Physics Notes
Ohm's Law and Temperature: Ohm's law states that the current through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across the two points, but temperature can affect this relationship as resistance generally increases with temperature
Short Circuit: An accidental low-resistance connection between two points in an electrical circuit, causing excess current flow that can be dangerous
Electrical Safety: Precautions and practices to prevent electric shock or other electrical hazards, particularly when handling or working with electrical appliances or circuits
Fuses and Circuit Breakers: Safety devices used in electrical circuits; a fuse melts when the current is too high, breaking the circuit, whereas a circuit breaker trips to break the circuit under similar conditions
Diodes: Semiconductor devices that allow current to flow in one direction only, commonly used in electronics to direct current flow
Three-Prong Plug: An electrical plug with three prongs, where the third prong provides a grounding connection, enhancing safety by directing any fault current to the ground
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI): A device that quickly breaks an electrical circuit when it detects a ground fault or current leak, providing protection against electric shock.
Investigating Ohm’s Law: An activity or investigation to understand the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance in an electrical circuit, as described by Ohm's law.
Charging by contact: The process of transferring charge to an object by bringing it into contact with another charged object.
Conduction: The movement of electric charge through a material, facilitated by the movement of electrons or ions.
Conductivity: A measure of a material's ability to conduct electric current.
Conductor: A material that allows the flow of electrical current; typically materials with free electrons
Coulomb (C): The standard unit of electric charge in the International System of Units (SI).
Electric charge: A fundamental property of matter that can be either positive or negative, leading to electric forces and interactions.
Electrical discharge: The release and transmission of electricity in a material or across a gap.
Electron: A subatomic particle with a negative electric charge, found in all atoms and acting as the primary carrier of electricity in solids.
Electron affinity: The amount of energy released or absorbed when an electron is added to a neutral atom or molecule.
Electroscope: A device that detects the presence and magnitude of electric charge.
Electrostatics: The study of stationary electric charges or fields as opposed to electric currents.
Friction: The resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another, often leading to the generation of static electricity.
Grounding: The method of protecting against unwanted electrical charge on equipment by connecting it to the ground.
Induction: The production of an electromotive force across a conductor when it is exposed to a varying magnetic field.
Insulator: A material that resists the flow of electric current; used to protect from electric charge or heat.
Law of attraction: A law stating that opposite charges attract each other.
Law of repulsion: A law stating that like charges repel each other.
Lightning rod: A metal rod mounted on a building and connected to the ground, used to protect the building from lightning strikes.
Neutron: A subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom; it is electrically neutral.
Nucleus: The positively charged central core of an atom, containing protons and neutrons.
Proton: A subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom, with a positive electric charge.
Static charge: A stationary electric charge, typically produced by friction, that causes sparks or crackling or the attraction of dust or hair.
Static electricity: The accumulation of an electric charge on an insulated body, often caused by friction.
Alternating current (AC): An electric current that reversibly changes direction, typically used in power supplies.
Ammeter: An instrument for measuring electric current in amperes.
Ampere (A): The unit of electric current in the International System of Units (SI).
Battery: A device consisting of one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy.
Circuit breaker: An automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by excess current.
Circuit diagram: A graphical representation of an electrical circuit, showing the connections and components.
Current Electricity: The flow of electric charge through a conductor, typically measured in amperes. It is used in most electrical devices and systems.
Direct Current (DC): An electric current flowing in one direction only, often used in batteries and electronic devices.
Dry Cell: A type of battery where the electrolyte is a low-moisture paste, commonly used in portable electronic devices.
Electrical Circuit: A complete path through which electric current can flow. It includes a power source, conductors, and one or more loads.
Electrical Load: Any device or component in a circuit that consumes electrical power, like light bulbs, motors, or electronic devices.
Electric Current (I): The flow of electric charge in a conductor, typically measured in amperes.
Electrochemical Cell: A device capable of generating electrical energy from chemical reactions or facilitating chemical reactions through the introduction of electrical energy.
Electrode: A conductor through which electricity enters or leaves a medium, whether it be an electrolytic solution, solid, molten mass, gas, or vacuum.
Electrolyte: A substance containing free ions that make the substance electrically conductive. Electrolytes are used in batteries and electrochemical cells.
Fuel Cell: A device that generates electricity through a chemical reaction, typically between hydrogen and oxygen, without combustion.
Fuse: A safety device consisting of a strip of wire that melts and breaks an electric circuit if the current exceeds a safe level.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI): A device that quickly breaks an electrical circuit to prevent serious harm from an ongoing electric shock.
Ohm (Ω): The unit of electrical resistance. One ohm is the resistance that produces a current of one ampere when one volt is applied.
Ohmmeter: An instrument for measuring electrical resistance in ohms.
Ohm's Law: A principle that states the current through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across the two points and inversely proportional to the resistance.
Parallel Circuit: An electrical circuit in which the components are connected so that the same voltage is applied to each component.
Potential Difference: The difference in electric potential between two points. It is the work needed to move a unit charge from one point to another.
Potential Energy: The energy held by an object because of its position relative to other objects, stresses within itself, its electric charge, or other factors.
Resistance (R): A measure of the opposition to current flow in an electrical circuit. It is measured in ohms (Ω).
Resistor: A component used in an electrical circuit to resist the flow of electrical current.
Series Circuit: An electric circuit in which components are arranged end to end such that the current flows through each component consecutively.
Short Circuit: An electrical circuit that allows a current to travel along an unintended path, often where essentially no (or a very low) electrical impedance is encountered.
Switch: A device for making and breaking the connection in an electric circuit.
Transistor: A semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals and electrical power.
Volt (V): The unit of electric potential and electromotive force. One volt is the potential difference that will drive one ampere of current against one ohm resistance.
Voltage (V): The electric potential difference between two points. It is a measure of the work needed to move a unit charge between two points.
Voltmeter: An instrument used for measuring electrical potential difference between two points in an electric circuit.
Wet Cell: A type of battery where the electrolyte is in liquid form, commonly used in older car batteries.
Ohm's law: V=IR, which describes the relationship between voltage (V), current (I), and resistance
Current: I= V/R , describing how to calculate current when voltage and resistance are known
Resistance: R = V/I, showing how to find resistance when voltage and current are known.
Efficiency: (output/input) times 100
Power: Energy X Time
Cost: Power X Rate/h
Ohm's Law and Temperature: Ohm's law states that the current through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across the two points, but temperature can affect this relationship as resistance generally increases with temperature
Short Circuit: An accidental low-resistance connection between two points in an electrical circuit, causing excess current flow that can be dangerous
Electrical Safety: Precautions and practices to prevent electric shock or other electrical hazards, particularly when handling or working with electrical appliances or circuits
Fuses and Circuit Breakers: Safety devices used in electrical circuits; a fuse melts when the current is too high, breaking the circuit, whereas a circuit breaker trips to break the circuit under similar conditions
Diodes: Semiconductor devices that allow current to flow in one direction only, commonly used in electronics to direct current flow
Three-Prong Plug: An electrical plug with three prongs, where the third prong provides a grounding connection, enhancing safety by directing any fault current to the ground
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI): A device that quickly breaks an electrical circuit when it detects a ground fault or current leak, providing protection against electric shock.
Investigating Ohm’s Law: An activity or investigation to understand the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance in an electrical circuit, as described by Ohm's law.
Charging by contact: The process of transferring charge to an object by bringing it into contact with another charged object.
Conduction: The movement of electric charge through a material, facilitated by the movement of electrons or ions.
Conductivity: A measure of a material's ability to conduct electric current.
Conductor: A material that allows the flow of electrical current; typically materials with free electrons
Coulomb (C): The standard unit of electric charge in the International System of Units (SI).
Electric charge: A fundamental property of matter that can be either positive or negative, leading to electric forces and interactions.
Electrical discharge: The release and transmission of electricity in a material or across a gap.
Electron: A subatomic particle with a negative electric charge, found in all atoms and acting as the primary carrier of electricity in solids.
Electron affinity: The amount of energy released or absorbed when an electron is added to a neutral atom or molecule.
Electroscope: A device that detects the presence and magnitude of electric charge.
Electrostatics: The study of stationary electric charges or fields as opposed to electric currents.
Friction: The resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another, often leading to the generation of static electricity.
Grounding: The method of protecting against unwanted electrical charge on equipment by connecting it to the ground.
Induction: The production of an electromotive force across a conductor when it is exposed to a varying magnetic field.
Insulator: A material that resists the flow of electric current; used to protect from electric charge or heat.
Law of attraction: A law stating that opposite charges attract each other.
Law of repulsion: A law stating that like charges repel each other.
Lightning rod: A metal rod mounted on a building and connected to the ground, used to protect the building from lightning strikes.
Neutron: A subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom; it is electrically neutral.
Nucleus: The positively charged central core of an atom, containing protons and neutrons.
Proton: A subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom, with a positive electric charge.
Static charge: A stationary electric charge, typically produced by friction, that causes sparks or crackling or the attraction of dust or hair.
Static electricity: The accumulation of an electric charge on an insulated body, often caused by friction.
Alternating current (AC): An electric current that reversibly changes direction, typically used in power supplies.
Ammeter: An instrument for measuring electric current in amperes.
Ampere (A): The unit of electric current in the International System of Units (SI).
Battery: A device consisting of one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy.
Circuit breaker: An automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by excess current.
Circuit diagram: A graphical representation of an electrical circuit, showing the connections and components.
Current Electricity: The flow of electric charge through a conductor, typically measured in amperes. It is used in most electrical devices and systems.
Direct Current (DC): An electric current flowing in one direction only, often used in batteries and electronic devices.
Dry Cell: A type of battery where the electrolyte is a low-moisture paste, commonly used in portable electronic devices.
Electrical Circuit: A complete path through which electric current can flow. It includes a power source, conductors, and one or more loads.
Electrical Load: Any device or component in a circuit that consumes electrical power, like light bulbs, motors, or electronic devices.
Electric Current (I): The flow of electric charge in a conductor, typically measured in amperes.
Electrochemical Cell: A device capable of generating electrical energy from chemical reactions or facilitating chemical reactions through the introduction of electrical energy.
Electrode: A conductor through which electricity enters or leaves a medium, whether it be an electrolytic solution, solid, molten mass, gas, or vacuum.
Electrolyte: A substance containing free ions that make the substance electrically conductive. Electrolytes are used in batteries and electrochemical cells.
Fuel Cell: A device that generates electricity through a chemical reaction, typically between hydrogen and oxygen, without combustion.
Fuse: A safety device consisting of a strip of wire that melts and breaks an electric circuit if the current exceeds a safe level.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI): A device that quickly breaks an electrical circuit to prevent serious harm from an ongoing electric shock.
Ohm (Ω): The unit of electrical resistance. One ohm is the resistance that produces a current of one ampere when one volt is applied.
Ohmmeter: An instrument for measuring electrical resistance in ohms.
Ohm's Law: A principle that states the current through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across the two points and inversely proportional to the resistance.
Parallel Circuit: An electrical circuit in which the components are connected so that the same voltage is applied to each component.
Potential Difference: The difference in electric potential between two points. It is the work needed to move a unit charge from one point to another.
Potential Energy: The energy held by an object because of its position relative to other objects, stresses within itself, its electric charge, or other factors.
Resistance (R): A measure of the opposition to current flow in an electrical circuit. It is measured in ohms (Ω).
Resistor: A component used in an electrical circuit to resist the flow of electrical current.
Series Circuit: An electric circuit in which components are arranged end to end such that the current flows through each component consecutively.
Short Circuit: An electrical circuit that allows a current to travel along an unintended path, often where essentially no (or a very low) electrical impedance is encountered.
Switch: A device for making and breaking the connection in an electric circuit.
Transistor: A semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals and electrical power.
Volt (V): The unit of electric potential and electromotive force. One volt is the potential difference that will drive one ampere of current against one ohm resistance.
Voltage (V): The electric potential difference between two points. It is a measure of the work needed to move a unit charge between two points.
Voltmeter: An instrument used for measuring electrical potential difference between two points in an electric circuit.
Wet Cell: A type of battery where the electrolyte is in liquid form, commonly used in older car batteries.
Ohm's law: V=IR, which describes the relationship between voltage (V), current (I), and resistance
Current: I= V/R , describing how to calculate current when voltage and resistance are known
Resistance: R = V/I, showing how to find resistance when voltage and current are known.
Efficiency: (output/input) times 100
Power: Energy X Time
Cost: Power X Rate/h
