1. Junior CycleJunior Cycle
PhysicsPhysics
ElectricityElectricityEdited and Reproduced by
Theresa Lowry-Lehnen
RGN, BSc (Hon’s) Specialist Clinical Practitioner (Nursing), Dip Counselling, Dip Adv Psychotherapy, BSc
(Hon’s) Clinical Science, PGCE (QTS) , H. Dip. Ed, MEd, Emotional Intelligence (Level 9) MHS Accredited

2. Basic ideas…Basic ideas…
Electric current is when electrons start to flow around a
circuit. We use an _________ to measure it and it is
measured in ____.
Potential difference (also called _______) is how big the
push on the electrons is. We use a ________ to measure
it and it is measured in ______.
Resistance is anything that resists an electric current. It
is measured in _____.”
(Words: volts, amps, ohms, voltage, ammeter, voltmeter)

3. More basic ideas…More basic ideas…
If a battery is
added the current
will ________
because there is a
greater _____ on
the electrons
If a bulb is added
the current will
_______ because
there is greater
________ in the
circuit

4. Current in a series circuitCurrent in a series circuit
If the current
here is 2
amps…
The
current
here will
be…
The current
here will
be…
And the
current
here will
be…
In other words, the current in a series
circuit is THE SAME at any point

5. Current in a parallel circuitCurrent in a parallel circuit
A PARALLEL circuit is one where the current has a “choice
of routes”
Here comes the current…
And the rest will
go down here…
Half of the current
will go down here
(assuming the bulbs
are the same)…

6. Current in a parallel circuitCurrent in a parallel circuit
If the
current
here is 6
amps
The current
here will be…
The current
here will be…
The current
here will be…
And the
current here
will be…

7. Voltage in a series circuitVoltage in a series circuit
V
V V
If the voltage
across the
battery is 6V…
…and these
bulbs are all
identical…
…what will the
voltage across
each bulb be? 2V

8. Voltage in a series circuitVoltage in a series circuit
V
V
If the voltage
across the
battery is 6V…
…what will the
voltage across
two bulbs be?
4V

9. Voltage in a parallel circuitVoltage in a parallel circuit
If the voltage across
the batteries is 4V…
What is the
voltage here?
And here?
V
V
4V
4V

10. SummarySummary
In a SERIES circuit:
Current is THE SAME at any point
Voltage SPLITS UP over each component
In a PARALLEL circuit:
Current SPLITS UP down each “strand”
Voltage is THE SAME across each”strand”

11. An example question:An example question:
V1
V2
6V
3A
A1
A2
V3
A3

12. Advantages of parallel circuits…Advantages of parallel circuits…
There are two main reasons why parallel circuits are used
more commonly than series circuits:
1) Extra appliances (like bulbs) can be added without
affecting the output of the others
2) If one appliance breaks it won’t affect the others
either

13. Georg Simon Ohm
1789-1854
ResistanceResistance
Resistance is anything that will
RESIST a current. It is measured
in Ohms, a unit named after me.
The resistance of a component can be
calculated using Ohm’s Law:
Resistance = Voltage (in V)
(in Ω) Current (in A)
V
RI

14. An example question:An example question:
V
A
1) What is the resistance across
this bulb?
2) Assuming all the bulbs are the
same what is the total resistance
in this circuit?
Voltmeter
reads 10V
Ammeter
reads 2A

15. Current-voltage graphsCurrent-voltage graphs
I
V
I
V
I
V
1. Resistor 3. Diode
2. Bulb
Explain the shape of each graph

16. Three simple components:Three simple components:
1) Diode – only lets current flow in one direction
2) Light dependant resistor – resistance DECREASES when
light intensity INCREASES
3) Thermistor – resistance DECREASES when temperature
INCREASES

17. Wiring a plugWiring a plug

18. DC and ACDC and AC
DC stands for “Direct
Current” – the current only
flows in one direction:
AC stands for “Alternating
Current” – the current
changes direction 50 times
every second (frequency =
50Hz)
1/50th
s
240V
V
V
Time
T

19. FusesFuses
Fuses are _______ devices. If
there is a fault in an appliance
which causes the ____ and
neutral (or earth) wire to cross
then a ______ current will flow
through the _____ and cause it
to _____. This will break the
_______ and protect the
appliance and user from further
_____.
Words – large, harm, safety, melt, live, circuit, fuse

20. Circuit breakersCircuit breakers
If the current becomes too high the __________ is
activated. This will ______ the iron and the contact will
be _______. This will break the circuit.
Circuit breakers have two main advantages over fuses:
they work ______ and can easily be ______.
Words – electromagnet, broken, attract, reset, quicker

21. Earth wiresEarth wires
Earth wires are always used if an appliance has a _____
case. If there is a _____ in the appliance, causing the live
wire to ______ the case, the current “_______” down the
earth wire and the ______ blows.
Words – fuse, fault, metal, surges, touch

22. Power and fusesPower and fuses
Power is “the rate of doing work”.
The amount of power being used in
an electrical circuit is given by: P
IV
Power = voltage x current
in W in V in A
Using this equation we can work out the fuse rating for any
appliance. For example, a 3kW (3000W) fire plugged into a
240V supply would need a current of _______ A, so a
_______ amp fuse would be used (fuse values are usually
3, 5 or 13A).

23. Power and fusesPower and fuses
Copy and complete the following table:
Appliance Power rating
(W)
Voltage (V) Current
needed (A)
Fuse needed
(3, 5 or 13A)
Toaster 720 240
Fire 2000 240
Hairdryer 300 240
Hoover 1000 240
Computer 100 240
Stereo 80 240

24. Charge (Q)Charge (Q)
As we said, electricity is when electrons move around a
circuit and carry energy with them. Each electron has a
negative CHARGE. Charge is measured in Coulombs (C).
We can work out how much charge flows in a circuit using
the equation:
Q
TI
Charge = current x time
(in C) (in A) (in s)

25. Example questionsExample questions
Charge (C) Current (A) Time (s)
5 2
0.4 1
20 0.5
50 250
3 60
1) A circuit is switched on for 30s with a current of 3A. How much
charge flowed?
2) During electrolysis 6A was passed through some copper chloride
and a charge of 1200C flowed. How long was the experiment on
for?
3) A bed lamp is switched on for 10 minutes. It works on a current of
0.5A. How much charge flowed?

26. Energy and chargeEnergy and charge
The amount of energy that flows in a circuit will depend on
the amount of charge carried by the electrons and the
voltage pushing the charge around:
E
QV
Energy transferred = charge x voltage
(in J) (in C) (in V)

27. Example questionsExample questions
1) In a radio circuit a voltage of 6V is applied and a charge
of 100C flows. How much energy has been transferred?
2) In this circuit the radio drew a current of 0.5A. How
long was it on for?
3) A motor operates at 6V and draws a current of 3A. The
motor is used for 5 minutes. Calculate: a) The motor’s
resistance, b) the charge flowing through it, c) the
energy supplied to it
4) A lamp is attached to a 12V circuit and a charge of
1200C flows through it. If the lamp is on for 10 minutes
calculate a) the current, b) the resistance, c) the
energy supplied to the bulb.

28. Comparing magnets and solenoidsComparing magnets and solenoids
N S
Magnet:
Solenoid:

29. ElectromagnetsElectromagnets
The strength of an electromagnet can be increased by
doing three things:
1) Increasing the voltage
2) Increasing the number of coils
3) Inserting an iron core
(The poles can be reversed by
reversing the direction of the current)

30. ElectromagneticElectromagnetic
inductioninduction
The direction of the induced
current is reversed if…
1) The magnet is moved in the
opposite direction
2) The other pole is inserted
first

31. ElectromagneticElectromagnetic
inductioninduction
The size of the induced current
can be increased by:
1) Increasing the speed of
movement
2) Increasing the magnet
strength
3) Increasing the number of
turns on the coil

32. AC GeneratorAC Generator
Induced current can be increased in 4 ways:
1) Increasing the speed of movement
2) Increasing the magnetic field strength
3) Increasing the number of turns on the coil
4) Increasing the are of the coil

33. The National GridThe National Grid
Electricity reaches our homes from power stations through the
National Grid:
If electricity companies transmitted electricity at 240 volts through
overhead power lines there would be too much ______ loss by the time
electricity reaches our homes. This is because the current is ___. To
overcome this they use devices called transformers to “step up” the
voltage onto the power lines. They then “____ ____” the voltage at
the end of the power lines before it reaches our homes. This way the
voltage is _____ and the current and power loss are both ____.
Power station
Step up
transformer
Step down
transformer
Homes
Words – step down, high, power, low, high

34. TransformersTransformers
Transformers are used to _____ __ or step down
_______. They only work on AC because an ________
current in the primary coil causes a constantly alternating
_______ ______. This will “_____” an alternating
current in the secondary coil.
Voltage across primary (Vp)
No. of turns on secondary (Ns)Voltage across secondary (Vs)
No. of turns on primary (Np)
Words – alternating, magnetic field, induce, step up, voltage
We can work out how much a transformer will step up or
step down a voltage:

35. Static electricityStatic electricity
Static electricity is when charge “build up” on an object
and doesn’t move, e.g. rubbing a rod:

36. Two different
rods will
attract each
other if they
have different
charge:
Two rods
made of the
same material
will repel each
other due to
having the
same charge:

37. Van de Graff generatorsVan de Graff generators
A charge builds up on
the dome due to
electrons being “______
off” by the belt. If a
big enough ______ is
built up then the voltage
becomes high enough to
_____ the air molecules
and the electrons “___”
down to Earth – this is
an electric _________.
Words – charge, jump,
current, rubbed, ionise

38. Use of static 1 - PhotocopiersUse of static 1 - Photocopiers
Photocopiers use static
electricity. They work by: 1)
Copying an ______ of the page
onto a ______ plate, 2) Light
then causes the charge to ____
away, leaving an “electrostatic
impression” of the page, 3) The
charges left on the plate
______ small drops of black
powder, 4) The powder is
transferred from the plate onto
the _____, 5) The paper is
_____ to “fix” the powder.
Words – heated, leak, paper, image, charged, attract

39. Use of static 2 - PrintersUse of static 2 - Printers
Inkjet printers work by spraying charged drops of ink
onto a page. The droplets can be directed using two
oppositely charged plates. The voltage on these plates
can be easily swapped or varied. The inkjet cartridge
can also moved across the page by the printer

40. Dangers of staticDangers of static
During refuelling the fuel gains electrons from the pipe,
making the pipe positive and the fuel negative. The
resulting voltage may cause a spark – bad news!
Solution: Either earth the fuel tank with a copper rod or
connect the tanker to the plane by a copper conductor.

41. ElectrolysisElectrolysis
Electrolysis is used to extract a HIGHLY REACTIVE metal.
= chloride ion
= copper ion
When we electrolysed
copper chloride the
negative chloride ions
moved to the positive
electrode and the positive
copper ions moved to the
negative electrode –
OPPOSITES ATTRACT!!!

42. QuestionsQuestions
1) A current of 2A flows through some copper chloride for 1 minute
and 0.01g of copper is deposited at the negative electrode.
a) How much would be deposited if the current was increased to
6A?
b) How much would be deposited if the current was kept at 6A and
the experiment was left for another minute?
c) How much charge flowed in question (b) above?
2) A current of 0.05A flows through some copper chloride for 500
seconds and 0.05g of chlorine is released at the positive electrode.
a) How much would be deposited if the current was increased to
0.1A?
b) How much would be deposited if the current was kept at 0.1A
and the experiment was left for 250 seconds instead?
c) How much charge flowed in question (b) above?