Electricity 8 –Diodes, LEDs

and Review
P2
Quick Questions
What is total resistance?

10  20 
 Questions
• What is the potential difference of each
cell?

9V
 What do the ammeters read?

A i A 4.5 A

A A
ii 3A

A A
iii iv
All resistors are identical
What does the voltmeter read?
V

10 V 14 V
What do the Voltmeters Read
15 V

5V

V i

V
ii
 What is total resistance?
12 V

15  25 

10  20 
 Calculate the current that will
flow in the circuit?
12 V

15  25 

10  20 
What is the potential difference across
each of the resistors?
12 V

15  25 

10  20 
 Diodes and LEDs
• Objectives:
• What are diodes and LEDs?
• What does the IV graph look like for a
diode?
• What is the resistance of diodes when
connected forwards and backwards?
• Why are LEDs becoming popular for
lighting?
A diode
LEDs = Light Emitting Diodes
 Quick Experiment with an LED
• Try connecting the LED to the power
supply both ways round.

• What do you notice?

• What does this tell you about the current

flowing?
 Diodes
• Diodes only let current flow through them
in one ________.
Current can flow this way

Current cannot flow this way

• What are LEDs?

How is a turnstile like a diode?
Plotting an I-V graph for a diode
• Suggestions for circuit we can use?

• How will we change the potential

difference?
 Plotting an I-V graph for a diode
Reverse connections of
power supply to get Adjust Power Supply to change
negative potential potential difference
difference

Use 0-1A
ammeter

33 

V
Use
digital
voltmeter
 Tasks
• Draw circuit diagram
• Draw table for results
• Collect results
• Plot graph
• Write a conclusion about the resistance of
a diode when connected forwards and
when connected backwards.
I

V
Explain the shape of that graph
Kitchen Lights

LED Light Bulb

Halogen Light Bulb

Why are LEDs being
used in lighting?
 Why are LEDs being
used in lighting?
Type Power Efficiency Lifetime Cost of Typical
(hours) bulb Use

Filament 60 W 20% 1000 50p Room

bulb lighting

Halogen 50 W 25% 2500 £1.50 Spotlight

bulb

CFL 20 W 80 % 15000 £2.00 Room

lighting

LED 6W 90 % 30000 £15 Spotlight

 Diodes and LEDs
• Objectives:
• What are diodes and LEDs?
• What does the IV graph look like for a
diode?
• What is the resistance of diodes when
connected forwards and backwards?
• Why are LEDs becoming popular for
lighting?
 Why are LEDs being
used in lighting?
Type Power Efficiency Lifetime Cost of Typical
(hours) bulb Use

Filament 60 W 20% 1000 50p Room

bulb lighting

Halogen 50 W 25% 2500 £1.50 Spotlight

bulb

CFL 20 W 80 % 15000 £2.00 Room

lighting

LED 6W 90 % 30000 £15 Spotlight

 Why are LEDs being
used in lighting?
Type Power Efficiency Lifetime Cost of Typical
(hours) bulb Use

Filament 60 W 20% 1000 50p Room

bulb lighting

Halogen 50 W 25% 2500 £1.50 Spotlight

bulb

CFL 20 W 80 % 15000 £2.00 Room

lighting

LED 6W 90 % 30000 £15 Spotlight

 Why are LEDs being
used in lighting?
Type Power Efficiency Lifetime Cost of Typical
(hours) bulb Use

Filament 60 W 20% 1000 50p Room

bulb lighting

Halogen 50 W 25% 2500 £1.50 Spotlight

bulb

CFL 20 W 80 % 15000 £2.00 Room

lighting

LED 6W 90 % 30000 £15 Spotlight

 Why are LEDs being
used in lighting?
Type Power Efficiency Lifetime Cost of Typical
(hours) bulb Use

Filament 60 W 20% 1000 50p Room

bulb lighting

Halogen 50 W 25% 2500 £1.50 Spotlight

bulb

CFL 20 W 80 % 15000 £2.00 Room

lighting

LED 6W 90 % 30000 £15 Spotlight

 Why are LEDs being
used in lighting?
Type Power Efficiency Lifetime Cost of Typical
(hours) bulb Use

Filament 60 W 20% 1000 50p Room

bulb lighting

Halogen 50 W 25% 2500 £1.50 Spotlight

bulb

CFL 20 W 80 % 15000 £2.00 Room

lighting

LED 6W 90 % 30000 £15 Spotlight

 Why are LEDs being
used in lighting?
Type Power Efficiency Lifetime Cost of Typical
(hours) bulb Use

Filament 60 W 20% 1000 50p Room

bulb lighting

Halogen 50 W 25% 2500 £1.50 Spotlight

bulb

CFL 20 W 80 % 15000 £2.00 Room

lighting

LED 6W 90 % 30000 £15 Spotlight