Electricity Flashcards
What are the two different types of electric charge?
Positive and Negative
Like charges will ___ each other.
Repel
Opposite charges will ___ each other.
Attract
What particles are atoms made up of?
Protons
Neutrons
Electrons
What does it mean if an atom is neutral?
Same number of protons and electrons.
Define the electric current.
The electric current is the flow of electrons through a material.
What is an electrical current considered to be?
An electrical current is considered to be the flow of electrons/negative charges.
What is the smallest unit of electric charge?
One electron
What is current defined as?
The rate of flow of electric charge.
(The charge that passes a point in 1 second.)
What is the symbol and unit of Charge?
Symbol - Q
SI Unit - C (Coulomb)
What is the symbol and unit of current?
Symbol - I
SI Unit - A
What is the symbol and unit of time?
Symbol - t
SI Unit - s
What is the formula for calculating charge?
Q = It
—
Q - Charge (Coulombs)
I - Current (A)
t - Time (s)
What does a battery supply?
Direct current
What is a direct current?
A current in which charges move in only one direction.
What does a signal generator supply?
An alternating current.
How do the charges move in an alternating current?
In an alternating current, charges will move one way and then change direction.
What does the “UK mains supply” supply?
An alternating current at 230V with a frequency of 50Hz.
In an alternating current, what does Hz measure?
In an alternating current, Hz measures how many times the current changes direction every second.
What does the SIGNAL GENERATOR trace on an oscilloscope screen of current/time vary in?
The trace from the signal generator varies in AMPLITUDE on an oscilloscope screen.
What does the BATTERY trace on an oscilloscope screen of current/time vary in?
The trace from the battery does not vary on an oscilloscope screen. It remains CONSTANT.
The oscilloscope trace for an alternating current _____
varies in amplitude.
The oscilloscope trace for a direct current ____
remains constant.
From a power supply to an electrical component, what do electric circuits do?
Electric circuits transfer energy from a power supply to an electrical component.