13.1 What Does An Electrical System Compromise? Flashcards
What are the main components of an electrical system?
Cell (battery)
Electric charge
Wires
Electrical device (I.e. bulb)
Cell
Cell is needed as an energy source to drive electricity in the circuit
Electric charge
Carried by negatively charged electrons that move within the connecting wires
Wires
Allows electric charge to flow through the components
Electrical device
Chemical potential energy in the cell is converted to electrical energy in the circuit and then to heat and light energy emitted by the bulb
What is electric current and its unit of measurement
Rate at which electric charge flows
I
What does an ammeter measure and what is the SI unit of measurement
The current flowing through an electric circuit
SI unit: ampere (A)
How is an ammeter connected within a circuit
Ammeter is connected in series within a circuit (to measure current flowing through a circuit)
Negative terminal of ammeter connected to negative side of cell
Positive terminal of ammeter connected to positive side of cell
What is ‘V’
amount of energy needed to move a unit charge from one point in an electrical circuit to another point
it is known as the potential difference (between the two points)
OR voltage
What does a voltmeter measure and the SI unit
Measures the potential difference between two points in an electrical circuit
SI unit: volt (V)
How is a voltmeter connected
Voltmeter connected in parallel to electrical component (to measure the potential difference across an electrical component)
Negative terminal of voltmeter connected to negative end of cell
Positive terminal of voltmeter connected to positive end of cell
What is electrical resistance and it’s short form and SI unit
electrical resistance, R
measure of how much the component opposes the flow of electric current
SI unit: ohm Ω
What are resistors
Electrical components that reduce the flow of current in a circuit
What are the 2 types of resistors and describe them
Fixed resistor: fixed non-adjustable electrical resistance
Variable resistor: range of electrical resistance that can be adjusted
What resistors do
More difficult for electric charge to flow in circuit
Current flowing through the (bulb) decreases and it becomes less bright
