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Learn about electrical circuits and current flow. Understand how electrons move within wires when a circuit is switched on. Discover components like light bulbs, buzzers, and motors. Explore measuring current with an ammeter and voltage with a voltmeter.
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Electrical Circuits Current in a circuit
Current in a circuit • Learning objectives: • At the end of this series of lessons you should be able to use a model to explain what current is.
Current in a circuit • An electric current is a flow of charge. • Electric charge is made up of electrons – tiny particles that move about in electric wires. • When a cell or battery is switched ON it gives the electrons energy so they all move along the wire in the same direction.
Current in a circuit • The electrons carry the electrical energy around the circuit to all the components, which use the energy, so when the electrons get back to the cell they are given more energy to go around again. • Some examples of components are; • Light bulb • Buzzer • Motor
Current in a circuit • Current is measured with an ammeter. • The unit of current is the amp (A). • The size of the current is the rate at which charge is flowing – if there are more electrons passing by each second, then the current is larger. • Current is not used up as it flows around a circuit.
Current in a circuit • As the electrons pass through a cell they are given energy. • The higher the voltage of a cell the more energy it gives to the electrons. • Voltage is measured using a voltmeter. • The unit of voltage is the volt (V). • As the electrons flow around a circuit they give away the energy to the components so it can be changed into other forms of energy like light.