Basic Flashcards
What is current?
The rate of electron flow
What is the unit of measurement for current?
Amperes/amps
What is the current of 1 A?
1 A = 6.241*10^18 electrons per second
What is charge?
The concentration number of electrons at a given circuit point
What is the unit of measurement for charge?
Coulombs (C)
What is a conductor?
a substance that lets electric charge flow through it
What is an insulator?
a substance that offers high resistance to current flow
What is the actual direction of electron flow?
a flow of electrons from negative to positive
Are electrons + or - charged?
negative
Are protons + or - charged?
positive
Are neutrals + or - charged?
neutral
What is AC?
alternating current changes direction of the current (basically looks like a sound wave–has a positive and negative phase) so electrons are constantly moving in alternating directions
what is DC?
Direct current implies electron flow in one direction only, achieved by the supply of a constant voltage.
What are resistors used for?
to limit the current in circuits
How do you determine the resistance value and tolerance of a 4-band resistor by looking at it?
band 1 = 1st digit band 2 = 2nd digit band 3 = multiplier (1st + 2nd * 3rd) band 4 = tolerance (± x%)
What is a capacitor?
a device used to store an electric charge, made of one or more pairs of conductors separated by an insulator (dielectric)