Circuits

Electric charge:
- A property of matter that causes it to experience an electric force
- Two typers of positive and negative
- Symbol (q)
- S unit is coulombs (C)

Atoms:
- Atoms are electrically neural particles
- Atoms are composed of subatomic particles including protons, neutrons and
electrons

N = qt/qe
N = number of electrons
qt = total charge
qe = Electron charge

N = -28 x 10-6 / 1.60 x 10-19

N = 1.75 x 1014

Electric Force:
- Unlike charges exerst attractive electric forces on each other
- Like charges exert repulsive electric force on each other

Conductors:
- Electrical conductors are materials that contain tree moving charged particles
- Examples include metals, graphite, graphene and electrolyte solutions

Insulators:
- Electrical insulators are materials that do not contain free moving charged particles
- Examples include air, glass, plastic and wood

To measure voltage, 1 lead in ‘V’ plug, 1 lead in the COM plug

Connect into circuit in parallel

ρ = RA/L
Change in V = IR
Resistivity Example:

Resistance = 0.7 Resistance =

Area = 2.5 x 10-6 Length = 0.6m
Length = 100m Resistivity = (5 x 10-7)
Area = 0.04 * 10-3
Ressitivty =
Resistance = (5 x 10-
(0.7)*(2.5* 10-6)/100m 7
) * (0.6m) / 0.04 * 10-
= 1.75 * 10-8 3

= 0.0075
Kirchhoff’s Laws
- Gustav Kirchhoff, german physicist, derived two laws of electrical circuits
- The laws describe the changes in current and potential difference in a circuit
- Kirchhoff’s first law states that the total current into a junction must equal the total
current out of the junction (I1 = I2 + I3 )
- Kirchhoff’s Second law states that the sum of all potential differences across the
loads is equal to the sum of potential differences supplying the loads (△Vt = △V1 +
△V2 + △V3)

Components in series:
- Two components are in series when charges follow the same path through both
components
- The current is the same through all components in series

Resistance in Series:
- The current in a circuit with components in series is determined by Kirchhoff’s
Second Law and Ohm’s Law
- The total resistance in a circuit with components in series is the sum of resistance of
the components. (Rt = R1 + R2)
- I = (△Vt)/(R1 + R2)

V3 = IR3
V3 = 0.5 * 12
=6

Power:
- Power is the rate in which energy is transferred (△E) or transformed (W)
- Symbol, P
- SI Unit is W (Watts)
- P = △E/t = W/t

Electrical Power:
- Electrical power is the rate in which energy is transformed by a load in an electrical
circuit
- Electrical power is dependent on I and △V
- P = IRI = I2R = △VI

Kilowatt Hour:
- The kilowatt hour is a unit of energy equal to 3.6 x 106 J
 Cost = △E x $/kWh

Example Questions:
t = 300s I = 5A R = 0.8 P = 3000W In. = 60J
W = 4.2 x 104 J △V = 240V V = 240V t = 2 hours Out = 24J
P = 4.2x104/300s P = 5 * 240 I = 240/0.8 = 300A $/kWh = $0.4 Eff. = 24J/60J * 100
P = 140W P = 1200W P = 300A * 240V △E = 3000 * Eff. = 40%
P = 72000W (2*3600)
= 21600000J/3.6 *
106 = 6kWh
Cost = 6kWh * $0.4
= $2.4

Energy Efficiency:
- Efficiency is measure of how effectively energy is transformed within an object
- Efficiency is calculated as the ratio of useful output to total input energy
- Eff. = useful output/total input energy * 100