circuits Flashcards
what is a circuit
a pathway where electrons deliver their energy and a path of electrical flow
what three things does a circuit need
an energy source, an energy user, wires
what do switches do
purposefully break the circuit when needed
what is a component
different parts of the circuit
what is a circuit made of
components with a resistor to restrict the flow of electrons and change balance
what is a capacitator
storing and releasing energy
what is a series circuit
all components of the circuit are linked and form a ONE WAY path
what is a parallel circuit
different branches in a circuit with multiple pathways
what is a current and what is it measured in
the rate of flow of electrons around a circuit (number of electrons per second)measured in amps
what is voltage and what is it measured in
measure of the amount of energy entering the circuit and as the difference in energy between two points in a circuit.
measured in volts
what is resistance and what is it measured in
little atoms restricting the flow of electrons and amount of electrical friction present between moving charges and their surroundings.
.measured in ohms
whats the water pip analogy
amps is how much water is coming out the hose while volts is how much pressure is on the hose
what is ohms law
voltage = current x resistance
what is direct current
the current flows in a constant directions
what is alternating current
the current flows back and forth in a cyclical manner
