3. ELECTRICITY (info)
The source of all electricity is charge.
Electric charge may be defined as the intrinsic property of
certain fundamental particles, due to which they produce
electric and magnetic effects.
Under ordinary conditions , a body is neutral.
When the equity or balance is distributed by removing or
supplying electrons, the body acquires a net charge.
The body will acquire a positive or negative charge depending
upon whether electrons are removed from it or added to it.
Charge is measured in COULOMBS, it is the SI unit of charge
and its symbol is “C”.
Each proton and electron have a charge of 1.6*10power-19 C
The flow of charged particles in a particular direction is called
an Electric current.
4. POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE
The potential difference between two points A and B is the work done per unit
charge in taking a charge from point B to A.
A B.
The work done on charge is stored as the electric potential energy(U) Of the
group of charges. So U=qv. The unit of potential difference (potential) is the
VOLT, whose symbol is “V”, the volt is named after ITALIAN Physicist
ALESSANDRO VOLT(1745-1827).
If 1 joule of work is done in taking 1C of charge from one point to another , the
potential difference between the point is 1 VOLT. V=W/q=I joule/1 coulomb=1
volt.(voltage)
The potential of a positive charged body is taken as higher than that of negative
charged body.
A free positive charge moves towards lower potential and in case of free
negative charge vice versa.
5. WHAT DOES A CELL DO?
A cell provides a constant potential difference. Reactions
in the cell cause positive and negative charges to gather
separately, this creates a potential difference between
the terminals of the cell. The terminal at a higher
potential is called the positive terminal and one at a
lower potential is called a negative terminal.
The cell that we commonly use are called DRY CELLS .
It provides a potential difference of 1.5V.
6. WHAT IS ELECTRIC
CURRENT?
In a metal, the flow of charge(negative) constitutes the
current(due to free electrons) . An electric current can
also be a flow of positive charges. So , a flow of charge
is called an electric current.
By convention, the direction of the current is taken as
the direction of flow of positive charges. Thus, the
direction of current is opposite to the direction of flow of
negative charges.
So, when a wire is connected to a cell, the current in the
wire is from the positive terminal to the negative terminal
The charge passing per unit time through a given place
is the magnitude of the electric current at that place.
Thus , i=Q/t. (Here Q is the charge that passes through
a place in time t).