•Ohm’s Law

•Combination of Resistors
•Electric Work & Power
•Kirchhoff’S Laws
Electric Circuits
 Closed loop made up of at least 2 electrical
elements

 Consists of at least a power source, wire and a device

that uses electrical energy (like a light bulb)
Potential Difference

Battery - Source of Emf

Electric Current
 Movement of electric charge
 Rate of charge movement

Q unit  Ampere, A
I C
t 1A=1
s
Charge Movement

Actual Flow of Current

Charge Movement

Conventional Flow of Current

Types of Current
 AC  Alternating current  charges continuously
change direction forward and back at 60 Hz
 Example: outlets (approx 120 V)

 DC  Direct current  charges move in one direction

 Example: batteries
Ohm’s Law
The ratio of potential difference (voltage) across a
conductor to the current it carries is constant which is
the resistance.
𝑽
𝑹=
𝑰
Where;
V
V – Voltage (V)
I – Current (A) I R
R – Resistance (Ώ)
Resistance
 Resistance is the impedance of the motion of charge
through a conductor

V unit  ohm, 
R V Js
I 1  1  1 2
A C
Resistance
The electrical resistance of a wire would be expected
to be greater for a longer wire, less for a wire of larger
cross sectional area, and would be expected to depend
upon the material out of which the wire is made.
Experimentally,
Electric Power
 Power: Rate at which work is done or Rate at which
energy is transformed
 Electric Power: The rate at which electricity does
work or provides energy.
 Symbol = P unit  watt, W
J
1W=1
s
Electrical Energy
 Home use of electric energy is based on the amount of
Electrical Power use per hour
 Measured in kilowatt hours
(1000 watts per hour) = kWh

E = P X T
Resistor Combinations
The combination rules for any number of resistors in series
or parallel can be derived with the use of Ohm’s Law, the
voltage law, and the current law .

Resistor Combinations:
 Series
 Parallel
 Series-parallel
Series Resistors
Parallel Resistors
Kirchhoff’s Laws
1. Kirchhoff’s Point (or Junction) Rule
-In any junction, the sum of all the currents coming into it must equal
to the sum of all the current leaving it. (ΣI in = Σ I out)

I1  I 2  I 3  I 4  I 5  I 6
Kirchhoff’s Laws
2. Kirchhoff’s Loop (or circuit) Rule
- In any loop, the algebraic sum of all emf’s in it is equal to the
algebraic sum of all the voltages or IR ‘s drops in it.

 emf ' s   IR' s

Definition of Terms
 Loop – a closed conducting path
 Junction – a point where 3 or more resistances are
joined
 Branch – a conducting line connecting 2 junctions
Examples
1. If a CD player uses 4.5V w/ 0.2A current, how much
power does it use?
2. Calculate the voltage across a 3Ώ resistor if a 0.5
current is flowing through it.
3. A radio w/ a resistance of 240 Ώ is plugged into a 120V
outlet. What is the current through the outlet?
4. You use your hair dryer for 20 minutes everyday. The
hairdryer uses 1000 kW. How many kilowatt-hours
does your hairdryer use in 6 days?
Sample Problems
5. A 30-Ώ and a 20-Ώ connected series and the
combination is connected to a 240-V dc line. Find: a)
total resistance of the combination b) total current
drawn from the source c) power dissipated by the
combined resistors.
6. A 30-Ώ and a 20-Ώ connected parallel and the
combination is connected to a 240-V dc line. Find: a)
total resistance of the combination b) total current
drawn from the source c) power dissipated by the
combined resistors.
8.