Introduction to Electricity

Electricity

Movement of electrons
Invisible force that provides
light, heat, sound, motion . . .
Electricity at the Atomic Level
Elements - The simplest form of matter

Atoms - Smallest piece of an element containing all of

the properties of that element
Electricity at the Atomic Level
Components of an Atom
Nucleus
The center portion of
an atom containing the
protons and neutrons
Protons
Positively charged
atomic particles
Neutrons
Uncharged atomic
particles
Electricity at the Atomic Level
Atomic Number
The atomic number is
equal to the number of
protons in the nucleus
of an atom.

The atomic number

identifies the element.

How many
protons are in this
nucleus?
Electricity at the Atomic Level

Electrons
Negatively charged
particles
Electron Orbitals
Orbits in which
electrons move around 2D
3D
the nucleus of an atom

Valence Electrons
The outermost ring of
electrons in an atom
Electricity at the Atomic Level
Electron Orbits
Orbit Maximum
Number Electrons
1 2
2 8
3 18
4 32
5 50
6 72
Valence 8
Orbit

Orbits closest to the nucleus fill first

Electricity at the Atomic Level
Electron Orbits
Atoms like to have their valence ring either
filled (8) or empty(0) of electrons.
Copper
Copper How many electrons are
Cu in the valence orbit? 1
29
Is copper a conductor
or insulator? Conductor

Why?
Electricity at the Atomic Level
Electron Orbits

Sulfur
Sulfur

S
16

How many electrons are in the valence orbit?

6
Is Sulfur a conductor or insulator?
Insulator
Why?
Conductors and Insulators
Conductors Insulators

Electrons flow easily Electron flow is difficult

between atoms between atoms

1-3 valence electrons in 5-8 valence electrons in

outer orbit outer orbit

Examples: Silver, Examples: Mica, Glass,

Copper, Gold, Aluminum Quartz
Conductors and Insulators
Identify conductors and insulators

Conductors Insulators
Conductors and Insulators

Conductors
refers to the capacity of a substance to transmit
electricity or heat. (A conductor has three or less valence
electrons)
Insulators
a material in which electric current does not flow freely.
(an insulator has five or more valence electrons)
Semiconductors
a substance that has specific electrical properties that
enable it to serve as a foundation for computers and
other electronic devices. (semiconductors usually have
four valence electrons)
Electricity at the Atomic Level
Electron Flow
An electron from one orbit can knock out an
electron from another orbit.

When an atom loses an

electron, it seeks another
to fill the vacancy.

Copper
Copper

Cu
29
Electricity at the Atomic Level
Electron Flow
Electricity is created as electrons collide and
transfer from atom to atom.

Play Animation
Ionization - any process by which electrically
neutral atoms or molecules are converted to
electrically charged atoms or molecules (ions)
through gaining or losing electrons.

Cation – More Protons than Electrons.

Anion – More Electrons than Protons.
Coulomb's Law
- Determines that the force between two charges Q
and Q is directly proportional to the product of their
charges and inversely proportional to the square of
the distance between them.
Coulomb's Law [Examples]

1. A +10µC point charge is 25cm away from a -20µC point

charge. Calculate the Magnitude of the electric force
between them. (Ans: F=28.8 N)

2. The electric force between two point charges with a

magnitude of +800nC and + 900nC is 15N. How far apart
are the two charges from each other in centimeters.
(Ans: 2.078 cm)

3. A force of 500N exists between two identical point

charges separated by a distance 40cm. Calculate the
magnitude of the two point charges.
(Ans: q = 9.428x10-5 C)
Electrical Circuit
Electrical Circuit
A system of conductors and components
forming a complete path for current to travel
Basic Parts of A Circuit:
1.Source – provides energy to the circuit.
2.Wire/Conductors – Interconnects the elements
in the circuit; carries energy.
3.Load – The part of the circuit that converts one
form of the energy to another form of energy.
4.Switch – the part in the circuit that can alter the
current.
Add: Generator - Is a power source that converts
mechanical energy obtained from an external
source into electrical energy.
Charge and Current
- The most basic quantity in electrical circuit
is the electrical charge.
Electrical Charge – is an electrical property
of the atomic particles which matter
consists, measured in Coulombs (C).

- It should be noted that the charge of an

electron is negative and equal in magnitude
to 1.602 x 10^-19 C.
Charge and Current
Charge and Current
Charge and Current
Charge and Current
Charge and Current [Examples]

1. How much charge is represented by 4,600

electrons. (Ans: -7.36 x 10^-16 C).

2. Calculate the amount of charge represented by

four millions of proton.
(Ans: 6.408 x 10 ^-13 C).

3. The total charge entering a terminal is given

by q = 5t(sin4πt) mC. Calculate Current at t =
0.5s (Ans: I = 31.42 mA)
Charge and Current [Examples]

4. The total charge entering a terminal is given

by q=(10-10e^-2t)mC. Calculate current at t =
0.5s. (Ans: I = 7.36 mA).

5. The current flowing through an element is

calculate the charge entering from t=0s to

t=2s. (Ans: 6.667 C)
Electrical Circuit
Properties of an electrical circuit include:
Voltage Volts V
Current Amps A
Resistance Ohms Ω
Current
The flow of electric charge
- measured in AMPERES (A)

Tank (Battery) Faucet (Switch)

Pipe (Wiring)

When the faucet (switch) is off,

is there any flow (current)?
NO
When the faucet (switch) is on,
is there any flow (current)?
YES
Current in a Circuit

off on

When the switch is off, there is no current.

When the switch is on, there is current.
Current Flow
Conventional Current assumes
that current flows out of the positive
side of the battery, through the
Conventional
circuit, and back to the negative Current
side of the battery. This was the
convention established when
electricity was first discovered, but
it is incorrect!
Electron Flow is what actually
happens. The electrons flow out of Electron
the negative side of the battery, Flow

through the circuit, and back to the

positive side of the battery.
Engineering vs. Science
The direction that the current flows does not affect what the
current is doing; thus, it doesn’t make any difference which
convention is used as long as you are consistent.
Both Conventional Current and Electron Flow are used. In
general, the science disciplines use Electron Flow, whereas
the engineering disciplines use Conventional Current.
Since this is an engineering course, we will use Conventional
Current .

Electron Conventional
Flow Current
Voltage
The force (pressure) that causes
current to flow
- measured in VOLTS (V)

Tank (Battery) Faucet (Switch)

Pipe (Wiring)

When the faucet (switch) is off, is there any pressure (voltage)?

YES – Pressure (voltage) is pushing against the pipe, tank, and
the faucet.
When the faucet (switch) is on, is there any pressure (voltage)?
YES – Pressure (voltage) pushes flow (current) through the
system.
Voltage in a Circuit

off on

The battery provides voltage that will push

current through the bulb when the switch is on.
Resistance
The opposition of current flow
- measured in Ohms (Ω)

Tank (Battery) Faucet (Switch)

Pipe (Wiring)

What happens to the flow (current) if a rock

gets lodged in the pipe?
Flow (current) decreases.
Resistance in a Circuit

Resistor

off on

Resistors are components that create resistance.

Reducing current causes the bulb to become
more dim.
Resistance in Wires
Multimeter
An instrument used to measure the
properties of an electrical circuit,
including
Voltage Volts
Current Amps
Resistance Ohms
Measuring Voltage
Set multimeter to the proper V range.
Measure across a component.

Switch

Battery

Resistor

Light
Measuring Current
Set multimeter to the proper ADC range.
Circuit flow must go through the meter.

Switch

Battery

Resistor

Light
Measuring Resistance
Set multimeter to the proper Ohms range.
Measure across the component being tested.
Power must be off or removed from the circuit.
Switch

Battery

Resistor

Light
Renowned Inventors & Scientists
Franklin discovered that by linking multiple jars together he could increase
the amount of charge they could store. He called this new assembly of
Leyden jars a “battery,” and he is credited as being the first to use the term in
relation to electricity.

Benjamin Franklin
Renowned Inventors & Scientists
an Italian physicist and chemist who was a pioneer of electricity and
power who is credited as the inventor of the electric battery and the
discoverer of methane. He invented the voltaic pile in 1799

Alessandro Volta
Renowned Inventors & Scientists
an English scientist who
contributed to the study
of electromagnetism and
electrochemistry. His
main discoveries include
the principles underlying
electromagnetic
induction, diamagnetism,
and electrolysis. He’s
often referred as the
Father of electricity.
Michael Faraday
Renowned Inventors & Scientists
a Danish physicist and chemist who discovered that electric currents
create magnetic fields, which was the first connection found between
electricity and magnetism. Oersted's law and the oersted unit (Oe) are
named after him.

Hans Christian Ørsted

Renowned Inventors & Scientists
A French electrical engineer chiefly remembered for his invention of
the Leclanché cell, one of the first modern electrical batteries and the
forerunner of the modern dry cell battery.

Georges Leclanché
Renowned Inventors & Scientists
An American inventor and
businessman. He is also known
for contributing inventions such
as the incandescent light bulb,
the phonograph, and the motion
picture camera, as well as
improving the telegraph and
telephone. But that's not all; the
light bulb is not the only thing that
Thomas Edison has brought into the
world. In fact, it is his theories and
discoveries on direct current that
truly changed our world and the way
we live.
Thomas Edison
Renowned Inventors & Scientists
Nikola Tesla was a
Serbian-American
inventor, electrical
engineer, mechanical
engineer, and futurist best
known for his
contributions to the design
of the modern alternating
current electricity supply
system.

Nikola Tesla
Sources of Electricity
• Nuclear power plants, like fossil-fuelled power plants, are very
reliable, and can run for many months without interruption
• Hydropower one of the oldest and largest sources of
renewable energy, which uses the natural flow of moving water
to generate electricity.
• Solar any type of energy generated by the sun. Solar energy is
created by nuclear fusion that takes place in the sun.
• Heat (Thermal energy) is the energy that comes from the
movement of atoms and molecules in a substance. Heat
increases when these particles move faster. Geothermal energy
is the thermal energy in the earth.
• Wind the process by which the wind is used to generate
mechanical power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the
kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power.
• Biomass energy generated from wood and wood waste, biogas
from landfill waste, sewage and industrial wastewater, animal
waste, and municipal solid waste
Sources of Electricity
• Fossil Fuel - burn coal or oil to create heat which is in turn
used to generate steam to drive turbines which generate
electricity.
• Coal - burning coal in a boiler to produce steam. The steam
produced, under tremendous pressure, flows into a turbine,
which spins a generator to create electricity.
• Natural Gas - provides warmth for cooking and heating, and it
fuels power stations that provide electricity to homes and
businesses.
Electric current type
Direct current (AC)

Alternating current A direct current circuit is an electrical circuit that consists of any combination of constant voltage sources,
constant current sources, and resistors. In this case, the circuit voltages and currents are independent of time.

(AC)

Alternating current is an
electric current which
periodically reverses
direction and changes its
magnitude continuously
with time, in contrast to
direct current, which flows
only in one direction.
Static Electricity and Current Electricity

Current Electricity

Static Electricity Current electricity is caused by the movement of charge or electrons. Current electricity is
when the electrons are controlled by moving along a path together.

Static electricity is caused

by the accumulation
(charge at rest) of charge
on the surface of the body.
Static electricity is usually
a nuisance and a hazard
that can cause fires.
Power and Energy
Power – is the time rate of expending or
absorbing energy, measured in watts (W)

Mathematically,

Also, P = E / t
Where:
P – Power (W, watts), t – time (s)
E – Energy in Joules
Power and Energy
Power and Energy
Power and Energy [Examples]

1. An energy source forces a constant current of 2A for

10s to flow through a light bulb. If 2.3 kJ is given off in
the form of light and heat energy, calculate the voltage
drop across the bulb. (Ans: 115 V)

2. To move charge q from point a to point b requires -

30J. Find the voltage drop Vab if (a) q = 2C (b)–6 C
(Ans: -15V (a) & 5V (b))

3. Find the power delivered to an element at t=3ms if

the current entering its positive terminal is i=5cos(60πt)
A and the voltage is v=3i. (Ans: 53.47 W)
Ohm’s Law
Current in a resistor varies in direct proportion to the
voltage applied to it and is inversely proportional to the
resistor’s value
The mathematical relationship between current, voltage,
and resistance

If you know 2 of the 3 quantities, you can solve for the third.
Quantities Abbreviations Units Symbols
Voltage V Volts V
Current I Amperes A
Resistance R Ohms Ω

V=IR I=V/R R=V/I

Ohm’s Law Chart
Cover the quantity that is unknown.

Solve for V
V
V=IR
I xR
Ohm’s Law Chart
Cover the quantity that is unknown.

Solve for I
V
I=V/R
I R
Ohm’s Law Chart
Cover the quantity that is unknown.

Solve for R
V
R=V/I
I R
Example: Ohm’s Law
The flashlight shown uses a 6 volt battery
and has a bulb with a resistance of 150 .
When the flashlight is on, how much
current will be drawn from the battery?
Schematic Diagram
IR
V
+
VT = VR I R
-

VR 6V
IR    0.04 A  40 mA
R 150 
Circuit Configuration
Components in a circuit can be connected in one
of two ways.
Series Circuits Parallel Circuits
• Components are • Both ends of the components
connected end-to-end. are connected together.
• There is only a single • There are multiple paths for
path for current to flow. current to flow.

Components
(i.e., resistors, batteries, capacitors, etc.)
Kirchhoff’s Laws
Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL):
The sum of all of the voltage drops in a
series circuit equals the total applied voltage

Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL):

The total current in a parallel circuit equals
the sum of the individual branch currents
Series Circuits
A circuit that contains only one path for current flow
If the path is open anywhere in the circuit, current
stops flowing to all components.
Series Circuits
Characteristics of a series circuit
• The current flowing through every series component is equal.
• The total resistance (RT) is equal to the sum of all of the
resistances (i.e., R1 + R2 + R3).
• The sum of all of the voltage drops (V R1 + VR2 + VR3) is equal to
the total applied voltage (V T). This is called Kirchhoff’s Voltage
Law.
VR1
IT + -

+ +
VT VR2
- -

- +
RT
VR3
Example: Series Circuit
For the series circuit shown, use the laws of circuit theory to
calculate the following:
• The total resistance (RT)
• The current flowing through each component (IT, IR1, IR2, &
IR3)
• The voltage across each component (VT, VR1, VR2, & VR3)
• Use the results to verify Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law.
VR1
IT + -

+ IR1 +
VT IR2 VR2
- IR3 -

- +
RT
VR3
Example: Series Circuit
Solution:
Total Resistance:
RT  R1  R2  R3
RT  220   470   1.2 k
RT  1900   1.9 k

Current Through Each Component:

VT V
IT  (Ohm's Law)
RT
I R
12 v
IT   6.3 mAmp
1.89 k

Since this is a series circuit:

IT  IR1  IR2  IR3  6.3 mAmp
Example: Series Circuit
Solution:
Voltage Across Each Component:
VR1  IR1  R1  (Ohm's Law)
VR1  6.349 mA  220 Ω  1.397 volts

VR2  IR2  R2 (Ohm's Law) V

VR2  6.349 mA  470 Ω  2.984 volts I R

VR3  IR3  R3 (Ohm's Law)

VR3  6.349 mA  1.2 K Ω  7.619 volts
Example: Series Circuit
Solution:
Verify Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law:

VT  VR1  VR2  VR3

12 v  1.397 v  2.984 v  7.619 v
12 v  12 v
Parallel Circuits
A circuit that contains more than one path for
current flow
If a component is removed, then it is possible
for the current to take another path to reach
other components.
Parallel Circuits
Characteristics of a Parallel Circuit
• The voltage across every parallel component is equal.
• The total resistance (RT) is equal to the reciprocal of the sum of the
reciprocal:

1 1 1 1 1
   RT 
R T R1 R 2 R 3 1 1 1

• The sum of all of the currents in each branch 
R1 R(I2 R1 +
R 3IR2 + IR3) is equal
to the total current (IT). This is called Kirchhoff’s Current Law.

IT

+ + + +
VT VR1 VR2 VR3
- - - -

RT
Example Parallel Circuits
For the parallel circuit shown, use the laws of circuit theory to
calculate the following:
• The total resistance (RT)
• The voltage across each component (VT, VR1, VR2, & VR3)
• The current flowing through each component (IT, IR1, IR2, & IR3)
• Use the results to verify Kirchhoff’s Current Law.

IT

IR1 IR2 IR3

+ + + +
VT VR1 VR2 VR3
- - - -

72
RT
Example Parallel Circuits
Solution:
Total Resistance:
1
RT 
1 1 1
 
R1 R2 R3
1
RT 
1 1 1
 
470  2.2 k 3.3 k

RT  346.59 = 350 
Voltage Across Each Component:
Since this is a parallel circuit :
VT  VR1  VR2  VR3  15 volts
Example Parallel Circuits
Solution:
Current Through Each Component:
VR1
IR1  (Ohm's Law)
R1

VR1 15 v
IR1    31.915 mA=32 mA
R1 470 

VR2 15 v
IR2    6.818 mA = 6.8 mA
R2 2.2 k 

V 15 v V
IR3  R3   4.545 mA= 4.5mA
R3 3.3 k 
I R

VT 15 v
IT    43.278 mA = 43 mA
RT 346.59 
Example Parallel Circuits
Solution:
Verify Kirchhoff’s Current Law:

IT  IR1  IR2  IR3

43.278 mA=31.915 mA+6.818 mA+4.545 mA

43.278 mA (43 mA)  43.278 mA (43mA)

Combination Circuits
Contain both series and parallel arrangements

What would happen if you removed light 1? light

2? light 3?

2 3
Electrical Power
Electrical power is directly related to
the amount of current and voltage
within a system.

P  I V
Power is measured in watts
Image Resources

Microsoft, Inc. (2008). Clip Art. Retrieved November 20, 2008, from
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx