What is an electric cell?

A simple battery that uses chemical energy to generate a flow of electrons.

What is inside a battery?

A chemical paste called the electrolyte, and 2 different metals. One of the metals has a negative charge and gives off electrons (anode) and the other gains electrons (cathode).

A device that measures how much electric current is flowing.

What units is current measured in?

Amperes or Amps. This unit is equivalent to about 6,000,000,000,000,000,000 electrons per second.

Describe the difference between AC and DC.

In DC, the electrons flow continually in 1 direction like a river. In AC, the electrons move rapidly back and forth. Both can power electric devices.

What is potential difference?

The amount of potential energy electrons have as they move through a circuit. This is similar to a waterfall: a higher waterfall is like greater voltage.

Describe the difference between power and voltage.

Power is how fast electrical energy is used. Voltage is the amount of potential energy each electron has when it moves.

What is the equation for electrical power?

P = I x V. Power = Current x Voltage.

Describe the parts of a simple electric circuit.

Battery, switch, wires, lightbulb or other device.

How is electrical resistance like friction?

Resistance slows the flow of electricity, making it harder for electrons to past. Friction slows the movement of objects, slowing their motion.

Describe 2 ways that electrical resistance is useful.

Resistors are used to produce heat. As electrons push through they lose energy as heat. Resistors also decrease the current through a circuit, if you want to limit the power of a device.

Describe a series circuit.

All the bulbs and other circuit parts are in a single loop, no branches.

Describe a parallel circuit.

There are 2 or more branches in the circuit with bulbs or other components on each branch.

Why do all the Christmas lights go out when one bulb dies?

If the lights are using a series circuit, one dead bulb means electrons can't get past it. It's like a broken wire.

In a series circuit with several bulbs, does the first bulb use more energy than later bulbs?

No, it just takes a portion of the energy, that is shared among all the parts of the circuit.

Will a series or parallel circuit with multiple bulbs use up a battery faster? Explain.

Parallel will use up electric energy faster. This is because each branch can pull the full voltage of the battery at the same time.

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Electric Circuits

Question	Answer
What is electric current?	The flow of electrons.
What is an electric cell?	A simple battery that uses chemical energy to generate a flow of electrons.
What is inside a battery?	A chemical paste called the electrolyte, and 2 different metals. One of the metals has a negative charge and gives off electrons (anode) and the other gains electrons (cathode).
What is an ammeter?	A device that measures how much electric current is flowing.
What units is current measured in?	Amperes or Amps. This unit is equivalent to about 6,000,000,000,000,000,000 electrons per second.
Describe the difference between AC and DC.	In DC, the electrons flow continually in 1 direction like a river. In AC, the electrons move rapidly back and forth. Both can power electric devices.
What is potential difference?	The amount of potential energy electrons have as they move through a circuit. This is similar to a waterfall: a higher waterfall is like greater voltage.
What units is potential difference measured in?	Volts
Describe the difference between power and voltage.	Power is how fast electrical energy is used. Voltage is the amount of potential energy each electron has when it moves.
What is the equation for electrical power?	P = I x V. Power = Current x Voltage.
What units is power measured in?	Watts (or hosepower)
Describe the parts of a simple electric circuit.	Battery, switch, wires, lightbulb or other device.
How is electrical resistance like friction?	Resistance slows the flow of electricity, making it harder for electrons to past. Friction slows the movement of objects, slowing their motion.
Describe 2 ways that electrical resistance is useful.	Resistors are used to produce heat. As electrons push through they lose energy as heat. Resistors also decrease the current through a circuit, if you want to limit the power of a device.
What units is resistance measured in?	Ohms
Describe a series circuit.	All the bulbs and other circuit parts are in a single loop, no branches.
Describe a parallel circuit.	There are 2 or more branches in the circuit with bulbs or other components on each branch.
Why do all the Christmas lights go out when one bulb dies?	If the lights are using a series circuit, one dead bulb means electrons can't get past it. It's like a broken wire.
In a series circuit with several bulbs, does the first bulb use more energy than later bulbs?	No, it just takes a portion of the energy, that is shared among all the parts of the circuit.
In a series circuit with a 100W bulb and a 50W bulb, which bulb will be brighter?	The 100W bulb.
Will a series or parallel circuit with multiple bulbs use up a battery faster? Explain.	Parallel will use up electric energy faster. This is because each branch can pull the full voltage of the battery at the same time.

Created by: buchwalder

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