Let's Explore Electricity!.

The movement of the

electron

Electricity is the most widely used form of energy. Electricity run our fridges, washing
machines and in general, all electrical appliances in the kitchen. Electricity will
probably power all future cars' motor.

In order to produce electricity you need another form of energy such as mechanical
energy, solar energy, wind energy and so on.

But, is electricity important?. Just turn the main switch off and try to enjoy yourself

The day I met electricity.

When electrons increase on an object, the object becomes charged with static electricity
until the electrons are able to jump to another object placed nearby.

The object that is charged with static electricity could be a car, a ruler, or even a human
body. Any object that can conduct electricity can become charged in this way.

The atom:

• To understand static electricity, we have to know the atom, how big it is and its
structure. In other words, what is all the stuff around us made of?.
• There are 115 kinds of atoms and all of them are different from each other.
Some are small, others are bigger. All of them are made up of a "nucleus"
situated in the middle of each atom. The nucleus contains two important kinds of
tiny particles, called protons and neutrons. Orbiting around the nucleus are
smaller particles called electrons. The 115 types of atoms are all different from
 each other because they have different numbers of neutrons, protons and
electrons.

Have a look at the atom structure. Can you see some electrons living the nucleus?
Why?

Electrons orbit in the space surrounding the nucleus. Electrons are attracted to the
protons and repelled by other electrons. These forces of attraction and repulsion are
much stronger than gravitational forces and are called electrostatic forces.

The electrons are said to be negatively charged and the protons positively charged. In
conductive materials, such as metals, the outermost electron in the atom is basically
free, so it is very easy for it to leave the atom and move around in the space between
the atoms.

Conductors are made up of atoms whose electrons ( conduction band) are able to
escape from the atom's influence. In a metal, some electrons are not stuck (fixed) to any
particular atom and are free to wander in the metal. For instance, the copper, the most
used conductor in the world, there is usually a free electron from every copper atom. As
the electrons move, they collide with the atoms and thus meet resistance to their motion.
The greater the number of collisions the greater the resistance.

Examples of conductors:

• Gold, Silver, Copper, Aluminium

• Tap Water, Animals, Trees ..

On the other hand, in Insulator materials, such as glass, the outermost electron in the
atom is tightly bonded to the nucleus by a electrostatic force. In this case, most
electrons are attached to particular atoms. Almost none are free to wander through the
material, and this prevent the flow of electricity.

Examples of insulators:

• Glass, Porcelain, Plastic, Rubber

In a metal conductor, some electrons are free to wander from atom to atom. If the ends
of a piece of metal are connected to a battery, the electrons are found to move through
the metal. Therefore:
An electric current in a metal conductor is a flow of electrons

Dictionary:

Outermost : at the greatest distance from the centre

Wander: move about without any destination

Collide: Crash together with violent impact; eg. "Two meteors collide

Types of currents. ac/dc

What does it mean: ac/dc? Ok, apart from a rock group?

There're two types of current, defined based on the directions of the movement of the
electrons. An electric current is called a direct current (d.c.) if electrons always flows in
one direction. An electric caused by a chemical cell or a battery is a direct current.

If an electric current in a circuit reverses direction every so often, it is called an

alternating current (a.c.). For example, the current that flows through an domestic light
bulb when connected to the mains electricity supply reverses direction 100 times every
second and is therefore an a1ternating current.

The circuit above is called a series circuit. There is only one path for the electrons to
move. Electrons do not build up or leak away from the wire at any point, therefore the
same amount of charge is passing through every point at any given second.
How can we measure the current?

To measure the size of an electric current we use an ammeter. Smaller currents are
measured on milliammeters.

The current is the same at every point in the wire in a series circuit.

If a million electrons leave the positive terminal in the battery, a million electrons will
arrive at the negative terminal of the battery.

Of course, if every electron makes a works to light up the bulb, its energy will be
reduced every time it passes the bulb. They lose potential energy.

We can see in the diagram above that there are two different ways, the electrons that
leave the battery can past through two different paths from point 1 to point 2

The sum of the current flowing into a junction = The sum of the current leaving the
junction.

In this case, A3=A1+A2

1º) What the reading on each of the ammeters in the next exercises

2º In the next circuit, A3 reads 2A and the bulbs are identical. What do A1 and A2
read?
3º A2 reads 10A. The bulbs are identical. What are the values of A1, A3 and A4

4º The bulbs are different. A2 reads 7A and A4 reads 20A. Calculate A1 and A3

Curiosity

Electricity always take the shortest path (way) to the ground.

As your body is 60% water and that makes you a good conductor of electricity, if a
lightning falls on a tree and you touch the tree you become the best path ( the path with
of least resistance ) to the ground and you have a good chance of getting electrocuted.
Lightning Safety:

• If you are outdoor, avoid high ground and open spaces and all metal objects,
including wires. Unsafe sites include trees, rain shelters or electricity pylons.
Never touch the sides of a car.
• If you are indoors, avoid water, stay away from the doors and windows. Do not
use the telephone. Unplug and stay away from electrical appliances, computers
and Tv sets

Dictionary:

Appliances: machines, using electricity, that do a job for us in the house.

Pylons: An electricity pylon or transmission tower is a tall, usually steel, structure used
to support overhead electricity conductors for electric power transmission.

Electricity: Moving charges

ENERGY CHANGES IN A SIMPLE ELECTRIC

CIRCUIT

When current flows in a conductor, heat energy is given out at every point in that
conductor. This energy comes from the battery (or other source, e.g. a generator) that is
driving the current through the conductor.

In a battery, chemical energy is converted into electrical energy. The electric charges
get electric potential and kinetic energy as they pass through the battery.

The lost electrical energy is converted into heat and light as the charges move round the
circuit. FIG. above shows this in a simplified way.
POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS IN A
CIRCUIT

The amount of energy lost by one coulomb ( 6.25 * 10 raised to the 18th power or
6.25x10^18 electrons ) in passing between two points of a circuit is called the
potential difference (p.d.) between these two points.

The electric potential energy of electrons when they come out of a bulb will be
reduced. We have a Volt between the terminals of the bulb. Since potential difference is
measured in volts, potential difference is also called voltage.

VOLTAGE IN SERIES AND PARALLEL CIRCUITS

VOLTAGES IN SERIES

The potential difference across two ( or more ) consecutive parts of a series circuit is
equal to the sum of the potential difference across each part.

V = V1 + V2 + V3 + V4 + …….

VOLTAGES IN PARALLEL The potential difference across each of a number of

conductors connected in parallel with each other is the same.

V1 = V2 = V3 = V (Battery).
For example, if the voltage of the battery is 10 Volts, every Bulb support 10 volts
between its terminals.

Examples and Exercises:

1º In the next exercises, batteries have equal values of 5 volts. Which circuit has the
brighter globe, a or b? Why? What happens in c and d?

2º In the next circuits, the battery has a value of 6 volts. Calculate how many volts each
lamp receives.

Remember: Parallel~V1 = V2 = V3 = V (Battery) and series V (Battery) = V1 + V2 +

V3..
Symbols:

Resistance: Ohm´s Law

What is Electrical Resistance?

When electrons flow through a bulb or another conductor, the conductor offers some
obstruction to the current. This obstruction is called electrical resistance.

• The longer the conductor the higher the resistance.

• The smaller its cross-section the higher its resistance

Every material has an electrical resistance and it is the reason that the conductor give
out heat when the current passes through it.

Resistance is a measure of how much an object opposes the passage of electrons. The
unit of electrical resistance is the ohm and it is represented by Ω

Every material has Resistance. Copper has a low resistance and wood has a high
resistance.

We need resistance to reduce the flow of electrons through a circuit, so we can build
resistors to behave as Electrical resistance.

Designing a resistor network. Resistors in series.

Sometimes you need a particular kind of resistor, but

you don't have it on hand or it doesn't exist. Fortunately, it's possible to use several
different resistors in combination to get virtually any level of resistance, for example, if
you have 2 resistors of 20 Ohm and you need a resistor of 40 Ohm, just add them both
together in series, so Rt = R1 + R2 + ……… ( Serial ).

In the Figure you can see three resistors, but this time they're connected in parallel. Each
electron will flow through one of the three resistors. These three resistors have a
equivalent resistor of:

1/Rt = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3

Ok, but why ?

Let's make a traffic analogy and talk of electrons as cars. This is a picture of three
possible toll booth situations on a motorway.
1º In the first case, we have a one-way path. First, the conductor, low resistance and
fluid traffic. Later, a resistor in series with the wire, so a bottleneck area through which
it is somewhat difficult for the electrons to move. Later, the conductor again with the
electrons moving better.
2º In the second case, we add two resistors in series, so the total resistance will be
increased, consequently less electrons will flow in the conductor
3º Quite obviously, adding resistors in parallel would have the overall affect of "
building a three-lane motorway", decreasing the total resistance and increasing the
overall car flow rate (electron flow) along the wire. In the case of adding more resistors
in parallel, less overall resistance is created.
Remember some important concepts

1ºElectricity is the movement of electrons through a material. Electron flows along like
a water current in a stream, so we call it Electric current. Current ( I) is the number of
electrons which flow through a wire per second. Current is measured in Amps.

You need something to give energy to electrons. You need a battery and the power of it
is called voltage. The higher the voltage, the more power there is to drive the electrons
thought the circuit. Voltage (V): The "pressure or Energy" forcing the electrons flow
around the circuits. The battery supplies the "pressure." Resistence (R) is the amount of
force opposing the current, for example, from a bulb. Resistence is measured in Ohms
(Ω)

Ohm´s Law
There is a relationship between Voltage, Current and Resistance. The current in a circuit
( amp) is directly proportional to the applied potential difference (volts) and inversely
proportional to the resistance of the circuit ( resistance). I = V/R

Example:

I = V/R A nine volt battery supplies power to a bulb with a resistance of 18 ohms. How
much current is flowing through the bulb? Solution: Substitute in the values for
V(Voltage) and R(Resistance).

Exercises:

1º A 110 volt wall plug supplies power to a TV set with a resistance of 2200 ohms. How
much current is flowing through the TV?

2º A CD player with a resistance of 40 ohms has a current of 0.1 amps flowing through
it. Calculate how many volts supply the CD player.
Choose your answer: a) 10.0 volts b) 0.0025 volts c) 400.0 volts and d) 4.0 volts

3º In this circuit, calculate:

a) the total resistance in the circuit

b) the total current flowing at point A

c) The current in R1 and R2

d) The voltage in R1 and R2

4º In this circuit the resistors are in parallel:

Calculate:

A) the total resistance in the circuit

B) the total current flowing at point B and the current at C and D

C) tension on R1 and R2
Dictionary:

bottleneck: 1. A narrow or obstructed section, like on a highway or in a pipeline. 2. A

point or an area of traffic congestion. 3. The narrow part of a bottle near the top.

THE ELECTRIC POWER

The electric power in watts represents the rate at which energy is converted from
electrical energy to some other form of energy, e.g., mechanical energy, heat, light, etc.
The simple formula for the power ( in a resistor ) in a direct current (D C) circuit is
given by the product of the voltage between its terminals and the electric current that
passes through it.

P=VxI
In the international system P is measured in Watts, V in volts and I in Amps.

A very good example of a home appliance with a high power is a hair dryer.

It needs only two parts to generate the hot air that dries your hair:

* a heating element

* a motor-driven fan

Hair dryers use the heating element ( a simple wire with some resistance ) to transform
electric energy into heat.
How does it work?. The whole mechanism is really very simple: 1. When you plug in
the hair dryer, current flows through the hair dryer and "feeds" either the motor or the
heater. 2. The heating element gives out heat

3. The current makes the electric motor spin, which turns the fan. 4. The fan is made of
plastic and the airflow generated by it is directed down the barrel of the hairdryer,
through the heating resistance. 5. As the air flows through the heated resistance, the
heated air generated leaves the hair dryer..

Examples and Exercises:

1º Example

Jim has to travel abroad as part of his job. Knowing that not all hotels in the USA
provide a 'Welcome Tray' ( coffee , tea and sugar ) he buys a kettle so he can make tea
for himself as often as he wants. There is a label stuck to the kettle ( see figure above ).
On the paper it is written:

'Takes less than 3 minutes to boil at 230 V and 6 minutes at 120 V'

1. Why would boiling some water in the Travel kettle in San Francisco (power supply:
120 V) take longer than in London (230 V).

2. Calculate the current through the heater in each city.

3 When Jim leaves San Francisco, Jim forgets to switch over the voltage setting to 230
V. Do you think it is a problem? Do you think the kettle could be damaged by leaving it
at 120 V ?

ENERGY

Power cost money to produce energy and we have to pay for it. Power P = E ⁄ t , so
Energy is P x t ( where P is in watts, Energy 'E' is in joules, and time 't' is in seconds ).
The formula is as simple as this: 1 W = 1 J/s so 1 Joule = 1W x 1 Second.
The joule is a very small unit of energy to use when dealing with domestic electricity. A
unit of energy called the kilowatt per hour (kW h) is used instead.

1kwh = 1000 W x 1 h = 1000 W x 3600 s = 3600000 Ws = 3600 kws ( as 1 kw = 1000

w).

The kwh is the energy unit used in the home to measure the use of energy. The more
energy you use, the more money you have to pay to your local electrical company

Exercises:

1. A heater has a power rating of 1000 W. It operates on 230 V mains. What current
does it draw?

2º A 2000 W appliance operates for 3 hours. How many kilowatts per hour of energy
does it use?

3º A 75 W lamp is operating for 40 minutes. How many kilowatts per hour of energy
does it use?. How much do you pay if 1kwh = 0,15€

4º An electric cooker has two 500 W plates, a 1 kW grill and a 2 kW oven. It operates
on 230 V mains. Is a 30 A fuse suitable for this cooker?. How much do you pay every
day if the grill is on for 30 minutes every day and the oven for 60 minutes?