistance is ohms( Ω ) and I is the resistance of a

conductor if when a current of one ampere flows through it, the p.d is
CONTD..

1.4 Ohm’s Law

The ohm’s law is the basic law used in the analysis of electrical circuits.
It states that the current flowing through a conductor is directlyI proportional to the p.d across
it provided the temperature is constant. (A)
Fig.
i.e. P.d ∞ current or V ∞ I 2.
→ V = KI or V = IR (9) V (V)

Where the constant K is equal to R

Any conductor which obeys ohm’s law is known as ohmic conductor e.g. are copper, iron,
aluminum etc. while conductors which do not obey the law are said to be non-ohmic.
Examples are electrolytes, diodes, transistors etc.

A graph of current, I against P.d (V), of ohmic conductors (i.e I-V characteristics) is a
straight line graph passing through the origin
INTERNAL RESISTANCE OF A CELL

Simply put, the internal resistance of a cell r is the resistance due to the chemicals (electrolyte) of the cell.
Consider the circuit of Fig 3a and 3b. In Fig3a, the key is open, the voltmeter V gives the value of the EMF of
the cell, but when the key is closed as in Fig 3b, the cell is now directly connected to an external circuit
resistance, R, the voltmeter reading V is lower than the original reading (EMF).
The loss in voltage (E-V) is the voltage used to drive the current though the cell.
𝐸−𝑉
Hence E – V = Ir and 𝑟 = 𝐼 (11)
In equation 11, r is the internal resistance of the cell which is due to the resistance of the chemicals in the cell

R R
K K

Fig. 3a Fig. 3b
V V
From E – V = Ir, we can write that E=V+Ir
But from Ohm’s law, V=IR; thus substituting V= IR in E=V+Ir, we obtain that
E = IR +Ir. This implies that
E= I(R+r) (12)
INTERNAL RESISTANCE CONTD--------

Dividing equation (12) by V=IR, we have that

𝐸 𝑅+𝑟
𝑉
= 𝑅 . This implies that
𝐸 𝑟
𝑉
=1 + 𝑅 (13)
1 1
Thus a graph of against is a straight line with intercept equal to 1 on the
𝑉 𝑅
1
- axis
𝑉
1 𝑟 1 1
If 𝑉
= 0 , then 1 + 𝑅 = 0 and 𝑅
=-𝑟

Note: If n- identical cells of internal resistances , r, are connected in series,

then the effective emf is given as E=nE, while the equivalent resistance is
equal to nr. However, when they are connected in parallel, the effective
EMF is equal to E, while the effective internal resistance is equal
1 𝑛1
𝑟
= 𝑖 𝑟𝑖
(14)
2.0 RESISTORS IN CIRCUITS

2.1 Combination of Resistors

- Two types of combination exists;
(i) Series and (ii) Parallel combinations
2.2 SERIES COMBINATION OF RESISTORS
Let three resistor of resistances R1, R2 and R3 be
connected in series as shown in Fig 6 with a voltage E
applied between the ends of the series combination. i.e.
Beginning of the 1st resistor and the 2nd of the last resistor.
Let I be the current flowing in the circuit. Then from fig. 6;
we can write
VA-VB = IRI; VB-VC = IR2; VC – VD = IR3
But VA – VD = (VA – VB) + (VB VC) + (Vc – VD) = IR1 +
IR2+IR3
Or VA – VD = I (R1+R2+R3) = IR ------(1)
Where R is the equivalent resistance that can be
connected between A and D to replace the 3 series
connected resistors.
d/4. R = R1 R2 +R3
Thus if n resistors, R1, R2……..Rn are connected tin
series, we can write that
R total = R= 𝑛𝑖−1 𝑅𝑖 (2)
In summary, for resistors connected in series,
 The current is the same through all the resistors
 The voltage across each resistor is not the same
 The sum of the resistors is higher than any of the
individual resistors
2.3 PARALLEL COMBINATIONS OF RESISTORS
Let two resistors R1 and R2 be connected in parallel at the terminals A to B such
that a voltage e is connected across terminals A-B. Let I1, and I2 be the current
through R1 and R2 respectively.
Thus total current in the circuit is I = I, + I2
𝐸
Since, VA – VB = E, we have that current though R1 = Potential drop across R1 =
𝑅1
𝐼 𝐸
1= 𝑅
1
𝐸
Similarly, the current through R2 = Potential drop across R2 =
𝑅2
𝐸
𝐼2=
𝑅2
𝐸 𝐸
I = I1 + I2 = 𝑅 + 𝑅
1 2
𝐸 1 1
:I= =𝐸 +
𝑅 𝑅1 𝑅2
1 1 1
= +
𝑅 𝑅1 𝑅2
(3)
Hence if n resistors R1, R2……..Rn are connected in parallel, the equivalent
1 1
resistance R is therefore is given by 𝑅 = 𝑛𝑖=1 𝑅
𝑖
(4)
2.4 DIVISION OF CURRENT IN PARALLEL COMBINATION OF RESISTORS

When resistors are connected in parallel, the current I flowing

through will normally divide based on the ratio of the individual
resistance of the resistors.
Resistor with lower resistance will draw more current and vice
versa
Let R 1 and R1 be connected in parallel such that current I
flows in the circuit. The current through each of the resistor
can be obtained using the relation
𝑅2 𝑅1
I1 = 𝐼 and I2 = 𝐼
𝑅1+𝑅2 𝑅1+𝑅2

Note that 𝐼= I1 + I2
2.5 DIVISION OF VOLTAGE IN SERIES COMBINATION OF RESISTORS

When resistors are connected in parallel, the potential drop (IR =V)
across each of the resistors differs.
Thus to calculate the voltage/potential drop across any o the resistors,
we employ the voltage divisor rule.
Let two resistors of resistances R1 and R2 be connected in series across
a source of potential V. Then the voltage v1 across R1 is given as

𝑅1
𝑉1 = 𝑉
𝑅1 + 𝑅2
And

𝑅2
𝑉2 = 𝑉
𝑅1 + 𝑅2
KIRCHOFF’S LAWS
Kirchhoff’s circuit laws were first described in 1845 by Gustav
Kirchhoff. They consist from two equalities for the lumped element
model of electrical circuits. They describe the current and voltage
behaviour in the circuit. Kirchhoff’s First Law - Kirchhoff’s
Current Law (KCL)
The algebraic sum of currents in a network of conductors meeting at
a node is zero.
It can be described by the equation:

The currents flowing into the node (I1, I6) we describe as positive,
the currents flowing out the node (I2, I3, I4, I5) we describe as
negative.
Kirchhoff’s Second Law –
Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL)
The algebraic sum of the potential rises and drops around a closed loop or path is zero.
Mathematically, KVL can be expressed as

where Ui describes both the potential drops at the

elements and the voltages generated by sources.
i.e. Ui = iR

To use the KVL one need to set up a rotation in the circuit. Potentials with direction
of the circuit have a positive sign, voltage opposite to the direction of circulation of
the circuit have a negative sign.