Electrical Circuits (1)

By:
Dr. Aya Hossam
Lecture 2
“Current, Voltage, and Resistance”
 Today’s Menu
• Describe Atom Structure.
• Explain the concept of electrical charge.
• Define voltage and discuss its characteristics.
• Define current and discuss its characteristics.
• Define resistance and discuss its characteristics.
• Describe a basic electric circuit.
 1. Atomic Structure
The Bohr atom is a tool for visualizing atomic structure.

• The nucleus is positively charged and

has the protons and neutrons.
• Electrons are negatively charged and in Nucleus
discrete shells.
• In the neutral atom, the number of Orbit
electrons is equal to the number of Electron
protons.

Atom Model
 1. Atomic Structure
The outer shell is called the valence shell. Electrons in this shell are
involved in chemical reactions and in metals they account for
electrical and thermal conductivity.

• The Figure shows the copper atom.

• Free electrons make copper an excellent

conductor and make electrical current
possible.

• Conductors have a number of free

electrons.
 2. Electrical Charge (Q):
• The charge of an electron and that of a proton are equal in magnitude but
opposite in polarity.
• The force acting between charges is called an electric field.

➢ There is a force (F) between charges.

➢ Like charges repel; unlike charges attract.
 2. Electric Charge (Q):
• Electric charge is given the symbol (Q) and the unit of charge is the coulomb
(C).

• Electrical effects are related to both the separation of charge and charges in
motion.

• In circuit theory, the separation of charge creates an electric force (voltage) and
the motion of charge creates an electric fluid (current).
 3. Voltage (V):
• Whenever positive and negative charges are separated, a certain amount of energy
must be exerted, in the form of work, to overcome the force and move the charges a
given distance apart.
• Voltage (Electric Potential difference) is the work per unit charge and its unit is
volt (v). + -
• We express this ratio in differential form as: + -
W + -
V= -------(1)
+ -
Q
+ -
• Where: V = the voltage in volts, + -
+ -
W = the energy in joules,
+ -
Q = the charge in coulombs + -
 The Sources of Voltage:
• There are four sources of voltage which are:
1. The Battery: is a type of voltage source that converts chemical energy into
electrical energy.
e -
+
e-

Zinc Copper
(anode) (cathode)
Zn2+ Zn + 2e
- Cu 2+ + 2e
- Cu

ZnSO4
solution

Porous CuSO4
barrier solution
 The Sources of Voltage:
2. The electronic Power Supply: These
voltage sources convert the ac voltage from a
wall outlet to a dc voltage that can be varied
over a specified range.

3. Solar cell:
By using solar cell, light energy is converted
directly into electrical energy
 The Sources of Voltage:
4. The Electric Generator: Electrical generators convert mechanical energy into
electrical energy using a principle called electromagnetic induction.
 4. Electric Current (I):
• Electric current is caused by moving electric charge. Electric current comes from
the motion of electrons.
• Electric current can be defined as the rate of flow of charge and its unit is
Ampere (A).
e-
 4. Electric Current (I):
• The current can be determined as follows:
Q ------(2)
I=
Where t
I= the current in amperes,
Q = the charge in coulombs
t = the time in seconds.

Question:
What is the current if 2 C passes a point in 5 s? 0.4 A
 5. Electrical Resistance (R):
• Resistance is the opposition to current.
• The unit of resistance is ohm () and the letter symbol is R as shown in Figure
above.
• Although resistors come in many shapes and sizes, they can all be placed in one
of two main categories: fixed or variable.
 Fixed Resistors
• Fixed resistors are available with a large selection of resistance values that are
set during manufacturing and cannot be changed easily.
• They are constructed using various methods and materials.
 Fixed Resistors
• We will study two types of fixed resistors which are:
1. Carbon Resistors:
• Made of carbon or graphite mixed with a
powdered insulating material.
• The entire resistor is capsulated in an
insulated coating for protection.
2. Wire-wound Resistors:
• They are constructed with resistive wire
wound around an insulating rod.
• They are used in applications that require
higher power ratings.
 Carbon Resistors – Color Code
The color code is read as follows :
1. Start with the band closest to one end of the resistor. The
first band is the first digit of the resistance value. If it is not
clear which is the banded end, start from the end that does
not begin with a gold or silver band.
2. The second band is the second digit of the resistance
value.
3. The third band is the number of zeros following the
second digit, or the multiplier.
4. The fourth band indicates the percent tolerance and is
usually gold or silver.
Question:
• Applying the Color Code to find resistance value.
Gold = 5%

5% of 4700 = 235

4700 - 235 = 4465

Yellow = 4
4700 + 235 = 4935

Violet = 7

Red = 2

The actual value can range from 4465 to 4935 .

47 00
700 is the nominal value.
 Carbon Resistors – Color Code
• Resistors under 10 Ω:
• The multiplier band is either gold or silver.
• For gold, multiply by 0.1.
• For silver, multiply by 0.01.
 Resistor Label Codes
• These label codes consist of either all numbers (numeric) or a combination of
numbers and letters (alphanumeric).
 Resistor Label Codes
• An alphanumeric label typically consists of only two or three digits and one of the
letters
(R, K, or M)
• The letter is used to indicate the multiplier, and the position of the letter indicates
the decimal point placement.

• The letter R indicates a multiplier of 1 (no zeros after the digits), the K indicates a
multiplier of 1000 (three zeros after the digits), and the M indicates a multiplier of
1,000,000 (six zeros after the digits).
Resistor Label Codes
 Variable Resistors
• They are designed so that their resistance values can be changed easily with a
manual or an automatic adjustment.
• Two basic uses for variable resistors that changed manually are to:
❑ Divide voltage “potentiometer. “
❑ Control current. “rheostat.”
❑ Rheostat: Variable Resistors
- Two terminals.
- Connected in series with the load and the voltage source.
- Controls the current.
 Variable Resistors
❑ Potentiometer:
- Three terminals.
- Ends connected across the voltage source.
- Third variable arm taps off part of the voltage.
❑ Potentiometer: Variable Resistors
• The applied V is input to the two end terminals of the potentiometer.
• The variable V is output between the variable arm and an end terminal.

Fig. shows Potentiometer connected across voltage source to function as a voltage

divider. (a) Wiring diagram. (b) Schematic diagram.
 Variable Resistors
“Automatically variable resistors”
• There are two types of Automatically variable resistors which are:
1. Thermistor.
2. Photoconductive cell.
 Variable Resistors
❑ Thermistors:
• Thermistors are temperature-
sensitive resistors whose resistance
value changes with changes in
operating temperature.

• Used in electronic circuits where

temperature measurement, control,
and compensation are desired.
 Variable Resistors
❑ Photoconductive cell:
• Photoconductive cells Variable
Resistors that change resistance as a
function of light.

• The resistance value is changed with

a change in light intensity.
 5. The Electric Circuit
• An electric circuit is a complete path through which electric current
travels.

A basic circuit consists of 1) a voltage source, 2) a

load and 3) a path for current between the source
and the load.
• An example
. of a basic circuit is the flashlight, which has each of these
Switch Metal strip

Metal reflector Spring

 5. The Electric Circuit

• When drawing a circuit diagram, symbols are used to represent each part of the circuit.
• The battery is the voltage source, the lamp is the load on the battery because it draws current
from the battery, and the two wires provide the current path from the positive terminal of the
battery to the lamp and back to the negative terminal of the battery.
 Quiz Of Lecture 2

1. Valence electrons are

a. in the outer shell
b. involved in chemical reactions
c. relatively loosely bound
d. all of the above
 Quiz Of Lecture 2

2. The atomic particle responsible for electrical current

in solid metallic conductors is the
a. proton
b. electron
c. neutron
d. all of the above
 Quiz Of Lecture 2

3. The symbol for charge is

a. C
b. 
c. Q
d. W
 Quiz Of Lecture 2

4. The definition for voltage is

a. V = Q
t
W
b. V =
t
W
c. V =
Q

d. V = It
 Quiz Of Lecture 2

5. A battery stores
a. electrons
b. protons
c. ions
d. chemical energy
 Quiz Of Lecture 2

6. The unit of conductance is the

a. ohm
b. coulomb
c. siemen
d. ampere
 Quiz Of Lecture 2
7. A four-color resistor with the color bands
gray-red-black-gold is
a. 73 
b. 82 
c. 680 
d. 820 
 Quiz Of Lecture 2

8. A 330 k ± 5% resistor has the color bands

a. red-red-brown-silver
b. orange-orange-yellow-gold
c. yellow-yellow-red-silver
d. yellow-yellow-green-gold
 Quiz Of Lecture 2
In the fig. shown, the multimeter is set on the 3V
range to measure dc voltage. Assume the pointer
is at 150 on the upper 300 ac-dc scale. What
voltage is being measured?
Answer:

3V 300 divisions

? 150 divisions

Measured Voltage=3*150/300=1.5V
Quiz Of Lecture 2