ELECTRICITY

WHAT IS
ELECTRICITY?
ELECTRICITY

• Is energy formed by the

movement of electrons
• When passing through a resistor,
it can produce light, heat, sound,
and/or motion.
ELECTRICAL CHARGE

• When an atom loses or gains an electron you

generate an electrical charge.
• An electrical current is formed when
negative electrical charges or electrons move
through a conductor
• Currents flow opposite of electrons (+ to -)
ELECTRICAL CHARGES
MOVE DIFFERENTLY
THROUGH DIFFERENT
SUBSTANCES
CONDUCTORS

• Materials that allow electrical current

to pass through them.
• Allow for the flow of
electrons through a material.
• High conductivity
• Low resistance
• Examples: aluminum, brass, zinc,
iron, salt water
INSULATORS

• Materials that do not easily

transmit heat, cold, or electricity.
• Resist the flow of electrons
through a material.
• Low conductivity
• High resistance
• Examples: wood, plastic, rubber
IMPORTANT
QUANTITIES/UNITS FOR
STUDY OF ELECTRICITY:
• CURRENT (I)
• DESCRIBES THE RATE
OF FLOW OF
ELECTRONS.
• A LARGE CURRENT
MEANS A LARGE
NUMBER
OF ELECTRONS PASS
BY PER SECOND.
• MEASURED IN
AMPERES, OR AMPS,
• RESISTANCE (R)
• A MEASURE OF HOW MUCH
ELECTRONS ARE “HELD
UP” BY A MATERIAL.
• A LARGE RESISTANCE
INDICATES ELECTRONS FIND
IT DIFFICULT TO PASS.
• MEASURED IN OHMS, OR Ω.
• VOLTAGE (V)
• A MEASURE OF HOW HARD THE
ELECTRONS THAT ARE THERE ARE
PUSHED THROUGH A MATERIAL.
• “HIGH VOLTAGE”
MEANS WHATEVER ELECTRONS ARE
PRESENT ARE PUSHED HARD,
BUT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN
THERE ARE A LOT OF ELECTRONS
TO PUSH.
• MEASURED IN VOLTS, V.
• POWER (P)
• RATE OF
ENERGY!
• MEASURED
IN WATTS!!
(W)
UNITS/SYMBOLS/DEFINITIONS FOR
ELECTRICITY
Name Symbol in an Unit, Describes
equation abbreviation
Current I Amps, A Rate of flow
Voltage V Volts, V Amount of
push
Resistance R Ohms, Ω Resistance to
flow
Power P Watts, W Rate of work
DOES HIGH
VOLTAGE
NECESSARILY
MEAN HIGH
CURRENT?

NO!!!
• CURRENT IS THE AMOUNT
OF FLOW, VOLTAGE IS THE
PRESSURE BEHIND IT!
• THINK ABOUT THIS IN TERMS OF
WATER:
• --A WATER PICK (AT THE DENTIST)
HAS A LOT OF PRESSURE
(VOLTAGE) BUT NOT MUCH FLOW
(CURRENT)
• --THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BY NEW
ORLEANS HAS VERY LITTLE
PRESSURE (VOLTAGE) BUT A LOT
OF FLOW (CURRENT)
• --SO….NIAGARA FALLS IS A LOT OF
FLOW AND A LOT OF PRESSURE----
WHAT ARE
BATTERIES?
CIRCUITS
WHAT IS A CIRCUIT? • A circuit is a closed loop that
electrons can flow through
• A circuit always needs a
power source, such as a
battery, with wires connected
to both the positive (+) and
negative (-) ends.
• A battery is also known as
a cell.
• A circuit can also contain
other electrical
components, such as bulbs,
buzzers or motors, which
allow electricity to pass
through. Electricity will
only travel around a circuit
that is complete. That
means it has no gaps.
SERIES CIRCUIT
• A circuit that consists of one
loop
• If it is interrupted at any point
in its single loop, no current
can flow through the circuit,
the circuit will not work
• Ex: one bulb burns out
they all go out
• Used in things like flashlights
This is a series circuit because there is only one path for the electrons. If we
consider the electrons like cars on a road, all the cars that pass through one
bulb must also pass through the other bulb as well. That is what makes this a
“series” circuit.
PARALLEL
CIRCUIT

• A circuit that has two or

more loops
• If one loop of a parallel
circuit is interrupted, current
can still flow through the
other loop.
• The wiring in a house
consists of parallel
circuits.
In the parallel circuit below, if one light bulb burns out,
the other light bulb will still work because current can
bypass the burned-out bulb.
Consider an electron leaving the battery. It can either take
the “exit” to the top bulb or not. If the electron takes the
top bulb “road”, it won’t take the bottom bulb. If it takes
the bottom bulb path, it won’t take the top bulb. NO
electrons go through BOTH the top and bottom bulb.
They are a parallel circuit.
SYMBOLS USED
TO HAND-DRAW
CIRCUITS
COMPARISON: REAL LIFE TO SCHEMATIC
DRAWING
ALTERNATI
NG AND
DIRECT
CURRENTS
• An electrical current is formed when
negative electrical charges or electrons
move through a conductor
• Currents flow opposite of electrons (+ to -)
WHAT ARE • The net movement of electric charges in a
CURRENTS? single direction
• Allow electric devices such as stereos,
lights, and toasters to work
• Measured in amperes (A)
DIRECT CURRENT
• When current flows in
just one direction
• Examples: batteries,
solar cells, and fuel
cells
ALTERNATING CURRENT

• current keeps reversing direction

• The current reverses so quickly that
we don’t see things like light bulbs
stop glowing when the switch occurs
• The current that comes from a power
plant
• Supplies electricity to homes and
businesses
PROS AND CONS OF ALTERNATING CURRENT
(OUTLETS)
•PROS •CONS
• More efficient • Higher voltage: higher
transmission through danger
power lines • Need more insulation
• Lower in cost • Inverters are necessary ($
• Can work from a spinning $) -most appliances RUN
generator on DC, but plug in AC.
• Fluorescent lights require
AC
PROS AND CONS OF DIRECT CURRENT
(BATTERIES)
•PROS •CONS
• Can be made from solar • Not nearly as easy to transport over
energy wires
• Motors from DC are more • Heat loss (inefficiency) MUCH
efficient (less heat loss) greater in transport
• More portable (batteries) • Voltage can’t be changed easily-so
• Less expensive than AC you’d need a 220 V line AND a 110
V line into your house.
• Lower voltage (safer)
OHM’S LAW
COMPONENTS
• Current: (I) amperes
symbol: A
• Voltage: (V) volts
symbol: V
• Resistance: (R) ohms
symbol Ω
EXAMPLE 1

• What is the current of a circuit that has a resistance

of 10 Ω and a voltage difference of 15 volts?
EXAMPLE 1-ANSWER

What is the current of a circuit that has a resistance of 10 Ω

and a voltage difference of 15 volts?
I = V/R
I = 15 V/10 Ω
I = 1.5 A
EXAMPLE 2

• Calculate the voltage difference in a circuit with a resistance

of 25 Ω if the current in the circuit is 0.5 A.
EXAMPLE 2-ANSWER

Calculate the voltage difference in a circuit with a resistance

of 25 Ω if the current in the circuit is 0.5 A.
V=IxR
V = .5 A x 25 Ω
V = 12.5 V
ELECTRIC POWER
• Electric power (P) is the rate
of energy use or
energy conversion.
• Unit= joules per second or
watts (W)
• Increase voltage,
increase power
• P= Power (Watts)
• I = Current (Amps)
• V = Voltage (Volts)
EXAMPLE 1
• The battery of cell phone functions at 12.0 V. It
needs to provide a current of 0.9 A when music
plays, how much power will it require for it?
• P = IV
• P = .9 A x 12 V
• P= 10.8 W
EXAMPLE 2
• A light bulb has a 60 Watt power. It is connected to
a 110 volt outlet. How much current runs through
it?
• I=P/V
• I=60 W/110 V
• I = .55 Amps
The more electric appliances you use and the
longer they are left on, the higher your
electric bill.
"TURN
YOUR This fact is based on the relationship between
energy and power. You pay for the energy
LIGHTS used.
OFF!"
The energy unit on electric bills is the
kilowatt-hour (kW ⋅ h).
THE COST OF ELECTRICITY

E= energy (Joules)
P = power (Watts)
t= time (seconds)

For example, the more lightbulbs burning, the

greater P used; the longer they are on, the
greater t is.
A kettle has a power rating of 2200 watts and
is used for 80 seconds. Calculate the total
energy transferred.
E=Pxt

EXAMPLE 1 E = 2200 W x 80 seconds

E =176000 J