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GCSE Edexcel Physics > Topic 5- Electricity And Circuits > Flashcards

Topic 5- Electricity And Circuits Flashcards

1
Q

Current

A

The rate of flow of charge.

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2
Q

What will a component need for a current to flow through it?

A

Needs a potential difference and complete circuit

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3
Q

Potential difference

A

Energy transferred per coulomb of charge that passes between 2 points in an electrical circuit.

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4
Q

Current units

A

Amperes (A)

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5
Q

Potential difference units

A

Volts (V)

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6
Q

Resistance

A

Anything that slows the current(flow) down

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7
Q

Unit of resistance

A

Ohm

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8
Q

2 things current depends on

A

Potential difference

Resistance

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9
Q

Charge formula

A

Current*time

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10
Q

Volt

A

One joule per coulomb

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11
Q

What causes current in metals?

A

Flow of electrons

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12
Q

Q=

A

IT

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13
Q

E=

A

QV

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14
Q

Energy transferred

A

Charge moved * potential difference

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15
Q

1 volt

A

1 joule per coulomb

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16
Q

V=

A

IR

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17
Q

Potential difference

A

Current * resistance

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18
Q

What can you use to change the current?

A

A variable resistor

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19
Q

What does charge have to work against?

What does this cause? What’s the side effect of this? Why?

A

Charge has to work against resistance, causing electrical transfer. This can be a useful transfer pr can be dissipated to thermal energy stores/surroundings. This is because the electrons collide w ions in the lattice , giving them energy to vibrate and heat up.

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20
Q

What happens as the resistor heats up in a given pd?

A

The current decreases

*with exception of thermistor which increases current as it heats up

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21
Q

What is an ammeter? Where does it go in a circuit?

A

A component used to measure current (amps), is placed in SERIES w the component.

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22
Q

What’s a voltmeter? Where do you place it in a circuit?

A

A component used to measure potential difference, is placed in PARALLEL to a component.

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23
Q

What’s an IV graph?

A

A graph used to show current against potential difference.

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24
Q

What does the IV graph of a resistor show?

A

That current is directly proportional to potential difference (linear graph).

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25
Q

How do you work out the resistance from an IV graph?

A

Resistance= 1/gradient

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26
Q

What does the IV graph of a filament lamp look like?

A

Curved as increasing current = increasing temp of filament

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27
Q

What does the IV graph of a diode look like?

A

Shows a non-linear graph only increasing on one side of graph as diode has high resistance in opposite direction.

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28
Q

What’s the relationship between lights nd resistance in an LDR (Light dependent Resistor)

A

As light dims, resistance increases
Dim = highest resistance
Bright= lowest resistance

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29
Q

How are LDR’s used?

A

As automatic night lights/ burglar detectors/ outdoor lighting

30
Q

What’s the relationship between temp and resistance in a thermistor?

A

As temp increases, resistance lowers

31
Q

What’s a series circuit?

A

A circuit with different components connected in a line from positive to negative power supply ends.

32
Q

What are the negatives of a series circuit?

A

Can be broken easily if the circuit becomes disconnected

33
Q

How does current stay in a series circuit?

A

Current is THE SAME everywhere

34
Q

What happens as you add resistors to a series circuit?

A

The resistance increases and so the total current of the series circuit reduces

35
Q

What’s a parallel circuit?

A

A circuit in which each component is separately connected to the positive and negative ends of supply.

36
Q

What’s the advantage of a parallel circuit?

A

Removing a component wont affect the other components

37
Q

How is the p d spread across all components ?

A

It’s the same across all components

38
Q

How is current spread between components?

A

It’s shared between branches

39
Q

Total current going into a junction =

A

Total current leaving

40
Q

What happens when you add a resistor to a parallel circuit

A

Adding a resistor into a parallel circuit reduces the total resistance due to more loops meaning the currents can travel in more than One Direction.

41
Q

Energy transferred =

A

Current *potential difference *time

42
Q

E=

A

IVT

43
Q

What happens if the temperature of the circuit is too high?

A

The circuit will melt and resistance will increase

44
Q

How is the heating of electric current used to our advantage and toasters?

A

Toasters have a wire coil coil with a very high resistance so when electricity is passed through, give the IR radiation to transfer heat energy to bread to cook it. Can also be used in filament lightbulbs and electric heaters

45
Q

Power

A

Energy transferred per second

46
Q

Unit of power

A

Watts

47
Q

Power equation

A

Energy transferred/ time

Current * Potential difference

48
Q

P=

A

IV

Or

IsquaredR

49
Q

What are the two types of current

A

Alternating/direct

50
Q

What is alternating-current

A

Current in which the movement of the charges are constantly changing direction (alternating voltages w + & - ends of pd alternate)

51
Q

What is direct current

A

Current in which the movement of charge is only in One Direction, is created by direct voltage

52
Q

What is the UK mains supply current

A

It is an alternating-current at roughly 230 V with a frequency of 50 Hz

53
Q

What currency do cells and batteries supply

A

Direct current

54
Q

Livewire

A

The wire that carries voltage/potential difference. It alternates between positive and negative at about 230 V

55
Q

Neutral wire

A

The wider complete the circuit, flows into live and flows out through neutral. Holds 0v

56
Q

Earth wire

A

The way of protecting the wiring by carrying current away if something goes wrong and stops the casing from becoming live. Hold 0 V

57
Q

Why do you get electric shock?

A

Because your body, like the earth, is at 0v si live wire can pass large p.d through body to get to earth.

58
Q

Surge

A

A sudden increase in current

59
Q

What are surges caused by

A

Changes in a circuit/fault in an appliance

60
Q

What can surges cause

A

The melting of an appliance
Fire
fatal electric shock

61
Q

What prevent the affects of surges

A

Earth wires or fuses

62
Q

How do Earth wires work

A

If livewire touches the Earthed metal case, The current flows through the case and out through the Earth wire.

63
Q

How do fuses work

A

A search in current will melt if you amount of current is above fuse rating, this is connected to the live wire so breaks fuse, isolating appliance, Preventing electric shock or fire.

64
Q

What type of wires do you need if you are carrying a large current

A

Thicker wires

65
Q

What are circuit breakers

A

Something that can be used instead of household fuses which will be tripped when a large current flows through it, isolating the appliance before the fuse would melt. Can be reset (don’t need to be replaced)

66
Q

Double inselation

A

When an appliance has plastic casing and no metal showing

67
Q

Two core cables

A

Cable only carrying earth and live wire as appliance may be double insulated.

68
Q

Live wire in electrical contact with the neutral wire

A

Closed loop is formed where current from live is carried away by neutral so no current will flow away from appliance.

69
Q

Purposes of insulation covering live wire

A

To stop electrical current flowing out of live wire and causing an electric shock.
To allow identification of the wire.

70
Q

Danger of receiving electric shock even if socket is switched off

A

Although there’s no current flowing, a potential difference still exists within the wire. So current can still flow through.

71
Q

Purposes of fuses in fuse boxes

A

To protect wiring of a house and prevent electrical fires.

GCSE Edexcel Physics (10 decks)

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