Spark of Genius
In an electrical circuit, this component acts like a hydraulic pump, creating the pressure needed to move charge.
What is a battery?
The standard electrical polarity assigned to the black test lead on a digital multimeter or VOM.
What is negative?
This term describes a complete, unbroken electrical path where an ohmmeter reads zero ohms.
What is continuity?
If battery voltage increases while circuit resistance stays the same, current will do this.
What is increase?
This iconic yellow Pokémon uses electric attacks like "Thunderbolt" and is Ash Ketchum’s best friend.
Who is Pikachu?
Named after an Italian physicist, this unit measures electrical force or "pressure."
What is a Volt?
Under conventional current flow theory, electrical current moves from this terminal to this terminal.
What is positive to negative?
When a wire is cut or broken, an ohmmeter reads infinite ohms, indicating this state.
What is an open circuit?
Decreasing resistance in a circuit while holding voltage constant causes current to do this.
What is increase?
In Star Wars, Emperor Palpatine uses this dark-side power to shoot blue electrical arcs from his fingertips.
What is Force Lightning?
This general term refers to the actual movement or flow of electric charge through a circuit.
What is current?
To measure voltage across a component, your meter must be hooked up this way with power applied.
What is across (in parallel) with the circuit energized?
In an open circuit, current flow drops to zero while this exact voltage is measured directly across the break.
What is battery (or source) voltage?
In a standard single-load circuit, the voltage drop measured across the load should equal this value.
What is battery (or source) voltage?
Found near sinks, these special outlets feature "Test" and "Reset" buttons to shut off power instantly near water.
What is a GFCI (or GFI)?
Named after a French physicist, this unit quantifies the rate of electrical current flow.
What is an Ampere (or Amp)?
To measure current, the meter must be placed in this configuration with the circuit energized so current passes through it.
What is in series?
This fault creates an unintended low-resistance bypass, resulting in higher-than-normal current flow and 0 volts across the fault.
What is a short circuit?
If circuit current increases while source voltage stays constant, circuit resistance must have done this.
What is decreased?
Legend says this Founding Father tied a metal key to a kite string during a thunderstorm to study electricity.
Who is Benjamin Franklin?
Measured in Ohms, this physical property restricts or opposes the flow of electric current.
What is resistance?
Before measuring resistance, you must remove power and ensure the component is set up this way to avoid inaccurate readings or meter damage.
What is isolated (disconnected) from the circuit?
This protective safety device is designed to intentionally melt or trip—creating an open circuit—when excessive current from a short circuit passes through it.
What is a fuse (or circuit breaker)?
If resistance in a circuit becomes infinitely high (like a complete open), current flow drops to this level.
What is zero?
This Serbian-American inventor championed Alternating Current (AC) and built a high-voltage coil named after him.
Who is Nikola Tesla?