Electricity and Circuits Terminology

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to electricity and circuits, helping to reinforce understanding for exam preparation.

The network that carries electricity from producers to consumers across regions.

Electric grid

The physical systems and structures needed for a society to function, like roads or power lines.

Infrastructure

A pathway that allows electricity to flow continuously.

Closed circuit

A path where electricity cannot flow due to a break or gap.

Open circuit

An unintended path where electricity bypasses part of the normal circuit, often dangerous.

Short circuit

A safety device, usually found in a panel, that automatically stops the flow of electricity when the flow becomes unsafe.

Circuit breaker

A safety device, usually found in a bathroom outlet, that shuts off electricity automatically when the flow becomes unsafe.

GFCI

A material that does not allow electricity to pass easily.

Electrical insulator

A wire that provides a safe route for stray current to move into the earth.

Ground wire

The opposition a material offers to the movement of electric current.

Resistance

A safety device that melts when current is too high, stopping the flow of electricity to prevent overheating.

Fuse

A material that allows electrical current to move freely.

Electrical conductor

A temporary drop in voltage that causes lights to dim or electronics to slow down.

Brownout

The standards or goals engineers use to judge whether a design performs as intended.

Criteria

A limitation that affects how a design can be built, such as cost or safety rules.

Constraint

The part of an electrical circuit that uses energy to do work, such as lighting a bulb.

Load

A smaller component within a larger system that performs a specific task.

Subsystem

A device used to manually open and close a circuit.

Switch

The green or bare wire in a plug that directs stray electricity into the earth.

Ground wire

The dimming of lights during high energy demand.

Brownout

A design limit, such as keeping material costs below a certain amount.

Constraint