8. Electricity Flashcards
(15 cards)
Neutral wire
Carries current away from the appliance, 0 volts
Earth wire
Only carries current if there’s a fault, 0 volts. Prevents electric shocks
Live wire
Carries AC from the power station to appliance, 230 volts
Fuse
Safety device that protects user, contains a thin wire which melts if current is too high. This stops the flow of electricity.
50Hz
Frequency of mains supply in the UK
One advantage of using a circuit breaker to switch off a circuit without using a fuse
It doesn’t break
What uses AC
Plug sockets
What uses DC
Battery cell
AC
Current moves forwards and backwards 50 times per second (50Hz)
DC
Only moves in one direction.
Less energy is lost when you…
Transmit at a high voltage
It is difficult to change…
The size of direct voltages
More current will flow…
Through a thick fuse wire than a thin fuse wire
Why are wires made of copper?
More flexible and conductive than brass & steel
Why are the pins of three-pin plug made of brass?
Stronger and cheaper than copper & steel
