Alphabetical Electricity and Circuits Reviewer

Alphabetically organized vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental concepts, components, and terminology in electricity and electrical circuits.

Alternating current (AC)

Current that periodically reverses direction.

Ampere (amp)

The standard unit for measuring electric current.

Branch circuit / house wiring

Wiring that supplies electricity to lights and convenience outlets.

Chemical electricity

Electricity produced by a chemical reaction, such as in a battery.

Closed circuit

A complete, uninterrupted path that allows current to flow.

Conductor

A material that allows electric current to flow easily.

Direct current (DC)

Current that flows in one direction, such as current supplied by a battery.

Electric current

The rate at which electric charge flows through a conductor.

Electrical energy consumption

The amount of electrical energy used over time, commonly measured in kilowatt-hours ($\text{kWh}$).

Electricity

A set of effects associated with electric charge; moving charges form electric current.

Electricity / elektron

The word _ comes from the Greek word elektron, meaning amber.

Electron

The negatively charged particle in an atom.

Electron shells / orbits

Energy levels or regions associated with electrons around an atomic nucleus.

Insulator

A material that strongly resists the flow of electric charge.

Ion

An atom or molecule with a net electric charge because it has gained or lost electrons.

Neutron

An electrically neutral particle in an atom; it is slightly heavier than a proton.

Open circuit

A broken or interrupted path, so current cannot flow normally.

Parallel circuit

Current branches into separate paths for individual components.

Piezoelectricity

Electric charge produced in certain materials when pressure or mechanical stress is applied.

Proton

The positively charged particle in an atom.

Resistance

Opposition to the flow of electric current.

Semiconductor

A material with conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator.

Series circuit

Components connected in one path, so the same current passes through each component.

Series-parallel (combination) circuit

A circuit containing both series and parallel connections.

Short circuit

An unintended low-resistance path that can cause excessive current.

Silver

The best electrical conductor among common pure metals.

Thermoelectricity

Electricity produced through a temperature difference or heat-related effect.

Valence shell

The outermost electron shell of an atom.

Voltage

Electric potential difference; the electrical push that drives current.

Power / watt

_ is the rate of using or transferring energy; the _ is its standard unit.