Chapter 23: Electric Current
A Simple Circuit
• A battery – the energy source
• A light bulb – the energy destination (the load)
• A wire – the outgoing and return current path
Current
• Current measures the electric charge passing
through a region per unit of time
• Current is measured in coulombs/second or
amperes (amps)
• 1 A = 6.25 1018 electrons (or protons) per second
Positive Charge
• We pretend that current is flow of (+) charges
(a positive current indicates which direction the
positive charges would be flowing)
• It’s really (-) charges flowing the other way
Open Circuit
Closed Circuit
Voltage
1.5 Volts 9 Volts
• Voltage (electric potential) measures the
energy per unit of charge
electricpotential energy
electricpotential
charge
• Voltage is measured in joules/coulomb or volts
joule
1 volt 1
coulomb
A Battery (D-cell)
• Chemical potential energy is converted into
electric potential energy
– Chemical potential energy is consumed
– Electric potential energy is produced
• Current undergoes a rise in voltage
– Alkaline cell: 1.5 volt rise
– Lead-acid cell: 2.0 volt rise
– Lithium cell: 3.0 volt rise
Charge loses
electric
potential
energy
(voltage drop)
Charge gains
electric
potential
energy
(voltage rise)
Question
What total potential difference is created
by these three 1.5 V cells?
1. 0.0 V
2. 1.5 V
3. 3.0 V
4. 4.5 V
Question
What total potential difference is created
by these three 1.5 V cells?
1. 0.0 V
2. 1.5 V
3. 3.0 V
4. 4.5 V
9 Volt Battery
= six 1.5 Volt cells
Power
• Power – the rate at which energy is
transferred
energy transferred (Watts)
power
time
power current voltage
Watts amperes volts
coulombs joules
second coulombs
Power
60 Watts = 60 Joules/second
13 Watt CFL Bulb = 60 Watt Equivalent
Electrical Resistance
Conductors have low resistance
Insulators have high resistance
(little or no current can move
through them)
Ohm’s Law
• Ohm's Law shows the relationship between
the voltage (V), current (I) and resistance (R).
V
I
R
• V = voltage in volts (V)
I = current in amps (A)
R = resistance in ohms ()
Question
If you double the resistance of a simple
circuit, what happens to the current?
1. remains the same V
I
2. doubles R
3. halves
4. quadruples
Series Circuit
• Electric current is the same through all devices.
• The total voltage divides among the individual electrical
devices in the circuit
• If one device fails, current in the entire circuit ceases.
Parallel Circuit
• Voltage is the same across each device.
• The total current in the circuit equals the sum of
the currents in its parallel branches.
Question
If the switch to bulb B is open.
Will bulb A still light up?
1. yes
2. no
Parallel circuits and overloading
• Houses are wired in parallel.
• As more and more devices are connected
to a circuit, more current moves through the
wires.
• There is an amount of current each device
can carry before it overheats.
• When the current is excessive, overheating
can result in a fire.
Fuses
To prevent overloading in circuits,
fuses are connected in series along
the supply line.
The wire ribbon
heats up and
melts at a given
current.
Electric Circuits
Safety fuses
• Are wires that melt when the
given current is exceeded
• Are connected in series along the supply line to
prevent overloading in circuits
• Are replaced by circuit breakers
in modern buildings
Circuit breaker
• Automatic switch that turns
off when the current is excessive
Direct and Alternating Current
• Direct current (dc)
– Flows in one direction only.
– Electrons always move from
the negative terminal toward
the positive terminal.
• Alternating Current (ac)
– Electrons in the circuit are
moved first in one direction
and then in the opposite
direction
Direct and Alternating Current
• Commercial electricity in North America
– Alternating current (ac)
– 60 cycles per second
– Voltage is 120 V
• Power transmission is more efficient at
higher voltages.
– Europe adopted 220 V as its standard.
– U.S. continued with 120 V because so much
equipment was already installed.
