Alternating Current

Direct Current

Components of Electrical System

Voltage = term used to designate electrical pressure or force that causes

current to flow

Voltage source = generator/batteries

Conductor = wires

Control Element = switch

Load = light bulb, motors, appliances

Direct Current (DC)

The

first type of current because it was easy

to produce.

Type

of current always flows in one direction

One

of the disadvantages of using DC is the

excessive voltage drop and power loss in the
power lines in a long distance transmission.

Example:

battery

Alternating Current (AC)

Is

the solution to the problem of DC

Allows

the flow of current in two directions

TRANSFORMER

is the device used for

stepping-up or stepping-down AC voltage
Step-up

to a power station; transmit it to any

distant place and step it down to for consumption

Source:

AC outlet = 220 volts

AC vs. DC

OHMS LAW AND POWER

LAW

OHMS LAW
States

that: for a steady current,

the current in a circuit is directly
proportional to the total EMF
acting in the circuit and inversely
proportional to the total
resistance of the circuit.

OHMS LAW
The

law may be expressed by the

following equation:
If

the current I is in amperes

the

electromotive force V is in volts

Resistance

Discovered
V
R=

R is in ohms

by Georg Simon Ohm

Sample Problem 1:
What is the potential difference in an
electric circuit with a current of 15
amperes and a resistance of 4.0 ohms?
Given: I = 15 A; R = 4.0
Find:
V=?
Soln: I = V/R; V = IR
V = 15 A x 4.0 =
60 V

Sample problem 2:
When a 12-volt automobile battery is
connected across a resistor of unknown
resistance, a current of 2.5 mA results. What is
the value of the resistor?
Given: V = 12 V; I = 2.5 mA
Find: R =
Soln: V = IR; R = V/I = 12 V/0.0025 A = 4800

Exercise 1:
Estimate

the resistance of the following

common household appliances, assuming a
voltage of 120 V is applied across them:

a.

A hair blower that has a current of 10 A;

b.

A 30-watt VCR that carries a current of 0.25 A;

c.

A corded electric razor that carries a current

of 0.10 A

Exercise 2:

How

much current is drawn

from a 12-volt battery when
a 15-ohm resistor is
connected across its
terminal?

Exercise 3:

What

voltage must a
battery have to produce
0.50 A of current through
a 2.0-ohm resistor?

Series and Parallel

Circuits

Resistance in Series

Allow current to flow through one single path

Scan page 393 physics book

Resistance in Series

Rules:

The current in all parts of the circuit is the same.

IT = I1 = I2 = I3 = = In

The current flowing through each of the appliances is the same, regardless of the kind of appliance.

The total voltage is equal to the sum of all the individual voltages in the circuit. This is equal to the
applied emf.

VT = V1 + V2 + V3 + + Vn

the sum of the voltage drops in each appliance will give the total voltage of the circuit.

The total resistance in a series circuit is equal to the sum of the individual resistances.

RT = R1 + R2 + R3 + + Rn

Sample 1:
Let

us assume that you have five appliances

connected in series. The refrigerator has a
resistance of 20 ; the TV set, 10 ; the radio, 5
; the flat iron, 75 ; and the electric stove, 55
. If the circuit is connected to a direct current
of 220 volts, what is:

the

total resistance in the circuit?

the

total current?

the

voltage across each appliance?

Resistance in Parallel
An

electric circuit with two or more components

connected across two common points to allow
separate conducting paths

Scan

page 395 physics book

Resistance in Parallel

Rules:
1.

The total current in a parallel circuit is equal to the sum of the currents in each
branch. IT = I1 + I2 + I3 + + IN

2.

The voltage across all the branches in a parallel circuit is the same for each
branch. VT = V1 = V2 = V3 = = VN

3.

The reciprocal of the total resistance or equivalent resistance in a parallel circuit

is equal to the sum of the reciprocals of the separate resistances.

IT = I1 + I2 + I3 + + IN

ELECTRICAL SYMBOLS

Wire

Switch

Lamp

Load

Battery

AC power