Cells, Series and Parallel Circuits Flashcards

1
Q

Cells are a source of what type of energy?

A

Electrical energy

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2
Q

What do we call a cell in common everyday language?

A

A battery

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3
Q

What is an electrolyte?

A
  • Is a solution
  • that can conduct
  • an electrical current
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4
Q

What does an electrolyte consist of?

A
  • positive (+) and negative (-) particles

- we call these ions

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5
Q

What happens when a circuit is closed?

A
  • a chemical reaction occurs
  • the chemical energy is converted into electrical energy
  • A current flows
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6
Q

How is current conducted?

A
  • in the electrolyte there are pieces of two different metals eg zinc and copper
  • The two metals make the + and - poles of the cell (they are known as electrodes)
  • When they are connected to an external circuit, the + ions are attracted to the - pole and the - ions are attracted to the + pole.
  • There is potential difference between the poles
  • Energy is transferred to charges in an external circuit
  • The current flows through the external circuit
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7
Q

Schematic representation

A

chemical potential energy (ions before they are separated) ——-> Kinetic (movement) energy of charges (electrical energy)

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8
Q

Draw the components of a circuit

A

-

-

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9
Q

What are the factors that influence resistance?

A

-Type of conductor

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10
Q

What is a connector?

A
  • substances that conduct an electrical current
  • offer little resistance against the flow of charge
  • metals like copper, silver and iron
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11
Q

[TRUE or FALSE]

All conductors, even good conductors, heat up if current flows through it

A

True

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12
Q

What when current flows?

A

the electrons collide with the particles of the conductor

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13
Q

What is a rheostat?

A
  • It is a variable resistor

- used for example to set a stove plate higher or lower

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14
Q

Resistor?

A
  • has high resistance against the flow of current
  • is the component in a circuit that can control the energy transfer in the current and comes into useful forms
  • is a weak conductor of electricity
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15
Q

What is the unit of resistance?

A

ohm (Ω)

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16
Q

What does Potential difference mean?

A

the difference in potential energy between two points

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17
Q

What is the symbol for potential difference

A

V (volts)

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18
Q

What is used to measure potential difference

A

voltmeter

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19
Q

How is a voltmeter connected?

A
  • always connected in parallel

- over a resistor or a cell/battery

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20
Q

Potential difference is measured in

A

volts (V)

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21
Q

Potential difference is also called?

A

voltage

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22
Q

What are Conductors?

A
  • metals that are used as connectors in a circuit
  • offer resistance against the flow of charge (although very little)
  • Little of the energy is lost due to heat(check this one)
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23
Q

What happens when a conductor heats up?

A

-current is weaker (resistance increases)

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24
Q

What happens when a conductor heats up?

A

-current is weaker (resistance increases)

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25
Q

What is a light bulb?

A

A resistor

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26
Q

[FILL IN THE MISSING WORD]

The more light bulbs (resistors) connected in parallel the 1)_________ the resistance

A

1) less

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27
Q

Does the total current in the circuit increase or decrease with each parallel resistor that is added?

A

increases

28
Q

[FILL IN THE MISSING WORD]

The more light bulbs (resistors) connected in parallel the 1)_________ the resistance

A

1) less

29
Q

Do all parallel resistors have the same potential difference?

A

Yes

30
Q

[Choose the right answer]
Cells produce
A) a constant potential difference
B) a constant current

A

A) a constant potential difference

31
Q

[FILL IN THE MISSING WORD]

The current will depend on the resistance. The bigger the resistance the 1)___________ the current

A

1) smaller

32
Q

[FILL IN THE MISSING WORD]

The current will depend on the resistance. The bigger the resistance the 1)___________ the current

A

1) smaller

33
Q

How are the electrical outlets in our houses connected, in series or in parallel?

A

parallel

34
Q

What will happened if one light bulb blows in the house, will the rest of the lights in the house still glow?

A

Yes the other lights will still glow, as each light bulb is connect in a separate parallel track

35
Q

[TRUE OR FALSE]

Resistors are manufactured to accurately control the resistance in circuits

A

True

36
Q

How many types of variables are there? and name them?

A

there are 3 types of variables:

  • Independent variable - which is changed
  • Dependant variable - which is measured
  • controlled variable (s) - which remain(s) the same
37
Q

When light bulbs are connected in parallel, if the circuit branches then the current will?

A

Divide

38
Q

When a current flows through a circuit with light bulbs are connected in parallel, does the whole current flow through each light bulb?

A
  • No

- With parallel connections, there is more than one electrical path that can be followed

39
Q

The more resistors that are connected in parallel, the total resistance in the circuit 1)________? but the total current in the circuit 2) _________ ?

A

-1) decreases
(note that it is the TOTAL resistance)
-2) increases

40
Q

What is needed in order for an electrical current to flow?

A

A source of electrical energy

41
Q

What is the direction of current?

A
  • from the positive pole (+) of the battery,
  • through the circuit
  • to the negative pole
42
Q

What type of current do we call it when the direction of a current is from positive pole, through the circuit, to the negative pole?

A

Conventional current

43
Q

What is used to measure current?

A

Ammeter

44
Q

How is a ammeter connected?

A
  • The positive terminal is connected so it is closest to the positive terminal of the battery
  • it is always connected in series
45
Q

Does an ammeter have a low or high resistance?

A

low

46
Q

What unit is used to measure current?

A

ampere (A)

47
Q

What unit is used to measure current?

A

ampere (A)

48
Q

The strength of a current in a circuit decreases if the resistance in the circuit 1) _________

A

increases

49
Q

What is the unit for resistance?

A

ohm (Ω)

50
Q

What is the unit for potential difference?

A

volts (V)

51
Q

What is the unit for current strength?

A

ampere (A)

52
Q

What is the formula to calculate resistance?

A

R = V/I

53
Q

[TRUE OR FALSE]

Current is controlled in the circuit?

A

True

54
Q

[FILL IN THE MISSING WORDS]

1) _________ is directly proportional to the 2) ________ __________ (unless the conductor heats up)

A

1) Current

2) potential difference

55
Q

Do cells deliver constant current?

A
  • No

- cells produce a constant potential difference, not a current

56
Q

[FILL IN THE MISSING WORDS]

Regardless of the number of cells/batteries in a circuit the current can still be very 1)_______?

A

1) small

57
Q

[FILL IN THE MISSING WORDS]

Current will be 1) __________ with low resistance and 2) _______________ with high resistance

A

1) bigger

2) smaller

58
Q

How many paths are there for a current to flow in a series circuit?

A

Only one path

59
Q

At all points in a series circuit the strength of the current is ……..?

A

the same everywhere

60
Q

In a series circuit the potential difference is ……..?

A

divided

61
Q

In a series circuit the potential difference over the resistors is divide in the same ratio as ….?

A

the resistance of each resistor

62
Q

There are two types of cells, namely? Give examples

A
  • 1) wet cells (e.g. car battery)

- 2) dry cells (e.g. cells we put in torches, radios, toys etc)

63
Q

Do wet and dry cells work on the same principle?

A

Yes

64
Q

When cells are connected in series, how are they connected?

A

the positive pole of the one cell is connected to the negative pole of the following cell

65
Q

What is a battery?

A

two or more cells that are connected in series

66
Q

When cells are connected in parallel, how are they connected?

A

all the negative poles are connected to the one end and all the positive cells at the other end