Electricity Theory

Ohms Law Combination of Resistors Electric Work & Power KirchhoffS 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 - So rce of Emf

Electric Current
Movement of electric charge Rate of charge movement

Q I= t

unit Ampere, A C 1A=1 s

Charge Movement

!ct al "low of C rrent

Charge Movement

Con#entional "low of C rrent

Types of Current
AC Alternating current charges continuously

change direction forward and back at ! "#

$%ample& outlets (appro% '2! ()

)C )irect current charges move in one direction

$%ample& batteries

Ohms Law
*he ratio of potential difference (voltage) across a conductor to the current it carries is constant which is the resistance+

Where$ % & %olta'e (%) * & C rrent (!) R & Resistance ()

% * R

Resistance
Resistance is the impedance of the motion of charge

through a conductor

V R= I

unit ohm, V Js 1 = 1 = 1 2 A C

Resistance
*he electrical resistance of a wire would be e%pected to be greater for a longer wire, less for a wire of larger cross sectional area, and would be e%pected to depend upon the material out of which the wire is made+ $%perimentally,

Electric Power
Power& Rate at which work is done or Rate at which

energy is transformed
Electric Power& *he rate at which electricity does work or

provides energy+
,ymbol - .

unit watt, W J 1W=1 s

Electrical Energy
"ome use of electric energy is based on the amount of

$lectrical .ower use per hour

Measured in kilowatt hours

('!!! watts per hour) - k/h

E + P , -

Resistor Combinations
The combination rules for any number of resistors in series or parallel can be derived with the use of Ohms Law the voltage law and the current law !

Resistor Combinations&
,eries .arallel ,eries0parallel

"eries #esistors

Parallel #esistors

Kirchhoffs Laws

./ Kirchhoffs Point (or 0 nction) R le

01n any 2unction, the sum of all the currents coming into it must e3ual to the sum of all the current leaving it+

(41 in - 4 1 out)

I1 + I 2 + I 3 = I 4 + I 5 + I 6

Kirchhoffs Laws
2/ Kirchhoffs Loo1 (or circ it) R le
- *n any loo12 the al'ebraic s m of all emfs in it is e3 al to the al'ebraic s m of all the #olta'es or *R 4s 5ro1s in it/

emf ' s = IR' s

Definition of Terms
Loo1 5 a closed conducting path 0 nction 5 a point where 6 or more resistances are

2oined
Branch 5 a conducting line connecting 2 2unctions

E$amples
'+ 1f a C) player uses 7+8( w9 !+2A current, how much

power does it use:

2+ Calculate the voltage across a 6% resistor if a &!'

current is flowing through it!

(! ) radio w* a resistance of +,& ; is plugged into a

'2!( outlet+ /hat is the current through the outlet:

7+ <ou use your hair dryer for 2! minutes everyday+ *he

hairdryer uses '!!! k/+ "ow many kilowatt0hours does your hairdryer use in days:

"ample Problems
8+ A 6!0% and a +&-; connected series and the combination is connected to a 27!0( dc line+ =ind& a) total resistance of the combination b) total current drawn from the source c) power dissipated by the combined resistors+ + A 6!0; and a 2!0; connected parallel and the combination is connected to a 27!0( dc line+ =ind& a) total resistance of the combination b) total current drawn from the source c) power dissipated by the combined resistors+

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