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Static Electricity: Circuits - The Basics

Static electricity is caused by the buildup of electrons on insulating materials through friction. Electrons are transferred from one material to another, leaving one with a positive charge and the other with a negative charge. Like charges repel and opposite charges attract. The greater the charge buildup, the higher the voltage until a spark jumps the gap. Examples of static electricity include photocopiers, which use a charged image plate and powder to transfer images to paper.

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Amelia Kinsella
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59 views4 pages

Static Electricity: Circuits - The Basics

Static electricity is caused by the buildup of electrons on insulating materials through friction. Electrons are transferred from one material to another, leaving one with a positive charge and the other with a negative charge. Like charges repel and opposite charges attract. The greater the charge buildup, the higher the voltage until a spark jumps the gap. Examples of static electricity include photocopiers, which use a charged image plate and powder to transfer images to paper.

Uploaded by

Amelia Kinsella
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Static Electricity

Build-up of Static is caused by Friction.

1) When two insulating materials are rubbed together electrons will be scraped off one and dumped on the
other.
2) This’ll leave a positive static charge on one and a negative charge on the other.
3) Which way the electrons are transferred depends on the two materials involved.
4) Electrically charged objects attract small objects place near them.
5) The classic examples are polythene and acetate rods being rubbed with a cloth duster.

Only Electrons move – Never the Positive Charges.

Like Charges repel, opposite charges attract.

As Charge builds up so does the voltage.

The greater the charge on an isolated object, the greater the voltage between it and the Earth. If the voltage gets big
enough there’s a spark which jumps across the gap. High voltage cables can be dangerous for this reason.

Static Electricity Examples.


Photocopier.

1) The image plate is positively charged. An image of what you’re copying is projected onto it.
2) Whiter bits of the thing you’re copying make light fall on the plate and the charge leaks away in those places.
3) The charged bits attract negatively charged black powder, which is transferred onto positively charged
paper.
4) The paper is heated so the powered sticks.

Circuits – The Basics


Current- is the flow of electrons round the circuit. Current will only flow through ta component if there is a voltage
across that component.

Voltage- is the driving force that pushes the current round. Kind of like “electrical pressure”.

Resistance- is anything in the circuit which slows the flow down.

Ammeter- Measures the current flowing through the component. – Must


be placed in series. – Can be put anywhere in series in the main circuit,
but never in parallel like the voltmeter.

The Voltmeter- Measures the voltage across the component. – Must be


place in parallel around the component under test NOT around the
variable resistor or the battery

Five Important Points.

1) This very basic circuit is sued for testing components , and for
getting V-I graphs for them.
2) The component, the ammeter and the variable resistor are all in seris , which means they can be put in any
order in the main circuit, The voltmeter must be placed in parallel around the component under test.
3) As you vary the variable resistor it alters the current flowing through the circuit.
4) This allows you to take several pairs of readings from the ammeter and voltmeter.
Resistance and V= I x R
Fixed Resistor V-I Graph

Filament Lamp V-I Graph

Diode V-I Graph

Calculating Resistance

Resistance= Potential Difference/Current

Variable Resistor

1) A resistor whose resistance can be changed by moving a knob or something.


2) The old fashioned ones are huge coils of wire with slider on them
3) They’re great for altering the current flowing through a circuit.
4) Turn the resistance up and the current drops. Turn the resistance down and the current goes up.

Diode.

A special device made from semiconductor material such as silicon it lets current flow freely through it in one
direction, but not in the other.

Thermistor

In hot conditions the resistance drops. In cool conditions, the resistance goes up.

Light dependant resistor

In bright light, the resistance falls. In Darkness, the resistance is the highest.

Series and Parallel Circuits

Series Circuit.

All or nothing, in series circuits, the different components are connected in a line, end to end, between the positive
and the negative of the power supply.

If you disconnect one component, the circuit is broken and they all stop.

This is generally not very handy, very few things are connected in this way.

Potential Difference is Shared

V= V1 +V2+V3

Current is the Same Everywhere.

Resistance adds up. Cell Voltages add up.

Parallel Circuits

Parallel Circuits Independence and Isolation- In Parallel Circuits each component is connected to the positive and the
negative supply separately.

Potential Difference is the same across all components.

Current is shared between branches

The current of each component depends on its resistance the lower the resistance the bigger the current that’ll flow
through it.

Mains electricity is approximately 230 volts

It is an AC supply which means the current is constantly changing direction and 50 cycles per second or 50Hz.

AC can be shown on an Oscilloscope Screen


Frequency (Hz) = 1/Time period (s)

Electrical power and Fuse Ratings

Power= Voltage x Current

Charge Voltage and Energy Change

Total Charge = Current x Time

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