Current Electricity and Ohm's Law Overview

Current Electricity

The flow of electricity through a conductor usually in a circuit.

Volts

The unit of measurement for voltage.

Voltage

The electric potential energy in a circuit measured with a voltmeter.

Voltmeter

A scientific instrument used to measure the amount of voltage in the circuit.

Battery

Source of electrical energy.

Switch

Circuit control device.

Electrical resistance

The force that tries to slow down electrons in a circuit.

Thermal/heat energy

One form of energy into which electrical energy is converted when encountering resistance.

Light energy

One form of energy into which electrical energy is converted when encountering resistance.

Sound energy

One form of energy into which electrical energy is converted when encountering resistance.

Mechanical energy/kinetic energy

Energy of motion; one form of energy into which electrical energy is converted when encountering resistance.

Bell

Load/output in a circuit.

Conducting wire

Connector in a circuit.

Ammeter

A scientific instrument used to measure the amount of current flowing through a circuit (Amps).

Amps

The unit of measurement for current.

Current

The measure of the flow at which electrons move past a given point in a circuit.

Ohm's Law

States that the voltage between two points on a conductor is related to the current flowing through a conductor.

V = IR

Formula representing Ohm's Law.

Percent efficiency

How well electrical energy is changed into useful functional energy.

% eff

Symbol for percent efficiency.

E out

Useful energy output (J) - Used by load based on function.

E in

Energy input (J) - Amount of energy the device needs to work.

J

Unit of measurement for energy, full form is Joules.

% Eff

Calculated as % efficiency = E out / E in x 100%.