Chapter 7

Electricity and
Chapter 7
Magnetism
7.1 (Part 2)
7.2 The flow of electric current in series circuit
and parallel circuit
7.1.4 Electric current

Electrical appliances require electric changes to

operate.
Energy that is needed for the electric charges to
flow can be generated from sources such as
electrical generators, dry cells and solar cells.
Electrical generators
Dry Cells
Solar cells
Sources of electrical energy
An electrical generator converts mechanical energy
into electrical energy ( run by steam / gas / water /
fuels).
Electric cells convert chemical energy into electrical
energy.
 Examples of electric cells
1. dry cells
2. mercury cells
3. lithium cells
4. nickel- cadmium cells
5. lead acid accumulator
Dry Cell
Mercury cell
Lithium cell
nickel- cadmium cells
lead acid accumulator
Diesel generator
Steam generator
Wind generator
A wind farm in Europe
What is the relationship
between electric charges and
electric current?
• Act.7.1
Explanation on Act.7.1
• Van de Graaff switched on
➔ the dome becomes
positively charges.
• Attract negatively charges/
electron from earth to flow
to the dome
• Charges flow ➔ electric
current ➔galvanometer
pointer DEFLECT.
• More charges
accumulates on the
dome, the deflection
pointer become larger.
• The rate at which the
charge flows ➔
Measurement of
electric current.
Galvanometer • Instrument for measuring a
small electrical current or
a function of the current by
deflection of a moving coil.
The deflection is a mechanical
rotation derived from forces
resulting from the current.
• Excerpt from:
• https://www.britannica.com/t
echnology/galvanometer
Explanation on Act.7.1
The deflection of the galvanometer’s pointer
indicates the flow of the electric current.
• Electric current can be defined as the rate of
flow of electric charges through conductor.
Measuring the quantity of
Electricity
The flow of electric current can be measured
using an ammeter.
• S.I. Unit for electric current is ampere (A).
• The voltage is the potential difference between
two points that can be measured in volt (V) by
using a voltmeter.
Ammeter
Voltmeter
 The relationship between current,
voltage and resistance
• The ability of a conductor to limit or resist the flow of electric is
known as resistance.
• The unit for measuring resistance is ohm (Ω)
• A fixed resistor has resistance that cannot be adjusted whereas
a variable resistor or rheostat has resistance that can be
adjusted.
• Current, voltage and resistance are three electrical quantities
that are closely related to one another in a circuit.
• The changes in magnitude of one of the electrical quantities
will have an effect in the magnitude of the other quantities.
Resistor
Rheostat
Exp. 7.1 ( p.150)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6shonZrUTs
g

• Experiment shows that the amount of current

flowing through the circuit decreases as the
resistance increases.

I R
• When a higher voltage flows through circuit, the
amount of current flowing through the circuit
also increases.

I V
Ohm's Law
• Ohm's Law states that the electric current that
flows through a conductor is directly
proportional to the voltage across two ends of
the conductor, provided the temperature and
other physical situations remain unchanged.

V= IR
V= IR
7.2 Flow of Electric Current in a Series
Circuit and Parallel Circuit
• Electric current requires a complete path which
enables it to flow.
• This path is known as electric circuit.
Electrical Circuit Components
A complete electric circuit is made up of various
electrical components which are represented by
symbols. These symbols are used to draw circuit
diagrams.
Electrical components and their
symbols:
 Electric Circuit
• The electric path
through the bulb,
meter, battery and
connecting wires.
• In a complete circuit,
current flows in the
circuit and the bulb
lights up.
 Series Circuit and Parallel
Circuit
• An electric circuit can be connected in series or
parallel.
• A series circuit is made up of electrical
components that are connected one after another
where the current flows through in a single path.
• A parallel circuit is separated into several different
paths of electrical circuit and each parallel path
has electrical components.
Series Circuit and Parallel
Circuit
Parallel circuit
Current, Voltage and Resistance in a
Series Circuit
• Activity 7.7:
• The current that flows through each bulb is the
same but the voltage is the sum of the voltages
across each bulb.
• Effective resistance, R is the total resistance
across the components.
Current, Voltage and
Resistance in a Series
Circuit
• Total current
I = I 1 = I2
• Total voltage
V = V1 + V2

• Total resistance
R = R1 + R2
Series circuit
Advantages and disadvantages of a
series circuit
Advantages Disadvantages
• Every component in the • When one of the electrical
circuit receives the same appliances is damaged, other
amount of current. electrical appliances cease to
• Every component is function.
controlled by the same • Adding more electrical
switch. appliances increases resistance
• Increase in voltage and decreases the flow of the
supplies more electric current.
current. • Each electrical appliance cannot
be switched off individually.
Current, Voltage and Resistance in a
parallel circuit
• Act. 7.8:
• Voltage that flows across each resistor in a
parallel circuit is the same as the voltage that
flows across the dry cell.
• However, the current, I that flows in a parallel
circuit is actually the total amount of current
that flows through each resistor.
Voltage, current and
resistance in a parallel circuit
• Total current
I = I 1 + I2
Voltage, current and
resistance in a parallel
circuit

• Total voltage
V = V1 = V2

• Total resistance
Parallel circuit
Advantages and disadvantages of
a parallel circuit
Advantages Disadvantages
• Every electrical appliance • The voltage for every
can be switched on or off electrical appliance
separately. cannot be adjusted
• The increase of the number because the voltage is
of electrical appliances the same as the source of
does not affect the the voltage.
function of other
appliances in the same
circuit.
Numerical problems related
to current, voltage and
resistance in series circuit
and parallel circuit
Series circuit
Series circuit
Write the formula for calculating I, V and R
in the series circuit:
Parallel circuit
Parallel circuit
Write the formula for calculating I, V and R
in the parallel circuit:
Answe
rs: