Chapter 13:

Electrical Quantities in Circuits

13.1-Circuits and Circuit
Diagrams
Review
 Circuit: controlled path through which electrons
flow
 Electric current: flow of electrons through wires
and components.
 flows from negative terminal of battery
through wires to the positive terminal
 Parts of an Electric Circuit
1. energy source
2. switch
3. conducting wires
4. loads
Circuits

In order for electricity to flow we need

Power source
Closed circuit

There are two type of circuits we will explore

Series circuit
Parallel circuit
Circuit Diagrams

 An electric circuit can be represented using a

diagram.
 Each part of the circuit is represented with a symbol.
 By reading a circuit diagram, we can see how the
circuit works and how to repair it when it does not
function properly
Circuit Circuit Diagram
Types of Circuits
 There are 2 types of Circuits:

What similarities and differences do you see?

 Types of Circuits

1. Series Circuit
 electrons only have one path to follow connected end to end;
a simple loop
 if one bulb blows ALL the others turn OFF in the circuit
 electric current/amperes is the same in all parts of the circuit
 voltage at each load will add up to the total voltage –
voltage decreases as more loads are added as the electrical
potential energy decreases as it moves through the loads in
the circuit where each load uses some of the energy the
electrons and thus gets less energy (dimmer bulbs)
 resistance at each load will add up to the total resistance -
the total resistance increases as more loads are added.
 the main switch stops current through the whole circuit
 EX: some Christmas lights
Series Circuits
 Types of Circuits

2. Parallel Circuit
 electrons have more than one path they can follow through
 if one bulb blows ALL the other stay ON in the circuit
 electric current through each parallel load will add up to the total
current – current decreases as more loads are added as electrons
split up, each branch will have less than the total amount of electrons
flowing through it
 the voltage through each parallel load will be the same as electrons
go through one load and only give up their energy once through
one path before going back to the battery to be re-energized (equal
brightness)
 the net resistance decreases as more components are added,
because there are more paths for the current to pass through
 a switch can be added to each branch to control each light bulb
Parallel Circuits
 Ammeters & Voltmeters
 Ammeters are connected in series as part of
the circuit (drawn in after the switch but
before the load)
 Voltmeters are connected in parallel as a
branch around the load

Ammeter (A) Voltmeter (V)

Series or Parallel?
Now you try!

Example 1: Draw a series circuit to show a 9V

battery, an open switch, two bulbs, and an
ammeter.
 Now you try!
Example 2: Draw a circuit diagram showing a two-cell battery with
three lamps connected in a parallel circuit. Include a closed switch for
controlling each lamp and a voltmeter on the 3rd lamp.
13.3-Electric Current
 Electric Current
 Electric current is the rate of electron flow past a given

point in a circuit.
 Current is represented by the symbol I

Measured in amperes (A)

Measured using an instrument called an ammeter (connected in

series – measure the flow of electrons all the way around a circuit
▪For some circuits with a lower current, current can be measured in
milliamperes (mA) or even smaller microamperes (A)

The negative side of the ammeter is connected to the negative side of

the battery
 The current through a circuit flows from the negative

terminal of an energy source through the loads to the positive

terminal of the energy source.
The current continues moving in this way as long as the
Current Symbol
 Electric Current

Large currents can damage electrical devices, start a fire, and

even cause death if the current passes through your body.

Fuses and circuit breakers regulate the amount of current in a

circuit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyekAmnJnOA
If the current is greater than the rating of the fuse, the fuse will

blow. In the case of a circuit breaker, the breaker trips.

Fuses and circuit breakers prevent large currents from

damaging the rest of a circuit and possibly starting a fire.

 Electric Current

 Even small electrical shocks can be dangerous.

An electric current of about 0.001 A passing
through the body may give you a tingling
sensation.

 A current of 0.05-0.15 A can cause muscles to

contract or convulse out of control.

 Beyond 0.15A - This amount of current is

sometimes called the “let-go” threshold
because beyond this value you can no longer
let go of the object that is shocking you.
 Formula for Current

Where:
I = the symbol for CURRENT and is measured in amperes (A)

Q = the symbol for CHARGE and is measure in coulombs (C)

**Note: 1 coulomb represents 6.24 x 1018 electrons

t = the symbol for TIME and is measured in seconds (s)

𝐶h𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑎 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡(𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑜𝑚𝑏𝑠)

Current =
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 (𝑠)
 Example: If 240C of charges passes a point in
conductor in 3 minutes, what is the current through
that point in the conductor?

Given (G): Q= 240C

t = 3 minutes (3 min x 60s = 180s)
1 min
Required (R): I=?
Analysis (A): I = _Q_
t
Solution (S): I = 240C
180s
= 1.33 A
Sentence (S): The current in the conductor is
1.33 A.
Energy 101: Electricity Generation

 YouTube Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Vb6hlL
QSg
13.5 Potential Difference
(Voltage)
Potential Difference (Voltage)

 Nothing moves by itself. A force is needed to make

something move. Electricity needs a force to move it.
 Electrons move in a circuit because a force pushes
them. The force or pressure that pushes electrons is
voltage.
 The strength of the voltage is measured in Volts (V).
 In science, energy is defined as the ability to do work
 This energy is called electrical potential energy
 Electrical energy is the work done by the moving
electrons on the load.
 Potential Difference is the difference in electric potential
energy per unit of charge measured at two different points.
 Voltage in a circuit is measured using a voltmeter
(connected in parallel across the load)
Potential Difference (Voltage)
 Electrons leave the negative terminal with high electric
potential energy that can be used to operate the load that is
connected to the circuit.
 The energy is converted by the load into another form of
energy (ex: light, heat, sound, etc.)
 When electrons return to the battery through the positive
terminal, they now have less electric potential energy than
what they started with. Why? Because some of their energy was
used to operate the load.
 Once electrons re-enter the battery, they are re-energized by
chemical reactions in the battery and then sent back out
through the negative end.
 What factors affect the energy stored in a battery?

 Energy per electron ( voltage - V )

 Rate of flow of electrons ( current - I )

 The time the battery is being used ( time - t )

 Formula for Potential Difference

Where:
V = the symbol for POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE and is measured in
volts (V)

E = the symbol for ENERGY and is measure in joules (J)

Q = the symbol for CHARGE and is measured in coulombs (C)

Example: In a battery, 45 J of chemical energy are converted into
electrical energy by separating positive and negative charges. This
energy places 15 C of negative charge at the negative terminal, leaving a
deficit at the positive terminal. What is the potential difference between
the terminals of the battery?

Given: E= 45 J Q = 15 C
Required: V = ?
Analysis: V = _E_
Q **Volts are equal to joules/coulomb.

Solution: V = 45J In other words, a volt represents how much

15C energy there is per coulomb of electrons!

= 3V
Sentence: The potential difference is 3V.
Connecting Charge, Current, &
Voltage Formulas
𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒂 𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕 (𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒐𝒎𝒃𝒔)
𝑪𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕=
𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 (𝒔)
 13.7-Resistance in Circuits
&
13.9-Relating Current, Voltage, and Resistance
Resistance
 Electrical Resistance (R): the ability of a material to
oppose the flow of electric current; measured in ohms
(Ω)

 Ohmmeter: a device used to measure resistance

 Ohmmeters are connected in parallel with a load when
measuring resistance.
 The circuit must be turned OFF to measure the resistance.

 Resistance is the ability to oppose the flow of electric

current through it. Insulators are good resistors as
they have low conductivity.
 Resistivity

 Player A is like the force in an electric circuit

because they are the force pushing the electrons.
 Player B is like the resistance in an electric circuit
because the slow down the movement of
electrons.
 Resistor & Resistivity
 When a substance resists the flow of electrons, it slows down the current and
converts the electrical energy into other forms of energy.

 Thus, a Resistor is a device that reduces the flow of electric current (they
affect the electric current and voltage in a circuit – EX: lights become dimmer)

 The more resistance a substance has, the more energy it gains from the
electrons that flow through it

 The energy gained by the substance is given off as heat or light energy

 The more resistance something has, the smaller the conductivity.

 Electrons have higher voltage when entering a resistor compared to when

they leave the resistor because they use up some energy in passing through
the resistor
 4 factors which affect the
resistance of a wire:
1. Type of Material: Electrons move more
easily through some materials compared to
others
• Good conductors have low resistivity.
• Silver and copper are extremely good
conductors, while glass and hard rubber
are non-conductors or insulators.
 Silver is one of the best conductors but is
never used in wires of household circuits
due to its cost
 Copper & Aluminum are among the least
expensive materials with suitable conducting
ability to permit their use in wires of
household circuits
 4 factors which affect the
resistance of a wire:
2. Temperature: the warmer the wire (the higher the
temperature), the greater the resistance and lower its
conductivity

3. Length: The longer the wire, the greater its resistance

• Electrons have to travel through more material
• Long extension cords tend to heat up more. Prevented by
making them thicker.

4. Cross-Sectional Area: The thicker the wire the less resistant

they are
 With conductors and some types of loads, the current,
voltage, and resistance are related
 If the voltage across one of these loads increases, the current
through the load also increases.
 Relating Current, Voltage, &
Resistance – Ohm’s Law
The graph of voltage vs. current is a straight line
 The slope of the graph is the resistance of the load
 Its’ relationship is written as:

R = the symbol for RESISTANCE and is

measured in ohms (Ω)
V = the symbol for POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE
and is measure in volts (V)
I = the symbol for CURRENT and is measured in amps (A)
 Ohm’s Law

 Ohm performed experiments where he applied a voltage across

different wire resistors and measured the current.
 He discovered that for each resistor, no matter what voltage was
applied, the resistance remained the same.
 An Ohm meter will measure the internal resistance in a circuit (it
must be connected in parallel with the load)
Calculating Resistance – Ohm’s Law
 Resistance = potential difference
current

 R = VI = V V=RxI
I R

 Where:
 V is the symbol for potential difference and is measured in volts (V)
 R is the symbol for resistance and is measured in ohms (Ω)
 I is the symbol for current and is measured in amperes (A)

 Increasing current causes a decrease in resistance

 Increasing voltage causes an increase in resistance

 When 1V of electric potential passes through a material that has a resistance

of 1 Ω, there is 1 A of electric current.
Calculating Resistance – Example 1

 What is the resistance of a heating coil in an

electric heater, if a current of 12.5 A runs
through it when it is connected to a wall
outlet (120 V).
Calculating Resistance – Example 1
SOLUTION
 What is the resistance of a heating coil in an
electric heater, if a current of 12.5 A runs through
it when it is connected to a wall outlet (120 V).
G: I = 12.5 A V = 120 V
R: R = ?
A: R = V/I
S: R = 12o V/ 12.5 A
= 9.6 Ω
S: Therefore, the resistance for the electric heater is
9.6 Ω.
 Example 2
A load has 1.2 A of current flowing through it. The
voltage across the load is 6.0 V. Calculate the
resistance of the load. Answer: 5Ω
 Example 3
A device creates a potential difference of 1500 V
across two points at the surface of human skin. Dry
human skin has a resistance of about 125 000 Ω.
Calculate the current moving through the skin.
Answer: 0.00012A (rearrange the formula)
 Example 4
A compact fluorescent light bulb has a resistance of
1100 Ω. The current going through the bulb is 0.11
A. Calculate the potential difference across the light
bulb. Answer: 121V (rearrange the formula)
13.10-How Series and
Parallel Circuits Differ
RECALL …
 Types of Circuits

1. Series Circuit
 electrons only have one path to follow connected end to end;
a simple loop
 if one bulb blows ALL the others turn OFF in the circuit
 electric current/amperes is the same in all parts of the circuit
 voltage at each load will add up to the total voltage –
voltage decreases as more loads are added as the electrical
potential energy decreases as it moves through the loads in
the circuit where each load uses some of the energy the
electrons and thus gets less energy (dimmer bulbs)
 resistance at each load will add up to the total resistance -
the total resistance increases as more loads are added.
 the main switch stops current through the whole circuit
 EX: some Christmas lights
 Types of Circuits

2. Parallel Circuit
 electrons have more than one path they can follow through
 if one bulb blows ALL the other stay ON in the circuit
 electric current through each parallel load will add up to the total
current – current decreases as more loads are added as electrons
split up, each branch will have less than the total amount of electrons
flowing through it
 the voltage through each parallel load will be the same as electrons
go through one load and only give up their energy once through
one path before going back to the battery to be re-energized (equal
brightness)
 the net resistance decreases as more components are added,
because there are more paths for the current to pass through
 a switch can be added to each branch to control each light bulb
Summary – See Formula Sheet
Summary – Try to fill it in 

Quantity Series Circuits Parallel Circuits

Current through loads

(Iload)
Voltage across loads
(Vload)
Total Resistance
Example 1:
A) Draw a circuit diagram of a circuit with a closed
switch, 6V cell battery, 2 identical light bulbs, an
ammeter, and a fuse.
Note: When the second light bulb is added the lights
become dimmer.

B) Calculate the resistance, voltage, and current for

whole circuit.
Example 2:
A) Draw a circuit diagram of a circuit with a closed
switch, 3V cell battery, 3 identical light bulbs, a
voltmeter on the 2nd light bulb, and a resistor on the
1st light bulb.
Note: When the 3rd light bulb burns out the others
stay on.

B) Calculate the resistance, voltage, and current for

whole circuit.
Example 3:
Use the circuit diagram to solve for the missing values. Use the table to
track and record the values. Number each step.
 Example 4:
Use the circuit diagram to solve for the missing values. Use the table to track and
record the values. Number each step.