Chapter 3: Electrical Knowledge Flashcards
What are the four basic properties or units of electricity?
- electrical potential or force (voltage)
- current
- resistance
- power
How are the basic units of electricity expressed?
- volts (voltage)
- amperes (current)
- ohms (resistance)
- watts (power)
volt
a unit of electrical force that equates to pressure; roughly analogous to psi (pounds per square inch) in a water pipe or hose; one volt is required to push one ampere of current across one ohm of resistance
Voltage =
Current X Resistance
How is voltage expressed?
in 1,000-volt units or kilovolts (kV) [a 345,000-volt transmission line would be identified as a 345-kV line]
What are most residential use voltages?
generally limited to 120 volts for lights, outlets, and so on, and 240 volts for air conditioners, electric heaters, and kitchen ranges; ordinary household voltages can be fatal!
How many volts do primary distribution lines generally carry?
between 2.4 and 34.5 kV
How many volts do transmission lines carry?
as high as 765 kV
ampere
amp; a measure of electrical current or movement through a conductor
electrical current
the flow rate of electricity in a wire measured in amps similar to gallons per minute when measuring water flow
What is the amperage of a circuit?
it varies; depends on the demand on the given circuit; as more lights and appliances are turned on in your house, the amperage or current flow is increased
How many amps do most households have?
most households are limited to about 60 to 200 amps
How many amps do most circuits have?
individual circuits are limited to between 15 and 30 amps by circuit breakers or fuses, which protect the system from excessive current flow
ohm
a standard unit of resistance to the flow of electric current; equal to the resistance of a circuit in which a force of one volt will maintain a current of one amp
What are insulators made of?
materials with high resistance and thus are poor conductors
watt
a measure of power
How is wattage expressed?
in kilowatts (kW), which is the equivalent of 1,000 watts; 1 kW is approximately 1-1/3 horsepower
Ohm’s Law
describes the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance; Volts = Amps X Resistance or V = I X R
Volts =
Amps X Resistance; or V = I X R; where V = voltage measured in volts, I = current measured in amperes, and R = resistance measured in ohms
What is the relationship between wattage or power (P), voltage, and current?
Power = Volts X Current, or P = V X I
Power =
Volts X Current; or P = V X I
conductivity
the capacity of material to transmit electricity
electrical potential
the force or voltage of electricity roughly analogous to pounds per square inch in a water pipe or hose; the condition that allows electricity to flow from one object to another
When a potential difference or “potential” exists, where will electricity flow?
electricity will flow from the point of higher voltage toward that of lower voltage along a conductive pathway if it exists