Physics Achievement Oppurtunity Flashcards
What doesn’t happen when one bulb goes out and why?
When one light bulb goes out, the other light bulbs don’t go out. So what doesn’t happen is that the other bulbs go out. Because it is a parallel circuit, the circuit continues even if one section is disconnected.
What are the three basic features of an electric circuit? (key concept)
What are the three basic features of an electric circuit? (key concept)
Devices that run on electrical energy.
Sources of electrical energy.
Conducting wires.
Give two examples of energy sources.
Batteries and power plants.
Why isn’t a power pack included as an example of an energy source?
A power pack is included as an example of an energy source because it doesn’t have a source of electrical energy.
Which way does the current flow?
The current flows from the positive end to the negative end.
Does electrical energy get used up? Explain
Electrical energy does not get used up because it gets transformed into other forms of energy, such as heat, light, mechanical and sound energy.
How are appliances often represented in circuit diagrams?
Appliances are often represented as resistors in a circuit.
What do conducting wires allow the charge to do?
Conducting wires allow the charge to flow from the energy source to the device that runs on electric current and back to the energy source.
What component is used to shut off devices?
The component that is used to shut off devices is the switch.
How many paths does a series circuit have?
A series circuit has 1 path for the current to take.
What happens if one light goes out?
If one light goes out then there is a break in the circuit and there is no other path for the circuit to take. So if one light goes out the other lights go out as well.
Were the bright lights on the first page connected in series? Explain
No, because there were multiple paths so if one burned out then the others would still work.
What happens to the brightness of the bulbs in a series circuit if you add more bulbs (without changing the voltage setting of the powerpack)?
The light bulbs in the circuit become dimmer.
Does a parallel circuit have only one path for the current to follow?
No, it has multiple paths for the current to take.
What happens if one light goes out?
If one light goes out, light can still move through the other branches and so if one goes out, the others remain lit.
