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Physics 12
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What are the three main circuit components and their functions? | Battery (converts chemical energy to electrical energy, creating voltage), Resistor (limits current flow, e.g. a light bulb), Capacitor (stores or dissipates electrical energy) |
| What is electric current and what is its unit? | Electric current is the flow of electric charge through a conductive medium. |
| In which direction do electrons flow in a conductor? | From the negatively charged terminal toward the positively charged terminal of the voltage source |
| What is voltage and what is its unit? | Voltage (potential difference) is the "push" that drives current through a circuit. Unit: volts (V) |
| What is resistance and what is its unit? | Resistance regulates the flow of current in a circuit. Unit: ohm (Ω), where 1 Ω = 1 V/A |
| What does resistance depend on? | The material of the conductor (resistivity ρ), its length (L), and its cross-sectional area (A). |
| State Ohm's Law and give its equation. | Current through a conductor is directly proportional to voltage and inversely proportional to resistance. V = IR |
| State Kirchhoff's Loop Rule. | The sum of all potential differences around any closed loop equals zero (ΣV = 0). Based on conservation of energy. |
| State Kirchhoff's Junction Rule. | The sum of currents entering a junction equals the sum of currents leaving it (ΣI_in = ΣI_out). Based on conservation of charge. |
| What are the key properties of resistors in series? | Total resistance = sum of all resistors (R_total = R1 + R2 + … + Rn); total voltage = sum of individual voltage drops; adding resistors increases total resistance and decreases current; if one resistor breaks, the whole circuit breaks. |
| What are the key properties of resistors in parallel? | Total current = sum of individual branch currents; total resistance is found via reciprocal sum and is always less than the smallest resistor; same voltage across all resistors; if one branch breaks, others continue to function. |
| In a parallel circuit, how do you find the current through one branch (current divider)? | I_branch = I_total × (opposite resistor / sum of the two resistors). E.g. I2 = I_total × R3 / (R2 + R3) |
| What is a capacitor and how does a parallel plate capacitor work? | A capacitor stores electric charge. When connected to a voltage source, positive charge builds on one plate and negative charge on the other, creating a potential difference. |
| What is capacitance and what is its unit? | Capacitance is a capacitor's ability to store charge. Unit: farad (F), where 1 F = 1 C/V |
| What two factors affect the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor? | Surface area of the plates (A) — larger area = greater capacitance; distance between plates (d) — smaller distance = greater capacitance |
| What is a dielectric and what does it do? | An insulating material placed between capacitor plates that increases capacitance by decreasing electric field strength, allowing the same charge to be stored at a lower voltage. |
| What are the key properties of capacitors in series? | Same charge on each capacitor; voltage is distributed proportionally; total capacitance found by reciprocal sum and is always less than the smallest capacitance. |
| What are the key properties of capacitors in parallel? | Charge can differ; total charge = sum of individual charges; same voltage across all; total capacitance = sum of all individual capacitances, always greater than the largest. |
| How do series and parallel circuits compare for resistors vs. capacitors in terms of which formula applies to which configuration? | Resistors in series → simple sum (R_total = ΣR). Resistors in parallel → reciprocal sum. Capacitors in series → reciprocal sum. Capacitors in parallel → simple sum (C_total = ΣC). Note: resistors and capacitors follow opposite rules! |
Created by:
smurtab