P4.2.2 Electric Current

P4.2.
2 Electric Current Wednesday 22 January 2025

Lesson objective(s): Key words:
I will be able to state that electric current is the flow of charge
per second
Do Now…
D.C. (Direct Current): It is the flow of charge from the negative to the positive
terminal of a cell
A.C. (alternating current): It is the flow of charge back & forth between the positive
& negative terminals
Charge: the flow of current per second.
Current: the electrons which carries the electrical energy.
Ampere (A): the unit of measure for the current
A conductor: is a material that allows charge to flow through it. A flow of

delocalised electrons
An insulator: is a material that does not allow the flow of charge through it
Electric Current:
• is the flow of electric charge within a circuit.
• is measured in ampere(s) (A).
• represents how much electric charge is passing a single point in the circuit
• is the same at the beginning and end of a circuit.
Potential Difference (p.d.):
• is the difference in the energy there is to drive a current through a wire,
between two points. E.g.: Bulb, resistor
• is measured in volts (v)
E.M.F. (Source of Power):
• The p.d. across a cell/battery will supply to the entire circuit. E.g.: 12V
• the driving force that gives the electrons the energy to move around the
circuit (1 mark)
Resistance:
• a measure of how difficult it is to push a current through a circuit.
• Increase the resistance = decrease in current
• is measured in Ohms (Ω)
Battery Cell Variable
resistor
A V
Bulb (lamp) Ammeter Voltmeter
Switch (open)
Diode Buzzer
Fuse Resistor
LDR
Measuring current
- A digital ammeter gives a direct reading. Measured in Amp(s)

- It is placed in series in a circuit
- Current (A) = charge (C)
Time (s)
1 milliamp : 1mA = 0.001A OR 10-3A

1000 milliamp : 1A
1 microamp : 1µA = 0.000 001A OR 10-6A
1000 000 microamp : 1A
1A means 1C of charge flows per second.
Q1) A 10A current flows in a circuit for 5 seconds.
Q = I x t : 10 x 5 = 50C
Q2) 150mA current lows around a circuit for one minute. What is the electric
charge?
I = 0.15A, t = 60s
Q=Ixt
Q = 0.15 x 60 = 9C
Q3) 20C pass a point for 1.0s, what is the current

I=Q
t
I = 20 = 20A
1
A current of 4.0A flows around a circuit for 10s. How much charge flows around
the circuit in this time?
Q=Ixt
Q = 4.0 x 10
Q = 40C
Electrical resistance in a wire
As electrons pass through a wire, they collide with the metal ions in the wire.
(i) Length of the conducting wire: The resistance of a wire is proportional to its
length
This means that if the length of a wire is doubled, its resistance will double. Each
electron will collide with more ions and so there will be more resistance.
(ii) Cross-sectional area of the conducting wire: The resistance of a wire is

inversely (in the opposite manner) proportional to its cross-sectional area.
This means that is the cross-sectional area of a wire is doubled, its resistance will
halve. The more space for the electrons and so more electrons can flow.
1) 0.5m → 0.25m 0.02Ω / 2 = 0.01Ω
2) 1 x cross-sectional area → 2 x cross-sectional area 0.01Ω / 2 = 0.005Ω
Electrical resistance
A current of 0.020A & p.d. of 10V. Calculate the

resistance.
R=V
I
R = 10
0.020
R = 500Ω
A 20Ω resistor and the p.d. across it is 6.0V
I=V
R
I = 6.0
20
I = 0.30A
The current is proportional to the
potential difference
This is because the resistor has a constant

resistance
P4.2.4 Resistance in a Wire Wednesday 22 January 2025
I will be able to set up the experiment
I will be able to measure the current & voltage in a nichrome
wire at different values
I will be able to calculate the resistance
I will be able to draw a graph
Do Now…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_3JrA-sDEg
Equipment
1-meter wooden ruler with nichrome wire

Ammeter
Voltmeter
Light bulb upto 10V & bulb holder
Length of wire Potential Current (A) Resistance (Ω)
(mm) difference (V)
20
40
60
80
100
Find the resistance
Plot a graph of your results
1) The ‘X’ axis will be the Resistance (Ω). Correct scales needed.
2) The ‘Y’ axis will be the Length of Wire (cm). Correct scales are
needed.
3) Plot all the points marking ‘X’ only.
4) Draw a line of best fit. It most go through (0,0).
P4.2.5 Energy & Power Wednesday 22 January 2025
- I will be able to state that circuits from the power source to
the electrical component
Do Now…
Electrical Energy
Electrical Power
- Definition: Electrical power is the rate at which electrical energy is

transferred or converted into another form (like heat, light, or motion).
- Formula: P=VI (Power = Voltage × Current) OR P=I2R where:
•P = Power (in Watts)

•V = Voltage (in Volts)
•I = Current (in Amperes)
•R = Resistance (in Ohms)
- Unit: Watt (W)

- Nature: How much energy is being consumed or supplied at a particular
moment. E.g.: A 100W light bulb consumes electrical energy at a rate of
100 watts
Electrical Power
1 Watt (w) = 1J/s.
Power is the rate of energy transfer (the amount of energy transferred per
second).
The power of an electrical component (or appliance) is given by the
equation:
Power (w)
Current (I)
Potential difference (V)
Electrical Energy
- Definition: Electrical energy is the total amount of work done or energy

consumed over a period of time.
- Formula: E=P x t (Energy = Power × Time), where:

• E = Energy (in Joules or Watt-hours)
• P = Power (in Watts)
• t = Time (in seconds or hours)
- Unit: Joule (J) or kilowatt-hour (kWh) for large scales.

- Nature: It presents the total energy used over time. E.g.: A 100W bulb
running for 10 hours uses 100 × 10=1000 Wh OR 1 kWh of electrical
energy.
Electrical Energy
The rate at which the power supply transfers energy to a circuit depends
on:
(i) e.m.f
(ii) Current pushed around the circuit
Note that the above equation is related to the equation for energy – after
all, power is just energy per second, and so:
energy transferred (J) = power (W) × time (s)
energy transferred (J) = current × p.d. × time

Key Differences
An electric fan runs from the 230V mains. The current flowing through it
is 0.40A.
a) At what rate is electrical energy transformed by the fan?
b) How much energy is transformed in one minute?
a) P = I x V
P = 0.40 x 230
P = 92W
b) E = P x t
E = 92 x 60
E = 5520J or 5.52kJ
OR E = I x V x t
E = 0.40 x 230 x 60
E = 5520J or 5.52kJ
10V power supply pushes a 5.0A current through a resistor. At what rate is
energy transferred to the resistor?
P=IxV
P = 5.0 x 10
P = 50W
Fish tank has a 30W electrical heater. The heater is connected to a 12V
power supply. What the current flows through the heater when it is
switched on?
I=P
V
I = 30
12
I = 2.5A
How much energy it transformed by an electric lamp in 100s if a 0.22A
current flows through it when it is connected to a 120V supply?
P=IxVxt
P = 0.22 x 120 x 100
P = 2640J OR 2.64kJ

P4.2.2 Electric Current

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P4.2.

2 Electric Current Wednesday 22 January 2025

Charge: the flow of current per second.

Current: the electrons which carries the electrical energy.

Ampere (A): the unit of measure for the current

A conductor: is a material that allows charge to flow through it. A flow of

Bulb (lamp) Ammeter Voltmeter

- A digital ammeter gives a direct reading. Measured in Amp(s)

1 milliamp : 1mA = 0.001A OR 10-3A

Q1) A 10A current flows in a circuit for 5 seconds.

Q3) 20C pass a point for 1.0s, what is the current

(ii) Cross-sectional area of the conducting wire: The resistance of a wire is

A current of 0.020A & p.d. of 10V. Calculate the

A 20Ω resistor and the p.d. across it is 6.0V

This is because the resistor has a constant

1-meter wooden ruler with nichrome wire

- Definition: Electrical power is the rate at which electrical energy is

•P = Power (in Watts)

- Unit: Watt (W)

1 Watt (w) = 1J/s.

- Definition: Electrical energy is the total amount of work done or energy

- Formula: E=P x t (Energy = Power × Time), where:

- Unit: Joule (J) or kilowatt-hour (kWh) for large scales.

energy transferred (J) = power (W) × time (s)

energy transferred (J) = current × p.d. × time

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