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Chapter 1_Elec Eng I Course Background

The document provides an overview of the history and fundamentals of electricity, emphasizing its scientific and engineering stages. It outlines key concepts such as charge types, Coulomb's Law, electric fields, and the relationship between current and voltage, while stressing the importance of mastering these fundamentals for success in electrical engineering courses. Additionally, it presents essential terms, symbols, and units relevant to electrical engineering.

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kasebweglodie
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4 views

Chapter 1_Elec Eng I Course Background

The document provides an overview of the history and fundamentals of electricity, emphasizing its scientific and engineering stages. It outlines key concepts such as charge types, Coulomb's Law, electric fields, and the relationship between current and voltage, while stressing the importance of mastering these fundamentals for success in electrical engineering courses. Additionally, it presents essential terms, symbols, and units relevant to electrical engineering.

Uploaded by

kasebweglodie
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1

Chapter 1: Course Background


Study into the understanding of electricity dates back many years. Major
strides in this understanding were taken since the mid-eighteenth century.

Most of the fundamentals in the understanding of electricity were documented


in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Let us call this the SCIENTIFIC
STAGE in the development of our understanding of electricity.

As is known and, as will become clearer as we study further, electricity has


tremendous potential for application. That is, whatever we study about
electricity is not just for academic perusal. This knowledge is not destined to
just remain in books. The light bulb, the battery, the transistor radio, the
hairdryer, the computer, and the cell-phone are some examples that depict
the immense potential for the application of our knowledge of electricity. The
stage where the fundamentals of electricity are applied can be called the
ENGINEERING STAGE.

A History of Electricity

The student is encouraged to read up on this history. This topic is normally


covered in the beginning of many books on electricity or electrical
engineering. An interesting point that can be made here is that each book
covers this topic in a different way. Some names are mentioned in all books
while other names are mentioned in specific books. The names that are
common to all or most books are those of the early scientists who contributed
to the development of the fundamental knowledge of electricity. The less
common names are of those who contributed to later development in the
application of the fundamentals. They may have contributed in only specific
branches of electricity. This shows the great depths that were already reached
in our understanding of electricity and its application.

Once again, the student is encouraged to read up on this history. We shall


now look at what we have learnt about electricity in our earlier years at school.

1. Three charge types can be identified. ____________________,


____________________ and __________________

2. An atom has all of the three charge types:

 Protons ____________ found ________________


 Electrons ____________ found ___________________
 Neutrons ____________ found ________________

3. A large object has a positive charge because ____________________

4. A large object has a negative charge because ___________________

Prepared by A. Fish (CPUT - Bellville)


2

5. A large object is neutral because ______________________________

6. An electrostatic force exists between two charges.


 Like charges ____________________
 Unlike charges ____________________

1
Coulomb’s Law: F  Q1 , F  Q2 F
r2

Q1Q2 kQ1Q2
F  or F
r2 r2

Units:

7. The electrostatic force is a non-contact force. This means that _______


________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

8. Therefore, a charge is free to move in space under the influence of


other charges. Hence, when a charge experiences an electrostatic
force due to one or more other charges then it is in an electric field.

Electric field strength (E) can be determined in two ways:

 Use the charge that is placed in the field (it experiences the force
field)
F
E Units:
Q

 Use the charge that causes the field.

kQ
E Units:
r2
----------------------------

9. When a charge (Q) is released from rest in an electric field and it


moves to another point in that field, then there exists a potential
difference (V) between the initial and final points. Work is done on the
charge in moving it from one potential to a different potential.

W
W  VQ or V  Units:
Q

Prepared by A. Fish (CPUT - Bellville)


3

In a uniform field between two oppositely charged parallel plates the


electrical field intensity is a function of potential difference and distance
between the two plates.

V
E Units: (NB)
d

10. Protons are fixed in an atom’s nucleus. Electrons can move in and out
of atoms during reactions. In a metal there are some electrons that are
free to move around in the metal. Metals are good conductors of
electricity. Non-metals are poor conductors of electricity (also called
insulators). Therefore, when charge flows in an electric circuit wiring it
will invariably be electrons that are flowing.

Question: Suggest an application where positive charges could also


be flowing in an electric circuit.

11. When charge flows between two points in a conductor we say:

 A potential difference/ voltage (V) exists between the two points;


 A current (I) flows in the conductor.

Current is the rate at which charge passes a point in a circuit.

Q
I or Q  It Units:
t

12. A resistor (R) is a conductor that dissipates electrical energy when a


current passes through it. The current remains constant throughout the
resistor but the voltage drops across the resistor.

V A

Prepared by A. Fish (CPUT - Bellville)


4

13. The relationship between the current (I) through a resistor (R) and the
potential difference/voltage (V) across it is called _________________

R= or V= Graph: I

0 V

14. The relationship between electrical current and magnetism was also
investigated. This falls under the section called
_________________________

Topics discussed were

 Magnetic field around current carrying conductors


 The solenoid
 The electromagnet
 The transformer
 The electric motor
 Electricity generation

And that, my dear friends is our school history in electricity.

Now for the course ELE100S [Electrical Engineering 1]


Well! . . . We shall not be doing much different in this course.

The aim of this course is to solidify the fundamentals of electricity and electric
circuit theory that are necessary for other higher-level courses in Electrical
Engineering. We shall expand on what was learnt at school and also
introduce new concepts and circuit elements.

What is extremely important is that other courses depend on a clear


understanding of the basic fundamentals of electricity that are covered in this
course. Therefore, this course is of utmost importance to each student of
electrical engineering.

In terms of results – we expect our students to produce the BEST RESULTS


for this course – because it contains the MOST IMPORTANT
FUNDAMENTALS of all other courses. If you do badly in this course then your
success as an Electrical Engineer is at risk.

Remember that for this course you are expected to give a high level of
dedication and application. Make sure that you understand everything that is
discussed in this course.

Prepared by A. Fish (CPUT - Bellville)


5

Terms, symbols and units to be used in EEE010


TERM SYMBOL UNIT
Potential Difference V [V] volt
Voltage V [V] volt
Current I [A] ampere
Resistance R [] ohm
Resistivity  [.m] ohm-meter
Charge Q [C] coulomb
Electric Field Strength E -1
[N.C ] Newton per coulomb
Electric Field Strength E [V.m-1] volt per metre
Electromotive force E or E [V] volt
Capacitance C [F] farad
Inductance L [H] Henry
Conductance G [S or ] Siemens or mho
Frequency f [Hz] Hertz or [s-1] per second
Energy W [J] joule
Power P [W] watt
Time t [s] seconds
Efficiency  %
Phase angle  [°] degrees or [rad] radians
Angular velocity  [rad.s-1] radians per second
Impedance ZR [] ohm
(resistive component0
Permittivity  [f.m-1] farad per metre
Permeability  [H.m-1] henry per metre

Prepared by A. Fish (CPUT - Bellville)


6

CIRCUIT ELEMENT SYMBOL


DC Source / Battarey

AC Source

Source

Earth/Ground

Switch

Resistor

Capacitor

Inductor

Voltmeter

Ammeter

Prepared by A. Fish (CPUT - Bellville)

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