F 5 Physics

Electric Circuits
Electric charges are either positive or negative.
Unit of electric charges is coulomb(C)
1 C of negative charge = electric charge on 6.2510
18
electrons
1 C of positive charge = electric charge on 6.2510
18
protons
Conductor: substances that have a lot of mobile electric charges in it.
Metals are good conductors. Examples: copper, iron, aluminium,
silver. In metals, the mobile electric charges are electrons.
Insulator: substances that have little or no mobile electric charges in it.
Examples: Glass, porcelain, plastics.
The main parts of a circuit are metals. Some parts of a switch are covered
by insulator to avoid electric shock.
Purpose of an electric circuit: Transmission of energy from one device to
another in the circuit and there is a change in the form of energy during
the transmission. Usually there is an energy source, eg the chemical cell,
and the energy of another form is given out in another device, eg light
bulb, heater, motor.
Take the example of a simple circuit of a torch.
1
Light bulb
Chemical cells
form a battery
Bulb
+ terminal - terminal
conventional current flow
true electon flow
Chemical Energy
Electrical
energy
Heat and Light
Conducting wire
2
3
Cell emf =1.5 volts
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Q
W
emf =

Q
W
pd =
In general,

e ch
Energy
voltage
arg
=
J/C or volt, V
The electric potential difference (pd) between two points is the electrical energy
which changes into other forms of energy when 1C of electric charge flows from one
point to another.
Ex 1 The pd across the light bulb is 9 V and 2 C of charges pass through it. How
many joules of electrical energy is changed into heat and light?
.
Electric current (I) is the quantity of electric charge (Q) moving through a point in the
circuit in 1 s.

t
Q
I = C/s or ampere, A
Ex 2 If 2 C of electric charges is flowing through the light bulb in 2.67 s, what is
the current ?
I =
How are pd and current related?
Ohms Law:
For conductors kept at constant temperature, the potential difference (V) between the
two points is proportional to the current (I) flowing in the conductor.
The ratio t cons
I
V
tan = , called the resistance, R, of the conductor between the two
5
emf
of an active component
points.
R
I
V
= in V/A or ohm,
The resistance of a resistor(device with resistance) depends on its
length, area, material and the temperature as well. In fact, R
A
L
R

for a material and at a specific temperature.
Graphically speaking, the graph of V against I is a straight line passing through the
origin
V-I graphs for two resistors


For the same resistors at different temperature, higher the temperature, greater
will be the resistance.
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We have been talking about the temperature dependence of resistance on

temperature; resistance increases with temperature.
Resistance of thermistors made from semi-conductors decrease sharply with
increasing temperature. This will be considered when we study electronics.

IR V =
Ex 3 In the circuit below, the pd across the lamp is 1.5 V and the current through it is
0.75 A. Find the resistance of the lamp.
R =
..
7
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Ohms Law
Pd=1.5 V
Light Bulb
Cell emf =1.5 volts
0.75A
More about units
The following sub-units are common.
1mA=10
-3
A 1A=10
-6
A
1kV =1000V 1M=10
6

Ex 4 A resistor is usually denoted by the symbol

Its resistance is 3 k and a current of 0.2 A is passing through it.
Find the pd across it.
A variable resistor is denoted by either of the following
Resistance can be varied by varying the length of the conductor.
An ammeter in series with a branch is used
to measure the current in that branch.
A voltmeter in parallel with the device is used
to measure the pd across the device.
Experimental verification of Ohms Law
The resistor R under investigation is connected in series with cell, a variable resistor and an ammeter.
We say that it is basically a series circuit. But a voltmeter is connected across R to measure the pd
8
3 k
0.2m A
V
A
across it. By varying the variable resistor, current through R and pd across it can be varied. So several
pairs of values of V and I can be obtained from the experiment. A graph of V against I can be plotted.

(Ref: 3K linear pot, 20mA ammeter, 10V voltmeter, R=300,9V cell)
Experimental Results:
I / 110
-6
A
V / V
Plot the graph of V against I.
9
R
A
V
I
I
Battery of a certain emf
Conclusions:
(1) Describe the graph.
.
(2) What can you conclude from the graph of V against I?
..
.
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