Basic Electrical Theory Flashcards
a quantity of
electrons flowing past a given point in a given time.
Amp
the smallest part of an element that contains all
the properties of that element.
Atom
a material that readily allows the flow
of electrical current.
Conductor
a quantity measurement of electrons.
There are 6,250,000,000,000,000,000 electrons in one
Coulomb
the rate of flow of electrons.
Current
one of three principle parts of the atom.
carries a negative charge.
Electron
a substance that cannot be chemically
divided into a simpler substance.
Element
magnetic lines of force.
Flux
loosely held electrons in the
outermost shell of an atom.
Free Electrons
the process by which a current flows
through a conductor when passed through a magnetic field.
Induction
any material that resists the flow of
electrical current.
Insulator
a naturally occurring discharge of static
electricity.
Lightning
a substance that possesses the property of
attracting iron.
Magnet
the process by which a current flows through a conductor when passed through a magnetic field.
Magnetic Induction
one of three principal parts of the atom they have no charge
Neutron
the positively charged mass within the
center of an atom, contains protons and neutrons. It
makes up most of the atoms mass.
Nucleus
the unit of measure for electrical resistance
Ohm
describes the mathematical relationship
between voltage, amperage, and resistance. In its simplest form, it states that it takes one volt to push one amp through one ohm of resistance.
Ohm’s Law
one of three principal parts of the atom they have a positive charge.
Proton
the opposition to current flow in an
electrical circuit.
Resistance
refers to electrons that are sitting still and not moving.
Static Electricity
the outermost electron orbit of an atom. Electrons located in this determine the conductive properties of an element.
Valance Shell
measure of electromotive force or electrical pressure.
Volt
a unit of electrical power. One is produced
when one amp flows through one volt of potential difference.
Watt
Explain Electricity
Electricity is the flow of atomic particles called
electrons. Electrons flow, as opposed to protons or neutrons, because they have a much smaller mass. Remember that protons are 1840 times heavier than electrons, and electrons are easily moved from orbit. If the same amount of force is applied to two objects, the lighter of the two will move first.
Explain Law of Charges
All atomic particles have charges. The charges
can be positive, negative or neutral. The Law of Charges states that opposite charges attract, and like charges repel.
Explain Law of Centrifugal Force
The Law of Centrifugal Force states that a spinning object will pull away from its center point and that the faster it spins, the greater the centrifugal force becomes. This is what keeps the negatively charged electrons from combining with the positively charged nucleus.
Explain Valence Shell
The outermost electron orbit of an atom is known
as the Valence Shell. The electrons in this orbit are of primary concern when dealing with electricity. The number of electrons in the Valence Shell determines whether an element is a conductor or an insulator.
Explain Magnetism
All atoms have electrons, protons and neutrons.
Materials with magnetic properties have electrons that combine in such a way that the lines of force are amplified. These amplified lines of force are called flux, and rather than being combined within the material, they surround the material and exist in the air around it.
Explain Magnetic Induction
The magnetic field that surrounds a magnet has the ability to force electrons through a conductor if that conductor is passed through the magnetic field. This causes electrons to flow away from the field and through the conductor if a complete circuit exists.
Explain Static Electricity
Static charges are the buildup of electrons on insulator materials. Static charges cannot accumulate on conductive materials unless they are insulated from a different potential. The electrons simply flow down the conductor and do not build up. For example, electrons do not accumulate on power lines unless the span of wire is isolated from the circuit.
