circuits quiz

i hate circuits

Four components

• Source  

• conductor

• load

• control

source

Electric energy source (ex. Battery, generator, solar cell) 

Conductor 

Current carrier (ex. Copper wire) 

Load 

Device that converts electricity into other forms of energy (ex. Light bulb, motor, heating, coil resistor) 

control

A device that can open or close the circuit (ex. Switch, circuit breaker) 

Current  

• Amount of moving charge (direct and alternating) 

• Measured in amperes (unit is A or mA) 

• An ampere (or amp) is a coulomb/second = c/s = charge/time 

• Measured with one of two devices (galvanometer and (weak current, low A) ammeter (strong current, high A)) 

Potential difference  

• Energy of moving charge 

• Measured in volts (unit is V, mV or kV) 

• A volt is a joule/coulomb = J/C = energy/charge 

Resistance 

• Opposition to moving change 

• Measured in ohms (unit is Ω) 

Ohm's law 

• Linear relationship for most materials 

• V = I x R 

• R = V/I 

• I = V/R 

Parallel  

• Two or more paths to the load 

• If one goes out, the others remain the same because alternative paths 

Series  

• One path to the load  

• If one goes out, the rest go out because no other path for electrons to move through 

Resistor  

• Regulate flow of electrons 

• Slower when placed in a circuit