Electric circuits Flashcards
What is an electric circuit?
A continuous conducting path along which electric charges can flow
What is electricity?
The flow of charge (electrons or ions)
What does chemical potential energy get converted to?
Electric energy
What is potential difference?
The energy transferred per unit charge between two points
What is EMF?
The maximum energy provided by a battery per unit charge passing through it
What does the total EMF include?
The voltage used
inside battery and the voltage supplied
to circuit
What is current?
The amount of charge that moves past a point in a conductor per second
What is the difference between an ammeter and a voltmeter?
Ammeter:
- measures current
- connected in series
- low resistance
Voltmeter:
- measures voltage across two points
- connected in parallel
- high resistance
Why does a battery become flat?
All the stored energy is converted to other forms
What is resistance?
The opposition to the flow of electric charges
What are the factors that affect resistance?
Type of material
Temperature
Length
Thickness
What is a series circuit?
Charges have one path to follow
What is a parallel circuit?
Charges have two or more paths to follow
What is a combination circuit?
Some resistors get all of the current, while other resistors get only some of the current
What is the relationship between resistance & voltage in series?
Directly proportional to its resistance
