Electricity

&
Magnetism
Key Concepts

► Key Concepts: Relationships

► Related Concepts: Balance, Energy
► Conceptual Understanding: Balanced use of energy
impacts relationships within and between
communities.
Inquiry Questions

► Factual: What is an electric current?

► Conceptual: How can we use our understanding of
electricity to develop new technologies that enhance
our living?
► Debatable: To what extent can we control the cost of
electricity and its impact on our lives?
Contents
Different circuit components and circuit symbols, how to draw
them, their functions and their connections in a circuit.
introduce and practice series and parallel connections, how to
connect a circuit in parallel and in series by using a circuit board
or a virtual lab simulator.
current in series and parallel.
voltage in series and parallel.
Benefits and limitations of series and parallel connections.
Electrical Resistance, Ohm's law, factors that affect resistance.
Magnets, magnetic poles, methods of magnetization and
demagnetization.
Electromagnets and Generation of electricity
Dangers of electricity
 Building Circuits
Objectives
•Build a series and parallel
circuit
•Investigate breaks in
each circuit
1) Build a parallel circuit – you need;
1 power pack
3 bulbs
6 wires
2) Draw the circuit.
3) What happens when you add more
bulbs?
4) What happens when you take a
bulb out?
Circuit Symbols
Circuit Symbols

In Science we use very simple

diagrams to represent the
different parts of a circuit.

These diagrams are called

CIRCUIT SYMBOLS
Changes electrical
energy to light
energy

Stops current
passing through it
Changes chemical
energy into
electrical energy

Several cells
joined together
Measures current

Measures voltage
or potential
difference (pd)
 Current flows
backwards and
forwards

Only allows
Diode
current to flow in
one direction.
Rotates when a
current passes
through it

It’s resistance
increases as light
increases
 Allows you to
Resistor change the
resistance

The resistance of
a thermistor
decreases as the
temperature
increases
 Fuse
Safety device
which melts when
too much current
passes through it

LEARN the symbols and their

uses for a test next lesson
Bulb

Motor

Wire M

Diode

Cell
Bulb

Motor

Wire M

Diode

Cell
 Series and parallel circuits
Learning Objectives:

Know differences between series and parallel circuits.

Starter:
Match up the symbols with the words and pictures of components.
► How many can you get right (we haven’t covered them all in class yet!)?!?!
 types of circuit
There are two types of electrical circuits;

SERIES CIRCUITS PARALLEL CIRCUITS

 SERIES CIRCUITS

The components are connected end-to-end, one

after the other.
They make a simple loop for the current to flow
round.
If one bulb ‘blows’ it breaks the whole circuit and
all the bulbs go out.
 PARALLEL CIRCUITS

The components are connected side by side.

The current has a choice of routes (paths).

If one bulb ‘blows’ there would still be a complete circuit
to the other bulb so it stays lit.
Series circuit Parallel Circuit

Wires need to be drawn

with a ruler and must not
cross each other.
Resistance

Resistance
A device to control/limit
electric current in a
circuit.

Symbol: R
Unit: Ohm Ω
Resistance

Resistance
Types of resistors
∙fixed resistors
∙variable resistors

Variabel resistors examples

∙ wire-wound resistors.
∙Thermistors
∙Light-dependent resistors (LDRs)
Resistance Symbols

Resistance
∙The different types of resistors have different schematic symbols.

fixed-value resistor
2 leads
potentiometer
3 leads

variable resistor
2 leads
Measuring Resistance

Resistance
Resistance is measured in ohms (Ω) using an ohm-meter.

This resistor has

0.L
0.0
330.4 a resistance of
330.4 Ω.
Ohm’s Law

Resistance
∙The resistance R of a material is the ratio of the potential difference V
across the material to the current I flowing through the material.

∙SI Unit: Ω ( or V A-1)

R=V/I electric resistance

PRACTICE:
A fixed resistor has a current of 18.2 A when it has a 6.0 V potential
difference across it. What is its resistance?
SOLUTION:
Ohm’s Law

Resistance
∙The resistance R of a material is the ratio of the potential difference V
across the material to the current I flowing through the material.

∙SI Unit: Ω ( or V A-1)

R=V/I electric resistance

PRACTICE:
A fixed resistor has a current of 18.2 mA when it has a 6.0 V potential
difference across it. What is its resistance?
SOLUTION:
∙ R = V / I = 6.0 / 18.2 = 0.33 Ω.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/ser
ies-and-parallel-circuits/10597.html
Series or parallel?

1. Would it be better to
have the lights on a
Christmas tree in
series or parallel?
Why?

2. Are the lights in your

house connected up
in series or parallel?
How can you tell?
A Simple Series Circuit

Direction of Wires
current (10A)

Cell Bulb

Direction of
current (10A)
The Water Model

Direction of water Pipes

flow (10 litres)

Pump Water
wheel

Direction of water
flow (10 litres)
The Water Model
The Water Model
The Water Model
The Water Model
The Water Model
The Water Model
The Water Model
The Water Model
The Water Model
The Water Model - Analogies
The water is like the charge (electrons).
The flow of water is like the current.
The pipes are like the wires.

The pump is like the cell (or battery) because it

provides the push for the water.

The water carries kinetic (movement) energy

just like current carries electrical energy.
The water wheel is like the bulb as the energy
from the water is used to turn the water wheel like
the electrical energy is used to light a bulb.
 Using the model to make predictions
1. How would you increase the rate of flow (how fast the
water was moving)?
2. Explain how the speed of water wheels would change if
there was more than one wheel in the pipe.
3. What would happen to the water wheel if the rate of flow
was increased?
Now explain:
4. What happens to current when potential difference is
increased.
5. What happens to the brightness of bulbs if more than one
is placed in series.
6. Why energy increases when potential difference
increases.
Adding Branches – Parallel Circuits

5 Amps
10 Amps

5 Amps

10 Amps
Adding Branches – Parallel Circuits

5 litres
10 litres

5 litres

10 litres
What are the limitations?
The water model has some limitations:

It cannot explain short circuits – the water

would flow wherever a branch was situated.
If a pipe was cut then the water would flow
out, but some would remain in the pipe to turn
the wheel. If a wire is cut in a circuit then
the bulb will immediately go out.
Parallel Circuits
Parallel Circuits

In parallel circuits, the

components are connected in
BRANCHES
1) Build a parallel circuit – you need;
1 power pack
3 bulbs
6 wires
2) Draw the circuit.
3) What happens when you add more
bulbs?
4) What happens when you take a
bulb out?
A Parallel Circuit

As more bulbs
are added, they
stay the same
brightness
If a component is
removed, the rest
of the lights stay
on.
Electromagnetism
Questions?

► What are magnets and what is the working principle

behind their magnetism.
 N S

E J Vine.
 S N S
?

N S ?
? S N

? N
N

E J Vine.