14. Circuits Flashcards
What 3 things doe circuits have?
- Source of potential difference (battery), 2. Resistance, 3. Closed loop of wire.
What is a circuit analogous to?
A water circuit, with the pump representing the battery, a narrow tube being resistance, and wires being like pipes.
What do switches do?
Turn a complete or closed circuit into an open circuit by breaking one of the wire connections.
What happens when a path of low resistance connects back to a power source?
Short circuit.
What results from a short circuit?
No current to the load and possible overheating of the power source.
What happens in a series circuit?
Current has only one path to flow through.
If there is a break in a series circuit, what happens to any component?
No current flows through them.
What happens in a parallel circuit?
Current splits into multiple paths.
What happens when you add more resistors to a parallel circuit?
There is a higher total current.
What is a combination circuit?
One that has both parallel and in series arrangements.
What does a capacitor do?
Stores energy in the electric field between two oppositely charged plates.
What is the RC time constant?
The amount of time it takes for a capacitor to reach 63.2% of the total charge, or the time to discharge 36.8% of the original value.
