《Electric Cirucit》.docVIP

Electric Circuit (A) Electric current An electric current is the rate of flow of charge in a circuit. Current = , i.e. Current is measured in ampere (A) by an ammeter. In a simple circuit, the current through every part is the same. The conventional current goes round the circuit from the positive terminal of the battery to the negative terminal. It is opposite to the flow of electrons. (B) Electrical energy and voltage The voltage across two points is the electrical energy transferred per coulomb of charge passing through the points. , i.e. Voltage is measured in volts (V) by a voltmeter or a voltage sensor. 1 V = 1 J C-1 In a simple circuit, the voltages across each device add up to a sum equal to the voltage of the battery. The voltage across devices connected in parallel is the same. The total voltage of cells is equal to the sum of the voltage of all the cells if they are in series; and the voltage of a single cell if in parallel. (C) Resistance (1) What is resistance? Resistance is the opposition of a conductor to current. , i.e. Resistance is measured in ohm (Ω). 1Ω=1VA-1 (2) Ohm’s Law A metallic wire (e.g. eureka wire) is connected to a battery and a rheostat as shown in the following figure. By adjusting the rheostat, a graph of the voltage across the eureka wire against the current flowing through it is then plotted. From the graph, it shows that the voltage across the eureka wire is directly proportional to the current flowing through it. The Ohm’s Law is then verified. Ohms law states that the voltage across the ends of a metallic conductor is directly proportional to the current flowing through it, provided the temperature and other physical conditions are unchanged. In other words, the resistance of a metallic conductor is a constant, provided the temperature and other physical conditions are unchanged. Not all conductors obey Ohms law. The resistance of a conductor that obeys the Ohm’s Law is equal to the slope of the voltage-current graph.