15 Electricity and Its Effect

Let's Learn

Electric current Magnetic effect of electric

Current
Electric circuits
Heating effect of electric current Electromagnet
An electric fuse An electric bell

Tune In
When ittle Josh heard
something buzzing, his curious eyes fell on the switchboard. He
Called out for his
father, "Dad, look, I can see the
lightning from the switches."
the spark his father Seeing
immediately switched off the main
supply. All the appliances stopped
working
Do you think Josh was
right in referring to the spark as
lightning'?
Introduction
In modern days, our lives are
dependent on electricity to
such an extent that
short power cut makes
a
us furious et's discuss
and anxious, and this
little duration without Spend a wholé
electricity, electricity thenday without
appears a never
ending. We cannot and and discuss your
imagine our life
without electricity and it has become experience/and the importance
part of our lives. A whole
an
inseparable of electricity
day without electricity means
no
light, no ACs or
fans, no cell phones, no computers and
electricity. It seems
quite frightening even for
everything which
operates on
without electricity.
a
day, and thern just
imagine an entire life
We are
overwhelmingly using electricity more than ever
for
carrying before; we are
out even the
smallest of tasks from dependent on electricity
entire railway network. Let us charging mobile phone to of a
study about electricity in this powering an
Caution chapter.
Do not touch
appliancees.
electrictomponents with wet hands. Always be
cautious while
handling electrical
46
 of
The rate of
flow of
arges toflo
charges to flow charges through
through
current called ampere
is
it) is
dn
called an
an
electric conductor (a
electric
material which allows electricat
(A). electric current.
nt. The SI
trical
unit
unit of measurement of
The flow of
electric current is measureme electric
level to alower level.
level like the flow
of water. As
of Similarly,
of higher electric level to a there is tendency of the know water flows from higher
we
we
a

point of lower positive charges toto flow from

direction of flflow of
direction
electrical trom a oint
po
waterfall,
a waterfal it is the
charges is called level.
vel. This electrical level that decides the
electrical
electrostatic potential. Similar t

Thus,
difference between the milar to the
the height difference
difference otof
potential difference is defined as potential of two points, that is potential difference.
one point to another. The SI unit the amount ofi
to measure
work done to move a
unit charge from
difference
the rom
When the potential potential difference is called volt
difference between the (
between these points. If points is zero, then no
there is a electrical current will fiow
current will flow because potential difference between two
positive charge will flow from a points, the electrica
potential point. It is similar to the flow of higher potential point to lower
cells the water in a
are used to apply potential difference. waterfall. In a circuit, a battery and

Did You Know?

Electrification was central to how

early nationalists and
development and huge sums have been spent on the planners conceptualised Indian
Yet, 240 million Indians have no access project from
independence till now.
to electricity.

Electric circuit
An electric current flows from the end of
the cell marked '+' (called the
positive terminal)
through the metal wires to the end marked (called the negative terminal). The flow of
electric current is possible only when the charges flow or travel
along a closed path. Thus, a
closed path along which an electric current can flow is called an electric circuit. How does a
Simple circuit look like and work?
o know this, let us make an electric circuit and see how it works.

Activity 1
Aim: To build a simple circuit and understand its working.

Materials: a bulb, connecting copper

wires and a dry cell

247
 Procedure:
Connect the two ends of two copper wires to a bulb and
a dry cell with the help of cellophane tape as shown in

fig (a).
Observe the bulb.
Now remove the cellophane tape from one end of the dry
cell as shown in Fig (6). Fig. 15.1 (a): Close circuit

Observe the bulb.

Observation:
: First, you will observe that the bulb will glow brightly when
the circuit is closed. After removing the cellophane tape the
respected wire will be detached from the bulb and circuit gets
open. Also, the bulb will stop glowing.
Fig. 15.1 (b): Open circuit
Conclusion:
The current flows in a closed
path and when the closed path is broken due to some
reason current will stop flowing in the circuit.

From the above mentioned activity,

have learned
we
two things about electricity. For the flow of electricity
in a circuit, the circuit must be closed. In a close
circuit the potential difference can be
applied and
electrical current flows from high potential to low
potential. To stop the flow of electricity in a circuit,
Switch
the circuit must be opened. The
potential difference
cannot be applied on an open circuit, thus electrical ON OFF
Current does not flow in such circuits.
An electric circuit
.th a switch
Thus, we can allow or stop electricity in a circuit by Fig. 15.2: An electric circuit with a switch
opening and closing the circuit. To ease this process, an electrical
used for this purpose. By connecting a switch as shown component called a switch is
in the diagram,
the electricity in a circuit. Like a switch, there
we can stop and allow
numerous electrical components
We will study a few of them below. are available.
Electric components and symbols
The commonly used components in an electric circuit discussed below

248
Electric cell

electric cell has Two

termiials, one posstive arndthe nther negatiE
hch are show On tWG SIdes of the (ell A (elt convErts heffir a

into electrical energy. It s used to apply

ay into
energy a potential d1tereri
tween two ends of a conductor

Electric battery
When two cellS are joined together via

ronducting wires in such a way that the positive

Conduct

nd of One cell is joined

the negative end
to
e
af the other cell. the arrangement is called
battery. Thus a battery is a germbination of
a

two or nore cells. It stores çhemical energy

and makes it available in electrjcal form. Like
a cell, a battery also has two electric terminals.
Fig. 15.4:A battery
It is used to apply a large potential difference
between two ends of a conductor.

The Switch or Key

Circuit vhen
As we have seen earlier, switch is used to stop the flow of electric current in a

thisswitch is set to 'ON' position then current startsflowing in the circuit. If a fan is conneced
When the of the switch to OFF
in the circuit then it starts rotating. position is changed
in the circuit. Due to this, the connected fari
position, then the electrical current stops flowing
also stops rotating.

Connecting wires
Substances which allow electric charge or electric current to pass through them are cailed
conductors of electricity. Metals such as silver, copper, aluminium etc, are good conductors
of electricity. Thus, wires are made of these metals and are used as conducting wires They are
circuit.
used to connect various electrical components in the

A light bulb
As soon as a light bulb is connected in a closed circuit, then the bulb will glow when electrical
Current passes through the circuit. In addition to its daily life use, it is also used to test the flnu,

ot electric current in a circuit.

LED (Light emitting diode)

ALED is an electrical component with two terminals, which is a light Positive
terminal
Negatve
sOurce It emits hght when an electric current is passing through it. termin

Fig. 15.5: LED

249
Onike a ight bulb it permits direction. It is available in
current only in one various colours
and sizes. Its application is similar to a light bulb.

Resistor
It is a two terminal electrical components that are used in electric circuits to reduce the fiovw of

electric current. A resistor offers obstacles in the path of flow of electric current, and thereby it
reduces the flow of electric current. Through this device, the flow of electric current in a circuit
can be controlled. For suppose the amount of current flowing through a circuit car
example,
destroy a LED in the circuit. In order to save that LED, the flow of current must be reduced in
the circuit. To do this, one can use an appropriate resIstor.

Drawing a Circuit
Electrical circuits can be represented by drawing a simple diagram using standard symbols of
electric components. All electric components have at least one standard symbol. An illustration
of an electrical circuit with such standard symbols is known as a circuit diagram. Some of the
useful standard symbols of various components are given in the following table.

Component Picture Symbols

Electric cell

Electric Battery

OFF or open switch or key

ON or close switch or key

Connecting wire
Light bulb
Res stor
N
et us nOw
ww
see, wnat
Circuit a
the arrangement of ditterent diagram with these symbols is. A cnuit
(lig ales
diagram of Figure 15.6 shows components of the circuit with standard syimbols
one close and one
nt
open electric crcu
Switch
Led
Switch

Battery Resistor Batlery Relo

A (open circuit)
B (closed inut)
Fig. 15.6: Circuit diagrams with standard
symbols
Since in closed electric circuit, current flows from
a
the positive to the
negative terminal of the battery,
Did
Did You
You Know?
Know?
arrows are marked to show the flow. An electric eel 1 sh that
indgenerates powerful electri shocks
Thus, the following points should be kept in mind
It uses this mechanism lor
while a circuit
constructing diagram. huntng
and self defence
There should be an electric source such as a cell
or a battery.

There should be a device or an appliance such as a LED or a bulb to consurne elertti

Current.
There should be a conductor in the form of Connecting wires t0 provide a path for thhe

flow of current.
switch to open or close the circuit.
There should be a

gap in the electric circUit, Tor a smooth flow of electrir

There should not be a currens

Check Your Progress

1. Is there any difference between a battery and

cell Justify your anser

stand for?
2. What does LED
metals?
wires made of
connecting
Why are
ty an cper r u i t
wnen it r
A light buib does not glow is OnnecteG

25