Current Electricity Notes

Current Electricity

Learning Intention

  • We are learning about current electricity and how electric current flows in a circuit.

Success Criteria

  • I can define current electricity.

  • I can illustrate and explain how electric current moves in a circuit.

Proficiency Scale

  • Level 4 (Above Standard):

    • 4.4a: Compare alternating current and direct current.

    • 4.3a: Compare wet and dry batteries.

    • 4.2a: Compare the flow of electrons and conventional current direction.

    • 4.1a: Explain how batteries operate (anodes & cathodes).

  • Level 3 (At Standard):

    • 3.7a: Explain the relationship between current, voltage, and resistance in an operating circuit.

    • 3.6a: Explain the effect of resistors, insulators & conductors on electrical current.

    • 3.5a: Compare series and parallel circuits.

    • 3.4a: Calculate the voltage, current, and resistance in circuits (Ohm's Law).

    • 3.3a: Explain how an electric current flows in a circuit.

    • 3.2a: Draw electric circuit diagrams.

    • 3.1a: Compare static and current electricity.

  • Level 2 (Working Towards):

    • 2.6a: Define resistors, insulators & conductors.

    • 2.5a: Identify series and parallel circuits.

    • 2.4a: Define voltage and current.

    • 2.3a: Define current electricity.

    • 2.2a: Identify and select the correct symbols for an electric circuit in an illustration.

    • 2.1a: Define static electricity.

  • Level 1 (Emerging):

    • 1.2a: Use the terms attraction and repulsion to describe and explain interactions between charged objects.

    • 1.1a: Identify the subatomic particles of an atom and their charge.

Tuning In

  • Question: How does a light switch turn on a light bulb?

    • This question will be answered at the end of the lesson.

Recap of Atoms

  • Atoms consist of three subatomic particles: neutrons, protons, and electrons.

  • Electrons are responsible for electricity.

  • The movement of electrons forms current electricity.

  • The flow of electric charge turns on our electronic appliances.

Electrons, Conductors, and Insulators

  • Atoms hold onto their electrons with varying degrees of tightness.

  • Materials with loosely bound electrons allow electrons to flow to other atoms.

  • Conductors: Atoms which easily pass electrons (e.g., most metals).

  • Insulators: Atoms which cannot pass electrons (e.g., glass and rubber).

Questions

  1. What is a conductor?

  2. What is an insulator?

Conductors and Insulators

  • Combining conductors and insulators allows us to safely use electricity.

  • Conductors in the center allow electron movement, while insulators restrict the flow to keep us safe.

Inside a Copper Cable

  • Free electrons surrounding the nucleus move randomly in any direction.

  • Connecting a copper cable to a power source (e.g., a battery) forces the electrons to move in the same direction.

Current Electricity Defined

  • The flow of electrons is called current electricity.

  • Current electricity occurs in a circuit when negative electrons flow through it.

  • A circuit is the route which electrons flow between the two terminals (positive and negative) of a power source.

  • Fill in the blank: "The of electrons is what forms current electricity"

How a Circuit Creates Electric Current

  1. Electrons are repelled from the negative terminal of the battery.

  2. The electrons are pushed along the wire by the battery.

  3. The negative electrons move towards the positive terminal due to the attraction between opposite charges.

Purposeful Learning Task #1: Current Electricity Diagram

  • Memorize the diagram demonstrating electron flow through a circuit.

  • Draw the diagram from memory.

Step 1

  • Electrons are repelled from the negative terminal of the battery.

Step 2

  • Electrons are pushed along the wire by the battery.

Step 3

  • Electrons move towards the positive terminal due to the attraction between the opposite charges.

Static vs. Current Electricity

Feature

Static Electricity

Current Electricity

Charge Movement

Charge is not moving.

Charge is moving or ‘flowing’.

Powering Devices

Not used to power our electronic devices.

Used to power our electronic devices.

Purposeful Learning Task #2: Writing Task

  • Choose your adventure:

    • Creative (I am Poem): Write a poem from the perspective of an electron in an electric current. Start with ‘I am an electron’.

    • Listing (Top 3 List): Select 3 key points about electric current and justify their importance.

    • Graphic (Flow Chart): Create a flow chart to explain how a circuit creates electric current.

Reflection

  • How does a light switch turn on a light bulb? (Answer to be discussed based on lesson content)