Force fields, Electric currents, magnetic fields, and GPE Flashcards
What is electrical kinetic energy?
Electrical kinetic energy is the energy due to moving charges.
When is electrical kinetic energy larger?
When the electric current is larger.
What is electric current?
Electric current is the flow of electric charge.
What is the unit and symbol of electric current?
- Unit of electric current: Amps (A)
2. Symbol for electric current I
Electric current is larger when:
- More charges are moving
2. Charges are moving faster
Electric circuit:
An electric circuit is a loop of wire where charges are raised to a high electrical potential energy by a battery or a generator, and allowed to flow through the circuit back to where they started to reach a more stable state.
Electric Circuits must have:
- A circular path (a loop of wire)
2. Something to increase the potential energy (battery or generator)
Relationship between electric currents and magnetic fields (3)
- ALL electric currents produce magnetic fields.
- Larger electric currents and more electric currents produce a stronger magnetic field.
- Changing the direction of the electric current changes the direction of the magnetic field.
Relationship between changing magnetic fields and electric currents:
Changing magnetic fields produce electric currents. A magnetic field can be changed by changing the strength of the field or the direction of the field.
Motors
In a motor, an electric current produces a magnetic field which puts a force on the magnet, making the motor turn.
Generators
In a generator, a loop of wire is turned in a magnetic field. When the loop turns, the magnetic field changes, producing an electric current in the loop.
What is a force field?
A force field is a model that shows how the direction and strength of a non-contact force changes in the region of space.
The direction of the force in force fields:
In a field, the direction of a force is shown by the direction of the field lines.
The magnitude of the force in force fields:
The magnitude of the force is shown by the distance between the field lines.
- The closer the field lines the stronger the force
- The further apart the field lines the weaker the force
Gravitational field
In a gravitational field, the field lines point in the direction that a mass feels a gravitational force. The closer the field lines are together the stronger the gravitational force on any mass.