Basic Electricity Flashcards
Matter
Anything that occupies space and may be in the form of solid, liquid, or gas and can be reduced into elements.
Atomic Structure of Matter
Basic structure of all materials.
Element
Cannot be broken down or changed into another substance by chemical means.
Atom Particle
The smallest unit of an element that can still be identified.
Nucleus
The central body of the atom.
Neutrons
Particles that do not have a charge.
Protons
Positively charged particles.
Electrons
Negatively charged particles.
Particles of the ___ charge repel
same
Particles of the ___ charge attract.
opposite
Protons and neutrons contribute to the ___ of an element.
atomic weight
When an atom has an equal number of protons and neutrons, the atom is considered neutral. True or false?
True
Compound
The result of two or more different chemically combined elements.
Molecule
The smallest physical unit of a compound.
Mixture
The result of elements or compounds combining without a chemical reaction.
Is Oxygen a compound or an element?
element
Is water a compound or an element?
Compound because 1 oxygen atom + 2 hydrogen atoms = H2O
Electron Obit/Shell
The outside part of an atom around the atomic nucleus containing a specific number of electrons.
When an atom loses electrons, it becomes…
positively charged
When an atom gains electrons, it becomes…
negatively charged
Current Flow
The movement of electrons from one atom to another.
Potential Energy
The stored energy in an object due to its position, properties, and forces acting on it.
Difference in Potential
The difference in the amount of energy that charge carriers have between two points in a circuit.
Electromagnetic Force (EMF)
A type of physical interaction that occurs between electrically charged particles.
Friction
A force that resists the motion of one object against another.
Pressure (Piezoelectricity)
Voltage is produced by squeezing or pressurizing crystals of certain substances.
Heat (Thermoelectricity)
Created using a thermocouple.
Light (Photoelectricity)
Voltage is produced by light striking photo sensitive substances.
Chemical Action
Voltage is created or produced by a chemical reaction in a battery cell.
Magnetism
Voltage is produced in a conductor when the conductor moves through a magnetic field or when a magnetic field move through the conductor in a way that cuts the lines of forces of the magnetic field.
Three conditions must exist before voltage can be produced:
Must be a conductor with a complete path in which the voltage will be produced
A magnetic field
Relative motion between the magnetic field and the conductor.
Resistance
Opposition to the current flow.
Electron Current Flow
Electrical current flows out of the negative terminal of the battery, through the circuit and back to the positive terminal of the battery.
An electric circuit needs three ingredients:
Voltage source
Complete path for current flow
Load of resistance
Electromagnetism
Current carrying conductors are surrounded by a magnetic field.
Capacitance
The capacity of a material objects or device to store electric charge.
How does a transformer work?
When a current is applied to the primary coil, a magnetic field is established around it which is cut by windings of the secondary coil. It then induces a current and voltage in the secondary coil or windings of the transformer. Inducted voltage is proportional to the ration of turns of the wire in the two coils.
Kirchhoff’s Law Current Law
The sum of all of the currents flowing into a junction, node or point in a circuit must be equal to the sum of all the currents flowing away from the junction, node or point.
Kirchhoff’s Law Voltage Law
The sum of all the voltage (differences of potential) rises in a complete circuit must be equal to the sum of all the voltage drops in the same closed-circuit.
NO
Normally Open
NC
Normally Closed
Resistance in a Series Circuit
RT = R1 + R2 + R3 + … RN
Current Flow in a Series Circuit
If you know the current flowing through one component, then you know the total current for the circuit.
Voltage Drop
The decrease in voltage that occurs when an electric current passes through a circuit, from the source to the load.
Series DC Circuits
RT = R1 + R2 + R3 + … RN
Total power delivered to a circuit by the power source must equal the sum of the individual power dissipated by each component. True or false?
True
Voltage in a Parallel Circuit
ET = ER1 = ER2 = ER3
Current in a Parallel Circuit
Total current is distributed proportional among the branches depending on their individual resistances.
Resistance in a Parallel Circuit
1/RT = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3
Total circuit resistance in a parallel circuit will always be greater than the resistance of the branch containing the smallest resistance. True or false?
False, it will be less.
ii. Kirchhoff’s Law of Electrical Current
The current approaching an electrical junction must be equal to the current leaving the junction
Overcurrent
When an electrical current is higher than the intended amount in a conductor or device.
Fault Current
An abnormal amount of electrical current that flows through an electrical system during an unintentional short circuit or partial short circuit.
Overvoltage
A temporary or permanent increase in voltage that exceeds the design limit of a circuit or device.
