Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

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


See full index

Eleanor Rowe Physics > Electricity Content > Flashcards

Electricity Content Flashcards

1
Q

What is potential difference?

A

The driving force that pushes the charge round the circuit

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

What is resistance

A

Anything that slows the flow down

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

What is electric current

A

A flow of electric charge

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

Finish the sentence: the greater the resistance….

A

The smaller the current that flows

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

What does the total charge through a circuit depend on?

A

The current and the time

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

True/false: more charge passes around they circuit when a smaller current flows

A

False, more charge passes around the circuit when a larger current flows

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

What things can have an effect on the resistance in a circuit?

A

Whether the components are in series or parallel, or the length of wire used in a circuit

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

What is an ammeter and what must you do with it when measuring?

A

Ammeter is something that measures current

It must be placed in series with whatever you’re investigating

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

What does a voltmeter measure and what must you do with it when measuring this

A

It measures the potential difference

Must be placed in parallel around whatever you’re investigating

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

True or false: resistance is directly proportional to length, the longer the wire, the greater the resistance

A

True

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

What is an ohmic conductor?

A

A wire or a resistor

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

Does the resistance of an ohmic conductor change with the current?

A

No

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

What does the term IV characteristic mean?

A

It refers to a graph which shows how the current flowing through a component changes as the potential difference across is it increased.
Different components have different Iv characteristics

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

What does the IV graph for an ohmic conductor (eg resistor at a constant temperature) look like and why?

A

Straight line

The current is directly proportional to the pd

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

What does the IV graph look like for a filament lamp?

A

A curved/wavy line

Because as the current increases, the temperature increases.

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

What does the IV graph for a diode look like and why?

A

Steep line in only top right half of graph

Current will only flow though diode in one direction, it has a very high resistance

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

Facts about a LDR ( Light dependent resistor)

A

In a bright light, the resistance falls
In darkness, the resistance is the highest
They have lots of applications including automatic night lights

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

Facts about a thermistor

A

A thermistor is a temperature dependant resistor
In hot conditions the resistance drops
In cool conditions the resistance goes up
They make useful temperature detectors

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

What is a series circuit

A

A circuit where all the components are connected in a line, end to end.

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

If you remove or disconnect a component in a series circuit, what will happen?

A

The circuit is broken and will stop.

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

What is the rule for potential difference in a series circuit?

A

The total pd of the supply from the battery/cell is shared between the various components, so the pd round s series circuit always adds up to equal the battery/cell pd

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

What is the rule for current in a series circuit

A

The same current flows through all components

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

What is the rule for resistance in a series circuit?

A

The total resistance of two components is the sum of their resistances
This is because by adding a resistor in series, the two resistors have to share the total pd

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

Do cell pd’s add up in series circuit?

A

Yes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
How are components connected to the battery/cell in a parallel circuit?
They are separately connected to the cell except ammeters which are connected in series
26
What happens if you remove or disconnect a component in parallel?
It won’t effect any other components
27
What is the rule for potential difference in a parallel circuit
All components have the same pd
28
What is the rule for current in parallel circuits
The total current flowing around the circuit is equal to the total of all the currents through separate components The current is shared between branches
29
What is the rule for resistance in a parallel circuit
By adding a resistor the total resistance is dropped | This is because it increases the circuit as another branch is being added on
30
What happens when you add more resistors in a series circuit?
It increases the total resistance of the circuit
31
What happens when you add more resistors in a parallel circuit
The smaller the overall resistance becomes
32
What are the two types of electricity supply?
Alternating current and direct current
33
What is an alternating current?
A current that is constantly changing direction, the positive and negative ends keep alternating
34
What supply of electricity is the U.K. mains supply?
AC | Alternating current
35
What is the frequency of the ac mains supply?
50 Hz( hertz)
36
What things supply direct current?
Cells and batteries
37
What is direct current?
A current that is always flowing in the same direction | Created by a direct voltage
38
What are the three types of wire in a cable?
Live wire Neutral wire Earth wire
39
What colour is a live wire
Brown
40
What colour is an earth wire
Green and yellow
41
What colour is a neutral wire
Blue
42
What does a live wire do?
Provides an alternating potential difference from the mains supply
43
What does the neutral wire do
Completes the circuit and carries away current, electricity flows out of it
44
What does the earth wire do
Protects the wiring Stops the appliance from becoming live Doesn’t carry a current
45
What are the potential differences of live, neutral and earth wires?
Live wire 230V | Neutral and earth 0V
46
What would happen to your body if you touched a live wire?
You get an electric shock | Your body provides a link between the supply and the earth, so a current would flow through you
47
What energy transfers occur in a kettle?
Transfers energy electrically from the mains ac supply to the thermal energy store of the heating element inside the kettle
48
What energy transfers occur in a handheld fan
Energy is transferred electrically from the batter of the fan to the kinetic energy store of the fans motor
49
What does the energy transferred depend on?
How long the appliance is on for and it’s power
50
What is a power rating of an appliance?
The maximum safe power they can operate at
51
What is the national grid
A giant system of cables and transformers that covers the U.K. and connects power stations to consumers
52
How does the national grid transmit the huge amount of power needed?
It uses a high pd and a low current
53
When transferring energy through wires, why is the energy changed to a high pd and low current?
To make it more efficient so it doesn’t lose energy through a high current to heat
54
What does a step up transformer do in the national grid?
Decreases the current and increases the pd
55
What does a step down transformer do in the national grid
Increases the current and decreases the pd
56
What is static electricity?
Charges caused by friction that are not free to move | They build up and end with a spark or a shock when they do finally move
57
What happens when certain insulating materials are rubbed together and what does this cause the material to become
Negative electrons will be scraped off and dumped on the other The materials are electrically charged, one positive and one negative
58
True/false only electrons produce positive or negative charges in materials
True
59
How is a spark caused?
When an electric charge builds up in an objectC the pd between that and the earth increases If the gap gets big enough, electrons can jump across the gap and a spark is produced
60
Facts about electric fields
Created around an electrically charged object The closer to the object you get the stronger the field is Can be shown by drawing field lines
61
Facts about electric field lines
Drawn at a right angle to the surface | Closer together the lines are the stronger the field is

Eleanor Rowe Physics (11 decks)

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