Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
The effects of electricity
• Electric current, charge and sources of electromotive
force and the effects of electric current
• Identify SI units for various electrical quantities
• Transpose basic formulae
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
The three states of matter
1 Solid
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
The three states of matter
2 Liquid
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
The three states of matter
3 Gas
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
What makes an atom?
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Electricity
Task: Complete AS 1.1
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Electricity – Activity 1.2: Make an emf source
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Basic electricity
● 6.24 × 1018
● 6 240 000 000 000 000 000
Negative Positive
source − − − − − − source
Flow
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Current
charge (Q )
current (I )
time (t )
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Conductors
Conductor
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Insulators
Insulator
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Electric current: what is it and what makes it flow?
● 6 240 000 000 000 000 000 electrons or 6.24 × 1018
● thermal
● chemical
● magnetic
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Generating emf
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Electric current: what is it and what
effect does it have?
● thermal
● chemical
● magnetic
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
The principles of electricity
Identify SI units for various electrical quantities
Transpose basic formulae
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Basic mathematics – BODMAS
What does BODMAS stand for?
● Brackets
● Other operations
● Division
● Multiplication
● Addition
● Subtraction
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Example 1
Calculate: 2 + 4 × 4 – 1
(× first) 2 + 16 – 1
(then +) 18 – 1
(then –) = 17
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Example 2
Calculate: 4 (3 + 2 × 2)
(brackets first, × is the first step)
4 (3 + 4)
(still brackets) 4 × (7)
(then ×) = 28
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Stretch task
What is the value of h?
h (3 4 ) 2 2
● Brackets – everything in here is done in order: square, then add 9 + 16
= 25 (use BODMAS within the brackets)
● Operation (root), root of 25 = 5
● Divide/multiply (there is none)
● Add/subtract (again, there is none)
● Calculation complete = 5
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Transposing formulae – multiplication/division
If a formula involves multiplication and division, follow these easy steps.
● The value to be determined must be on the top line (any value not
showing a top or bottom is taken as being top).
● The value to be found must be on its own on one side of the
equals sign.
● Any value moved over the equals sign moves from bottom to top or
top to bottom.
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Transposing formulae – multiplication/division
When using a formula, you need to make sure the value you are
calculating is the subject of your formula.
For example, what is the value of A?
pl
R
A
The value to be determined must be on the top line (any value not showing
a top or bottom is taken as being top).
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Transposing formulae – multiplication/division
When using a formula, you need to make sure the value you are
calculating is the subject of your formula.
For example, what is the value of A?
RA ρl
● The value to be determined must be on the top line (any value not
showing a top or bottom is taken as being top).
● Any value moved over the equals sign moves from bottom to top or top
to bottom.
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Transposing formulae – multiplication/division
When using a formula, you need to make sure the value you are
calculating is the subject of your formula.
For example, what is the value of A?
ρl
A
R
● The value to be determined must be on the top line (any value not
showing a top or bottom is taken as being top).
● Any value moved over the equals sign moves from bottom to top or
top to bottom.
● The value to be found must be on its own on one side of the
equals sign.
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Transposing formulae – addition/subtraction
For a formula that involves addition and subtraction:
● any value to be determined must be a positive value
● any value to be found must be on its own on one side of the equals sign
● any value moved over the equals sign changes from positive to
negative or vice versa.
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Transposing formulae – addition/subtraction
What is the value of c?
a+b–c=d
● Any value to be determined must be a positive value.
● Any value moved over the equals sign changes from positive to
negative or vice versa.
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Transposing formulae – addition/subtraction
What is the value of c?
a+b=c+d
● Any value to be determined must be a positive value.
● Any value moved over the equals sign changes from + to – or
vice versa.
● Any value to be found must be on its own on one side of the
equals sign.
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Transposing formulae – addition/subtraction
What is the value of c?
c=a+b–d
● Any value to be determined must be a positive value.
● Any value moved over the equals sign changes from + to – or
vice versa.
● Any value to be found must be on its own on one side of the
equals sign.
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Formulae involving more complex scenarios
One action on one side of the equals sign must be converted to the
opposite action on the other side.
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Formulae involving more complex scenarios
What is the value of b?
h a b 2 2
h a b
2 2 2
h a b
2 2 2
h2 a2 b
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Example using a.c. single-phase theory
Rearrange the formula to find R.
Z r X 2 2
Z r X
2 2 2
Z X r
2 2 2
Z X r
2 2
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
The International System of Units
SI units are used in UK/Europe to standardise systems of measurement:
● amps
● volts
● ohms
● watts.
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
The base unit
Base quantity Base unit Symbol
Length metre m
Mass kilogram kg
Time second s
Electric current ampere A
Temperature kelvin K
Amount of substance mole mol
Luminous intensity candela cd
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Quantity Symbol Unit name Unit symbol
Electric current I ampere A
Potential difference
Resistance
Resistivity
Temperature
Mass
Force
Magnetic flux
Magnetic flux density
Frequency
Power
Energy
Time
Length
Area
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Quantity Symbol Unit name Unit symbol
Electric current I ampere A
Potential difference V volt V
Resistance R ohm Ω
Resistivity P ohm-metre Ωm
Temperature No symbol kelvin K
Mass No symbol kilogram kg
Force F, f newton N
Magnetic flux Φ weber Wb
Magnetic flux density B tesla T or Wb/m²
Frequency F hertz Hz
Power P watt W
Energy W joule J
Time t seconds s
Length L metre m
Area A, a square metre m²
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Base units and prefixes
Everything that needs to be measured has its own base unit of
measurement.
● What is the base unit of length?
● Would you measure the distance between Glasgow and London
in metres?
● Would you measure the diameter of a domestic electric cable
in metres?
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Prefix units – multiples
Common prefix units required in electro-technology:
Unit Unit × 1000 Unit × 1,000,000
Amps kiloamps (kA) megaamps (MA)
Volts kilovolts (kV) megavolts (MV)
Ohms kiloohms (kΩ) megaohms (MΩ)
Watts kilowatts (kW) megawatts (MW)
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Prefix units – fractions
Common fraction prefix used in electro-technology:
Unit Unit 1000 Unit 1,000,000
Amps milliamps (mA) microamps (μA)
Volts millivolts (mV) microvolts (μV)
Ohms milliohms (mΩ) microaohms (μΩ)
Watts milliwatts (mW) microwatts (μW)
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Calculations
When calculating values using a formula, use the correct base units (or
your calculations will be wrong).
For example:
● energy = force × distance
● joules = newtons × metres
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Using indices
Indices are shorthand for very large or very small numbers.
Mega Kilo Base unit Milli Micro
× 1 000 000 × 1 000 1 ÷ 1 000 ÷ 1 000 000
1 × 106 1 × 103 1 1 × 10−3 1 × 10−6
● 400 kilovolts = 400 000 volts
● 400 000 = 400 × 103
● 30 microamps = 0.00003 amps
● 0.00003 = 30 × 10−6
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Chapter 1: Principles of electrical science
Discover your calculator
ENG ENG EXP
● Enter 0.003 into your scientific calculator.
● Press ‘=’.
● Now press ‘ENG’ several times.
● Now press ‘SHIFT ENG’ several times.
What do you notice?
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