Current Electricity Flashcards

Flashcards about Current Electricity.

Electric Current

The flow of electric charges through a closed conducting path (a circuit).

Electrons

Negatively charged particles inside atoms that move to create electricity.

Protons

Positively charged particles inside the nucleus of an atom.

Neutrons

Particles with no charge, found inside the nucleus of an atom.

Conductors

Materials that conduct electricity well, allowing electrons to flow freely through them.

Insulators

Materials that do not conduct electricity and do not allow electric charge to move through them.

Conventional Current

The flow of positive charge from the positive terminal to the negative terminal of a cell or battery.

Cell or Battery

A source of energy that powers electric appliances in a circuit.

Resistance

Opposition to the flow of charge.

Ohm

The unit of resistance, with the symbol Ω.

Circuit Diagram

A symbolic representation of a real circuit.

Fuse

A safety device that breaks the circuit and stops the current flowing when there is an electrical fault.

Energy Source

Gives energy to charges to make them move around the circuit.

Conducting Path

Provides a path for the electric charges to move.

Switch

Controls the flow of charges in a circuit.

Resistor

Control the strength of the current flowing through the circuit and are useful in converting electrical energy into another useful form of energy.

Series Circuit

A circuit that provides only one path for the current to flow along.

Parallel Circuit

A circuit where the current will split between the different branches.

Electric Current

The rate of flow of charge.

Ammeter

A device used to measure electric current.

Ampere

The unit of electrical current.

Short Circuit

A very low resistance path in parallel to the resistor. The current will go through the short circuit rather than going through the resistor where it should.

Heating Effect

An electric current flowing through a resistor or wire can cause heating, as some of the energy is transferred to the resistor itself (in the form of heat).

Chemical Effect (Electrolysis)

A current flowing through a conducting solution causes a chemical reaction to take place.

Magnet

A piece of material which produces a magnetic field.

Magnetic Effect

When an electric current flows through a conducting wire, a magnetic field develops in the space around the conductor.

Electromagnet

A coil of wire wrapped around a soft iron core connected to a power source.