Electrical Circuits
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Transcript of Electrical Circuits
Electrical Circuits
Electrical Circuit• Closed path through which
charge can flow
• A Circuit needs:1. Source of energy (voltage)2. Conductive path for charge to flow3. Source of resistance (device to do
work)
Batteries• Provide the energy (voltage) for
charge to flow in a circuit– Have (+) and (-) terminals
Dry cell• Series of chemical reactions
causes electrons to flow and accumulate at the (-) terminal– Used in portable electronics
+ terminal
- terminal
Wet Cell• Has 2 connected metal plates
submerged in an electrolyte: solution that conducts electricity
• Ex: Car battery
Circuit Diagrams• Use symbols to represent parts
of a circuit
• Shows one or more complete paths that charge can flow
Current flow
+-
Current always flows from positive (+) to negative (-) battery terminal
Battery
Series Circuits• Charge has only one path to flow• If one device stops working they
all stop working!• Viewing series circuit
Series Circuits• Adding light bulbs to a series
circuit increases resistance– CURRENT DECREASES, BULBS
BECOME DIMMER
Parallel Circuits• Circuit with two or more paths
for current to flow• If one device stops working the
rest continue to work!
Parallel Circuits• Viewing Parallel Circuit
• Homes and buildings are wired in parallel
• Bulbs shine brighter in parallel than series– All Directly connected to battery
Parallel circuits• Current in branch depends on
resistance– More current flows through the
path of lowest resistance
•Voltage is same across each branch