3.5 Current & Circuit Physics Vocabulary

Current electricity vocabulary words

Circuit

A path over which an electric current flow.

Series Circuit

A circuit in which all paths are connected end to end to provide a single path for current to flow.

Parallel Circuit

A closed circuit that splits into two or more paths, allowing current to flow through

Circuit Schematic

A diagram showing a path over which an electric current flow through using special symbols

Positive terminal

In a battery, the terminal that has a higher electric potential, where current flows out of the battery.

Negative terminal

In a battery or other source of electricity, the plate having an access of electrons

Battery/Cell

A combination of electric cells that produce a potential difference

Load

In an electric circuit, a device that resists the flow of current and converts electrical energy into other forms of energy, such as heat or light.

Switch

A device for turning electric current on and off in effect for closing and opening a circuit

Current (I)

A flow if electrical charge

Coulomb (C)

Unit of electrical charge; one Coulomb is the amount of charge passing a point in one second when one ampere of current is flowing

Ampere (A)

The basic unit for measuring the strength of an electric current; short form is AMP

Ammeter

An instrument for measuring electric current

Potenital Difference (voltage) (V)

The difference in electric potential energy per Coulomb of charge at one point in a circuit compared to the potential energy per Coulomb of charge at another point in the circuit

Volt (V)

The unit of potential difference; one volt causes a current of one ampere to flow through a conductor with resistance of one ohm

Voltmeter

An instrument for measuring the potential difference between two points in an electrical circuit

Resistance

The ability of substances to slow the flow of electrons in the measurement of potential difference (V) across the load, to the current (I) through the load, R= V/I (volts divided by current)

Ohm

A unit of electrical resistance; one ohm is the resistance of a conductor through which a current of one ampere flows when a potential difference of one volt is applied

Power (P)

The rate of doing work or using energy (power equals divided by time)

Watt (W)

A unit of electrical power equivalent to one joule per second, one watt equals the power in a circuit in which one ampere of current flows across a potential difference of one volt

Energy (E)

Calculated by multiplying power x time (watts x seconds)

Charge (Q)

Term referring to matter having an excess of electrons (negative charge) or deficiency of electrons (positive charge)

Joule (J)

Unit of work or energy, power/time