Module 1.4 - Household Electricity Flashcards
What is supply voltage?
circuits get there energy they need from the circuits supply voltage. The higher the voltage the bigger the push.
Supply voltage for power sockets is 240V but for usb/phone charger 5V
How are batteries arranged in a series circuit with relation to supply voltage?
in a series circuit when batteries are connected you add the volts to get the supply voltage
How are batteries arranged in a parallel circuit with relation to supply voltage?
in a parallel circuit supply voltage of two batteries is the same by they will last longer supplying more energy
What is a wet cell?
contain liquid electrolytes (e.g. sulfuric acid) and can be recharged
used in aviation, energy storage and phone towers
What is a dry cell?
internal chemistry based on dry paste
used for small portable toys/electric devices
What is a photovoltaic cell?
transforms light energy from sun into electrical energy
used in solar panels
What does the active wire do?
The active wire is brown in colour an gives the device electrical energy. located on top left of power socket
What does the neutral wire do?
The neutral wire is blue in colour and takes away electrical energy from the device.
What does the earth wire do?
the earth wire is yellow/green in colour and allows current to flow away from the device if the active wire has accidentally touched a metal part in the deivce
What is a fuse?
a wire that melts when current is bigger ten the maximum value
What is a circuit breaker?
a switch that turns off when current is bigger then the maximum value
resets easily and is used mainly on buildings
What is a Residual Current Device?
RCD monitors makes sure current in active and neutral wires are equal. If they are not a safety switch breaks the circuit within 0.03 seconds. If circuit is leaking that could start a fire current is less in the neutral wire.
