NNPC FSTP Technicians

Fundamentals of
Electricity
Course Code: FY7W 04
Lesson 1

Contents

Electron Theory

Performance Objectives 1
Upon completion of this Course, students will be able to:
List the three components that make up the structure
of an atom
Identify the charges of the particles in an atom
Draw a labelled diagram of a simple atom
List the laws of electrically charged particles
Explain the difference between a neutral atom and an
ion

Performance Objectives 2
Upon completion of this Course, students will be able to:
Describe the cause of static electricity
List the methods of static discharge
Define the term "free electron
List the 3 electrical properties of materials
Describe what determines the electrical property of a
material

Introduction
We use electricity in cars, torches and personal
stereos. Television, radio, lights and air conditioners
are examples of home appliances powered by
electricity
Electricity is used in industry to provide lighting, drive
motors and supply control equipment
Electricity is the most common form of energy used in
the world today

Introducing The Atom

All matter (material) in this world is made up of one or more elements that
can be either gases or liquids or solids.

The atom is the

smallest particle of
an element. Therefore, all matter is
made up of atoms.
Copper, silver, gold,
the food we eat, the
air we breathe, our
bodies are all made
up of atoms

The Structure of the Atom

All atoms are built in the same way and
are essentially made up of:
~ protons (P)
~ neutrons (N)
~ electrons (e)
An example is the Helium atom.

The Nucleus
Nucleus

P = proton
N = Neutron
E = electron
The nucleus is made up of protons & neutrons and the electrons move
around the nucleus in much the same way as the planets move around the
sun except that they do not follow regular orbits. Even though each atom in
a piece of material tends to hold together as a unit, there's actually a lot of
empty space between the electrons and the cluster of protons and neutrons
residing in the middle

Crude Model

This crude model is that of the element carbon, with six protons, six
neutrons, and six electrons. The tightly-bound clump of protons and
neutrons in the centre of the atom is called the nucleus, and the
number of protons in an atom's nucleus determines its elemental
identity; change the number of protons in an atom's nucleus, and you
change the type of atom that it is.

The Alchemists Dream

If you could remove three protons from the nucleus of an
atom of lead, you will have achieved the old alchemists'
dream of producing gold from a base metal.
The tight binding of protons in the nucleus is responsible for
the stable identity of chemical elements, and the failure of
alchemists to achieve their dream.
Neutrons are much less influential on the chemical character
and identity of an atom than protons, although they are just as
hard to add to or remove from the nucleus, being so tightly
bound.
If neutrons are added or gained, the atom will still retain the
same chemical identity, but its mass will change slightly and it
may acquire strange nuclear properties such as radioactivity

The Hydrogen Atom

Hydrogen is the simplest of all atoms. It consists of a

single electron in orbit around the nucleus which
contains a single proton. Hydrogen is the only atom
which does not contain a neutron and is the lightest
of all elements.

The Copper Atom

The copper atom contains 29 electrons in orbit

around a nucleus which contains 29 protons and 35
neutrons

Introducing Electrical Charge

In the atoms shown so far,
the number of electrons = the number of
protons
They are said to be balanced or neutral
BALANCED ATOMS HAVE NO
ELECTRICAL CHARGE

Electrical Charge
Electrical charge is an important property of
electrons and protons. It makes them act in
certain ways.
ELECTRONS HAVE A NEGATIVE CHARGE (-ve)
PROTONS HAVE A POSITIVE CHARGE (+ve)
Because electrons and protons have these
electrical charges, a force exists between them.
The direction of the force depends on the polarity
of the particles.

Polarity
Electrons have a negative charge so they
have a negative polarity.
Symbol = (-ve)
Protons have a positive charge so they
have a positive polarity.
Symbol = (+ve).

Laws of Electrical Charge

The basic laws of electrically charged
particles state:
Unlike charges attract (move towards
each other)
Like charges repel (move away from
each other).

Unlike Charges Attract

Like Charges Repel

Attract and Repel

An electron and a proton

will attract
An electron will repel
another electron
A proton will
another proton

repel

Introducing Ions
The atom in its natural state is neutral (zero electric charge).
This is because the atom has the same number of electrons
and protons. However, under certain conditions, electrons can
be made to move from atom to atom within a material.
When an atom loses an electron it becomes a positive ion.
This is because it now has more protons than electrons. When
an atom gains an electron it becomes a negative ion. This is
because it now has more electrons than protons.
AN ION IS AN ELECTRICALLY CHARGED ATOM
AN ION CAN BE EITHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE
A POSITIVE ION HAS MORE PROTONS
ELECTRONS.
A NEGATIVE ION HAS MORE ELECTRONS
PROTONS.

THAN
THAN

Static Electricity
When a material with many positive ions is near a
material with many negative ions, there is an electric
force between them. This electric force is static
electricity, and static electricity is caused by friction.

An Example of Static Electricity

Electrical Discharge
Static electricity flows when electrons move back to a positively
charged material. This is called an electric discharge.
Static electricity can discharge in three ways.

Electrical Discharge
You can see a discharge of static electricity in the form of
lightning. The electric discharge will last for only a fraction of a
second. Then all the extra electrons have gone back to the
positive charged material or object. The number of protons and
electrons will be the same and the material becomes neutral.

Review

All matter (material) is made of atoms.

All atoms have electrons, protons and a nucleus.
Electrons move around the nucleus in orbits.
Elements are made up of atoms which are all the same type.
Different elements have different atomic structures.
Atoms have the same number of electrons and protons.
The electron is much smaller and lighter than the proton.
An atom is electrically neutral (balanced).
Like charges repel, unlike charges attract.
A positive ion is an atom which has lost an electron.

A negative ion is an atom which has gained an electron.

Static electricity is caused by friction.
Static electricity can discharge in three ways.
Electricity is the flow of electrons from atom to atom.

Free Electrons
Electricity is the flow of electrons from
atom to atom. The electrons that flow
are called free electrons because they
are free to move from atom to atom in
a material.
To understand the importance of free
electrons we must learn more about
the structure of atoms.

The Simplified Structure of a

Copper Atom

The orbit of an electron is called a shell. The copper atom has four
shells (4 different orbits), of electrons. Free electrons only exist in
the outer shell (orbit) of an atom. Electrons stay in orbit (shell)
around the nucleus because they are attracted by the protons in
the nucleus (unlike charges attract). However, this force of
attraction is very weak in the outer shell (orbit). Therefore, the
electron can be forced or freed from the atom. The electron is now
a free electron, free to move to another atom in the material.

Copper
The one electron in the outer shell of a
copper atom can move easily. For this
reason copper is a good material for
electrical work. It is especially a good
conductor

Electrical Properties of Materials

The electrical property of a material is determined by the
number of electrons in the outer shell (orbit) of the atom.
The outer shell of an atom is called the valence shell.
Therefore, the electrons in the valence shell (outer orbit)
are called valence electrons
VALENCE ELECTRONS DETERMINE THE
ELECTRICAL PROPERTY OF A MATERIAL
Any material is one of the following:
Conductor
Insulator
Semiconductor

Conductors
Conductors are materials with many free electrons which allow
electricity to flow easily. Most metals are good conductors, they allow
electricity to flow easily. The diagram shows the simplified atomic
structure of two materials which are good electrical conductors.

Materials (atoms) with three or less electrons in the outer shell

make good electrical conductors.

Insulators
Materials (atoms) with five or more electrons in the outer
shell make bad electrical conductors. These are called
insulators. An insulator is a material with few or no free
electrons. Therefore, an insulator does not allow the
flow of electricity. Two examples are shown here.

Semiconductors
Materials (atoms) with four electrons in the outer shell are not
good conductors or good insulators.
They are called
semiconductors. A semiconductor is a material with some
free electrons. It allows a small amount of electricity to flow.
The diagram shows the simplified atomic structure of two
semiconductor materials.

Another Semiconductor Material

is Carbon

Review

Electricity is the movement of free electrons.

Free electrons only exist in the outer orbit of an atom.
The orbit of an atom is called a shell.
The electrons in the outer shell are called valence
electrons.
The electrical property of a material is determined by the
number of valence electrons.
Material with less than four valence electrons are good
electrical conductors.
Material with more than four valence electrons are good
electrical insulators.
Materials with four valence electrons are semiconductors.
Most metals are good electrical conductors.