CHAPTER – 3
ELECTRICTY: CIRCUITS AND THEIR
COMPONENTS
SUMMARY:
1. An electric cell is a portable source of electrical energy.
2. An electric cell has two terminals; one is called positive ( +ve) while the
other is negative (-ve).
3. In an incandescent electric lamp, there is a thin wire called the filament,
which gets hot and glows to produce light when electric current passes
through it.
4. An LED has two terminals, one is positive (attached to a longer wire) and
the other is negative (the shorter wire).
5. Electric current can pass through LED in one direction only.
6. An LED lights up only when its positive terminal (longer wire) connects
to the positive terminal of the battery and its negative terminal (shorter
wire) connects to the negative terminal of the battery.
7. A switch is a simple device that either completes or breaks a circuit.
8. The direction of electric current in a closed electrical circuit is taken to be
from the positive to the negative terminal of the electric cell.
9. A representation of an electrical circuit using symbols is called its circuit
diagram.
[Link] through which electric current can flow easily are called good
conductors or conductors of electricity.
[Link] through which current cannot pass through are called insulators
or poor conductors of electricity.
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
Q. 1 Choose the incorrect statement.
(i) A switch is the source of electric current in a circuit.
(ii) A switch helps to complete or break the circuit.
(iii) A switch helps us to use electricity as per our requirement.
(iv) When the switch is in ‘OFF’ position, there is an air gap between its
terminals.
Ans: (i) A switch is the source of electric current in a circuit.
Q. 2 Observe Fig. 3.16. With which material connected between the ends A
and B, the lamp will not glow?
Ans: To stop the lamp from glowing, place an insulating material such as rubber or
plastic between points A and B. This will break the circuit and stop the flow
of electric current.
Q. 3 In Fig. 3.17, if the filament of one of the lamps is broken, will the other
glow? Justify your answer.
Ans: ✓ If the filament of one of the lamps is broken, the other lamp will not
glow.
✓ The lamps are connected end to end in a series. Hence, the current flows
through all components one after another.
✓ If one component (like a lamp) is broken, the entire circuit breaks, and
the current cannot flow through the other components of the circuit.
Q. 4 A student forgot to remove the insulator covering from the connecting
wires while making a circuit. If the lamp and the cell are working
properly, will the lamp glow?
Ans: ✓ No, the lamp will not glow in this case.
✓ Insulators are the materials through which current cannot pass.
✓ The insulator covering on the connecting wires stops the flow of electric
current, the circuit is broken, and the lamp will not light up.
Q. 5 Draw a circuit diagram for a simple torch using symbols for electric
components.
Ans:
Q. 6 i. If S2 is in ‘ON’ position, S1 is in ‘OFF’ position, which lamp(s) will
glow?
ii. If S2, is in ‘OFF’ position, S1, is in ‘ON’ position, which lamp(s)
will glow?
iii. If S1 and S2, both are in ‘ON’ position, which lamp(s) will glow?
iv. If both S1, and S2, are in ‘OFF’ position, which lamp(s) will glow?
Ans: i. If S2 is ON and S1 is OFF - - Lamp L2 will glow as S2 is completing
the circuit for L2. Lamp L1 will not glow as S1 is OFF and breaking the
circuit for L1.
ii. If S2 is OFF and S1 is ON - - Lamp L1 will glow as S1 is completing
the circuit for S1. Lamp L2 will not glow as S2 is OFF and breaking the
circuit for L2.
iii. If S1 and S2 are ON - - Both Lamps L1 and L2 will glow as circuit is
complete.
iv. If S1 and S2 are OFF - - Both Lamps L1 and L2 will not glow as circuit
is broken.
Q. 7 Vidyut has made the circuit as shown in Fig. 3.19. Even after closing the
circuit, the lamp does not glow. What can be the possible reasons? List
as many possible reasons as you can for this faulty operation. What will
you do to find out why the lamp did not glow?
Ans: Possible Reasons:
✓ Loose Connections: Connections between wires and components are
loose or not making proper contact.
✓ Dead Battery (used up battery) or a faulty battery.
✓ The lamp’s filament might be broken.
✓ Faulty Switch: The switch might be faulty.
✓ The connecting wire may be broken internally.
✓ Insulation cover might not have been properly removed from the
ends of the connecting wires.
Steps to find out why the lamp did not glow:
✓ Check each part of the circuit, all wires are firmly connected to the
battery, lamp and switch.
✓ Test the battery with a tester (eg: with multimeter)
✓ Check the switch by bypassing it and directly connecting the wires to
see if the lamp glows.
Q.8 In Fig. 3.20, in which case(s) the lamp will not glow when the switch is
closed?
Ans: ✓ The lamp will not glow if the circuit is incomplete, the cell is connected
incorrectly, the lamp is connected incorrectly or there is short circuit.
✓ In figure (a), the lamp will glow.
✓ In figure (b), the lamp will not glow.
✓ In figure (c), the lamp will not glow because the negative terminal of
battery is connected to positive terminal of LED.
✓ In figure (d), the lamp will glow as positive terminal of battery is
connected to the positive terminal of LED.
Q.9 Suppose the ‘+’ and ‘-’ symbols cannot be read on a battery. Suggest a
method to identify the two terminals of this battery.
Ans: ✓ LED has a longer lead (positive) and a shorter lead (negative).
✓ LED (Light Emission Diode) glows only when its longer lead (positive) is
connected to battery’s positive terminal and its shorter lead (neative) is
connected to battery’s negative terminal.
Q.10 You are given six cells marked A, B, C, D, E, and F. Some of these are
working and some are not. Design an activity to identify which of them
are working.
(i) List the items that you require.
(ii) Write the procedure that you will follow.
(iii) With the items, carry out the activity to identify the cells that are
working.
Ans: (i) List the items that you require:
• Working lamp
• Connecting wires
• Cells
(ii) Write the procedure that you will follow:
• Connect the light bulb to a single cell.
• Observe whether the bulb glows or not.
• Repeat the same steps for each of the cells A, B, C, D, E, and F.
(iii) With the items, carry out the activity to identify the cells that are working:
• Test each cell one at a time by connecting it to the bulb.
• Cells that make the bulb glow are working properly, while those that
do not are not functioning.
Q.11 An LED requires two cells in series to glow. Tanya made the circuit as
shown in Fig. 3.21. Will the lamp glow? If not, draw the wires for correct
connections.
Ans: ✓ According to the given connection the LED will not glow, as negative
terminal of LED is connected with positive terminal of battery. The
correct connection will be:
EXTRA: ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
Q. 1 Draw near and labelled diagram of small incandescent lamp:
Ans:
Q.2 Define:
1. Switch: A switch is a simple device that either completes or breaks the
circuit.
2. Conductors: The materials through which electric current can flow easily
are called conductors of electricity or good conductors.
Example: silver, gold, copper, etc.
3. Insulators: The materials through which electric current cannot pass through
are called insulators or poor conductors of electricity.
Example: plastic, wood, paper, rubber, etc.
4. Electric cell: An electric cell is a portable source of electrical energy. A
device which is used to produce small amount of electricity by
chemical reaction is known as electric cell.
5. Battery: The combination of electric cells is called battery.
6. Open circuit: It is a circuit in which there is a gap in the connections between
the terminals of the cell, wires and the bulb etc.
7. Closed circuit: It is a circuit in which there is no gap in the connections
between the terminals of the cell, wires and the bulb etc.
8. Circuit: A closed path along which electricity can flow is called a circuit.
9. Circuit diagram: A representation of an electrical circuit using symbols is
called its circuit diagram.
Q.3 Fill in the blanks:
1. An electric cell is a portable source of electric energy.
2. Current flows through a circuit only when the circuit is in closed state.
3. The wire that melts and breaks when large amount of current is allowed to
flow through is called fuse wires.
4. Electric current can pass through LED in one direction only.
5. A representation of an electrical circuit using symbols is called its circuit
diagram.
Difference between AC and DC: (Extra)
AC DC
1. It is called an Alternating current. It is called direct current.
2. Electricity comes from wall Electricity from batteries is used to
socket is supplied by power power small devices.
plants.
3. Used to run bigger devices like Used to run smaller devices like toys,
washing machine, TV, AC etc. remote control, torch etc.