Alternating/Direct Current Plus more circuit examples
HOMEWORK Hw is pg 451 1-3 & pg 454 5-8 Due 4/19 Tuesday
Circuits EXAMPLE: A. Find Req of the following circuit B. Find the total current that goes through the whole circuit C. Find the voltage drop across the two red circles
Circuits (More Facts) The source of electrons in a circuit is in the conducting material itself. Energy is what makes the electrons move, or the difference in voltage. A switch in a circuit is like a gate that can connect a circuit together. If a piece of a circuit has a switch that isn’t connected, that whole section is ignored CURRENT WILL ALWAYS TAKE THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE!
Circuits
Direct Current DC stands for Direct Current, which means the current always flows in one direction. Voltage sources that provide DC are batteries The voltage is always constant in DC circuits
Alternating Current AC stands for alternating current, which means the current is always changing direction, as the voltage source changes value Voltage sources have a frequency. In North America they have a frequency of 60Hz The current in all electrical outlets is AC
Alternating Current The voltage provided by outlets in the US is 120V For appliances that demand more voltage, they are designed so that when they are plugged into an outlet, the voltage difference increases to the voltage that they need to run.
Alternating Currents Electric companies use AC current so that powerlines don’t heat up from all the resistance of charges as current travels a far away distance. The electrons in the wire just vibrate back in forth as the voltage changes, which causes a chain reaction and creates electricity
Homework Do the worksheet