ch 6 - circuits Flashcards
current
considered the flow of positive charge even though only negative charges are actually moving
metallic conductivity
solid metals and molten forms of some salts
electrolytic conductivity
seen in solutions
conductance
reciprocal of resistance, property we will examine in detail later
SI unit for conductance
siemens (S) sometimes given as siemens per meter (S/m) for conductivity
metallic bond
an equal distribution of charge density of free electrons across all of the neutral atoms within the metallic mass
how to measure conductivity of electrolyte solution
place solution as a resistor in a circuit and measure changes in voltage across the solution
electrical current
the flow of charge between two points at different electrical potentials connected by a conductor (such as copper wire)
magnitude of current
I(i) = Q/change in t; amount of charge Q passing through the conductor per unit time
SI unit of current
ampere (1 A = 1 C/s)
how would positive charge flow if it flowed (direction of current)
from higher electrical potential to lower potential
direct current
tested to exclusion of alternating current (AC) on mcat; charge flows in one direction only
potential difference (voltage)
produced by electric generator, galvanic (voltaic) cell, a group of cells wired into a battery, etc.
electromotive force (emf or epsilon)
when no charge is moving between the two terminals of a cell that are at different potential values; not actually a force but is a potential difference measured in joules per coulomb (1 V = 1 J/C)
Kirchhoff’s junction rule
at any point or junction in a circuit, the sum of currents directed into that point equals the sum of currents directed away from that point; expressed as I (sub into junction) = I (sub leaving junction)
Kirchhoff’s loop rule
around any closed circuit loop, the sum of voltage sources will always be equal to the sum of voltage (potential) drops; V (sub source) = V (sub drop)
true of closed loops and not necessarily entire circuits
Resistance
opposition within any material to the movement and flow of charge; insulators have very high resistance; conductors have very low resistance
resistors
conductive materials that offer amounts of resistance between that provided by conductors and insulators; dependent on characteristics of it like resistivity, length, cross-sectional area, and temp.
equation for resistance
R = (fancy p x L)/A fancy p = resistivity, L = length of the resister, A = cross-sectional area
resistivity
intrinsic resistance to current flow in a material represented by fancy p; SI unit is ohm-meter (omega x m)
Length of resistor
resistance is directly proportional to length of resistor; longer means electrons will have to travel greater distance through a resistant material; if resistor doubles in length, resistance will also double
Cross-sectional area of resistors
inverse proportionality to resistance; if cross-sectional area is doubled, resistance is cut in half increasing number of conduction pathways