PHYS110U-CURRENT ELECTRCITY (60% final exam)

SHORT ANSWER DEFINTIONS POSSIBLE IN SECTION A WORTH (40 MARKS)

MEMORISE THE FOLLOWING

1) DEFINE AN ELECTRIC FIELD

A Region in which an electric charge experiences a force of electrical origin

REPRESENTATION OF ELECTRIC FIELDS

2) DISTINGUISH BETWEEN CONDUCTORS AND INSULATORS

In a conductor, the outer electrons of the atoms are loosely bound and free to move through the material and hence
an electric current can flow freely. Metals are good electrical conductors

In insulators, most atoms hold on to their electrons tightly having extremely high resistance to the flow of charge
through them, hence an electric current cannot flow freely. Most non-metallic solids are said to be good insulators.

3) DEFINE AN ELECTRIC CURRENT

Electric current is the flow movement of electric charge.

In a metal it the movement of free electrons ( NEGATIVE CHAGES), while in other conducting material it
may consist of the movement of both positive and negative charges. The SI unit of electric current is the
ampere, and electric current is measured using an ammeter.

4) DISTINGUISH BETWEEN CONVETIONAL CURRENT AND DIRECTION OF ELECTRON FLOW

Conventional current assumes that current flows out of the positive terminal, through the circuit and into
the negative terminal of the source. This was the convention chosen long ago.

Electron flow is what actually happens and electrons flow out of the negative terminal, through the circuit
and into the positive terminal of the source.
5) CALCULATING CHARGE

CHARGE (Q) = CURRENT (I) x TIME (t)

Coulomb Amp second

6) DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN DIRECT AND ALTERNATING CURRENT

Direct current, abbreviated "DC" is the type of electricity that is produced by batteries, static electricity, and
lightning. The current flows directly, electrons flowing in one direction, giving a constant voltage. It is represented as
a straight line on a voltage time graph.

Direct current Alternating current

Alternating current, or "AC". Alternating Current (AC) is a type of electrical current, in which the direction
of the flow of electrons switches back and forth at regular intervals or cycles. This is the electricity that you get
from your house's wall, voltage is not constant, but varying, rather as a sinusoidal (sine) wave.

7) DEFINE POTENTIAL DIFFERNCE

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL is the Work per unit of charge required to move a charged particle against the electric
field, measured in volts

Hence the difference in electrical potential is called a potential difference between two points and is known as the
voltage.

V = work done (W) / charge (Q)

1 volt = 1 joule / coulomb

8) DEFINE WHAT IS POWER

 The rate of using energy or doing work, Measured in watts (W)

P = V.I

POWER (W) = VOLTS(V) x CURRENT(A)

9) WHAT IS A PRIMARY CELL

A Zinc-carbon dry cell is described as a primary cell because as the cell is discharged, it is not
intended to be recharged and must be discarded.

STRUCTURE OF A ZINC- CARBON CELL AND ITS FUNCTIONS

Packaged in a zinc can that serves as both a container and anode. The source of energy is the
chemical reaction between the zinc and the ammonium chloride, but as a result hydrogen gas is
produced which collects on the carbon rod and polarizes it, while magnesium dioxide acts as a
depolarizer.

WHAT IS A SECONDARY CELL

Secondary cell - a cell that can be recharged, e.g. car battery where sulphuric acid is the
electrolyte.

HOW IS A SECONDARY CELL RECHARGED

The power pack must supply am emf greater than that of the battery to be charged. Positive pole of
the power pack joined to positive pole of battery, when the battery is fully charged the ammeter will
read zero.

A circuit breaker is an automatically-operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from
damage caused by overload or short circuit. Unlike a fuse, which operates once and then has to be replaced, a
circuit breaker can be reset (either manually or automatically) to resume normal operatio
10) CONCEPT OF RESISTANCE

Electrical resistance is the opposition to the flow of electric charge.

 Depends on the type of material, the diameter, the length and the temperature.
 Measured in ohms (W)

11) Ohm’s law

OHMS’ LAW STATES THE VOLTAGE IS DIRECTLY

PROPORTIONAL TO THE CURRENT FOR AN OHMIC CONDUCTOR AT CONSTANT PHYSICAL
CONDITION

V=I·R
Voltage (V) = current (A) x resistance (W)

12) DIFERENTIATE BETWEEN OHMIC AND NON OHMIC CONDOUCTORS

OHMIC CONDOCTOR NON OHMIC CONDUCTOR NON OHMIC CONDUCTOR

13) AMMETER AND VOLTMETERS

AMMETERS ALWAYS CONNESTED IN SERIES

VOLTMETER ALWAYS CONNECTED IN PARALLEL

TO MINIMIZE RESISTANCE IN THE CIRCUIT DUE TO THESE COMPONENTS ACCORDING TO THE

EQUATION: V = IR

14) RECTIFICATION WITH SEMI CONDUCTOR DIODES

A diode is a semiconductor device which allows current to flow through it in only one direction. A diode can be used
as a rectifier (rectification) that converts AC (Alternating Current) to DC (Direct Current)
15) SERIES AND PARRALLEL CURCUITS

 SERIES CIRCUITS -A single path for current to follow

 PARALLEL CIRCUIT - Alternate paths for current to follow

SERIES PARALLEL

IT = I1 = I2 =I3 CURRENT IS THE SAME VT = V1 = V2 = V3 VOLTAGE IS THE SAME

IN EACH RESISTOR IN EACH RESISTOR

VT = V1 + V2 VOLTAGE DIFFERENT IT = I1 + I2 +I3 CURRENT IS DIFFERENT

IN EACH RESISOR IN EACH RESISTOR
BUT ADD TO GIVE THE BUT ADD TO GIVE THE
TOTAL VOLTAGE IN CIRCUIT TOTAL CURRENT IN CIRCUIT

RT = R1 + R2 + R3 TOTAL RESISTANCE 1/RT = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 TOTAL RESISTANCE

CIRCUIT SYMBOLS
16) LOGIC GATES

When input must be OFF for output to be ON

Input Output
A Q
0 1
1 0

Input A Input B Output Q Both A and B must be ON for output to be ON

0 0 0
0 1 0
1 0 0
1 1 1

Input Either A or B can be ON for output to be ON

Input B Output Q
A
0 0 0
0 1 1
1 0 1
1 1 1

Input
Input B Output Q
A Both A and B must be ON for output to be OFF
0 0 1
0 1 1
1 0 1
1 1 0

Input Both A and B must be OFF for output to be ON

Input B Output Q
A
0 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 0
1 1 0