Basic Electronics: Electricity, Power, and Units

Vocabulary flashcards covering basic electrical concepts, measurements, formulas, and standard metric multipliers from the lecture.

Conductor

A material that allows electrical energy to pass easily through it, in which electrons move easily from atom to atom (such as Silver, Copper, Gold, and Aluminum).

Insulator

A material that will not allow electrical energy to pass easily and prevents electrons from moving (such as Glass, Plastics, and Rubber).

Resistor

A material that restricts the flow of electrical energy, where better conduction results in lower measured resistance; represented by the capital letter $R$ in electronic formulas.

Ohm

The unit of measurement for resistance, usually represented by the Greek letter omega ($\Omega$).

Siemens

The unit of measurement for electrical conductance, representing the ease with which electric current flows through a material; equal to the reciprocal of resistance ($G = \frac{1}{R}$) and represented by the capital letter $S$.

Electromotive Force (EMF)

The difference in charge that exists between two points (commonly referred to as voltage) that generally causes electrons to flow in an attempt to evenly distribute or equalize the number of electrons at both poles.

Volt

The unit of measurement for electromotive force or the difference of charge or potential that can exist between two points; represented by the capital letter $E$ in electronic formulas.

Current

The amount or rate of electrical energy flowing through a material between two points of unequal charge. The amount of current depends directly on the electromotive force (voltage) and inversely on the resistance of the material.

Amp or Ampere

The unit of measurement for electric current, which represents the amount or rate of electrical energy flowing through a material between two points of unequal charge. In electronic formulas, current is represented by the capital letter $I$ and can be calculated using the power formula $I = \frac{P}{E}$, where current in amperes equals power in watts divided by electromotive force (voltage) in volts.

Watt

The unit of measurement for electrical power, representing the heat produced when current flows through a resistor; represented by the capital letter $P$ in electronic formulas.

Power Formula

The mathematical relationship $P = E \times I$ (power in watts = voltage times current), which can be rearranged to $I = \frac{P}{E}$ or $E = \frac{P}{I}$.

Ohm's Law

Used to Calculate the voltage when we know the current and the resistance V=IR I=V/R R=V/I

Micro µ

A standard electronic multiplier equal to $0.000001$, or $10^{-6}$.

Milli m

A standard electronic multiplier equal to $0.001$, or $10^{-3}$.

Kilo k

A standard electronic multiplier equal to $1{,}000$, or $10^3$.

Mega M

A standard electronic multiplier equal to $1{,}000{,}000$, or $10^6$.

Giga G

A standard electronic multiplier equal to $1{,}000{,}000{,}000$, or $10^9$.

Tera T

A standard electronic multiplier equal to $1{,}000{,}000{,}000{,}000$, or $10^{12}$.

Nano n

A standard electronic multiplier equal to $0.000000001$, or $10^{-9}$, used with electrical and physical units of measurement.

Superconductivity

A physical state achieved in certain materials cooled below a critical temperature, characterized by the complete absence of electrical resistance ($R = 0\,\Omega$) and the expulsion of internal magnetic fields.

Inverse Proportion

The relationship in an electrical circuit where current ($I$) is inversely proportional to resistance ($R$) at a constant electromotive force or voltage ($E$); an increase in resistance causes a proportional decrease in current for a given applied voltage ($I = \frac{E}{R}$).

Conductance Formula ($G = \frac{1}{R}$)

The mathematical relationship stating that electrical conductance ($G$) is equal to the reciprocal of resistance ($R$); measured in siemens ($S$), it represents the ease with which electric current flows through a material, where lower resistance results in greater conductance.

Resistance Formula ($R = \frac{1}{G}$)

The mathematical relationship stating that electrical resistance ($R$) is equal to the reciprocal of conductance ($G$); measured in ohms ($\Omega$), it represents the restriction to electric current flow, where lower conductance results in greater resistance.