Conductors and Insulators
On which side of the periodic table are you more likely to find CONDUCTORS?
Metals (The left side)
_________ charges attract each other
Unlike / Opposite
At it's most simplistic, what TWO things are needed for current to flow?
A power source and a complete circuit
Which would typically use more wire, multiple bulbs connected in series or in parallel?
Parallel
Why is it suggested to not use electrical equipment in wet environments.
Water can act like a conductor which means current can flow in places it shouldn't
What are the top three most conductive metals?
Silver, Copper, and Gold
What type of material is generally needed to produce static electricity?
Insulators
Which direction does current flow in a circuit?
Conventional Current - positive to negative.
What does an Ammeter do, and how would you connect it in a circuit?
It measures current. Connected in Series.
What is the main potential danger associated with multi-plugs?
Current overload if too many things are plugged in
What do conductive materials have that enable them to be good conductors?
Free (unbound) electrons
Friction adds or removes electrons
Name FIVE components you might expect to see in a circuit (in year 10).
Battery, Bulb, Resistor, Ammeter, Voltmeter, Switch, Fuse
What happens to voltage in a simple parallel circuit?
It will be the same across each pathway
Why can a bird sit on an electric fence without being shocked?
They are not touching the ground and therefore they are an open circuit.
We made a circuit with a battery and a lightbulb, and used aligator clips to put the 'object' in the circuit.
If the bulb lights up, the object is a conductor
What causes a spark to jump from the Van de Graaff Generator?
A very large build up of charge on the dome, causes electrons to jump through the air.
If you wanted to measure how much voltage a bulb uses, how would you connect a Voltmeter to the circuit?
Across the bulb
How does an incandescent light bulb work?
The thin filiament (high restistance) made of Tungsten (high melting temp.) heats up to the point that it begins to glow red hot.
What is the purpose of a fuse, and how does it work?
Protects the circuit from overload, it is the weakest point on a circuit designed to burn out if the current is too high.
Mystery Question: Approximately how many volts is the school Van de Graaff generator?
150,000 - 300,000 V
What is the purpose of a grounding strip on a car, and what would it likely be made of?
It prevents static build up on the car by allowing electrons to flow between the car body and Earth.
Made of a conductive material.
What is meant by the term
'Electric Potential Difference'
Voltage
What is the purpose of the Earth wire in household appliances and plugs?
Connects to metal parts of the appliance so that stray currents will be safely taken away, and allows for that large current to then blow the fuse.
What is the purpose of an RCD?
What does it stand for? (Double Points!)
Protects users from electric shock
Residual Current Device