EASA Part 66 Module 03: Electrical Fundamentals Flashcards

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering EASA Part 66 Module 3 Electrical Fundamentals, including electron theory, terminology, DC/AC circuits, and battery maintenance.

Neutron

A subatomic particle that possesses no electrical charge but adds weight to the nucleus of an atom.

Molecule of a compound

A unit which consists of two or more different types of atoms.

LED (Light Emitting Diode)

Equipment that radiates a photon when an electron leaves a hole.

Electrical Insulating Material

A material characterized by having strongly bound electrons in its atoms.

Atom

The smallest part of an element that retains its characteristics and shows the same properties as the whole substance.

Nucleus

The center of an atom that possesses a positive charge and contains most of the atom's mass.

Exclusion Rule ($2n^2$)

The formula used to determine the maximum number of electrons in an atomic shell, where $n$ is the shell number.

Shell N

The fourth atomic shell, which can hold a maximum of $32$ electrons.

Negative Ion

An atom that has gained one or more electrons, resulting in a net negative charge.

Positive Ion

An atom that has lost one or more electrons, resulting in a deficiency and a net positive charge.

Conductor

An element whose atoms have fewer than $4$ electrons in their valency shell.

Semiconductor

An element, such as germanium or silicon, that has exactly $4$ electrons in its outer shell.

Atomic Number

A value determined by the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.

Valence Electron

An electron located in the outermost shell of an atom.

Donor

An element with $5$ electrons in its outer shell (such as phosphorus) that provides an electron when combined with pure silicon.

Electric Current

An ordered flow of electrons from a negatively charged area to a positively charged area.

Ion Current

The type of electrical current found in liquids and gases.

Bonding

The process of connecting all metal components of an aircraft to maintain them at the same potential and stop different potentials from developing.

Faraday's Law

A law stating that the magnitude of the EMF is directly proportional to the rate of change of magnetic flux.

Impedance

The term describing the combined resistive forces in an AC circuit, measured in ohms.

Ohm's Law

The principle stating that current ($I$) is equal to e.m.f. ($E$) divided by resistance ($R$).

Magnetomotive Force (MMF)

The magnetic equivalent of EMF, calculated by multiplying current by the number of turns ($I \times N$).

Fleming's Right Hand Rule

A rule used in conventional current flow to determine the direction of induced current in generators.

Fleming's Left Hand Rule

A rule used in conventional current flow to determine the direction of motion in motors.

Coulomb

A unit of electrical charge equal to one ampere multiplied by one second ($1\text{ A} \times \text{s}$).

Tesla

The SI unit of magnetic flux density.

Permeability

The property of a material that describes its ability to accept lines of magnetic flux.

Conductance

The inverse of resistance ($\frac{1}{R}$), measured in the SI unit Siemen.

Primary Cell

A type of battery cell that cannot be recharged, such as a zinc-carbon battery.

Polarization

An accumulation of hydrogen on the anode of a battery cell that reduces the output voltage.

Thermal Runaway

A condition in Ni-cad batteries caused by high current charging over capacity, resulting in violent gassing and melting of plates.

Potassium Hydroxide

The electrolyte used in clinical Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-cad) batteries.

RMS (Root Mean Square)

The effective value of a sine wave that produces the same heating effect as an equivalent DC value ($0.707 \times \text{Peak}$).

Peak Factor

The ratio of the peak value to the RMS value, which is $1.414$ for a standard sine wave.

Form Factor

The ratio of the RMS value to the average value, calculated as $1.1$ for a sine wave.

Power Factor

The ratio between true power and apparent power, expressed as the cosine of the phase angle ($\text{cos}(\theta)$).

True Power

The actual power dissipated in an AC circuit, calculated as $\text{Volts} \times \text{Amps} \times \text{Power Factor}$.

Sawtooth Wave

The waveform used in a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) to control the vertical and horizontal sweep.

Differentiator

A circuit with a short time constant that provides a voltage proportional to the rate of change of the input pulse.