P2 - Potential Difference In Series Circuits

What is potential difference?

The energy transferred per coulomb of charge passing through a component

What is another name for potential difference?

Voltage

What is the unit of potential difference?

Volt (V)

What is 1 volt defined as?

1 joule of energy transferred per 1 coulomb of charge

What is the symbol for a voltmeter?

A circle with a capital V inside

What device is used to measure potential difference?

A voltmeter

How must a voltmeter be connected in a circuit?

In parallel with the component being measured

What happens to electrons as they leave the cell?

They carry energy from the cell

What kind of energy does the cell store?

Chemical energy

What happens to chemical energy in the cell?

It is transferred to electrical energy and carried by electrons

What happens when electrons pass through components?

They transfer electrical energy to other forms (e.g. light, heat)

What energy transfers occur in a lamp?

Electrical energy is transferred to light energy and thermal energy

What does a potential difference of 9V mean?

9 joules of energy are transferred per coulomb of charge

If a voltmeter reads 9V across a lamp, what does this mean?

All the energy from the electrons is transferred in the lamp

Why does a single lamp in a series circuit glow brightly?

All of the energy is transferred to that one lamp

In a series circuit with two identical lamps, what happens to brightness?

Both lamps are dimmer because the energy is shared

What is the potential difference across each of two identical lamps in series if the cell is 9V?

4.5V across each lamp

What is the total potential difference across components in series?

It adds up to the potential difference across the cell

If one lamp has 6V and another has 3V, what is the total voltage across both?

9V

Which lamp is brighter: the one with 6V or 3V across it?

The lamp with 6V, because it transfers more energy

Why are lamps dimmer in series than in a single-lamp circuit?

Because the total energy is shared between multiple components

Why do we use potential difference to describe circuits?

It helps us understand how much energy is transferred in the circuit

What is meant by charge in this topic?

Electric charge, measured in coulombs (C)

What is the relationship between energy, charge, and voltage?

Potential difference (V) = Energy transferred (J) ÷ Charge (C)

What happens to energy per coulomb in a series circuit with more components?

It is shared between the components