Electricity Vocab Flashcards
Static Electricity
Static electricity is the buildup of electrons in one place.
Charge Seperation
Charged objects can interact with neutral objects through charge separation.
- As a statically charged object comes near a neutral object, the electrons in each object repel each other to create a
positive spot of attraction. - Charge separation explains
why a statically charged balloon can stick to a neutral wall. - This also explains why a statically charged person can shock a neutral person or object.
Insulator
Electrons cannot move through these
materials.
Resistor
Electrons move through with a lot of friction.
Current
Measures the rate or speed that
electrons flow in a circuit.
- current is measured in Amperes (A)
- the symbol for current is “I”
Voltage
How much energy that the electrons
have
- voltage is measured in Volts (V)
- the symbol for voltage is “V”
- voltage is also known as
Potential Difference
Resistance
Measures how easy or hard it is
for electrons to flow
- resistance is measured in Ohms(Ω)
- the symbol for resistance is “R”
Current Electricity
The flow of electrons from one place to another.
- It is predictable and more easily controlled than static electricity
Resistor
Resistors are used in a circuit to reduce current.
- Resistors help control the flow of electrons through the circuit.
Circuit Breaker
Electrochemical Cell
A device that produces electricity using chemical reactions.
Electrode
A Positive Electrode (conductor): the positively charged metal in an electrochemical cell.
A Negative Electrode (conductor): the negatively charged metal in an electrochemical cell
Electrolyte
A substance that conducts an electric
current. The electrolyte reacts with the electrodes.
Ohm’s Law
Shows the relationship between current, voltage and resistance.
Series Circuit
Use less material and are simple to build but the whole circuit will stop working if there is any break in the
circuit.
- each new load increases the overall resistance which
reduces the current
Parallel Circuit
Uses more material and are more difficult to build but the whole circuit will not stop due to a break in the circuit
- each new load decreases resistance which increases current
Load
A load that transforms energy
into another form of energy.
Thermocouple
A device that can transform heat
into electricity.
Electric Motor
A device used to convert electricity into mechanical energy.
Electric Generator
An electric generator uses all of the same parts as an electric motor
- Instead of using electricity to create movement, it will use movement to create electricity
Alternating Current
- The rapid back-and-forth movement of
electrons - electricity in our homes is AC
Direct Current
When electrons flow in one direction only
* battery-powered devices use DC
Conductor
Electrons move through these materials
with a bit of friction
