3.6 Components Flashcards
What components do we need to provide electrical power? (2)
Cell or battery
What can we use to control the flow of electricity in a circuit?
Switch - open/closed
What do ‘diode’s do?
Only allow the current to flow in 1 direction
What do fuses do?
Break if theres too much current
What do LED’s do? (light-emitting diode)
Emits light when the current flows through in a forward direction
Where are 3 places we see LED’s?
- Traffic lights
- Alarm clocks
- LED lightbulbs
What are ammeters used for?
To measure current
What are ammeters connected in?
A series
What do voltmeters measure?
Potential difference
Where are voltmeters added in?
Parallel
What do fixed resistors do?
Provide a certain number of ohms worth of resistance
What are variable resistors used to do?
To easily modify the amount of resistance they provide
What is an LDR? (light- dependent resistor)
A resistor whose resistance is dependent on the intensity of light. In bright light environment, there’s very low resistance meaning lots of current can flow. In darkness, the resistance is so high that hardly any current can flow
What can we use LDR’s for? (2)
Burglar alarms, automatic night lights
What is a thermistor?
It’s resistance is dependent on the temperature. In higher temperature environments, the resistance is lower and in lower temperatures the resistance is higher.
