Conductors and Insulators

Some materials allow charge movement more

readily than others.

Materials that allow easy movement of charge

(or conduction of electricity) are called
conductors. E.g. metals, alloys, aqueous
solutions

Materials which do not allow electrical

conduction are referred to as insulators. E.g.
most non-metals, gases.
 Charge Carriers
Electrical conduction involves the
movement of one or more different types
of charged entities called “charge carriers.”

For example, the charge carriers in a

metal are electrons while those in an
electrolyte are ions.
 Semiconductors
These are materials that fall in between
the range of conductors and insulators.
E.g. Silicon and Germanium.

Electrical conduction in semiconductors

involve the movement of both positive and
negative charge carriers.
 Electric Current
An electric current is a stream of charge
carriers of a given sign, moving in a
particular direction.

By convention, the direction of an electric

current is taken as that from the positive
pole to the negative pole of the source in
an external circuit.
 Electric Current
This direction is the same as that of the
motion of positively charged charge
carriers if such were present.

It would be opposite to that of negatively

charged charge carriers if they were
present as well.
 Measuring Electricity
We define the quantity of electric charge, Q,
transferred by an electric current, I/A, maintained for a
time, t/s, by the equation

Q  It
Thus the SI unit of electric charge is defined as the
quantity of charge transferred by a (unit) current of
one ampere in a unit time of one second.
 Measuring Electricity
The name of the SI unit of electric charge is the
“Coulomb”, for which the symbol is “C”.

Q / C  ( I / A )( t / s )
we may inf er that
1 coulomb  1Ampere  second
1C  1As
 Electric Potential Energy
An electric charge possesses energy due
to the work done in bringing it to its
position in an electric field.

This energy is referred to as electric

potential energy, or simply potential.
 Potential Difference, V
The potential difference (p.d.) between two
points in an electric field is the work done in
moving 1C of charge from point to the other.
The defining equation for p.d. is
W E
V or V 
Q Q
where W / E is the electrical energy delivered
 Potential Difference, V
The SI unit of p.d. is the Volt (V).

From the defining equation,

1V = 1JC-1
 Electrical energy
Electrical energy is given by E = QV, from
V = E/Q.

But Q=It, therefore substituting for Q we

get
E = VIt
This is another equation that can be used
to calculate electrical energy.
 Electrical Power
Power is the rate at which energy is
transferred.

An expression for electrical power can be

derived as follows:
 V , E
Q

but Q  It
V  E
It

 E
t  VI
But ,  P
E
t

So , P  VI
 Electrical Power
Recall that the SI unit of power is “Js-1” or
“watt” for which the symbol is “W”.

From defining equation of electrical power,

P = VI,
1W = 1Js-1 = 1 VA
 Question 1
A resistor produces 120J of heat when
12C of electricity from a battery passes
through it. What is:

The p.d. across the resistor?

The current from the battery if the charge
passes uniformly for 6s.
 Question 2
The base of a thundercloud has a total
negative charge of 30C. A lightning strike
occurs between the base of the cloud and a
tree-top. During the strike, the total negative
charge on the base of the cloud is
transferred to earth by a current of 1.5 x 104
A. If the lightning strike is associated with the
release of a total quantity of 2 x 107 J of
energy of all forms,
 Question 2
i. Find
a) The time for which the lightning strike lasted.
b) The p.d. between the base of the cloud and
the tree-top which was struck.
c) The electrical energy converted per unit of
electric charge transferred.
d) The electrical power during the strike.

ii. State one assumption you had to make to

answer part (i) above.
 Cost of Electrical Energy
The SI unit for energy, the Joule, is too
small for the large amounts of energy used
in a modern home.

The unit of energy for which we pay is the

kilowatt-hour (kWh).
Cost of Electrical Energy

1kWh  1000W  1hour

1
 1000 Js  3600s
 3.6 10 J
6

or 3.6 MJ
 Question 3
Calculate the cost of running four 100W
light bulbs, a 550W stereo and a 3.5kW
compressor fan for 8 hours. The cost of
electricity is $2.50 per kWh.
 Types of Current
There are two types of current: Alternating
Current (A.C.) and Direct Current (D.C.).

A direct current is one which flows in one

direction only. E.g. the current of a battery.
 Types of Current

(a) + Steady D.C.

I/A

t/s

(b) +
Varying D.C.
I/A

t/s
 Types of Current
An alternating current is one that
continually changes direction. E.g. Car
and Power Stations alternators.

I/A Peak Value

t/s

1 Cycle