CHAP 3 ELECTRICITY

Electric Field – a region where an electric charge experiences a force

Electric Field patterns

Point Charge

1. point and point – different charge

2. point and point – same charge
3. plate and point – different charge
4. plate and plate - different charge
Electric field strength, E

Force per unit charge // Voltage per unit distance

E = F/q unit : N/C = NC -1

1. 32N force acting on a charge of 1.6 X 10 -5 C. Calculate the electric field

strength.
E = 32 = 2 X 10 6 NC -1
1.6 X 10 -5

Electric field strength, E = V/d unit : V/m = Vm -1

V = potential difference / Voltage unit : Volt (V)
d = distance between two electric charge

2. 1kV is connected across two electrical plates which is 5 cm apart.

Electric field strength, E

E = 1000 = 2 X 10 4 Vm -1
0.05

Electric current, I
- Rate of flow of charge
- Charge per unit time
- I = q/t q = It unit q : C = As

Potential difference / Voltage, V

- Work done (energy) required to drive 1C charge across two points in an
electric circuit/ work done per unit charge
Voltage = W/q = E/q unit : Volt (V) = JC -1
V = E/q
Electric energy, E = V q = V I t

q = It
E = Vq
E = VIt
1. 4800 J energy is required to move 240 C charge in 1 min.
Calculate
a) Current, I = q/t
= 240/60 = 4 A
b) Voltage, V =
4800/240 = 20 V
c) number of electrons moving in the
electric circuit if the charge of 1 electron
is 1.6 X 10 -19 C
1.6 X 10 -19 C = 1 e
240 C = 240 = 1.5 X 10 21 e
1.6 X 10 -19

2. Current 5 A flows through a wire in 2 min. Voltage across the wire is 10 V.

Calculate
a) amount of charge, q = It
q = 5 X 120 = 600 C E = Vq
b) energy E = VIt
= Vq = 10 (600) = 6000 J
c) no. of electron ( 1 e = 1.6 X 10 -19 C )
3.75 X 10 21 e

Relationship between V and I

Ammeter
Switch Ammeter
Suis

Dry cells
Sel kering

Voltmeter
Voltmeter
Rheostat
Reostat

Wire/conductor
Electric circuit diagram

+ = + A

+ V -

I/A V/V
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0

1. metal wire ( Cu / Al ) = non ohmic conductor

V/V

as I increases,
V increases
Gradient increases
Resistance increases

I/A
2. Constantan wire/ Eureka wire
(an ohmic conductor) V is directly proportional to I
Gradient = resistance = constant
Gradient = V/I
V/V
V/I = constant (resistance, R)
V = R
I
V = IR
Ohm’s Law – the voltage is directly
proportional to the current if the
resistance is constant ( V α I )
I/A

3. Semiconductor (silicon) – non ohmic conductor

V/V

as I increases,
V increases
Gradient decreases
Resistance decreases

I/A

3. Current 2A flows through a conductor in 5 min. 6000 J energy is released.

Calculate
a) amount of charge,
q = 2(300) = 600 C
b) voltage, V
= E/q = 6000/600 = 10 V
c) resistance
R = V/I = 10/2 = 5 Ω
d) no of electrons
600 = 3.75 X 10 21 e
1.6 X 10 -19
4. Current 4A flows through a wire of resistance 10 Ω in 2 min. Calculate
a) Voltage,
V = IR = 40V q = It
b) Charge, E = Vq
q = It = 480 C E = VIt
c) Energy, E V = IR
= Vq = 40 (480) = 19 200 J
d) no. of electrons
480 = 3 X 10 21 e
1.6 X 10 -19

Resistance, R ( R = V/I)
- Voltage per unit current

a) length of wire. l ( R α l )

b) cross sectional area of the wire, A (thickness/diameter)

Rα1
A
c) type of wire / resistivity of wire (ρ)
Rα l
A
R=ρ l
A
Unit ρ = R A = Ω m2 = Ω m
l m

d) temperature of wire, Ɵ
- metal wire, as temp increase, R increase
- constantan R = constant
- silicon , as temp increase, R decrease