Electricity

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Electric circuit

Back 1

A path which electrons flow through from a negative terminal to a positive terminal. Loads may be placed along this circuit in order for them to be powered.

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Charged

Back 2

When something has an unequal number of protons and electrons

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Neutral

Back 3

When the charges in something are balanced equally

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Electric current

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The flow of electrons or protons within a circuit

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Static electricity

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An imbalance of electrons within something. This imbalance is corrected by grounding the object. When the object is grounded to balance the electrons it is called an electrostatic discharge

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Unbalanced charges

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When the number of electrons and protons is unequal it is an imbalanced charge

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Laws of Charges

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Objects that are charged the same way repel each other
Objects that are opposite charges attract each other
Charged objects attract neutral objects

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Insulator

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Something that does not conduct electricity

Insulators surround wires in order to prevent the electrons from creating a different path instead of flowing in the desired way

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Conductors

Back 9

Something that conducts electricity
Wires are conductors

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Semiconductors

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Something that is an excellent conductor of electricity
A super conductor is something that offers very little or no resistance to the flow of electrons

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Superconductors

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Something that is an excellent conductor of electricity
A super conductor is something that offers very little or no resistance to the flow of electrons

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Electrostatic discharge

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The quick release of static electricity from an object

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Grounding

Back 13

When an object is connected to the ground in order to remove static electricity from it

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Battery

Back 14

A group of cells connected together
Represented by the symbol:

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Switch

Back 15

A part of a circuit that can be opened to stop the flow of electrons then closed to allow the flow to continue
Represented by the symbol:

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Resistor

Back 16

A part of a circuit that resists the flow of electrons
Resistors can be used to lower the amount of electrons moving through the circuit
An example of a resistor is a dimmer in a light
Represented by the symbol:

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Loads

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A part of a circuit that converts the electrons flowing through the circuit into a different type of energy such as heat, light, or movement
A lamp is represented by the symbol:

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Voltage

Back 18

The pressure of the electrons to move through the circuit
Represented by the symbol V

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Amperes

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The unit of measure used ti measure the current going through a circuit
Represented by the symbol A

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Potential difference

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The difference between the negative e and positive charges in a circuit
The higher the potential difference the higher the voltage because the voltage is the measure of the push of the electrons

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Resistance

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How much a circuit prevents or impedes the flow of electrons
Representd by the symbol R

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Ohm

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A unit for measuring resistance named after the physicist Georg Simon Ohm
Rpresented with the symbol Ω

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Ohm’s Law

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The equation used to find voltage, current or resistance within a circuit. This equation states that V=IR [(Voltage=(Current)(Resistance)]

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Series circuit

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A circuit where all loads are on one path in the circuit

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Parallel circuit

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A circuit that includes multiple paths

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Electric energy

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Energy in the form of electricity

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Heat

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The measure of thermal energy in an object

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Thermocouple

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A device that uses voltage to measure heat

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Thermo-electric generator

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A device that converts heat into electricity

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Thermopile

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A device that converts thermal energy into electrical energy

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Piezoelectric effect

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When electricity is caused by pressure on an object

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Photovoltaic cell (PV)

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A cell used to convert photons (commonly from the sun) into electrical energy
These are used in solar panels

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Electrodes

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Metals inside a cell that connect the electrolyte to the circuit

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Electrolyte

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The material inside a cell

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Fuel cell

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A device that uses chemical energy from a fuel to create electricity

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Electric generator

Back 36

A device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy

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Magnetism

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A force that can repel or attract another object depending on the polarity of the magnetism of that object

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Electromagnet

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A device that converts electrical energy into magnetic force

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Domains

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The poles of a magnet

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Alternating current (AC)

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An electrical current that varies in its direction and strength

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Alternators

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A device that converts mechanical energy into alternating current electrical energy

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Direct current (DC)

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Flow of electricity with one direction of flow

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Dynamo

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A generator that produces direct current by using a commutator

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Power

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The rate electrical energy is transferred by an electrical circuit
Measured in Watts

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Watt

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The unit for measuring power
Represented by the symbol W

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Hydro-electric plants

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A power station that uses the flow of water to create electricity

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Non-renewable resources

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A resource that once used cannot be replaced

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Fission products

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The fragments left behind after a nuclear fission

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Nuclear fission

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When a nucleus of an atom splits into smaller parts either through a nuclear reaction or radioactive decay

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Thermonuclear

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A fusion reaction that produces extreme amounts of energy and heat in the form of an explosion

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Flare gas

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A gas that is found while extracting gas that is viewed as a waste gas and as such is usually burnt off at the extraction facility

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Rotor

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A rotating part of a mechanical device

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Stator

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A stationary part of a mechanical device

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Transformers

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A device that moves electrical energy from one circuit to another

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Circuit breakers

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A part of some circuits that stops the flow of electricity when the circuit gets too hot. This is done to avoid the risk of fires

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Fuse

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A part of some circuits made of a metal that has a lower melting point than the conducting wire. If a circuit gets too hot the fuse will melt and stop the circuit from overheating and possibly causing a fire
Represented by the symbol:

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Neutral wire

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A wire used to ground a circuit so that static electricity does not build up

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Hot wire

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A live wire with electricity flowing through it

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Ground wire

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A wire used to connect a circuit to the ground therefore preventing the build-up of static electricity

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Short circuit

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A circuit with absolutely no resistance to the flow of electricity

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Open pit mining

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A method of mining from a pit that is open to the air different from methods of mining that require tunneling down under the earth

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Scrubbers

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A device used to remove certain particles from a flow such as an air stream or harmful gases from a smokestack

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Greenhouse gases

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Any gases that cause the sun’s rays to become trapped within the atmosphere thus causing heating of the earth

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Thermal pollution

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When any device changes the temperature of water for the worse

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Cogeneration

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A device that simultaneously generates heat and electricity

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Geothermal energy

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Thermal energy generated and stored within the earth