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Simple Circuits

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14 views

Simple Circuits

Uploaded by

c4c8y72q5p
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Simple Circuits

What is a circuit
A circuit is the complete path of an electric current
including usually the source of electric energy.
Electricity works a lot like water. Often imagining how
water would work in an circuit will tell you how electricity
will work as well.
Open/Closed Circuit
Electricity flows
through circuits: paths
of conductors (usually
wires).

Any break in the circuit


will cause the circuit
to fail, just like a
break in

a pipe lets water leak


out of a water system.
Circuit Diagrams
Circuit diagrams are a short-cut method of drawing circuits.
Types of Circuits
Series circuits have only one path for the electricity to
flow.

The image shows two light bulbs in series

If any part of a series circuit is


broken, the circuit fails. If
either light is unscrewed both
lights will turn off.
Types of Circuits
Parallel circuits have multiple paths for electricity to
flow.

The branches (paths)


of a parallel circuit are
independent. If either
light is unscrewed, the
other will remain on.
Ohm’s Law
Used to demonstrate relationship between Voltage, Current,
and Resistance in a circuit
Abbreviations:

A - Amps - current

V - volts - voltage

Ω - ohms - resistance

Increasing voltage, increases current.

Increasing resistance, decreases current.

Decreasing voltage ,decreases current.

Decreasing resistance, increases current.


Current
Current is moving electrons, moving charge.

Increasing current causes more electricity to move through a


device.

Increasing electricity
through a device causes
it to work faster (in a
motor) or be brighter
(in a lightbulb).
Example
Using Ohm’s Using Ohm’s

Law: I = V/R Law: I = V/R


I = 6v/3Ω
I = 3v/3Ω
I = 2 A
I = 1 A
Voltage
Voltage is electrical potential:how much work a battery can
do.

Voltage is linked to energy:

1 volt of voltage = 1 joule of energy per coulomb of charge

To increase voltage you could use a stronger battery OR add


batteries.

*Make sure batteries are facing the right way if not, the
circuit will not work.
Example
If a 3.6V battery is added in series to increase the voltage
if you added more batteries to it. The total voltage would
be 14.4V.

VTotal=3.6V+3.6V+3.6V+3.6V

VTotal=14.4V
Resistance
Resistance slows down current.

Think of resistance like a dam holding back water.

Adding devices in a circuit increases resistance.


Example
I = V/R I = V/R
= 6v/3Ω = 2 A = 6v/6Ω = 1 A
Both lights are
The light is bright
dimmer because
because the 6
the 6 volts have
volts only have two lights to run.
one light to run.
Voltage Drop
Each resistor in a series circuit “uses” part of the energy
of the circuit, reducing the voltage.

Eventually the voltage is back to zero at the negative side


of the battery. Then the battery energizes the electrons
again.
Short Circuits
Electricity always chooses the path of least resistance.
Since wires have virtually no resistance, electricity will
go thru a wire instead of a device or circuit. This causes a
short-circuit.
Total Current in a parallel Circuit
Parallel circuits have independent paths. We call these
independent paths “branches”.

Since wires use no


voltage,
we know that both
branches
have the same voltage.
Work
Work is defined as moving a mass through a distance using
force.

Work = force x distance

units: N*m (or Joules)


Power
A measure of how quickly work is done

P = Work/time

Units: Joules/second (or Watts)

1 Hp = 746 W
Electrical power
The amount of power consumed by an electrical device depends
on current and voltage

P = V*I
Example Problem
1. A hairdryer uses 120 V and draws 5.5 A of current.
Calculate the power of the hairdryer.
Other Power formulas
P = I2R

P = V2/R
Practice Problems (Do in Your notebook)
1. A circuit has a voltage of 24 V and a
current of 0.15 A. Calculate the power.

2. A circuit has a current of 2.5 A and a


resistance of 300 Ohms. Calculate the
power.

3. A circuit as a voltage of 120 V and a


resistance of 2300 Ohms. Calculate the
power.

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