Unit D: Topic 1

allesandro volta

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