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Physics > Electricity > Flashcards

Electricity Flashcards

To thoroughly learn all about circuits, voltage and everything to do with electrical power for the physics test..

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Physics 101 flashcards AP® Physics flashcards
1
Q

What are some examples of electrical hazards?

A

Open wires, water on wires, sticking hands or metal into power sockets, tripping over wires and two many plugs put into one power socket.

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2
Q

What is an electrical circuit?

A

An electrical circuit is a complete loop or series of loops with no breaks and a power source, like a battery, to make the electrical current flow.

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3
Q

What is a cell?

A

A singular power source for a circuit.

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4
Q

What is a cell’s scientific symbol?

A

Two parallel vertical lines, the left one longer, with two horizontal lines coming out of the centre of either side of the vertical ones, as well as a positive sign on the left and a negative on the right.

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5
Q

What is a battery?

A

When more than one cell (power source) is joined together.

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6
Q

What is a battery’s scientific symbol?

A

Two vertical, parallel lines, the left on shorter, with a horizontal, dotted line connecting them in between in the middle, and two more vertical, parallel lines, left one longer, outside the last two, with horizontal lines protruding outwards on either side in the centre.

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7
Q

What are electrical conductors?

A

Materials through which electricity can flow.

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8
Q

What are electrical insulators?

A

Materials which do not conduct electricity (not allowing the flow of electrons).

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9
Q

What is a wire’s scientific symbol?

A

A straight line.

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10
Q

What is a bulb’s scientific symbol?

A

A circle with an X inside of it in the middle of a horizontal line.

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11
Q

What is a switch’s electrical symbol?

A

Two horizontal lines both with two circles on the ends facing inward with a diagonal line protruding upwards from the left circle.

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12
Q

What is an ammeter?

A

A device implemented within electrical circuits to display measurements of he amount of current flowing around the circuit.

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13
Q

What do Amps measure?

A

The amount of current flowing around a circuit.

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14
Q

How do currents work in circuits?

A

They remain the same amount everywhere in the circuit and do not get used up by devices like light bulbs.

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15
Q

What is a current?

A

The flow of electrons around a circuit.

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16
Q

What is a series circuit?

A

One in which all circuit elements are arranged in a single loop or path.

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17
Q

What would happen to the voltage in a series circuit?

A

The voltage readings for all the circuit elements would vary but always add up to the voltage of the power supply because the potential difference is shared equally among them.

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18
Q

What is a parallel circuit?

A

Where the circuit elements are arranged in different branches instead of a one loop.

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19
Q

What would happen to the voltage in a parallel circuit?

A

The voltage readings for all the circuit elements would be the same because each branch shows the same potential difference.

20
Q

How bright would a bulb be in a series circuit?

A

Bulbs become dimmer due to the potential difference being shared equally.

21
Q

How bright would a bulb be in a parallel circuit?

A

Each branch has an equal potential difference so every bulb will have the same brightness.

22
Q

What would happen if there was a break or gap in a series circuit?

A

The electricity flow would be stopped and all circuit elements would be non-functional.

23
Q

What would happen if there was a break or gap in a parallel circuit?

A

The electricity flow would continue and all the rest of the circuit elements would remain functional.

24
Q

How do electrons work?

A

They gain energy from the power source causing them to move, pushing other electrons forward in the process due to them having to remain an equal distance.

25
Q

How do bulbs work in a circuit?

A

The electrons slow down and give the bulb energy to convert into light.

26
Q

What is potential difference (voltage)?

A

The difference in electrical energy between two parts of a circuit.

27
Q

Where would you put a voltmeter on a circuit?

A

On a separate branch connecting to the device you are measuring.

28
Q

How would you work out the voltage across two parts of the circuit?

A

You’d subtract the two values of voltages from each other.

29
Q

What is Ohm’s Law?

A

V = IR (Potential difference = current X resistance)

30
Q

What is resistance?

A

Measured in Ohms, it is the opposition to current flow in an electrical circuit.

31
Q

Why should we use a range of different energy sources?

A

It’s more eco-friendly to use certain types of energy sources, and no source is completely reliable, so if one source fails to produce energy, we’ll have other means that will provide us anyway.

32
Q

What is the power rating of an appliance?

A

The energy per second (measured in watts).

33
Q

What do watts measure?

A

It’s equal to one amp under the pressure of one volt.

34
Q

How is the power rating measured?

A

P = IV (Power Rating (Watts) = Current (Amps) X Potential Difference (Voltage))

35
Q

How many joules are in a watt?

A

1 joule per second (J/s)

36
Q

What do Joules measure?

A

Work or energy.

37
Q

How do you work out the efficiency of an appliance?

A

Divide the useful output energy (joules) by the input energy then times by 100 to get a percentage.

38
Q

How does pressure react to a raise in temperature?

A

The gas particles gain kinetic energy when the temperature increases meaning that there is more collisions so a greater pressure.

39
Q

How does pressure react to a decrease in temperature?

A

The gas particles don’t gain much kinetic energy when the temperature decreases meaning that there are less collisions so a lower pressure.

40
Q

What does the pressure remaining constant mean?

A

That the object will continue to inflate because the particles are still charged with the same amount of kinetic energy and aren’t using up energy so they will keep on colliding with the sides of the container.

41
Q

What is an analogue signal?

A

It has a continuous range of different values.

42
Q

What is a digital signal?

A

It only has two possible values, 1 or 0.

43
Q

What is an electromagnet?

A

A coil of wire surrounding a metal core with an electrical current flowing through it.

44
Q

How could you build a simple electromagnet?

A

A battery with a switch as well as a coil of wire surrounding a nail attached to the end of it.

45
Q

What is another formula for the power rating?

A

P = E/t (Power (Watts) = Energy (Joules) / Time (secs))

Physics (3 decks)

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