Basics of Electricity

Lesson: Electricity Basics

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements about charge is FALSE?

• Charge is measured in Coulombs.

• An imbalance between the numbers of protons and electrons causes objects to be charged. 

  
  

• The effects of charged particles and objects ARE CONFINED to the object.

• Electric fields are a way to model the effect of charges outside of the particle/object.

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What happens when all those charges are crammed together in a small space? They want to move to a place with less of the same charges together. When charges (electrons) flow from one place to another, we call it "Electricity".

Multiple Choice

What part of the atom is moving to create electricity?

• Proton

• Electron

• Neutron

• Ice cream sandwich

Multiple Choice

Why do electrons flow?

• To move away from an area with too many electrons.

• To move toward an area with too many electrons

• Because they are attracted to other electrons.

• They don't.

​"Current" is a term used to describe how much charge is flowing through (or past) a specific point per second.  The official units are called "Amperes".  1 “amp” means 1 Coulomb of charge is flowing through/past a specific point every 1 second. 

​Current

Multiple Choice

What is an Ampere (or Amp)?

• The amount of electricity

• The amount of pressure on the electrons

• The amount of electrons moving across the wire per second.

So now let us imagine that you want to install a beautiful waterfall in your garden....

Multiple Choice

What does water need in order for it to flow?

• More of it

• Different temperature

• Ice

• A high and low part

Multiple Choice

If you want water to go from an area of low potential energy to an area of high potential energy, you would need to add...

• a pump.

• a boat.

• a diving board.

• a ramp.

Let us connect up some wires to the bulb to try and make it light up. But sadly, we find that the bulb does not light up. We can see that the wire has electrons in it, but the bulb does not light up. Why is this ?

The reason that the bulb does not light up is that there is no “flow” of electrons. Electrons need to move together in one direction to make the light bulb light up. If they just ‘hang around’ without moving in one direction as a group, nothing happens.

Multiple Choice

T/F electrons can move randomly and still create electricity?

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What could the cause of the potential difference in our circuit be? (like the water pump)

• a battery

• a lump of coal

• a rock

• an electric motor

The blue dots represent electrons, while the red dots represent empty places where electrons could fill in.

​"Voltage" is the term used to describe how hard charges are being “pushed” from one location to another.  The units of voltage are “Volts". Without voltage there would NOT be any current.  When there is voltage, current can flow if there is a good enough path. Electrons will flow from areas with more electrons into areas with less electrons.

Multiple Choice

True or False: A current of electrons CAN flow without voltage.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What is the difference between a 1.5 Volt and a 9 Volt battery?

• The 1.5 V has a larger potential difference.

• The 9 V has a larger potential difference.

• The number only describes the physical size of the battery.

• The number only describes how long the battery will last.

Multiple Choice

What causes a light bulb to glow brighter?

• More current

• Less voltage

• More resistance

​"Resistance" is the term used to describe… you guessed it… how much an object resists the flow of electrical current.  Resistance is measured in “Ohms” (𝛀). “Metals” easily lose electrons so they are good conductors and have low resistance.  “Non-metals”  don’t like to lose electrons so they are poor conductors and have high resistance.

In our waterfall example, waterfall A has more "resistance"...it is harder for water to flow. In a circuit, resistance can come from the material the wire is made out of and from components in circuits, like light bulbs.

Match

Match the following electricity terms with the correct response.

• Resistance is measured in ______.

• Current is measured in ______.

• Voltage is...

• Current is the amount of....

• Conductors are materials...

Ohms

Amperes (Amps)

the "push" or potential difference

electrons moving past a point per second

that allow electrons to move easily

• Ohms

• Amperes (Amps)

• the "push" or potential difference

• electrons moving past a point per second

• that allow electrons to move easily