Unit 9: Electricity and Magnetism

Flashcards covering key concepts related to electricity and magnets, including definitions and properties of electrical concepts.

Electricity

A form of energy caused by the movement of electrons.

Electrical charge

A property of matter that tells whether something has a positive or negative charge.

Current

A flow of electric charge.

Alternating Current

A flow of electric charge that regularly reverses its direction.

Direct current

An electric current flowing in one direction only.

Circuit

A path for an electrical current to flow around.

Parallel Circuits

Circuits that contain two or more branches for current to move through.

Series Circuits

A current that has only one path.

Voltage

The 'push' in an electric current - an electromotive force or potential difference expressed in volts.

Resistance

A material's opposition to the flow of electric current.

Magnetism

A property of some materials in which there is a force of repulsion or attraction between certain like and unlike poles.

Electromagnets

A type of magnet whose magnetic field is produced by the flow of electric current.

Generators

A device that changes mechanical energy into electrical energy.

Simple motors

An electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.