Electricity

parallel circuit

An electric circuit with two or more paths through which charge can flow

series circuit

An electric circuit with only one path through which charge can flow

current

A flow of electric charge. Moves along a pathway to turn on a light.

static electricity

The buildup of charges on an object

lightning

A sudden spark, or energy discharge, caused when electrical charges jump between parts of a cloud, between nearby clouds, or between a cloud and the ground.

insulator

A material that does not allow heat or electrons to move through it easily.

conductor

A material that allows heat and electricity to pass through it.

electron

A negatively charged particle

power source

battery

repel

like charges or two items have collected the same charge.

attract

to draw together; charges that are different

Open circuit

a circuit with a gap; electricity does not flow

electricity

Energy caused by the movement of electrons through matter.

battery

A device that supplies voltage, or potential difference, by using chemical reaction

Volt

unit of electric potential difference

Ohm's Law

the current in a circuit equals the voltage difference divided by the resistance (V = IR)

Resistance

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

Voltage

The difference in electrical potential energy between two places in a circuit.

circuit diagram

a way of drawing an electric circuit using standard symbols

Magnetic field

Produced when an electric current flows through a wire

Strengthens electromagnets

Increase the number of coils, increase the batteries (voltage), increase the size of the core, push coils closer together

Motor

converts electrical energy to mechanical energy by using a magnetic field

Generator

A device used to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy.

Alternating Current (AC)

A flow of electric charge that regularly reverses its direction. Produced by generators.

Direct Current (DC)

Electric current that flows in only one direction