Chapter1: ChargesandCurrent

Source:http://www.tommybartlett.com/

Whatyouneedtoknow: Whatisanelectriccurrent? Howiscurrentmeasured? WhataretheS.Iunitsforchargeandcurrent? Howtoconnectanammeter? Howtocalculatetheamountofcurrentflowingthroughthe circuit? Whatarethecircuitsymbolsforthebasicelectronic components?

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Chapter1:ChargesandCurrent

1.1

Whatisanelectriccurrent?
Anelectriccurrentiscausedbyaflowof.. It is usually represented by the symbol, and is measuredin........ Read more about charges from the following

link:http://physics.info/charge/summary.shtml

DefinitionandFormula
An electric current is the .. of flow of electrical charges. Itmaybecalculatedusing

where Irepresentscurrentmeasuredinampere,A. Qrepresentschargemeasuredincoulomb,Cand trepresents..measuredin... This means that a current of 1 A means 1 C of charge flows through the circuit in 1 second. A current of 2 A means ... of charge flows through the circuit in 1 second. The higher the current, the the chargesflow.

Example1
2 A of current flows through a circuit. Calculate the amount ofchargethatflowsthroughthecircuitin1minute. Solution: Amountofcharge,Q = I t=(2)(60)=120C

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Example2
In an electrical circuit, 250 mC of charges passes through a light bulb in 30 s. Calculate the amount of current flowing throughthelightbulb. Solution: Currentowingthroughthelightbulb, 0.250 30 0.0083 A

Exercise1
788 mC of charge flows through a light bulb each second. Determinethecurrentthatflowsthroughthebulb. Solution:

1.2

Measuringelectriccurrent
The amount of current flowing through an electronic device maybemeasuredusinganammeter. Inacircuitdiagram,theammeterisrepresentedasfollows:

Anymeasurementdeviceshouldnotchangethecircuit.

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An ammeter has a very ... internal resistance so that itdoesnotresistthecurrentflowingthroughit. Tomeasurethecurrentflowingthroughanelectronicdevice, such as a signal lamp, simply connect the ammeter in series tothedeviceasshownbelowinFig.1.2.1.

1.3

Fig.1.2.1Connectinganammeterinseriestoasignallamptomeasure thecurrentflowingthroughthesignallamp.

Drawingcircuitdiagrams
Circuit diagrams as shown in Fig. 1.2.1 are commonly used to represent circuits. Table 1.3.1 shows some of the more commonelectronicdevicesandtheircircuitsymbols.

Dorememberthatyoushouldalways ensure that the components are connected in thecorrectorder. usethecorrectcircuitsymbols. drawwires(straightlines)withruler. ensure there are no gaps in the circuit. A gap maybeinterpretedasadisconnection. labelcomponents (suchas lampAandlampB) ifapplicable.

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Table1.3.1

CircuitSymbols

Component Abattery

CircuitSymbol

Alamp

Aswitch Open

Anammeter

Closed

A
Avoltmeter

V
Aresistor

Avariableresistor

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1.4

Howdoescurrentflow?
When scientists first discovered current, they thought that current flows from the .. terminal of the sourcetothe..terminal.
Fig1.4.1Directionofconventioncurrentflow.

However,afterelectronswerediscovered,theyrealisedthat the electric current flow is actually due to the flow of charges carried by electrons and electrons actually flow from the .. terminal of the source to the.terminalofthesource.
Fig1.4.2Directionofelectronflow.

Hence, the direction of the conventional current is actually .. to the direction that electrons flow. Nonetheless, we still widely refer to the conventional currentflowwhenunderstandingcircuits. Read more about the conventional current flow and electron flow at http://www.rareearthmagnets.com/t conventionalvselectronflow.aspx
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Exercise1
A circuit is set up as shown below. If the reading shown on ammeterA1is1.5A.WhatwillbethereadingsonA2,A3and A4? Solution:

A4 A1 A2 A3

Exercise2
A circuit is set up as shown below. What is the current flowingthroughtheammeter? Solution:
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Chapter1:ChargesandCurrent

A
1.2A

1.2A

Exercise3
Abatteryisconnectedtoalampasshownbelow. a) Indicatethedirectionthatcurrentwillflowintheabove circuit. b) Redrawthecircuittoshowhowanammetermaybe connectedtomeasurethecurrentflowingthroughthe lamp. c) If110Cofchargepassthroughthelampin1.0min, determinethereadingontheammeter.

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What happens if you connect a wire directly to the two terminalsofabattery?

What happens if you connect an ammeter directly to a battery?

AttemptassignmentAS1.1 Deadlineforsubmission:..

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1.5

Summary
Writedownthekeypointscoveredinthischapter. 1) 2) 3) ...

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Chapter1:ChargesandCurrent