Science Section II - Circuits

Concepts

100

What are the negatively charged particles that fuel electricity 

Electrons

200

What is polarization 

Polarization happens when electrons shift slightly within a material in response to an electric field, creating tiny separated positive and negative regions without the charges fully leaving the material.

300

How is electric potential different from electric potential energy?

Electric potential represents the PER UNIT charge magnitude at some point on the field. On the other hand, electric potential energy represents the TOTAL energy of that particle because of its energy on the field

E.P -> Source charge only; E.P = E.P.E/q (electric charge)
E.P.E -> Total magnitude of charge (based on the position in the field)

400

What are the 3 laws of thermodynamics?

1. Law of Energy Conservation
2. Heat diffuses (high -> low)
3. We can never reach absolute zero (0K)

500

A battery, first made by ____ and coined by ___, is usually made with what materials

Alessandro Volta

Ben Franklin

zinc and/or carbon submerged in a strong acid (sulfuric acid)

Analogy (Water)

100

Voltage is analogous to what? What is current analogous to?

Pressure and Flow 

Water pressure pushes water through a pipe the same way voltage pushes electric charge through a wire, and the amount flowing per second (water flow rate) corresponds to electric current.

200

If the battery is like a water pump/source (in a pipe), then what happens regarding the "pressure" (voltage)

Process of basic electric pressure

A pressure (voltage) difference is formed in which the flowing water (electricity) fills in this difference 

300

How can the water analogy be used to understand the misconception of electron flow vs current flow

_{In the water analogy, we define current as flowing from high pressure to low pressure, like water moving downstream. But electrons are negatively charged, so they actually move in the opposite direction—like tiny particles drifting upstream while we still describe the river as flowing downstream.}

Formulas

100

What is Ohm's Law

RI=V 

(resistance * current = voltage)

200

What is the fundamental power formula? What formula is made when combined with Ohm's law?

P = IV (power = voltage * current)

-> P = RI² (w/ Ohm's Law)

300

What does Kirchoff's Law(s) state? 

Hint: there are 2

Voltage (KVL): Around a closed loop, the sum of the voltages = 0

Current (KCL): sum of the current entering a node = sum of the current leaving

400

What are the resistance formulas of parallel and series circuits?

Parallel: 1/R = sum{R_i} for all i (individuals)

Series: R = sum{R_i} for all i (individuals)

500

What is change in energy equivalent to?

^{delta{E} = q * V (charge * voltage)}

Circuits

100

What are the two types of circuits the packet mainly covers?

Parallel & Series

Applications

100

Who coined the term of the "battery"

Benjamin Franklin

200

What are dielectrics?

Insulators that (due to its position between two conductive plates) increase capacitors' charge

300

This device stores charge using two conductors separated by a small distance and can act like a temporary battery.

What is a capacitor?

400

In a parallel circuit, adding more branches of resistance does this to the total current compared to a series circuit.

Increase total current 

500

During a lightning storm, when voltage becomes high enough, this normally insulating material conducts electricity as a bolt.

Air