P4 - electrical circuits Flashcards
What do charged objects create around them
Electrical fields
What happens to a charged object when in an electrical field
It experiences a force
What electrical forces attract/repel
Like forces repel, opposite forces attract
What is current
The measure of the rate of electrons (number per second)
Why are metals good conductors
They have free valence electrons
Word equation for charge
Charge = current x time
Symbol equation for charge
Q = IT
What is charge measured in
Coulombs
What is voltage
The potential difference in charge between two objects
Word equation for voltage
Potential difference = current x resistance
Symbol equation for voltage
V = AR
What happens with current in a series / parallel circuit
In a series circuit, current is the same
In a parallel circuit, current is split across the branches depending on resistance
What happens with voltage in a series/parallel circuit
Voltage is split between components
In a parallel circuit, voltage is the same across the branches
