VOCAB (CHAPTER 6) – ELECTRICITY
Static electricity – the type of electricity that forms with the accumulation (build
up) of excess electric charge on an object
Law of conservation of charge – states that charge can be transferred from object
to object, but it cannot be created nor destroyed
Electric field- surrounds every electric charge and exerts the force that causes
other electric charges to be attracted or repelled.
Conductor- is a material through which electrons move (flow) easily.
Insulator – is a material in which electrons are not able to move easily.
Charging by Conduct – the process of transferring charge by touching or rubbing
(like a balloon)….it can become charged.
Charging by Induction – The rearrangement of electrons on a neutral object by a
nearby charged object.
Electroscope – A device that can detect electric charge
Electric current – Is the net movement (flow) of electric charges in a single
direction
Voltage Difference – Is related to the force that causes electric charges to flow.
Electric circuit – Is a closed path that electric current follows (flows).
Resistance – The tendency for a material to resist the flow of electrons (measured
in ohms)
Resistors – Show resistance /used to transform electrical energy into other forms
of energy such as heat (thermal) or light.
Ohm’s Law – The current in a circuit equals the voltage difference divided by the
resistance.
Series circuit – Is an electrical circuit with only 1 branch (1 path that electrons can
flow)
Parallel Circuit – Contains 2 or more branches for current
Switch / FUSE /Circuit Breaker – device that opens and closes a circuit to prevent
short circuit
Electrical Power- Is the rate at which electrical energy is converted to another form
of energy
Open circuit = Electrons will not flow (lightbulb will not light up)
Closed circuit = Electrons will flow (lightbulb will light up)
batteries = voltage source that gets the current to start flowing.
Alternating current – The kind of current from household electrical outlets (In the
United States the alternating current (electrons) changes directions 120 times
each second.
Direct current – Never changes direction (like batteries)
Lightning - An electric discharge from the sky to the ground during a storm
current = is measured in amps and is the flow of electrons….which have a negative
charge (opposite charge of protons which are a positive charge)….
Breaker = (as in circuit breaker)…… A switch that open a circuit when too much
current is flowing