CHAPTER 7: Electricity

Electrostatic All matters are made of small particles called atoms. Atom contains particles: proton, neutrons and electrons. Protons and neutrons form the nucleus of atoms and electrons move around the nucleus. Protons have positive electric charge and electrons have negative electric charge and neutrons have no electric charge. An atom contains equal amount of proton and electrons, so the positive and negative charges cancel out. Therefore, an atom has no net electric charge. An object is charged when there is a transfer of electrons. (a) An object is neutral if its atoms have the same amount of protons and electron. (b) An object is positively charged if the amount of protons more than the amount of electrons in its atoms. (c) An object is negatively charged if the amount of electrons more that the amount of protons in its atoms. The transfer of electrons causes two types of electrical phenomena: (a) Static electricity phenomena where charges that are not moving. (b) Current electricity phenomena where the charges are moving. Electrostatics is the study of static electric charges or current electric charges at rest (not moving). Producing static electrical charges Two dissimilar objects can be charged through friction. Two neutral objects will be charged when they are rubbed together. Objects can lose or gain electrons by rubbing with different types of objects. (a) An object is said to be neutral if it has the same number of +ve charges and -ve charges. (b) If a neutral object loses electrons, it becomes positively charged. (c) If a neutral object gains electrons, it becomes negatively charged. Electrostatic force Repulsive force- Same charges repel each other. Attractive force- Opposite charges attract each other.

Detecting static electrical charges Electroscope is a device that is used to detect and identify the presence of static electric charges on the device itself or upon other nearby objects. (a) The presence of charge in an object can be determined by observing any deflection on the gold leaves. (b) When the electroscope is not charged, the gold leaves hang straight down. (c) When the electroscope is charged, the gold leaves deflect from its normal. Everyday phenomena caused by static electrical charges. (a)Lightning Lightning is produced by a discharge of electrical charges from one cloud to another or between a cloud and the Earth. Negative static electrical charged build up on the cloud during a storm as strong wind rubs against water particles in the clouds. The negative charges leap to the ground or another cloud causing lightning. So, a lightning conductor is used to protect a building from being damaged by lightning. (b)Petrol tankers On hot days, a moving petrol tanker becomes charged due to friction with the surrounding air. A metal chain is connected from the petrol tank to the ground so that static electrical charges can be transferred from the petrol tank to the ground and prevent explosion. (c)Tyres of aeroplanes Due to friction, aeroplanes become charged when flying in the air. Thus, when landing, there is a strip of metal conductor sliding against the ground to discharge the aeroplane. Electricity Electricity is a form of energy produced by electric current. Electricity is used in many ways, such as lightning up a bulb, heating a kettle or spinning a ceiling fan. Electricity can be obtained from various sources. Examples of sources of electrical energy are: - simple cell - dry cell - wet cell (acid-lead accumulator) - mercury cell and lithium cell

Current Voltage and Resistance

Current, I Current the rate of flow of charges (or electrons) through a conducting Definition medium such as metal. Current increases when more electrons are flowing through a conductor. SI unit Ampere (A) Current is measured using Measuring Ammeter, connected in an method electrical circuit in series. The direction of current and electron flow in an electric circuit According to the conventional current flow, current flows from the positive terminal to the negative terminal. However, according to the Notes electron flow, electron flows from negative terminal to the positive terminal. Voltage, V Voltage is the difference in potential energy that causes electrons to flow from an area with more electrons to an area with fewer, producing an electric current. Volt (V) Voltage is measured by using a Voltmeter, connected in an electrical circuit in parallel. Resistance, R

Resistance is the property of a material that opposes the flow of current (electrons) through it.

Ohm (). Use Ohm's law: V=IR

Van de Graff generator is a device that produces a high voltage by collecting static electrical charges.

When resistance increases, the current flow in a material decreases. Resistor is a substance that opposes the flow of electric charge in order to control the flow of electric current. Examples: rheostats, fixed resistors and bulbs.

Ohm's Law Current flowing through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage supplied, given a constant resistance. V=IR

Types of circuits: Closed circuit (Switch close) - electric current can flow from one end of dry cell to the other and the bulb will light up. Open Circuit (Switch open) - Electric current cannot flow in the circuit and the bulb will not light up.

Parallel and Series Circuits

Series circuit The electrical components are connected from one end of the circuits to the other end Has only one path for the elctric current to flow through Same throughout the circuit. I = I1 = I2 = I3 Parallel circuit The electrical components are connected Method of connection side by side pathways Has two or more paths for the electric current to flow through Current The total current is the sum of the current that flows through all the branches. I=I1 + I2 + I3 The total votage is the potential difference across Voltage Voltage across the circuit is same as voltage all the components. across each branches. V = VI + V2 + V3 V = V1 = V2 = V3 The effective resistance increases when resistor Resistance The effective resistance decreases when in the circuit increase. resistor in the circuit increase. R=RI+R2+R3 1/R =1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 The other bulbs will not light up. One bulb burns out The other bulbs still light up. Each bulb does not receive full voltage. So, more Voltage received for Each bulb receive full voltage and has the bulbs added, the bulbs will become dim. (voltage each bulb same brightness. across each bulb decreases) A single switch can control all the electrical Switch Each electrical appliance is controlled by its appliances in the circuit. own switch in the circuit. Others If too many resistors are connected in parallel, there will me large current flowing in the main branch of the circuit. (Dangerous) Difference in term