Physics Project: (Current Electricity)
Introduction:
Definition: Electric Current is the rate of flow of electrons in
a conductor.
Unit: The SI Unit of electric current is the Ampere.
Flow of Current: The electrons, the charge carriers in an
electrical circuit, flow in the opposite direction of the
conventional electric current. In a conductive material, the
moving charged particles which constitute the electric current
are called charge carriers. The direction of an electric current
is by convention the direction in which a positive charge
would move. Thus, the current in the external circuit is
directed away from the positive terminal and toward the
negative terminal of the battery. Electrons would actually
move through the wires in the opposite direction.
Potential Difference: Potential difference between any two
points in the electric field is defined as the amount of work
done in moving a unit positive charge without acceleration
from one point to another along any path between the two
points.
Unit: The SI unit of electrostatic potential difference is volt.
Potential difference is said to be one volt if one joule of work
is done in moving a charge of one coulomb from one point to
another in an electric field.
Resistance: The electrical resistance of a circuit is the ratio
between the voltages applied to the current flowing through it.
Electric charge flows more easily through some materials than
others. The electrical resistance measures how much the flow
of this electric charge is restricted within the circuit.
The unit of electrical resistance is ohms. The resistance of a
conductor is said to be 1 ohm when 1 ampere of current flows
through it when the potential difference across the ends is 1
volt
Cause of Resistance: The electrons moving in the direction
of the positive terminal clash with other electrons, atoms, and
impurities in the metal. This is because the imperfections in
the atomic lattice of metals cause the scattering of electrons.
The resistance in the conductor works due to these collisions.
Heat is generated from the voltage supplied as the electrons
clash with atoms and other particles.
Ohm’s Law: Ohm’s law states that the voltage across a
conductor is directly proportional to the current flowing
through it, provided all physical conditions and temperatures
remain constant.
The Limitations of Ohm’s law include:
1. Ohm’s law cannot be applied to unilateral networks.
Unilateral networks allow the current to flow only in one
direction. Examples of such networks include diodes,
transistors, etc.
2. Additionally, Ohm’s law is not applicable in the case of
non-linear objects. In these components, the current is
not proportional to the voltage applied. This is because
these components have different resistance values for
each value of voltage and current. Examples of non-
linear components include the thyristor.
3. Ohm’s Law will not work in the case of non-metallic
conductors.
4. Calculation using Ohm’s law can be difficult in the case
of complicated circuits.
Factors affecting resistance.
There are four factors affecting resistance, such as:
1. Temperature: Heating a wire increases its resistance.
Electrical resistance also depends on temperature. At a
certain temperature and for a particular substance.
2. Length of wire: Thick wires have less resistance than
thin wires. Longer wires have more resistance than short
wires.
3. Area of the cross-section of the wire: Smaller diameter
wires have greater resistance.
4. Nature of the material: The copper wire has less
resistance to thin steel wire of the same size.
Therefore, the resistance of a wire depends both on the
cross-sectional area and length of the wire and on the
nature of the material of the wire.
Precautions to take while using electricity:
1. Switch off, isolate and properly earth the circuit before
doing any work with the circuit.
2. Avoid water while working with electricity. Never touch
or try repairing any electrical equipment or circuits with
wet hands. It increases the conductivity of the electric
current.
3. Always use insulated tools while working. Only permit
after making the circuit completely dead, isolated, and
earthed.
4. Display Danger Board at the place of work.
5. Avoid putting any new equipment into the service
without necessary testing by authority.
6. Forbid any unauthorized person to enter the working
place.
7. Label all electrical equipment, bays, and circuits to avoid
any mistakes.
8. Shouldn't work on the electrical circuits during a heavy
lightning storm.
9. Wearing shoes having sewn soles, preferably insulated
rubber soles.
10. Avoid wearing suspenders, armbands, metal buckets
or other metal parts, metal key chains, or metal keepers
for key rings, or watch rings outside the clothing during
work.