Book Four Flashcards
Electricity - DC circuits - Particle and nuclear physics
what is electric current? +formula
the rate of flow of electric charge past a point in a circuit
Q = It
Current = A
Charge = C
what are charge carriers?
charged particles which contribute to the flow of electric current. (electrons, protons or ions)
elementary charge
1.6 x 10^-19C
what is number density?
the number of conduction electrons per unit volume
what is potential difference?
energy lost per unit charge as charge passes from one point to another
pd = energy / Q or pd = W / Q
V
what is a volt?
the pd across a conductor whose resistance is one ohm when a current of 1 amp. flows through it
what is power? (electrical power)
the rate if energy transfer
P = E/t or P=W/t
watt
what is ohms law?
current in a metallic conductor is directly proportional to potential difference across its ends provided its temperature remains constant
R = V/I
what is a thermistor?
a resistor whose resistance varies with temperature
cold - high resistance
hot - low resistance
graph - y=tanx shape
what is a light dependent resistor? (LDR)
a resistor whose resistance varies with intensity of light
darkness - high resistance
light - low resistance
graph - constant gradient passing through zero
what is a diode? (rectifier)
an electronic one way switch
reverse bias - high resistance
forward bias - low resistance
graph - right part of a beaker
what is a filament lamp?
an electric lamp with a filament that can withstand temp. high enough to make it produce white light
low temp. - obeys ohms law
high temp. - doesn’t obey ohms law
graph - deceleration (stretched out s)
(summary page)
pg. 15
what is electromotive force?
any form of energy converted into electrical energy per unit charge
E = E / Q or E = W / Q
what is internal resistance?
resistance of materials within a source of power
what is terminal pd?
the pd between the terminals of a cell or a power supply when a current is being delivered
what is maximum power?
the load resistance of the circuit is equal to the internal resistance of the battery
what is kirchoffs 1st law?
the sum of currents entering a junction in a circuit is always equal to sum of current leaving the junction
(conservation of charge)
what is kirchoffs 2nd law?
the sum of emf around any loop in a circuit is equal to sum of pd around the loop
what is a potential divider?
2 fixed resistors connected in series with a cell
equation for resistors in series
V = V1 + V2 + V3
IR = IR1 + IR2 + IR3
R = R1 + R2 + ….. +Rn-1 + Rn
n is the number of resistors
equation for resistors in parallel
I = I1 + I2 + I3
V/R = V/R1 + V/R2 + V/R3
1/R = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3
n is the number of resistors