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Here is a drawing of Rutherford’s concept. Solid metals are not the only substances
A further development of this idea gave that will conduct electricity. One other
the electrons specific orbits around the very commonly used method uses
nucleus in “shells,” and can be used to compounds dissolved in water. Many
explain how certain elements combine solutes form ions such as can be made
with one another to make compounds. from dissolving ordinary table salt in water.
Although newer atomic theories have been The sodium and chlorine atoms form
developed, Rutherford’s idea still makes positive and negative ions in the water, and
an excellent model to use in explaining these can be used to conduct electricity.
1
E is the symbol used for mathematical
computations using volts.
v is the symbol used to express an
amount of voltage. Example : E=12v.
2
The flow of electrons is known as the
current. (in the same way that flowing There are a number of commonly used
water has a current) dry cell batteries that are called by these
names, D, C, AA, and AAA. All of these
Current is measured in Amperes, or Amps. types have the same voltage, 1.5v, but the
D cell has more active materials in it and
I is the symbol used for mathematical will maintain a charge longer than the
computations using amps. AAA. As the materials inside the battery
are used up by the chemical process of
A is the symbol used to express an producing current, the battery is
amount of current. Example : I= 20A. discharged, the pressure of the voltage
decreases, and eventually becomes too low
Technically, 1 Amp is defined as 1 to be useful. This process is exemplified by
Coulomb of electrons moving past a given the way a flashlight becomes increasingly
point in one second. This is generally not dim and then goes out. Some batteries can
very useful information in and of itself, be recharged by externally applying a
but the mathematical relationship between current that runs backward through the
Volts and Amps is very important. cell, reversing the chemical process. This is
the norm with wet cell car batteries, but
It is important to remember that Amps also other dry types such as lithium cells.
refers to an amount of electrons flowing,
whereas Volts are used to measure the It is possible to make your own battery
pressure of the flow. from zinc, copper and salt water. You can
buy sheets of copper roof flashing at a
The wet cell is not the only type of battery. hardware store, and many different types
A dry cell gets its name because no liquids of fabric can be used to store salt water for
are involved, and they are much less messy the battery. The zinc plate is a bit more
than a wet cell. You could imagine the difficult to come by in a pure form, but
difficulty of carrying around a flashlight fortunately zinc is also the main ingredient
filled with sulfuric acid. Instead a gel used in galvanizing steel to prevent it from
solution is used to stabilize the ionic rusting. Zinc plated steel roof flashing is
solution and keep it in the case. Even so, also available. Since only the surface of the
these types of batteries will leak eventually, material is used to create the battery, it
and the acid in them can be quite doesn’t matter very much that the interior
destructive. of the zinc plate is actually steel.
3
chemical compounds, to burning coal, to
hydro-electric.
4
once through a circuit without proper
limits, and will often destroy part of the
circuit in the process.
5
The three units of voltage, amperage, and
resistance are of great importance in
electrical work.