definitions Flashcards
Conducting wire
Allows electrons to flow
Switch
Controls the circuit
Load
Uses the electrical energy
Energy source
Provides electrical potential energy
cells in series
Cells in series:
-Connects cells on top of one another (+ to -)
-One path for electricity to flow.
-Electrical potential increases.
-A light bulb will burn twice as brightly.
VT=V1+V2+V3….
cells in parallel
Cells in parallel:
-Connected cells side by side.
-Positive terminals connected together and negative terminals connected together.
-Electric potential remains the same, but with twice as much electric charge, allowing it will operate for twice as long.
VT=V1=V2=V3….
electric current
a measure of the amount of electric charge that passes by a point in an electric circuit each second.
potential difference (voltage drop)
the electric potential energy that an electron possesses.
energy
Capability of an object to do work.
efficiency
a measure of how much work or energy is conserved in a process.
Renewable resources
have essentially an endless supply, such as solar energy, wind energy and geothermal pressure, while other resources are considered renewable even though some time or effort must go into their renewal, such as wood, oxygen, leather and fish.
Non renewable resources
a resource of economic value that cannot be readily replaced by natural means on a level equal to its consumption. Most fossil fuels, such as oil, natural gas and coal are considered nonrenewable resources in that their use is not sustainable because their formation takes billions of years.
Static electricity
when electrons gather on the surface of an object and move randomly in all directions. Unpredictable nature makes this form difficult to use sometimes.
Current electricity
refers to electric charges (electrons) that flow through a conductor wire in a controlled way on a predictable path (the circuit).
material
Silver has the least resistance but is very expensive to use in wires. Most conducting wires are made from copper.
