Download Electricity Guided Notes

Electricity Notes
Name:
Period:
Why is Electricity Important?
It provides us with:
1.___________________
2.___________________
3.___________________
4.____________________
Where does our Electricity come from?
_____________________ movement!
Why do electrons move? Let’s review a little about electrons first…
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Electrons are the only particle of an atom that CAN MOVE from one atom to another
Electrons have a _____________ charge, protons have a _________ charge
Everything in our environment carries either a ________________ or ______________ charge
o Add electrons and an atom becomes more ___________________ charged.
o Take away electrons and an atom becomes more __________________ charged.
o Charged atoms are called ____________.
Electrons will move when they have a “push” of energy from:
o A ___________________
o A __________________ plant or other energy source
The energy is then transferred through a conductive material, usually wires or cables.
o This flow of electrons (negative charges) is called an ___________________ current.
Electrical Currents
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Electrons flow from areas of _____________ charges to areas with a ______________ charge in a
current
If the current runs in a circular path from the battery or power source it is called a
_______________.
What materials can carry electrical currents?
Conductors- electrons flow _______________ through them
Ex: metals such as copper, gold, silver
Semi-Conductors- electrons move through them ________ easily than conductors
Ex: aluminum, zinc, silicon
Insulators-electrons _______ ________ flow easily through them
Ex: rubber, paper, plastic, wood
Electrons Have Mass
Ever notice that your phone becomes warm when you are using it? Or a plug in an outlet feels warm when
you remove it?
This is because electrons have ___________. It is extremely small (smaller than protons and neutrons), but
enough so that when electrons are flowing some of them bump into each other, creating _____________.
*Warning! The safest way to charge electronics is to turn them off while they are charging, also do not
plug too many things into one outlet, you could start a FIRE!
How Do Power Stations Create Electricity?
1. __________ fuel which heats water and creates steam
2. Steam turns a _______________ which turns a rod with a magnet
3. Spinning turbine causes electrons to flow around a wire wrapped around the magnet
4. Electrons are then carried by ______________ throughout the region
How is Electricity Transported?
How do Batteries Work?
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Batteries use energy stored in ________________ to allow electric current to flow
Once the energy is used up, the current can no longer flow (dead battery!)
The current will flow from the negative end of the battery to the positive end
Negative end-__________________
Positive end-___________________
What is Static Electricity?
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Called “_________-moving” electricity
Created when there is a build-up of electrons on one object and they try to __________________
with another positively charged object.
The charge “____________” from one object to another
Coulomb’s Law
3 parts:
1. Any two charged objects will create a _____________ on each other
2. ___________________ charges will produce an attractive force (such as N and S pole of a magnet)
3. Similar charges will produce a __________________ force (such as N and N side of magnet)
Electric Field- region in _________________ where electric forces act on charges
What Causes Lightning?
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Big static electric sparks occur when __________________ charges between clouds or between the
clouds and the ground try to neutralize.
o Can happen from sky to ground or ground to sky!
Lightning Safety Tips
o Avoid water, high ground, open spaces, metal objects
o Electricity will follow the shortest path to the ground, make sure that isn’t through YOU!
o In an open area, lay flat on the ground
o If you are in a car, stay in it, you are SAFE
Why Are You Safe From Lightning In A Car?
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A car is basically a Faraday Cage
o A Faraday Cage is a metallic enclosure that prevents the ____________ or
______________ of an electromagnetic field.
o Electricity will travel around the metal shell of the car and into the ground and will not go
through it! 
Alternating and Direct Currents
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Direct Current- flow of charges always in ___________ direction
o Battery charged objects
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Alternating Current- flow of charge ___________ and ____________, changing its direction many
times in one second
o Plugs and outlets/household
Advantages of Alternating Current:
o Voltage can be _____________ or ______________.
o More efficient over long _____________________.
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How is Electricity Measured?
Volts- measure of the force or pressure under which electricity flows (analogy-turning a faucet all the way
on versus just a little)
Amps- measure of the flow rate of _______________ or how much current moves through the wire in 1
second (analogy- measure of how much water comes out of faucet in 1 second)
Watt- measure of electrical power created (analogy-amount and force of water coming through faucet)
Ohm’s Law
Watts = Volts x Amps or W=V x A