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Current, Voltage & Resistance

The document discusses electric current, voltage, resistance, and power. It defines these concepts and explains how they relate through equations like Ohm's Law. Current is a flow of electrons, measured in amps. Voltage and resistance determine how much current flows in a circuit. Power is calculated from current and voltage and determines how much an appliance draws.

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brunokikabou
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58 views

Current, Voltage & Resistance

The document discusses electric current, voltage, resistance, and power. It defines these concepts and explains how they relate through equations like Ohm's Law. Current is a flow of electrons, measured in amps. Voltage and resistance determine how much current flows in a circuit. Power is calculated from current and voltage and determines how much an appliance draws.

Uploaded by

brunokikabou
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Current, Voltage and Resistance

A- Electric current
The photo below shows a simple electric circuit (or circuit). A cell provides an
electric current (or current). This flows through wires, which conduct the
electricity (provide a way for it to travel). The current is used to light a lamp.
So, like all circuits, the example includes:
• an electrical supply - in this case, the cell
• an electrical conductor (or conductor)- an electrical path- in this case, wires
• one or more electrical components (or components)- electrical devices (in
this case, the lamp) which have a function.

Current- measured in amperes, or amps (A) -is the rate of flow of electric
charge. Electric charge is carried by electrons- particles with a negative
charge (-), which are normally attached to atoms. When an electric current
flows through a conductor, the electrons move from one atom to another- in
the case of a copper wire, from one copper atom to the next. If the number
of electrons flowing through a conductor increases, then the amperage, or
ampage (current) increases. When electrons flow, carrying a current, they
can be called charge carriers.

Notes: In everyday English, cells are called batteries. In technical English, a


battery is a number of cells placed together.
Lamps are often called bulbs in everyday English .

‘’ Treasure’s what you attract to come into a perceptible existence’’


Greg Dexter Nkounkou
B- Voltage and resistance
The amount of current (in amps) flowing through a circuit will partly depend
on the electromotive force (EMF) of the electrical supply. Electromotive force
is measured in volts (V), and is generally called voltage. The voltage depends
on the 'strength' of the electrical supply. In the diagram above, adding a
second cell would supply a higher voltage.

The amount of current will also depend on electrical resistance (or


resistance). This value - in ohms (Ώ) - is a measure of how easily current can
flow through the conductors and components in a circuit. For example, a
lamp creates resistance because the filament- the metal wire inside it - is very
thin. This limits the amount of current that can flow. Resistance also depends
on the materials used as conductors. For example, copper has a low
resistance and so is a good conductor.

Materials with very high resistance, such as plastics, are called electrical
insulators (or insulators). Only very high voltages cause current to flow through
them. Materials that are good insulators are used to insulate conductors. An
example is plastic insulation around electric wires.

This stops people from touching the conductor and- if it is live (carrying
current)- from getting a dangerous electric shock.

C- Electrical power
The text below, about electrical power, is from a home improvements
magazine

The amount of current, in amps, required by an electrical appliance- such as


a TV or an electric kettle -depends on the power of the appliance. This
number- expressed in watts (W)- will be marked somewhere on the
appliance. To calculate the required current, simply take the wattage and
divide it by the voltage of the electrical supply in your home- around 230 volts
in most of Europe. Therefore, for an electric kettle with a power rating of 2,000
watts (as specified by the manufacturer), the current required is:
2,000 watts/ 230 volts = 8 .7 amps

‘’ Treasure’s what you attract to come into a perceptible existence’’


Greg Dexter Nkounkou
TASK1: Complete the word puzzle and find the word going down
the page.

1. another term for amperage


2. provided by a battery, for example
3. measured as a wattage
4. allows current to flow through it
5. has very high electrical resistance
6. carried by moving electrons
7. another term for an electrical 'device'
8. the consequence of a person touching a live conductor

1- ELECTRIC

2- ELECTRIC

3- ELECTRIC

4- ELECTRIC

5- ELECTRIC

6- ELECTRIC

7- ELECTRIC

8- ELECTRIC

‘’ Treasure’s what you attract to come into a perceptible existence’’


Greg Dexter Nkounkou
TASK2: Complete the extract about current and power calculations using the
words in the box.

amps, components, conductor, circuit, current, ohms, resistance, supply,


voltage, volts, wattage, watts

In electrical calculations, electromotive force is expressed by the letter E,


resistance by the letter R, and current by the letter I (which comes from the
word 'intensity').

According to Ohm's Law: I = E/R.


In other words, the (1) ............................... flowing through a (2) .........
....................... , measured in (3) ................................, equals the (4) ............
.................... of the electrical (5) ................................,measured in (6)
................................ ,divided by the total (7) ................................ ,measured in
(8) ............................... To work out the value of R, it is necessary to calculate
the total resistance of all the (9) ................................ and connecting lengths of
(10) ................................ that make up the circuit.
Once both the voltage and amperage are known, it is possible to work out
the power, measured in (11) ................................ , that will be consumed.
Power (P) can be calculated using the equation P = EI. Therefore (12) ...........
..................... equals voltage multiplied by amperage.

‘’ Treasure’s what you attract to come into a perceptible existence’’


Greg Dexter Nkounkou

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