Electricity and Magnetism

Electricity and Magnetism

Introduction

A lightning bolt crashes across the sky and we look on in wonder. But we no longer think how amazing it is that we have harnessed that same energy to run all the devices in our lives. Think of what would happen if the power grid went down. In this module we will study what electricity is and how the motion of charged particles transfers energy. We will progress to the way that circuits and parts of circuits function.

Module Lessons Preview

In this module, we will study the following topics:

What is static electricity, and how do we determine the value of the force between charged particles?
What is resistance, current, and potential difference?
What is the relationship between potential difference, current, and resistance found in Ohm's Law?
What is a circuit?
How are the parts of a circuit set up to be in series and how do we determine the equivalent resistance of a series circuit?
How are the parts of a circuit set up to be in parallel and how do we determine the equivalent resistance of the circuit?

Key Terms

Circuit: A complete pathway for the flow of electrons starting from the source of potential difference and back.
Compass: A tiny magnet that is suspended so it is free to rotate and align with the magnetic field of the Earth.
Coulomb's Law: The force between two charged particles is directly proportional to the two charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
Current: The flow of electrons or the charge that passes a point per unit of time.
Current Electricity: Charge that is flowing.
Domain: Areas of substances where the magnetic field lines up.
Electromagnet: A current carrying wire wrapped around a core to produce a temporary magnet.
Equivalent Resistance: The value of a single resistor needed to replace two or more resistors.
Induction: Moving a loop of wire across a magnetic field to produce a current.
Magnet: Substances that produce magnetic fields and attract ferromagnetic substances.
Negative Charge: The charge sign found on an electron.
Ohm's Law: The potential difference is equal to the current flowing through a resistor times the resistance.
Parallel Circuit: Circuits with more than one pathway through the circuit.
Positive Charge: The charge sign found on a proton.
Potential Difference: The difference in electric potential between two points, measured in volts.
Resistor: Any object that uses electric energy by slowing down the flow of electrons.
Series Circuit: A circuit with only one pathway for the flow of electrons.
Static Electricity: Charge buildup on objects.
Voltage: A common name for potential difference.

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