EE 419

BASIC ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERING
Engr. Dave Ian G. Catausan, REE,
RME
 Introductio
n
Electricity plays an important role in our day-to-day life, and hence, we should be aware
of the various functions that electricity can perform.Nowadays, all our basic needs are
completely dependent upon electricity. The study of an electrical engineering involves the
analysis of the energy transfer from one form to another. So before beginning the actual study
of an electrical engineering, it is necessary to discuss the fundamental ideas about the basic
elements of an electrical engineering.
In this module, you will study about the basic electrical engineering principles, concepts,
laws and theories which enables you to understand the various applications of electricity in
the future.
 LEARNING
3
1. OBJECTIVES
Understand the basic electrical engineering principle, concepts, laws and
theorems.
2. Distinguish the general aspects of direct current system.
3. Define Ohm’s Law and apply mathematical formulas in solving basic electrical
problems.
4. Determine the temperature-resistance effect.
5. Understand electrical circuits and apply the power, current, resistance and voltage
equations.
 ELECTRIC
The invisible energy that constitutes the flow of electrons in a closed circuit to do work is called
ITY
‘electricity’.It is a form of energy that can be easily converted to any other form. Previously, it was thought that

electricity is a matter which flows through the circuit to do work. However, now it has been established that electricity

constitutes the flow of electrons in the circuit, and in this process, a

work is done. It is form of energy. The Greatest discoveries of man that come from the Greek word “electron” which

means amber. Electricity is all about electrons, which are the fundamental cause of electricity.
 Two Main Types of
❑ Static Electricity - involves electrons that are moved from one place to another,
Electricity
usually by rubbing or brushing. Static Electricity is nothing but the contact between
equal amount of protons and electrons (positively and negatively charged subatomic
particles). In order to make this friction work the particles are supposed to be of
opposite nature (+,-). If two same-kind particles i.e. positive-positive or
negative-negative, it would then be called as a ‘Non-friction.
❑ Current Electricity - involves the flow of electrons in a conductor. Current Electricity
is a flow of electric charge across an electrical field. This current is lead through a
conductor. The conductors are generally of two types, Good and Bad conductors. Good
conductors are the ones which let the electric charge flow through them (Copper wires)
and the bad conductors are the ones which resists the electric charge (Wood). The
constant flow of electric charge causes the conductor to heat up very often.
THE SHOCKING HISTORY OF
ELECTRICITY
• Around 600 BC Greeks found that by rubbing a hard fossilized resin (Amber) against a fur
cloth, it would attract particles of straw. This strange effect remained a mystery for over
2000 years.

Two Thousand Years Later

• Around 1600, William Gilbert, a physician who lived in London at the time of Queen
Elizabeth I and Shakespeare, studied magnetic phenomena and demonstrated that the Earth
itself was a huge magnet, by means of his "terrella" experiment. He also studied the
attraction produced when materials were rubbed, and named it the "electric" attraction.
From that came the word "electricity" and all others derived from it.
WILLIAM
GILBERT
❑ Father of electricity

❑ The word “electricity” was coined by Gilbert, who based it on the

Greek word for amber.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
In 1752, Franklin proved that lightning and the spark from amber were
one and the same thing. This story is a familiar one, in which Franklin
fastened an iron spike to a silken kite, which he flew during a thunderstorm,
while holding the end of the kite string by an iron key. When lightning
flashed, a tiny spark jumped from the key to his wrist. The experiment proved
Franklin's theory, but was extremely dangerous - he could easily have been
killed.
GALVANI AND VOLTA
• In 1786, Luigi Galvani, an Italian professor of medicine, found that when the leg of a dead frog
was touched by a metal knife, the leg twitched violently. Galvani thought that the muscles of the
frog must contain electricity.

• By 1792, another Italian scientist, Alessandro Volta, disagreed: he realized that the main factors in
Galvani's discovery were the two different metals - the steel knife and the tin plate - upon which
the frog was lying. Volta showed that when moisture comes between two different metals,
electricity is created.

• This led him to invent the first electric battery, the voltaic pile, which he made from thin sheets of
copper and zinc separated by moist pasteboard.

• In this way, a new kind of electricity was discovered, electricity that flowed steadily like a current
of water instead of discharging itself in a single spark or shock.

• Volta showed that electricity could be made to travel from one place to another by wire, thereby
making an important contribution to the science of electricity. The unit of electrical potential, the
Volt, is named after him.

•
MICHAEL FARADAY
• The credit for generating electric current on a practical scale goes to the famous English
scientist, Michael Faraday. Faraday was greatly interested in the invention of the
electromagnet, but his brilliant mind took earlier experiments still further. If electricity could
produce magnetism, why couldn't magnetism produce electricity?

• In 1831, Faraday found the solution. Electricity could be produced through magnetism by
motion. He discovered that when a magnet was moved inside a coil of copper wire, a tiny
electric current flows through the wire. Of course, by today's standards, Faraday's electric
generator was crude (and provided only a small electric current), but he had discovered the
first method of generating electricity by means of motion in a magnetic field.

• Faraday also realized that the electric force is transmitted by an electric

field.
JAMES WATT

• When Edison's generator was coupled with Watt's steam engine, large scale
electricity generation became a practical proposition. James Watt, the
Scottish inventor of the steam condensing engine, was born in 1736. His
improvements to steam engines were patented over a period of 15 years,
starting in 1769 and his name was given to the electric unit of power, the
Watt.
ANDRE MARIE AMPERE

• Andre Marie Ampere, a French mathematician who

devoted himself to the study of electricity and magnetism,
was the first to explain the electro-dynamic theory. A
permanent memorial to Ampere is the use of his name for
the unit of electric current.
GEORGE OHM

• George Simon Ohm, a German mathematician and physicist, was

a college teacher in Cologne when in 1827 he published, "The
Galvanic Circuit Investigated Mathematically". His theories were
coldly received by German scientists, but his research was
recognized in Britain and he was awarded the Copley Medal in
1841. His name has been given to the unit of electrical resistance.
HOW IS ELECTRICITY
PRODUCED?
A. Electricity Produced from Frictional Energy (Static Electricity)
•Frictional Electricity is the least important of all methods for the
production of electricity. It can be produced by rubbing certain
dissimilar materials together. One application of static electricity is in a
device used in atomic research called Van de Graaff generator .
B. ELECTRICITY PRODUCED FROM
PRESSURE
• Electricity produced from pressure is called piezoelectricity, which is produced by
certain crystalline materials such as quartz and barium titanate.

• If a crystal made of this material is placed between two metal plates and pressure is
exerted on the plates, an electric charge will be develop but the amount of charge
will depend on the amount of pressure exerted.
C. ELECTRICITY PRODUCED FROM HEAT

• The amount of charge produced depends on the difference in

temperature between junction and the opposite ends of two wires.
A greater temperature difference results in a greater charge.
Electricity is produced by heating the junction of a thermocouple.
D. ELECTRICITY PRODUCED FROM
CHEMICAL REACTION
• Electric cells are electricity produced by
chemical reactions.
E. ELECTRICITY PRODUCED FROM LIGHT

• The electricity is produced by light striking photosensitive

materials. These materials release electrons when excited
by light under the right conditions. These releases of
electrons are called photoelectric effect.
F. ELECTRICITY PRODUCED FROM
MAGNETISM
❑ Electricity produced by relative movement of a magnet and a
wire that result in the cutting of lines of force. The amount of
electricity produced will depend on:
a. the number of turns in coil
b. the speed with which relative motions of the coil
and the magnet take place
c. the strength of the magnet
QUICK REVIEW OF THE ATOM
Matter is made up of atoms

Atoms are made of nucleons (called protons and neutrons) and electrons

Protons have a positive charge, neutrons have no charge, electrons have a negative charge

The charges of protons and electrons are equal and opposite

ATOMS ARE EVERYWHERE

Electrons move in and out of fixed pathways around the nucleus

Changing the number of electrons in a particular type of atom creates an ion of that atom
• On the Move

Electrons in the outer rings or shells of atoms are bound more loosely to the nucleus

Such electrons tend to break free from the nucleus and wander around amongst other nearby atoms

Such electrons are called free electrons

MATTER

▪ Anything that occupy space and has weight

ELEMENT

▪ A substance that cannot be decomposed any farther by chemical reaction

ATOM

▪ Smallest part that an element can be reduced to and still keeping the chemical properties of the element. It is the smallest building block of
matter.

COMPOUND

▪ A combination of two or more elements.

MOLECULE

▪ It is the smallest particle that a compound can be reduced to before it breaks down to its elements.
ELECTRONS

▪ Negatively charged particles that revolve around the nucleus of an atom. Electron is one of the lightest particles with a known
mass.

▪ The mass of electron is about 9.11 x 10-31 kg.

PROTONS

▪ Positively charged particles that stays in the nucleus of an atom.

▪ Proton is very small, but it is fairly massive compared to the other particles that make up matter. The mass of one proton is
1.675 x 10-27 kg.

NEUTRONS

▪ Particles having no charge.

▪ Neutrons are about the same size as protons but their mass is slightly greater, 1.675 x 10-27 kg

NUCLEUS

▪ The central part of the atom where the protons and neutrons are located.
ATOMIC NUMBER
CONDUCTORS

In conductors, electric charges are free to move through the material. In insulators, they are not.

In conductors:

The charge carriers are called free electrons

Only negative charges are free to move

When isolated atoms are combined to form a metal, outer electrons of the atoms do not remain attached to individual atoms but become free to
move throughout the volume of the material

Other Types of Conductors

Electrolytes

Both negative and positive charges can move.

Semiconductors

In-between conductors and insulators in their ability to conduct electricity

Conductivity can be greatly enhanced by adding small amounts of other elements

Requires quantum physics to truly understand how they work.

INSULATORS
• Insulators on the other hand are the exact opposite of conductors. They are made of
materials, generally non- metals, that have very few or no “free electrons” float about
within their basic atom structure because the electrons in the outer valence shell are
strongly attached by the positively charge inner nucleus. So if a potential voltage is applied
to the material no current will flow as there are no electrons to move which gives these
materials their insulating properties.
• Examples of good insulators are marble, p.v.c plastics, rubber, glass ,oil, asphalt,
fiberglass, porcelain, ceramic, dry cotton, dry copper, dry wood, air, diamond, mica, textile
fiber, and wax.
• Insulators play an important tool within electrical and electronics because without them
electrical circuit would short together and not work. For example, insulators made of glass
or porcelain are used for insulating and supporting overhead transmission cables while
epoxy glass resin materials are used to make printed circuit boards, PCB’s etc.
 SYSTEM’S OF
In representing a circuitUNITS
and its elements, we must define a
consistent system of units for the quantities occurring in the circuit.
At the 1960 meeting of the General Conference of Weights and
Measures, the representatives modernized the metric system and
created the Systeme International d’Unites, commonly called SI
units.
 SI PREFIXES
PREFIX SI symbol Exponent Form
exa E 1018
peta P 1015
tera T 1012
giga G 109
mega M 106
kilo k 103
deci d 10-1
centi c 10-2
milli m 10-3
micro µ 10-6
nano n 10-9
pico p 10-12
femto f 10-15
atto a 10-18
 DIRECT CURRENT
SYSTEM
• Direct current (DC) is an electric current that is uni-directional, so the flow
of charge is always in the same direction. As opposed to alternating current,
the direction and amperage of direct currents do not change. It is used in
many household electronics and in all devices that use batteries. Anything
that works with a battery works on DC.

https://energyeducation.ca/wiki/images/f/ff/DC.gif
 ELECTRIC CIRCUIT
THEORY
▪ Fundamental theory upon which all branches of electrical engineering are
built.
▪ Many branches of electrical engineering, such as power, electric machines,
control, electronics, communications, and instrumentation, are based on
electric circuit theory.
 ELECTRIC
CIRCUIT
An electric circuit is an interconnection of electrical elements and each component of
the circuit is known as an element.

A simple electric circuit in the figure above consists of basic elements such as battery,
a light bulb, connecting wires and a switch.
A electric circuit is always a closed path. A closed circuit is one that is complete, with
good continuity throughout.
 TYPES OF ELECTRIC
Closed Circuit
CIRCUIT

Open Circuit- implies that the two terminals are points are externally
disconnected, which is equivalent to a resistance R=∞ . This means that zero
current can flow between the two terminals, regardless of any voltage difference.

Short Circuit- implies that the two terminals are externally connected with
resistance R=0 , the same as an ideal wire. This means there is zero voltage
difference for any current value.
 ELECTRICAL
Electrical Symbols are used for components in electrical circuit
diagrams.
SYMBOLS
 BASIC ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERING
AMMETER INSTRUMENTS
An ammeter is an instrument used to measure current and must be connected in series with the circuit.
Figure shows an ammeter connected in series with the lamp to measure the current flowing through it.
Since all the current in the circuit passes through the ammeter it must have a very low resistance.
 VOLTMETER
A voltmeter is an instrument used for measuring electric potential difference
between two points in an electric circuit. and must be connected in parallel
with the part of the circuit whose potential difference is required. In the Figure ,
a voltmeter is connected in parallel with the lamp to measure the potential
difference across it. To avoid a significant current flowing through it a
voltmeter must have a very high resistance.
WATTMETER

A wattmeter is an instrument for the measurement of power in an electrical

circuit.
OHMMETER

An ohmmeter is an instrument for measuring resistance.

 MULTIMETER
A multimeter, or universal instrument, may be used to
measure voltage, current and resistance.
 CIRCUIT
VARIABLES
1. ELECTRIC
CHARGE
EXAMPL
E:
•
Proble
m:How much charge is represented by 4,600 electrons?
1.
2. Calculate the amount of charge represented by six million protons.
3. In what time would a current of 10A transfer a charge of 50 C?
 Such movement of free electrons creates an electric current

Materials with large numbers of free electrons are called electrical

conductors. They conduct electrical current.

rate of flow of electron or electric charge through a conductor or circuit

elements

measured in amperes (A) or Coulombs/sec

Where:
Q = Charge in Coulombs(C)
I = Current in Amperes (A)
t = time in seconds (s)
 TYPES OF
1.
CURRENT
Direct Current (DC) – is a current that remains constant with time.

2. Alternating Current(AC)- is a current that varies sinusoidally with

time.

If the current does not change

with time, but remains constant,
we call it a direct current (DC).

A time-varying current is represented by the symbol i. A

common form of time-varying current is the sinusoidal current
or alternating current (AC).
Conventional current flow: (a) positive current flow, (b) negative current flow
 MAIN EFFECTS OF ELECTRIC
CURRENT
The three main effects of an electric current are:
(a) magnetic effect
(b) chemical effect
(c) heating effect
Some practical applications of the effects of an electric current include:
Magnetic effect: bells, relays, motors, generators, transformers, telephones, car-ignition
and lifting magnets
Chemical effect: primary and secondary cells and electroplating
Heating effect: cookers, water heaters, electric fires, irons, furnaces, kettles and
soldering irons
EXAMPL
E:
•
Proble
m:The current in an electric lamp is 5 amperes. What quantity of electricity
1.
flows towards the filament in 6 minutes?

2. A constant current of 4 A charges a capacitor. How long will it take to

accumulate a total charge of 8 coulombs on the plates?
 3.
We know that like charges repel each other whereas unlike charges attract each other. To
VOLTAGE
overcome this force of attraction or repulsion, a certain amount of work or energy is required.
When the charges are moved, it is said that a potential difference exists and the work or
energy per unit charge utilized in this process is known as voltage or potential difference.

❑ Also known as electromotive force (emf); electric pressure; potential difference.

❑ The energy required to move a unit charge through an element, measured in volts (V)

Where:
W= WORK DONE ( joule)
Q= CHARGE (coulomb)
 TYPES OF
DC Voltage
VOLTAGE
- commonly produce by batteries
AC Voltage
- produced by electric generator

A constant voltage is called dc voltage and is represented by V,

Whereas a sinusoidal time varying voltage is called an ac voltage represented by v
 A polarity (+. -) is used to indicate a voltage across an element.
Voltages , like currents, can be positive or negative.

❑ The potential at point a with respect to point b is Vab.

• The Vab can be interpreted in two ways: (1) Point a is at a potential of Vab
volts higher than point b, or (2) and point b
-Vab volts above point a. It follows logically that in general
EXAMPL
E:
•
Proble
m:
 4.
•
POWER

Where:
P= electrical power (watt)
V= voltage (volt)
I= current (ampere)
R= resistance (ohm)
EXAMPL
E:
A portable machine requires a force of 200 N to move it. How much work is done

the machine is moved 20 m and what average power is utilized if the movement takes

s?

Given: F = 200 N, d = 20m, t= 25 seconds

Solution:

Work done = force x distance= 200N x 20 m =4000 Nm or 4kJ

Proble
m:
1. A mass of 1000 kg is raised through a height of 10 m in
What is (a) the work done and (b) the power developed?
20 s.

2. An electric kettle has a resistance of 30 Ω.What current will flow when it is

connected to a 240 V supply? Find also the power rating of the kettle.
 5. ELECTRICAL
•
ENERGY
•
EXAMPL
E:
AA source e.m.f. of 5 V supplies a current of 3 A for 10 minutes. How
much energy is provided in this time?
Given: V = 5 V, I = 3 A, t= 10 minutes

Solution: W = Pt, P= VI = 5V(3A)= 15W

Proble
m:
1. Electrical equipment in an office takes a current of 13 A from a 240 V
supply. Estimate the cost per week of electricity if the equipment is used
for 30 hours each week and 1 kWh of energy costs 7 pesos.

2. An electric heater consumes 3.6 MJ when connected to a 250 V

supply for 40 minutes. Find the power rating of the heater and the
current taken from the supply.

3. How many calories does an electric heater of 100 watts generate per
second?
• 1. Electrical equipment in an office takes a current of 13 A from a 240 V
supply. What is the Estimated cost per week of electricity if the equipment is
used for 30 hours each week and 1 kWh of energy costs 7 pesos.
 CIRCUIT
ELEMENTS
ACTIVE CIRCUIT
ELEMENTS
 PASSIVE CIRCUIT
1. ELEMENTS
RESISTOR
 TYPES OF
RESISTORS

https://www.codrey.com/resistor/types-of-resistors
LAW OF RESISTANCE

• its varies directly as its length (l)

• its varies inversely as the cross-sectional (A) of the conductor
• it depends on the nature of the material
• it depends on the temperature of the conductor
SPECIFIC RESISTANCE OR RESISTIVITY (Ρ)
• The resistance of electrical materials in terms of unit dimensions length and cross – sectional
area.

• The amount of change of resistance in a material per unit change in temperature.

• The unit is ohm – circular mils per foot

Where:
R = Resistance The resistance is directly proportional to the conductor length. The
A = Cross-sectional area resistance is inversely proportional to the cross – sectional area.
ρ = Resistivity
L = Length
V = Volume
EXAMPL
E:
•
Proble
m:
1. The substation bus bar is made up of 2 inches round copper bars 20 ft. long.
What is the resistance of each bar if resistivity is 1.724 x10-6ohm-cm.

2. Determine the resistance of a bus bar made of copper if the length is 10m
long and the cross section is 4x4 cm2. Use 1.724 x10-6 ohm-cm as the
resistivity.
Proble
m:
•
TEMPERATURE RESISTANCE
•
EFFECT
Rise in temperature – increases the R of pure metals

• Rise in temperature – increases the R of alloys

• Rise in temperature – decreases the R of electrolytes and insulators.
INFERRED ABSOLUTE TEMPERATURE (T) IN 0C

COPPER ANNEALED = 234.5

SILVER = 243
ALUMINUM = 236
HDC (HARD DRAWN COPPER) = 242
TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT OF RESISTANCE (@
20 0C)
COPPER = 0.00393/0C
SILVER = 0.0038/0C
ALUMINUM = 0.0039/0C
Resistance vs. Temperature
EXAMPL
E:
•
Proble
m:
•
•

E
•
3. A coil of copper wire has a resistance of 100Ω when its temperature is 0°C.
Determine its resistance at 70°C if the temperature coefficient of resistance of
copper at 0°C is 0.0043/°C.
CONDUCTORS UNDERGOING DRAWING
PROCESS (CONSTANT VOLUME, SAME
MATERIAL)

- In the process, the waste of the material is assumed negligible

(efficiency is 100%), thus keeping the volume to be constant all
throughout the process.
Proble
m:
1. A kilometer of wire having a diameter of 11.7 mm and a resistance of 0.031
ohm is drawn down so that its diameter is 5.0 mm. what does its resistance
become?
2. A one – meter rod of 2 – cm diameter is drawn until its resistance is 100
times the initial resistance. Its length afterward is?
3. A copper wire of unknown length has a resistance of 0.80 ohm. By
successive passes through drawing lies, the length of the wire is increased to 2
and ½ times its original value. Assuming that resistivity remains unchanged
during the drawing process, determine the new value of its resistance.
1. A kilometer of wire having a diameter of 11.7 mm and a resistance of 0.031
ohm is drawn down so that its diameter is 5.0 mm. what does its resistance
become?
2. A one – meter rod of 2 – cm diameter is drawn until its resistance is 100
times the initial resistance. Its length afterward is?
3. A copper wire of unknown length has a resistance of 0.80 ohm. By
successive passes through drawing lies, the length of the wire is increased to 2
and ½ times its original value. Assuming that resistivity remains unchanged
during the drawing process, determine the new value of its resistance.
RESISTOR COLOR
CODING
COLOR DIGIT MULTIPLIER TOLERANCE
BLACK 0 1
BROWN 1 101
RED 2 102
ORANGE 3 103
YELLOW 4 104
GREEN 5 105
BLUE 6 106
VIOLET 7 107
GRAY 8 108
WHITE 9 109
GOLD 10-1 ±5%
SILVER 10-2 ± 10 %
NO COLOR ±20 %

TOLERANCE
▪ Tolerance is the amount (in percent) by which the actual ohmic resistance can be
different from the color coded value.
EXAMPL
E:
Brown Black Orange Gold
1 0 103

Solution:
Proble
m:
Find the Rated value, Minimum, Maximum, Ohmic values and Range of the given
color bands.
1. Black, Yellow, White and Silver
2. Red, Red, Orange and No color
3. Red, Violet, Gray and Gold
4. Green, Blue, Brown and Silver
5. Green, Yellow, Red and No color
6. Blue, Blue, Black and Gold
7. Blue, Red, Gray and Gold
8. White, Violet, Green and Silver
9. Black, Red, Yellow and Silver
 2.
INDUCTOR
 3.
CAPACITORS
 OHM’S
states that the current flowing inLAW
an electric circuit is directly proportional to
the impressed emf applied to the circuit and inversely to the equivalent
resistance of the said circuit. Named after the German physicist, Georg S. Ohm
(1787-1854)
EXAMPL
E:
•
Proble
m:
1. Determine the voltage which must be applied to a 2 kΩ resistor in order that
a current of 10 mA may flow.

2. A 100 V battery is connected across a resistor and causes a current of 5 mA

to flow. Determine the resistance of the resistor. If the voltage is now reduced
to 25 V, what will be the new value of the current flowing?
CONDUCTANCE (G)
•
Conductivity (δ)– reciprocal of resistivity
 CHAPTER
TEST
Solve the following problems completely.
1. The voltage across a 1.1 kW toaster that produces a current of 10 A is .
2. A telephone wire has a current of 20 µA flowing through it. How long does it take
for a charge of 15 C to pass through the wire?
3. A lightning bolt carried a current of 2 kA and lasted for 3 ms. How many coulombs
of charge were contained in the lightning bolt?
4. A battery may be rated in ampere-hours (Ah). An lead-acid battery is rated at 160
Ah. (a) what is the maximum current it can supply for 40 h? (b) how many days it
last if it discharged at 1 mA?
5. How much work is done by a 12-V automobile battery in moving 5 x 1020 electrons
from the positive terminal to the negative terminal?
•