Education

2024 WCED Back on Track

Electric Circuits

5 March 2024
ATP (1 Period)

• Define potential difference across the ends of a conductor. In symbols:

• State the unit of potential difference.

• Define emf.
• Define terminal potential difference.
• Do calculations using .
• Draw a diagram to show how to correctly connect a voltmeter.
ATP (1 Period)

• Define current strength, I.

• Calculate current strength in a conductor using the equation I = .
• Define one coulomb.
• Indicate the direction of conventional current in circuit diagrams using
arrows.
• Draw a diagram to show how to correctly connect an ammeter
ATP (1 Period)

• Define resistance.

• Explain why a battery in a circuit goes flat by referring to the energy

transformations in the battery and the resistors in a circuit.
• Solve problems using for circuits containing resistors that are connected
in series and/or in parallel (maximum four resistors).
ATP (1 Period)

• Know that current is the same through each resistor in a series circuit.
• Describe series circuits as potential difference dividers.
• Calculate the total resistance of resistors connected in series:
Rt = R1 + R2 +…
ATP (1 Period)

• Know that potential difference is the same across resistors connected in

parallel.
• Describe parallel circuits as current dividers because the total current in
the circuit is equal to the sum of the branch currents.
• Calculate the total resistance of resistors connected in parallel:
= + +…
ATP (2 Periods)

• Problem solving.
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE CURRENT LOOKING FORWARD
Overview
Grade 7-9 Grade 10 Grade 11-12
Qualitative aspects Qualitative and Further applications
quantitative
aspects
Static electricity Current Circuits with Internal
Resistance
The magnetic effect of electric Emf and terminal pd Electromagnetism
current (electromagnets) o The magnetic fi eld
associated with
current carrying
wires
o Faraday’s Law

Forces and force fields Measurement of current Electrodynamics

(magnetic and electric fields) and pd o Electric motors
o Generators

Electrostatics Resistance
Resistors in series
Resistors in parallel
Overview

Name Picture Symbol

voltmeter

ammeter

resistor

conducting leads
Overview

battery

switch

bulb
Potential Difference
Define potential difference across the ends of a conductor.

• the energy transferred per unit electric charge

flowing through the conductor.

• Give the definition of potential difference in symbols:

• Potential difference is measured in Volts (V).

Define emf

• the maximum energy provided by a battery per unit charge passing

through it.

• It is equal to the potential difference measured across the terminals of a

Emf
battery when no charges are flowing in the circuit.

Open switch
Define terminal potential difference.

• the energy transferred per unit electric charge

• measured across the terminals of a battery when

charges are flowing in the circuit.
Terminal potential difference

Closed switch
Do calculations using:

Symbol Name Unit

V Potential difference Volts(V)

W Work done or energy Joules(J)

transferred

Q Charge Coulombs (C)

Draw a diagram to show how to correctly connect a voltmeter.

• Potential difference is measured in parallel using a voltmeter.

• Very high Resistance – To prevent current flowing through voltmeter
Example

• A battery transfers 60 J of energy to 5 C of electric charge.

Calculate the potential difference of the battery.

J
C
Electric Current
Define current strength, I.

• the rate of flow of charge.

• It is measured in ampere (A), which is the same as
coulomb per second.
Calculate current strength in a conductor using the equation

Symbol Name Unit

Current Ampere (A)

Charge Coulombs (C)

Change in Time Seconds (s)

Define one coulomb.

• the charge transferred in a conductor in one second

if the current is one ampere.
Indicate the direction of conventional current in circuit diagrams
using arrows.

• Flows from Positive to Negative terminal of battery in

external circuit
• Flows from Negative to Positive in the internal circuit
of the battery
Draw a diagram to show how to correctly connect an ammeter

• An ammeter is connected in series

• It has a very low resistance in order to allow current
to flow through it.
Example

An electric current of 7.5 A flows through an electric

circuit for 3 minutes. Calculate the amount of charge
flowing through the circuit.
Resistance
Define resistance.

• the ratio of the potential difference across a resistor

to the current in the resistor.

• Define the unit of resistance:

One ohm (Ω) is equal to one volt per ampere.

• resistance is the opposition to the flow of electric

charges.
Define resistance.

• Give a microscopic description of resistance in terms

of electrons moving through a conductor colliding
with the particles of which the conductor (metal) is
made and transferring kinetic energy.
• When they collide, they transfer kinetic energy. The
electrons therefore lose kinetic energy and slow
down. This leads to resistance. The transferred
energy causes the resistor to heat up.
Explain why a battery in a circuit goes flat by referring to the
energy
transformations in the battery and the resistors in a circuit.

• When an electric cell is connected to the circuit, the chemical energy inside
the cell gets converted to electrical energy, which flows in form of current
through the circuit. Further this electrical energy can be converted into
mechanical energy, sound energy or any other desirable form of energy.

• A battery stores chemical potential energy. When it is connected in a circuit, a

chemical reaction takes place inside the battery which converts chemical
potential energy to electrical energy which powers the electrons to move
through the circuit. All the circuit elements (such as the conducting leads,
resistors and lightbulbs) have some resistance to the flow of charge and
convert the electrical energy to heat and, in the case of the lightbulb, light.
Since energy is always conserved, the battery goes flat when all its chemical
potential energy has been converted into other forms of energy.
State Ohm's law in words:

• The potential difference across a conductor is directly proportional to the

current in the conductor at constant temperature.
Solve problems using

Symbol Name Unit

Resistance Ohm (Ω)

Potential Difference Volts (V)

Current Ampere (A)

Example

A battery has a potential difference of 12 V. The current that flows

through the resistor in the circuit is 6 A. Calculate the resistance of the
resistor.
Series Circuits
Know that current is the same through each resistor in a series
circuit.:

• The current in a series circuit is the same everywhere

….
Know that current is the same through each resistor in a series
circuit.:

• Adding a resistor to the circuit in series increases the total resistance

• This decreases the total current

Same

Current decrease
Current decrease

R
Describe series circuits as potential difference dividers

• because the total potential difference is equal to the

sum of the potential differences across all the
individual components.
Describe series circuits as potential difference dividers

• The potential difference gets divided according to the

magnitude of the resistance of the resistor
• The bigger the resistance of the resistor the bigger the
potential difference it will draw

V
Calculate the equivalent (total) resistance of resistors connected
in series

+
𝑅 𝑠 =( 17 ) +(5)
𝑅 𝑠 =22 Ω

Adding Resistors in series increases the total resistance of the circuit

Example

The reading on Vc is 36 V if the switch is closed.

Calculate the total resistance of the circuit.

Example

The reading on Vc is 36 V if the switch is closed.

Calculate the Reading on A1

Example

The reading on Vc is 36 V if the switch is closed.

Calculate the Readings on A2 and A3

A
 Example

The reading on Vc is 36 V if the switch is closed.

Calculate the Reading on V1

V
Example

The reading on Vc is 36 V if the switch is closed.

Calculate the Reading on V2

V
Example

The reading on Vc is 36 V if the switch is closed.

Calculate the Reading on V3

V
Example

The reading on Vc is 36 V if the switch is closed.

Calculate the Reading on V4

V
V

24V
Parallel Circuits
Know that potential difference is the same across resistors
connected in parallel.
Describe parallel circuits as current dividers

• because the total current in the circuit is equal to the sum of the branch currents.
• Adding resistors in parallel decreases the total resistance of the circuit
• This increases the total current of the circuit
 Calculate the equivalent (total) resistance of resistors connected
in parallel

1 1 1
= + …
𝑅 𝑃 𝑅1 𝑅 2
1 1 1
= +
𝑅 𝑃 15 7

1 22
=
• Adding resistors in parallel decreases the total resistance 𝑅 𝑃 105
of the circuit
Example

The reading on Vc is 20 V if the switch is

closed.

Calculate the total resistance of the circuit.

Example

The reading on Vc is 20 V if the switch is

closed.

Determine the readings on V1, V2 and V3.

circuit.
20V
Example

The reading on Vc is 20 V if the switch is

closed.

Calculate the reading on A1.

= 5A
Example

The reading on Vc is 20 V if the switch is

closed.

Calculate the reading on A2.

= 1,67A
Example

The reading on Vc is 20 V if the switch is

closed.

Calculate the reading on A3.

= 6,67A
Example

The reading on Vc is 20 V if the switch is

closed.

Calculate the reading on A4.

Alternative methods

Series
Parallel
• I is equal everywhere in series • V is equal in each branch of a parallel
combination combination
• Therefore: • Therefore:
• =
Thank you