Electrical Cells And Circuits Flashcards
What is a cell
It is a source of electrical energy and generates electricity by using chemical reactions
What does an electrical cell consist of
An electrical cell consists of two solid electrodes and electrolytes
What is an electrolyte
Solution that can conduct electricity
What does an electrolyte consist of
Thousands of positive and negative ions
What happens when two electrodes are connected in a circuit
A chemical reaction takes place in the cell which causes the flow of electrical charge (electrons) through an external circuit
What energy conversion takes place in a cell
There is chemical potential energy in the cell —> chemical energy —> electrical energy —> Kinect if energy
What is potential difference
The work done per unit positive charge
What is voltage measured in
Volts (V)
What type of cells are used in our toys, phones and torches etc
Dry cells
What type of battery does a car battery use
A wet cell
What is a battery
When two or more cells are connected in series
What are the two ways a cells can be connected in a battery
Series and in parallel
What happens to the voltage when cells are connected in series
The voltage is added and produces more energy to the charges that move through the circuit
What happens to the voltage when cells are connected in parallel
The voltage is the same as one cell
What are the two ways to make an electric cell yourself
Firstly By means of using a lemon, a coin and a nail. When you take a lemon put a coin on one side and a nail on the other. When you connect conduction wire (coin is the positive electrode and the coin is the positive electrode) and an LED light it will light up.
Secondly by means of a copper sulphate solution, copper plate and zinc sulphate solution and zinc plate. When you take a copper plate and put it into a beaker full of copper sulphate solution and take a zinc plate and put it into a beaker full of zinc sulphate solution then you use a paper towel and soak it in either solutions then put one side in one beaker and the other side in the other. When you connect conduction wire (positive terminal on copper plate, negative terminal on the zinc plate) and an LED light it will light up
What is the positive electrode called
The anode
What is the negative electrode
The cathode
When is a cell flat
When the chemical energy un the cell is depleted and all the chemicals in the cell are used up
What pair of metals makes a cell with the greatest voltage
Copper and magnesium
What happens if the same metal are used to create a cells electrodes
The voltage will result in 0
What is an insulator
Materials that do not allow electrical charges to flow through them
What is an electric current
The rate of flow of an electric charge
What is a conductor
A material which allows charges to flow through it. They are mostly metals
What Is electrical resistance
The resistance offer d by a conductor against the flow of current
What is a good conductor
A conductor with a low resistance and allows a strong current through.
What is a resistor
An electrical component that goes against the flow of current
What does a resistor consist of
Conductive material with a high resistance
Why do we use resistors in circuits
To control the current or for the provisions of useful energy transfer
What are ways resistance is used for electrical appliances
Nichrome is used for heating elements in electrical appliances because it has a very high resistance eg stoves
How does a lightbulb light up
The filament of a lightbulb is made of very thin tungsten wire which produces a bright light when the wire becomes very hot.
What are the factors that influence the resistance of a conductor
Type of material, length of the conductor, thickness of the conductor and temperature of the conductor
How does the type of material Influence the resistance of a conductor
Different conductors have different levels of resistance against electrical current. Eg copper wire conducts a greater current than an equal length of Nichrome wire with the thickness and temperature.
How does the length of a conductor influence the resistance of the conductor
The longer the wire this more resistance and the less the current, the shorter the wire the less the resistance and the more the current
How does the thickness of the conductor influence the resistance
The thinker the wire the less the resistance and the more the current. The thinner the resistance the more the resistance and the less the current
How does the temperature of the conductor influence the resistance of the conductor
Hotter conductors offer more resistance and less current than colder resistors which offer less resistance and more current