Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Physics IGCSE > Electricity > Flashcards

Electricity Flashcards

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

what does it mean is the charge is fast

A

there is a large electrical current

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

what carries the charge in metals and what is produced

A

the electrons which produce an electric current

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what is current like in a series circuit

A

the same at all point

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what is voltage like in a series circuit

A

it is shared between the components

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

advantages and disadvantages of series circuits

A

advantages - requires fewer wires

disadvantages - if a fault occurs the whole circuit stops working

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what is current like in a parallel circuit

A

the loop adds up to the total current from the supply

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what is voltage like in parallel circuits

A

the same across each loop

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

advantages and disadvantages of parallel circuits

A

advantages - each loop can be controlled seperatley and if one stops working the rest still work

disadvantages - they are more complicated to construct

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

how do you calculate the total resistance when the resistors are connected

A

adding the value of the individual resistors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what is current

A

the rate of flow of charge at a point in the circuit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

how is current measured and where is it connected

A

with an ammeter in series

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what is voltage

A

the amount of energy transferred between two points in a circuit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what is resistance

A

the opposition to the flow of current

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what happens to the resistance of the LDR as the light gets brighter

A

the resistance decreases

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what happens to the resistance of the thermistor as the temperature increases

A

the resistance decreases

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

does a thermistor’s and LDR’sresistance follow a linear pattern?

A

no becuase as the temperature increases the rate of decrease of resistance falls

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what sizes do fuses come in

A

3A, 5A and 13A

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

what should you do when picking a fuse and why

A

the smallest one which won’t melt
This makes sure that more current doesn’t keep flowing through the circuit and causing more damage to the equipment, or, causing a fire

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

what is circuit breaker

A

an electromagnetic switch which is a safety device

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

what does a circuit breaker do

A

breaks the circuit if the current rises over a certain value

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

what do many appliences have as a insultor

A

plastic casings

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

what does double insulation mean and why does it help with safety

A

all parts of the appliance are insulated in plastic
if a human were to touch the live wire then they could become electrocuted

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

how can electrical energy be supplied

A

by plugging into a main (power supply, battery or cell)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

what does d.c current stand for

A

direct current

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

what does a.c current stand for

A

alternating current

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

what is d.c current

A

a d.c supply produces a charge through a circuit in one direction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

what is a.c current

A

an a.c supply produces a flow of charge that regularley reverses its direction

28
Q

what is static electricity

A

involves the transfer of electric charges between objects. In electrostatic phenomena, objects become charged through electron transfer by friction, contact, or induction

29
Q

what charges are ALWAYS fixed in static electricity

A

the positive charges

30
Q

what is an example of static electricity

A

balloon sticking to the wall

31
Q

what are uses of electrostatic chrages

A

paint sprayer
inkjet printers
photocopiers
electrostatic filters

32
Q

what are examples of dangers of electrostatic charge

A

lightning
fueling aircraft

33
Q

what can LED’s be used for

A

to indicate the presence of current in a circuit

34
Q

how does current flow

A

from the positive terminal to the negative terminal of a cell

35
Q

why are metals used as wires

A

because metal is a good conductor of electrical current

36
Q

why is current conserved at a junction

A

becuase charge is always conserved

37
Q

what is a fuse

A

a thin peice of whire which overheats and melts if the current is too high which pretects the circuit

38
Q

what do earth wires do

A

provide a safe route for current to flow through in case of a short circuit

39
Q

why is double insulation good

A

it compleately covers the appliances electrical components so the earth wire cannot touch the metal casing

40
Q

what does it mean to charge a body

A

adding, removing of electrons creating ions

41
Q

what do metals do

A

conduct and allow electrons to flow through them

42
Q

what do insulators do

A

slow down the flow of electrons

43
Q

explain an experiment for static electricity between 2 insulators

A

when 2 insulators are rubbed together the friction causes electrons to move from one to the other and they become charged
for example a rod with a cloth

44
Q

what are the 3 wires in a plug

A

live, neutral and earth

45
Q

how does a current in a resistor result in the electrical transfer of energy and an increase in temperature

A

Resistance causes transfer of electrical energy to heat energy

46
Q

domestic examples of when a resistor gets hot when a electric current passes through

A

toasters - contain coils of wire with really high resistance
when the current passes through the coil the temperature increases and give off infered radiation

Electric kettles- the heating element is placed at the bottom of the kettle
The heat is then absorbed by water and distributed throughout the whole liquid by convection

47
Q

what are examples of mains which produce d.c current

A

cells and batteries

48
Q

what are examples of mains which produce a.c current

A

Produced by electrical generators i.e. mains electricity

49
Q

what terminals do ac and dc current have

A

a.c has 2 identical terminals
d.c has positive and negative terminals

50
Q

why is parallel more appropiate for domestic lighting

A

each light switch in you house is part of a branch of a parallel circuit. it just turns one light (or one set of lights) on and off

51
Q

what does the current in series depend on

A

the applied voltage
the number and nature of other components (eg bulbs)

52
Q

current - voltage graphs: what line does a metal fillament lamp have

A

curve

53
Q

current - voltage graphs: what line does a wire have

A

straight through zero

54
Q

current - voltage graphs: what line do different resistors have

A

striaght lines through zero

55
Q

current - voltage graphs: what line does a diode have

A

striaght to curve

56
Q

why do metal filament lamps have a curve graph

A

as the temperature of the metal filament increases the resistance increases

57
Q

why does a wire have a straight line through 0

A

the current through a wire is proportional to voltage (at constant temperature)

58
Q

why do different resistors have a straight line through zero

A

the current through a resistor is proportional to voltage

59
Q

why do diodes have a straight - curve line

A

current will only flow in one direction

60
Q

apparatus for investigating current voltage graphs

A

an ammeter - to measure the current through the component
a voltmeter - to measure the voltage across the component
a variable resistor - to vary the current through the circuit
a power source - to provide a source of potential difference (voltage)
wires - to connect the components together in a circuit

61
Q

what is the qualitative effect of changing resistance on the current in a circuit

A

as you increase the resistance in a circuit, the current will decrease.

62
Q

describe the qualitative variation of resistance of thermistors with temperature

A

At low temperatures, the resistance of a thermistor is high, and little current can flow through them.

At high temperatures, the resistance of a thermistor is low, and more current can flow through them.

63
Q

what is current

in a sloid mettalic conductor

A

the flow of negitivley charged electrons

64
Q

examples of conductors

A

metals - copper and silver

65
Q

how are positive and negative electrostatic charges produced on materials by the loss and gain of electrons

A

The material that gains electrons becomes negatively charged. The material that loses electrons is left with a positive charge

66
Q

what are the forces of attraction and repulsion

A

attraction between unlike charges
repulsion between like charges

Physics IGCSE (8 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions