Download Electrical energy 3.1 Simple Circuits

Electrical energy
6.1 Simple Circuits
What is Electricity?
We are going to be Learning about
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is electrical charge?
How can static electricity be observed?
What is current electricity and how do we use it?
How to draw diagrams to represent simple circuits using the rules
of circuit diagrams.
Pre Quiz
1. Describe what electricity is
2. Explain why you get ‘zapped’ sometime when you get out a car
3. Explain the difference between AC and DC
4. What devices in the home protect people from electrocution?
5. Circuit can be in series or parallel, true or false?
Science for fun – p183
Try doing this at home:
1. Open seal of self sealing envelope
2. Crush sugar cubes with pliers
What is electrical charge?
Observing Static Energy
The following experiments involve static electricity.
Watch, try, then try to explain what is happening.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Balloon and hair
Balloon and paper
Balloon and tap
Balloon and wall
Polythene rod and watch glass
Van der Graaf Generator
Sliding down slide
Rolling on the floor
What is static electricity?
After performing some of these experiments you should have a good
idea of what static electricity is. Write an explanation to the following
statements:
1. Using one of the experiments as an example, describe what
happens when static electricity builds up.
2. Scientifically, explain what is happening when you sense static
electricity.
The Van Der Graaf Generator
Activity Book 6.1
Do Activity Book 6.1
Current Electricity
Current electricity comes from a plug or battery cell. It is caused by
electrons moving in a circuit. The movement of electrical charge is
called current.
What is an electric current?
An electric current is a flow of microscopic particles
called electrons flowing through wires and
components.
+
-
In which direction does the current flow?
from the Negative terminal to the Positive terminal of a
cell.
simple circuits
Here is a simple electric circuit. It has a cell, a
lamp and a switch.
cell
wires
switch
lamp
To make the circuit, these components are connected
together with metal connecting wires.
simple circuits
When the switch is closed, the lamp lights up. This is
because there is a continuous path of metal for the
electric current to flow around.
If there were any breaks in the circuit, the current
could not flow.
circuit diagram
Scientists usually draw electric circuits using symbols;
cell
lamp
switch
wires
circuit diagrams
In circuit diagrams components are represented by
the following symbols;
cell
ammeter
battery
voltmeter
switch
motor
lamp
buzzer
resistor
variable
resistor
Prac 6.1.2 – Making a fun electrical circuuit –
p189
Unit 6.1 Review p186