Energy - Electricity Part 1

What is Electricity?

• Electricity is energy from the movement of electrons between 2 points caused by a potential difference. It can be static (charge build-up) or current (flow of charge).

Electricity Generation (Non-renewables):

• Non-renewable energy sources use chemical energy to produce heat, which creates steam to turn turbines.

• Turbines spin generators, converting kinetic energy into electrical energy for our homes.

Conductor:

•  A material that allows a current to pass (low resistance)

Insulators:

• Materials that resist electric current have tightly bound electrons, meaning no free charged particles can move.

What is Resistance:

• Resistance resists the flow of electric current. All materials have some resistance, which causes energy loss as heat.

• It can also be used to convert electrical energy into heat or light, as in heaters and light bulbs.

What is a Current?

• Electrical current is the flow of electrons through a conductor, measured in amps.

• A higher amp means a stronger current (more electrons flowing).

What is Voltage?

Voltage causes electrons to flow, creating electrical current, and shows how much energy each charge has as it moves through a circuit.

Series Circuits:

• A series circuit connects all components in a single line.

• The voltage is shared between the bulbs, and the current depends on the battery’s voltage and the total resistance.

Parallel Circuits:

• A parallel circuit has multiple branches, each connected to the energy source.

• Each bulb receives the full battery voltage and shines brighter than in a series circuit.

Electrical Resistance:

• Electric resistance measures how difficult it is for current to flow

• Measured in ohms (Ω).

Factors Affecting Current Flow and Resistance:

• Resistance opposes the flow of electric current.

• Higher resistance → lower current flow.

• Caused by collisions between particles in a material.

• Increases the resistance of the material with:

• Longer wires

• Insulating materials

• Smaller cross-sectional area

• Higher temperature

Ohm’s Law:

• Voltage is directly proportional to current if temperature and conditions stay constant