vocabulary Flashcards
switch
opens and closes a circuit
electric charge
a fundamental property of matter; there are two types- positive(+) and negative (-)
open circuit
a circuit in which there is a break in the wire so that current cannot flow
closed circuit
a circuit in which the switch is turned to the “on” position causing there to be no breaks in the circuit
electrostatic force
the force that exists between electric charges
coulombs law
as 2 charged objects get closer, the force between them increases
coulomb
the unit for electrical charge
current
the quantity that refers to the rate of flow of electric charges
insulator
something that blocks the flow of electric current
conductor
a metal; a material that energy can easily flow through
voltage
the amount of potential energy that each unit of electrical charge has; 1 volt= 1 joule/ 1 coulomb
electrical conductivity
the ability of a material to conduct electricity
battery
a device that uses chemical energy to move electrical charges
resistance
the measure of an objects ability to conduct current
ohms law
describes the mathematical relationships present in most circuits
