P2 - Mains Electricity Flashcards
What is AC and where is it used?
Alternating current - used in the mains supply.
How much volts is the UK mains supply?
230 volts.
What is the frequency of the AC mains supply(
50 cycles per seconds (Hz).
What is DC and where is it used?
Direct current - used in cells and batteries.
What does a cathode ray oscilloscope (CRO) do?
It traces how the voltage changes with time.
What happens when you plug an AC supply into a CRO?
The trace goes up and down in a regular pattern.
What happens when you plug a DC supply into a CRO?
You get a straight line trace.
How can you find the input voltage on an AC trace?
Measuring the vertical height.
How can you find the input voltage on a DC trace?
Distance from the trace to the centre line.
What does the gain dial do on a CRO?
Controls how many volts each division represents.
What does the timebase dial do?
Controls how many milliseconds each division represents.
What is a time period on an AC trace?
Time to complete 1 cycle. What do
What is the formula for frequency?
Frequency (Hz) = 1 / time period (s).
What is the definition of electric current?
The movement of charge carriers.
