Van der Graaff

Empty coke can and wand

Small amounts of paper and
wand
Wand and tap
Balloon and wall
Electricity
 DC Electricity
Voltage, current and
resistance
Ohm’s law and non-
ohmic conductors
Potential dividers
Emf and internal
resistance
 The theories
Ohm’s law and resistivity
Potential difference in a circuit
Kirchoff’s law and charge
Flow of electrons
4.1 Electrical quantities
Pages 118-119
 Learning objectives
 Describe electric charge as the rate of flow of charged particles and use the
expression I = ΔQ/Δt
 Interpret current-potential difference graphs, including non-ohmic
material
 Demonstrate an understanding of how ICT may be used to obtain current-
potential difference graphs, including non-ohmic materials, and compare
this with traditional techniques in terms of reliability and validity of data
 Define the concept of emf
 Use the expression V = W/Q
 Use the fact that resistance is defined by R = V/I and that Ohm’s law is a
specific case when I ∝ V
 Investigate and use the relationship = ρl/A
 Use I = nqvA to explain the large range of resistivity of different materials
Why is electricity so useful?
Transfers energy
Secondary energy
source
Must be made
through
mechanical or
chemical means
Requires a
Primary energy
source
 http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhg
o9fAlAQQ
 Van der Graaff generator
Electric shock
Static electricity
Caused by an electrical
charge
Electrostatic charge
builds up on an insulating
material
This can include you!
Magic
 Electric charge
Atoms are made of protons, neutrons, and electrons
The electrons have a negative electric charge
How many labels can you add?
Nucleons Proton

Neutron

Electron
 Static Electric Charge
Electrons can be transferred from one
material to another.
- -
+
- +- - - +- -
-+- +- - + + ++
-
+- + - + + - +-
+-+ +
+

+ve charge -ve charge

 Electrostatic Phenomena
Why do electrically charged balloons stick on the wall?
 Tesla coil music

http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdr
qdW4Miao
 Static charge
An insulating
material can be given
a static electric charge
The charge
transferred to the
material is not
conducted away
Electric currents

Pages 120
 Electric current
All materials contain
electrons
The electrons in insulating
materials cannot move
around but in a metal some
of the electrons are free to
move about
If the electrons in a metal
flow, there is an electric
current
In a piece of metal the free electrons are moving around
all the time in different directions.
 Electric current
When a wire is put
in an electrical
circuit, the cell
pushes the electrons
around the circuit
There must be a
complete circuit for
the current to flow
 V

DC stands for “Direct

Current” – the current only
flows in one direction:
Time

1/50th s

AC stands for “Alternating 230V

Current” – the current
changes direction 50 times
every second (frequency = T
50Hz)

V
Current
Cells and batteries supply
direct current, in which
the current flows only in
one direction
Generators produce
alternating current, in
which the current
changes direction many
times a second
 http://
phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/
 Cell Battery Bulb Resistor

Ammeter Voltmeter Switch Switch

LDR Thermistor Variable Fuse

Resistor
 Series and Parallel

Series
(One Complete Loop)

Parallel
(Two or More ‘Branches’)
Electric current
 Measuring Current
Ammeters must be placed in series.
They need to measure the current flowing through
them.
 Simulation

http://
phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation
/circuit-construction-kit-dc
Electrical Current

A2 1A

A1
 Parallel circuits

In a parallel circuit the current splits up

when it reaches a junction
Electrical Current

4A
A3
A1

A2
Electrical Current

6A
A4
A1

A2

A3
Electrical Current

3A
A3
A1

A2
 Potential difference
Increasing the potential
difference will increase the
current
 Potential Difference
 Initial
GPE

Potential
Differenc
e

Final
GPE
 Potential Difference

0 V 1.5 V

p
0 V d 1.5 V
Recording Potential Difference
Investigating Potential Difference

Series Parallel
Investigating Potential Difference

Back
Investigating Potential Difference

Back
 Potential Difference
-20 J -20 J -20 J

100 J 80 J 60 J 40 J

p p p
d d d
20 J 20 J 20 J
 Potential Difference

100 J 80 J 60 J 40 J
20 J 20 J 20 J

p p p
0 V d
0.5 V 0.5 V d
1.0 V 1.0 V d
1.5 V
 Simulation

http://
phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation
/circuit-construction-kit-dc
Potential Difference

1.5 V
Potential Difference

1.5 V
Potential Difference

1.5 V 1.5 V
Potential Difference

3V 3V
Potential Difference

9V

4.5 V
Potential Difference

3V 3V
Potential Difference
1.5 V
Potential Difference
1.5 V
Potential Difference
1.5 V
 Potential Difference
The _________ _________ of a component is a
measure of how much _____ is _________ in
the component.
The potential difference across the ____ must
_____ the ___ of the potential differences
across the components in a ______ circuit.

Words: series cell transferred

energy equal sum
potential difference
 Current & pd Summary
• In a series circuit:
Current _________ at any point.
Potential difference _________ over each component.

is equal
• In a parallel circuit:
splits up
Current __________ down each branch.
Potential difference ________ across each branch.
 Line following robot

http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqM
2qm4DHU4
Resistance

Page 124
 Resistors and lamps

The current in a circuit depends on the potential

difference of the supply and the resistance of the circuit
 Resistance
Resistance is a way of
measuring how hard it
is for electricity to flow
Resistance is
measured in ohms (Ω)
 Resistance in a circuit
How will the resistance in a circuit be
affected by adding an extra bulb?

A
 Total resistance
Total resistance of a circuit
depends on the resistance of
the different components
The higher the total
resistance, the smaller the
current

http://
phet.colorado.edu/en/simulat
ion/circuit-construction-kit-d
c
 Resistance
4.5

4
Y = 1/2X
6 f(x) = 15.3703482646453 x − 0.0446269658897616
PotentialY Difference (V)

3.5

5 3

4 2.5

2
3
1.5
2
1

1
0.5

0 0
0 0 20.05 40.1 60.15 80.2 0.25
10 0.3
12

Current
X (A)

• This
The
I.e. graph
is
If youshows
known as that
double thecurrent
Ohm’s Law. is directly
potential
proportional
difference, theto potential difference.
current doubles
 Resistance
4.5

Potential Difference
4
3.5 f(x) = 15.3703482646453 x − 0.0446269658897616
3
2.5

(V)
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3

Current (A)

• General equation for a straight line graph is:

• y = mx + c.
• y = Voltage (V) x = Current (I) m = Gradient
• The gradient is also equal to the resistance (R).
• Therefore, V = IR
Resistor
 Variable resistor
The current flow in a circuit can be changed
by changing the resistance. This can be done
with a variable resistor into the circuit or by
using a variable resistor.
 Filament lamps
Filament lamps heat
up when they are used.
A higher potential
difference makes them
hotter, and as they get
hotter the resistance
increases.
3V

V
Filament lamp
Beware!
 Other components
Some components change their
resistance depending on the
conditions surrounding them
 Diode
Conduct energy in only one direction
If a potential difference is applied in
the opposite direction no current will
flow
5V

mA V
Diode
Light dependant resistor (LDR)
Large in the dark
Resistance
reduces in the light
 Thermistor
High resistance
when they are cold
Resistance reduces
as they increase the
heat
 Comparison
Resistance Resistance

Amount of light Temperature

 Revision – 2.10

1A 0.5 A

1A 2A

10 Ω 5Ω
 1. Match the follow electrical symbols for components with their
names:
cell power supply filament lamp switch fixed resistor
voltmeter

D
2. Draw the symbols for the following components:
a) LDR b) variable resistor c) thermistor d) ammeter
A

increases / decreases
3. As the intensity (brightness) of the light increases, the resistance
increases
of the LDR/ decreases
_________________
4. As the temperature increases, the resistance of the thermistor