Circuits Flashcards
Current
The rate at which electrons flow around the circuit
Voltage
The electrical push from the battery
What is current measured in?
Amps (A)
What is voltage measured in?
Volts (V)
What is current measured by? How is this device connected to the circuit?
Ammeter, connected in series in the circuit
What is voltage measured by? How is this device connected in the circuit?
Voltmeter, connected in parallel to the circuit.
Characteristics of series circuits
- Only one path for the current to travel through
- if one component breaks, the circuit won’t work
- voltage is shared equally amongst bulbs and adds to that of power source
- current stays the same all around the circuit
Characteristics of parallel circuits
- multiple branches for current to travel through
- voltage stays the same on each branch + adds to total of power source
- current is split on each branch + total current of both branches = that of power source
What is ohm’s law?
Voltage and current are directly proportional to one another.
What is the equation for ohm’s law?
V = I x R
What does I stand for?
Current
What does V stand for?
Voltage
What does R stand for?
Resistance
What is an Ohmic device?
A device that obeys ohms law, e.g resistor or wire
What is a non-ohmic device?
A device that doesn’t obey ohms law, e.g light bulb, thermistor.
