Class X: Physics Chapter 3: Electricity Chapter Notes

Electric Current - Flow of electric charge from one place to another. Current - Rate of flow of charge. I = Q/t where I = current, Q = charge, t = time SI unit for current - ampere (A) OR coulomb per second Direction of convention current = Direction of + charge = Opp direction of motion of electrons Ammeter is used to measure electric current. It must be placed in series circuit. Current must enter through +terminal and leave through -terminal. Electromotive Force, e.m.f of any electrical source is the work done by source in driving a unit charge around a complete circuit. E = W/Q SI unit = joule/coulomb or V Voltmeter is used to measure e.m.f. Potential Difference across a component in a circuit is the work done to drive a unit charge through the component. (V = W/Q). It has the same unit as the e.m.f. It can be measured by the voltmeter, in parallel circuit. The current must flow in +terminal and leave through -terminal. Resistance is defined as the ratio of p.d across the component to the current flowing through it . R = V/I unit is ohm Metals with low resistance are used as conductors or connecters. Eg : Al, gold, silver, Cu -Made thicker so that they have lower resistance. Metals with high resistance are used as heaters. Eg nichrome, in coils of kettles

Television sets and radios - Carbon. A resistor is a component in an electrical circuit that provides a known value of resistance, Its main function is to control the size of current flowing in circuit. It may be fixed or variable(rheostat) Using a rheostat... The resistance wire is wound round an insulating tube. When rheostat is joined to the circuit, current flows through resistance wire and the sliding contact . It then flows through a metal rod with hardly any resistance. Decreasing the length of resistance wire = decreasing the resistance. It is used as brightness controls for lights, volume controls on radio and television sets. Factors affecting Resistance For metallic conductors , the higher the temperature the larger is its resistance. Carbon and semiconductors - higher temperature, lower resistance. (silicon, germanium) Long wire = more resistance Thin wire = more resistance Good conductors = Low resistivity

Points to remember: 1. Electric current is the rate of flow of charge. 2. Battery provides the driving force required to move the charges along the wire from one terminal to another. 3. The constant voltage difference between the two terminals of the wire maintains the constant electric current through the wire. 4. Electric current is measured in terms of amperes where 1 ampere = 1 coulomb / second 5. Voltage is measured in terms of volt where 1 volt = 1 joule /coulomb 6. Resistance is a property that resists the flow of electrons in a conductor. It controls the magnitude of the current. The SI unit of resistance is ohm ( ). 7. Resistivity is defined as the resistance offered by a cube of the material of side 1 m when the current flows perpendicular to the opposite faces of the cube.

8. Ohms law: The potential difference across the ends of a resistor is directly proportional to the current through it, provided its temperature remains the same. 9. The resistance of a conductor depends directly on its length, inversely on its area of cross section, and also on the material of the conductor. 10. In Series combination of resistors: - The current flowing through each resistor is the same - The potential difference across the ends of the series combination is distributed across the resistors - The equivalent resistance is greater than the greatest resistance in the combination. 11. In Parallel combination of resistors: - The potential difference across each resistor is same and is equal to the potential difference across the combination. - The main current divides itself and a different current flow through each resistor. - The equivalent resistance is lesser than the least of all the resistances. 12. The effect of heating current due to which heat is produced in a wire when current is passed through it is called heating effect of current. 13. Electric power is the rate at which electrical energy is produced or consumed in an electric circuit. 14. The unit of power is watt (W). One watt of power is consumed when 1 A of current flows at a potential difference of 1 V. 15. The commercial unit of electric energy is kilowatt hour (kW h), commonly known a unit. Top Formulae: 1. The current I through the cross section of a conductor is Where Q is net charge flowing across the cross section of a conductor in time t. 2. Potential difference (V) between two points = work done (W)/ Charge (Q) V = W/ Q 3. Ohms law: V = I R 4. The equivalent resistance in series circuit is the sum of the individual resistances R = R1 + R2 + R3 5. The equivalent resistance of a parallel circuit containing resistances R1, R2, R3 is given as

= +

+ is given by P = VI Or P = R = V/ R

6. The electric power P

7. The electrical energy dissipated in a resistor is given by W=VIT 8. Joule s law of heating; H = Rt J

9. 1 kW h = 3, 600, 000 J = 3.6 x