Chapter 6: Electricity Flashcards
Electric Field
The region around a charged object where the object’s electric force is exerted on other charged objects.
Electric Force
The force between charged objects
Static Electricity
A buildup of charges on an object.
Conservation of Charge
The law that states that charges are neither created nor destroyed.
Friction
- The force that two surfaces exert on each other when they rub against each other. 2. The transfer of electrons from one uncharged object to another uncharged object by rubbing.
Conduction
- The transfer of thermal energy from one particle of matter to another. 2. A method of charging an object by allowing electrons to flow from one object to another object through direct contact.
Induction
A method of redistributing the charge on an object by means of the electric field of another object; the objects have no direct contact.
Polarization
The process through which electrons are attracted to or repelled by an external electric field, causing the electrons to move within their own atoms.
Static Discharge
The loss of static electricity as electric charges transfer from one object to another.
Electric Current
The continuous flow of electric charges through a material.
Electric Circuit
A complete, unbroken path through which electric charges can flow.
Conductor
- A material that conducts heat well. 2. A material that allows electric charges to flow.
Insulator
- A material that does not conduct heat well. 2. A material that does not easily allow electric charges to flow.
Voltage
The difference in electrical potential energy per charge between two places in a circuit.
Resistance
The measurement of how difficult it is for charges to flow through an object.
Ohm’s law
The law that states that resistance in a circuit is equal to voltage divided by current.
Series Circuit
An electric circuit in which all parts are connected one after another along one path.
Parallel Circuit
An electric circuit in which different parts of the circuit are on separate branches.
Power
The rate at which one form of energy is transformed into another.
Short Circuit
A connection that allows current to take the path of least resistance.
Third Prong
The round prong of a plug that connects any metal pieces in an appliance to the safety grounding wire of a building.
Grounded
Allowing charges to flow directly from the circuit into the building’s ground wire and then into Earth in the event of a short circuit.
Fuse
A safety device with a thin metal strip that will melt if too much current passes through a circuit.
Circuit Breaker
A reusable safety switch that breaks the circuit when the current becomes too high.
