Unit D: Topic 1

allesandro volta

made the first practical battery in 1800

static electricity

* happens when imbalance of electrons
* build up of charged particles through friction and then zap if theres a release

electrical charge

* when theres a difference in charges of an object
* eg. more protons or electrons than the other

laws of electrical charge

1. neutral charges remain still
2. like charges repel each other
3. opposite attract

charge separation

* when a charged object is brought close to a neutral object
* the charged electrons repel the electrons in neutral object

electrical discharge

* movement of charges when an imbalance of charges occur
* protons from neutral object attract charged electrons as other electrons were repeled
* result is neutral object

van de graff generator

* device used to generate high voltage static electricity by transferring electrons from a moving belt to a large metal sphere through friction

electroplaque

* certain animals have organs that produce specialized muscle cells that produce electricity
* each small cell can work together to discharge a large amount of electricity

electrical current

* steady flow of charged particles
* flow continues until electrical source if used up or disconnected

amperes

* unit of measurment to record the rate at which an electrical current flows
* can vary from fractions of amperes to thousands

conductor

* materials that are used to allow the flow of electrical charges
* usually wires made out of a type of metal

circuit

* pathway that allows flow of electricity
* made up of a conductor, energy source, a load and a switch
* conductor is usally wire but can be other materials

load

* a device that converts electrical energy to another form of energy
* eg. lightbulb turns electrical energy into light energy, motor turning electrical energy into mechanical energy

voltage

* measure of much electrical energy each charged particle carries
* units are volts

voltmeter

* way to measure amount of voltage
* have to attach red lead to positive terminal and black lead to negative terminal

short circuit

* when a current bypasses part of a normal circuit
* eg. person steps in water that is touching broken power line (creates an unintended path of electricity)

insulator

* materials that prevent an electrical current
* eg. wood, rubber, air

fuse

* interupts a current when too much current is flowing through it

electrochemistry

* study of chemical reactions involving electricity

electrolysis

* using electricity to separate substances (usually water) into it’s original atoms (elements)
* eg. splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen

electroplating

* a thin coating of a metal on a metal (the coating metal is usually stronger than the metal being coated)
* used in medals, and to protect originial metal from corrosion

anodizing

* process that coats aluminium parts
* eg. used in screen doors and car parts

electrorefining

* used to remove impurities from metal
* eg. bonding special paint on cars

dry cell

* electricty producing cells where chemicals are used in a paste
* made up of two different metals (electrodes) that are suspended in an electrolyte

wet cell

* like a dry cell except the electrolyte is liquid (wet)
* eg. car battery

electrolyte

* paste or liquid that conducts electricity cuz the chemicals inside of it form ions
* an acid usually

rechargeable cell

* a cell where the chemical reactions reversed by an external electrical source
* aka secondary cells