Electricity: Basic Principles

Review of Physics:

Structure of Matter

Matter - anything that occupies space and has weight

Element - a substance that cannot be decomposed any further by chemical action

Compound - a combination of two or more elements

Molecule - smallest particle that a compound can be reduced to before it breaks down into its
element

Atom - smallest part that an element can be reduced to and still keeping the properties of the
element

Parts of an atom:

Name Charge Mass (kg)

Proton positive charge 1.672 x 10¯²⁷

Electron negative charge 9.107 x 10¯³¹

Neutron no charge 1.672 x 10¯²⁷

Electric charge - A body is said to be charge, if it has either an excess or deficit of electrons from its
normal values due to sharing

Coulomb (C) - unit of electric charge, which is equivalent to 6.25 x 10 ¹⁸ electrons or protons

Potential Difference

Potential - the capability of doing work

Any charge has the capability of doing work of moving another charge either by attraction or repulsion

Volt (V) - unit of potential difference, which is equal to one joule of work done per one coulomb of
charge, (J/C)

Electric Current - when a potential difference between two charges forces a third charge to move,
The charge in motion is called electric current

Ampere (A) - unit of charge flow equal to one coulomb of charge past a given point in one second, (C/t)

Resistance - the fact that a wire carrying a current can become hot, it is evident that the work done
by the applied force in producing the current must be accomplished against some
opposition or resistance
Ohm (ῼ) - unit of resistance

The resistance of a conductor depends upon three factors:

1. The material of which it is composed. Substances vary more widely in their ability to conduct electric
current than in almost any other physical property
2. Its length (L). The longer the conductor, the greater the resistance
3. Its cross-sectional area (A). The greater the cross-sectional area, the less the resistance

Formula of Resistance: R = ꝑL/A R = ꝑV/A² R = ꝑL²/V

Where: R = resistance (ohm)

A = cross-sectional area (square meter) or, circular mil (CM)

ꝑ= resistivity of the conducting material (ohm-meter)

L = length (meter) or, feet (ft)

V = volume (cubic meter) or, cubic feet (ft³)

Specific resistance (resistivity) - resistance offered by a unit cube of the material

Circular mil (CM) - area of a circle having a diameter (d) of one mil

CM = d² 1,000 mil = 1 inch

1 MCM = 1,000 CM

Effect of Temperature in Resistance: Experiments have shown that the resistance of all wires generally used
in practice in electrical systems, increases as the temperature increases.

R1/R2 = T + t1/T + t2 α = 1/T

Where: R1 = initial resistance (ohm)

R2 = final resistance (ohm)

T = inferred absolute temperature

t1 = initial temperature

t2 = final temperature

α = temperature coefficient resistance

Siemens (formerly mho) – unit of conductance

G = 1/R G = δA/L δ = 1/ꝑ

Where: δ= conductivity (siemens per meter)

L= length (meter)

A= cross-sectional area (square meter)

ꝑ= specific resistance (ohm-meter)

G= conductance (siemens)

R= resistance (ohm)

Example Problems:

1. A battery can deliver 10 joules of energy to move 5 coulombs of charge. What is the potential difference
between the terminals of the battery?

Solution: from the definition of potential difference (V), V = one Joule of work per one coulomb of Charge

V = 10 joules of energy / 5 coulombs of charge

= 10 J / 5 C

= 2 J/C or,

=2V

2. A constant current of 4 A charges a capacitor. How long will it take to accumulate a total charge of 8
coulombs on the plates?

Solution: From the definition of electric current, I (A) = unit of charge flow to 1 coulomb of charge in 1
second

I = q/t where: I = 4 A and the q = 8 C

Solving for time, t = q/I

t = 8 C/ 4 A

t = 2 seconds
 3. The current in an electric lamp is 5 amperes. What quantity of electricity flows towards the filament in 6
minutes?

Solution: Given, I=5A t = 6 minutes = 6 m x 60 s/m = 360 s

From the formula I = q/t, solving for quantity of electricity or charge (q) = I x t

q = 5 A x 360 s

q = 1800 C

4. Determine the resistance of a bus bar made of copper if the length is 10 meters long and the cross-
section is 4 x 4 sq. cm. Use 1.7241 micro ohm-cm as the resistivity.

Solution: Given, L = 10 m; A = 4 x 4 = 16 cm²; ꝑ = 1.7241 μῼ-cm = 1.7241 x 10¯⁶ ῼ-cm

R = ꝑL/A = (1.7241 x 10¯⁶ ῼ-cm) (1000 cm) / 16 cm²

R = 0.00010776 Ω, or

R = 1.078 x 10¯⁴ Ω

5. The resistance of a copper wire at 30 °C is 50 ohms. If the temperature coefficient of copper at 0 °C is

Solution: Given, α = 0.04427; R1 = 50 Ω; T1 = 30 °C; T2 = 100 °C

R1/R2 = T + t1/T + t2 α = 1/T

R2/R1 = T + t2/T + t1
R2 = R1 (T + t2/T + t1) but, T = 1/ α = 1/0.00427 = 234.192

Solving for R2,

R2 = 50 (234.192 + 100/234.192 + 30)

= 63.24 Ω

6. The resistance of 120 meters of wire is 12 ohms. What is the conductance?

Solution: Given, R = 12 ohms

G = 1/R

G = 1/12

G = 0.083 mho