Electricity

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  • Created by: Eve Angus
  • Created on: 30-12-18 19:33
Switch
A device that controls whether a current flows through a circuit or not
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Filament Lamp
A bulb that contains a thin coil of wire that heats up when a current passes through it
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Ammeter
A component that measures current and is always connected in series with a component
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Voltmeter
A componant that measures potential difference and is always connected in parallel with a component
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Resistor
A component that limits or regulates the current in a circuit
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Variable Resistor
A resistor where the resistance value can be adjusted
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Diode
A component that allows the current to flow in only one direction
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Thermistor
A resistor that is dependant on temperature so the hotter the conditions the lower the resistance
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Light Emitting Diode (LED)
A diode that emits light when a voltage is applied to the component
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Light Dependent Resistor (LDR)
A resistor that is dependant on the intensity of light so the brighter the light the lower the resistance
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Current
The flow of electrical charge from positive to negative around a circuit and is measured in amperes
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Potential Difference
The driving force that pushes the current round a circuit and is measured in volts
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Resistance
Anything in a circuit which reduces the flow of current and is measured in ohms
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Ohmic Conductor
A conductor with a resistance that is constant at a constant temperature and has linear I-V characteristics
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Required Practical - Factors Affecting Resistance
You can investigate how the length of a wire affects a circuit's resistance by measuring the resistance when changing the length of wire
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I-V Characteristics
Current and potential difference graphs that show how the current changes as you change the potential difference across a component
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I-V Characteristics - Ohmic Conductors
The current is directly proportional to the potential difference and shows a linear graph
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I-V Characteristics - Filament Lamps
When the current increases so does the temperature which increases the resistance of the bulb and forces the current to decrease and shows a curved and non-linear graph
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I-V Characteristics - Diode
The resistance of the diode depends on the direction of the current and shows a non-linear graph
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Series Circuit
The different components are connected in a line
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Series Circuit - Potential Difference
The total potential difference is shared between the various components
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Series Circuit - Current
The same current flows through all parts of the circuit
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Series Circuit - Resistance
The total resistance is shared between the various components
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Parallel Circuit
Components have their own branch in a circuit
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Parallel Circuit - Potential Difference
Each component has the same potential difference as the power supply
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Parallel Circuit - Current
The total current is shared between the various components
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Parallel Circuit - Resistance
The total resistance is less than the small resistance of an individual branch
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Required Practical - Resistance in Series and Parallel
You can investigate the resistance of resistors in series and parallel circuits by measuring the current and potential difference of a circuit containing a resistor
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Alternating Current (AC)
A current that is constantly changing direction
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Direct Current (DC)
A current that always flows in one direction
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Live Wire
A brown wire that provides the alternating potential difference from the mains supply
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Neutral Wire
A blue wire that completes the circuit and carries away the current
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Earth Wire
A green and yellow striped wire that protects the wiring and stops the appliance casing from becoming live
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Power
The energy transferred per second and it is measured in watts
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National Grid
The network of cables and transformers that cover the UK and connects power stations to consumers transferring electrical power where needed
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Step-up Transformer
A transformer that increases the potential difference from a power station to the national grid
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Step-down Transformer
A transformer that decreases the potential difference from the national grid to consumers
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Transformer
A device made of two coils wrapped around in an iron core and used to change the potential difference of an electrical supply
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Insulator
Where an electrical charge can easily move through a material
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Conductor
Where an electrical charge cannot easily move through a material
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Static Charge
An electrical charge that cannot move
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Spark
When there is a high enough potential difference between a charged object and the earth it creates a strong electric field meaning electrons can jump across the flow through the ionised air which has now become conductive and can carry a current
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Electrostatic Attraction
Two opposite charges are attracted to each other causing the objects to move
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Electrostatic Repulsion
Two like charges are repelled from each other causing the objects to move
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Contact Force
A force that acts at the point of contact between two objects
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Non-contact Force
A force that acts without having come into physical contact with two objects
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Electric Field
A region in which an electrically charged object experiences an electrostatic force and points away from a positive charge and towards a negative charge
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

A bulb that contains a thin coil of wire that heats up when a current passes through it

Back

Filament Lamp

Card 3

Front

A component that measures current and is always connected in series with a component

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

A componant that measures potential difference and is always connected in parallel with a component

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

A component that limits or regulates the current in a circuit

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
View more cards

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