Electricity Vocabulary Flashcards
electric field
region of space where a small test charge experiences a force due to its charge
law of conservation of electric charge
total electric charge of an isolated system remains constant
electric potential difference
amount of work done per unit charge in taking a small positive test charge from one point to another
electronvolt
work done moving an electron through an electric potential difference of one volt
electric current
charge per unit time
electron drift speed
average speed of electrons through a conductor due to an electric field
direct current
current in which electrons flow in the same direction with the same drift speed
resistance
ratio of potential difference applied across a piece of material to the current through the material
resistivity
resistance times length per unit of cross-sectional area
fixed resistor
device with a constant resistance over a wide range of potential differences
cell
single unit converting chemical energy to electrical through electrolysis
electromotive force
total energy per unit charge supplied by the battery around a circuit
internal resistance
resistance supplied by materials within the device
ideal ammeter
one with zero internal resistance (placed in series)
ideal voltmeter
one with infinite internal resistance (placed in parallel)
