Characteristics of Electricty - Current Electricity and Circuits

Question 1

Understanding electron flow -
How do electrons flow?

Answer 1

• Electrons are held very loosely by the nucleus
• They means an outside force that “pushes” the electrons an cause them to move from one atom to another
• The resulting effect is electricity

Question 2

Review of conductors and insulators -
Conductors

Answer 2

Conductors; Materials that move electrons easily are called conductors, these materials have the physical property of being electrically conductive.
- Holds electrons loosely
- Typically metals

Question 3

Review of conductors and insulators -
Insulators

Answer 3

Insulators; These materials do not move electrons are called insulators, these materials are not electrically conductive
- Holds electrons tightly
- Typically plastics, glass, porcelain or composite polymer materials

Question 4

Characteristics of energy -
Energy

Answer 4

• All energy has to follow the first law of thermodynamics
• Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form into another
• Since electricity is energy it means we can’t “make” electricity energy
• We can change other forms of energy (heat, light, motion, etc.) into electricity.

Question 5

Understanding Static Electricity -
Static Electricity

Answer 5

• In static electricity, we saw electrons flow from one object to another, this build up is on the surface.
• It’s referred to static since it doesn’t move through the material.

Question 6

Understanding Static Electricity -
Current electricity

Answer 6

Current electricity is when electron flows through the material.
- Current electricity has a continuous flow of electrons.
- Current electricity is what we use to power out homes, runs our electrons etc.
- The most useful type of electricity
- It’s the type of electricity that powers our homes, and it’s created by batteries
- It’s easy to change current electricity into useful forms of energy
(aside from tasers and electrical fence)
- Electrical energy is not useful on its own
- Electricity is very useful when we convert electrical energy into light heat or motion.

Question 7

Review of Voltage -
What is volatage?

Answer 7

Voltage is the energy per unit of charge. So what does it actually mean? You can think of voltage as if it were the amount of “pushes” that is given to electrons.
- Voltage gives electrons energy to move
- Measures in Volts (V)

Question 8

review of Voltage -
How does voltage work?

Answer 8

process;
- As you give electrons a push to the next atom, it leaves a positive charge behind.
- The electrons (negatively charged) are attracted to the positive charge the was left behind.
- As electrons keep getting pushed forward, the leave positive charged and electrons keep moving towards the positive because they are attracted

Question 9

review of voltage -
What happens to the electrons if it means higher the voltage?

Answer 9

• The high er the voltage, the more push which is why more volts make lights look brighter, heaters hotter, and etc.
• Voltage is a lot like pressure
• Good conductors doesn’t need much voltage to move electrons since they are loosely held, needing less push to move but insulators need huge amounts of voltage, needing more push to move