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Electric Current

Electric Current. Important items are in RED. Electric Current. Potential difference is the difference in the electric potential energy between 2 points. Just as heat will flow from hot areas to cold areas, electric charges will flow from areas of high charge to areas of low charge.

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Electric Current

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  1. Electric Current Important items are in RED

  2. Electric Current • Potential difference is the difference in the electric potential energy between 2 points. • Just as heat will flow from hot areas to cold areas, electric charges will flow from areas of high charge to areas of low charge. • We call charges flowing “current” and it is measure in “amps” or “amperes.”

  3. Current is Dangerous • Last week, we asked why the Van De Graaf machine did not cause great injury even though it generates upwards of 50,000 volts? • The answer is that it creates a very small amount of current. • Reason: current is the actual movement of electric charge; voltage is just the energy difference at 2 points. • A current of merely 0.07 amps is enough to cause serious injury to a person.

  4. Resistance • Some things are good conductors – they easily allow electrons to flow from atom to atom. • The measurement of how much something resists the flow of charges is called “resistance.” • Resistance is measured in “Ohms.”

  5. Ohm’s Law • Voltage = current x resistance • V=IR • Example: How much voltage occurs in a lamp that has a resistance of 100 ohms when a current of 0.5 amps passes through it? • Voltage = current x resistance • Voltage = 0.5 amps x100 ohms • Voltage = 50 volts

  6. AC & DC • DC (direct current) is a current that always flows in the same direction. • A battery is an example of DC • AC (alternating current) is current that alternates between 2 directions of flow. • The electricity that comes out of a wall socket is an example of AC.

  7. Power • The rate at which electric energy converts into a different form of energy is known as power. • Power = current x voltage and has units of Watts. • Example: how much power passes through the same lamp? (current = 0.5 amps; voltage = 50 volts) • Power = current x voltage = 0.5 amps x 50 volts = 25 watts

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