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UNIT 11 SUMMARY: Electricity!

1. ELECTRIC CHARGE!
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Electric charge is a property of all objects and responsible for electrical phenomena.!
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1. These phenomena are caused by the electrical forces of


attraction and repulsion.!
2. All matter is composed of atoms. Atoms are made up of
other smaller particles:!
Electrons,
which have negative charge and are responsible

for electric forces and interactions.!


Protons, which have positive charge.!
Neutrons, which don't have charge.!

In general, matter is neutral - it doesnt have an electric charge.


This means that the number of negative charges (electrons) is the same as the number of positive
charges (protons). Sometimes, however, there is a movement of electrons from one material to
another. !

Two objects with the same charge repeal each other. Two objects with different charge attract
each other.!

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2. ELECTRIC CURRENT!

!After we electrify the pen (in the previous example) the charges are at
rest. They dont move through the electrified material. This is called
static electricity. However, just as water can flow through a tube,
electrons can move through certain materials and create an electric
current. !
Electric current is a continuous movement of electrons.!

Conductors are materials that allow electric current to pass


through them. In general, all metals are good electrical conductors, especially silver and copper.!
Insulators are materials that do not allow electric current to pass through them. Plastic, wood
or ceramic are examples of insulators.!

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3. ELECTRIC CIRCUITS!
!An electric circuit is a set of connected components through which an electric current circulates.
The components of an electric circuit are:!
a generator!
a wire conductor!
a switch (to open and close the circuit)!
a receptor (a bulb, a motor, a resistor, etc)!

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Generators:!
A generator provides energy necessary to move the electrons. It produces a
continuous electric current. A generator has two terminals (one positive and one
negative). !
Type of generators: Batteries, dynamos, photovoltaic solar cells, hydrogen cells.!
!
Receptors:!
In a circuit, the receptors are the components that transform electrical energy into
another type of energy:!
Electric resistors produce heat!
Bulbs produce light!
motors produce motion!
bells produce sound!

Control and protection components:!


Components used to control and to protect an electric circuit:!
Control components stop, start or change the direction of the electric current. The most
common are:!
a switch has two options -one allows the current to pass, the other doesnt.!
a push button is similar to a switch, but it has one position when you press it and then it
returns to a fixed position when you stop pressing.!
Protection components stop the current when it is too strong so that the important components
of the circuit are not damaged.!

4. REPRESENTATION AND SYMBOLS!


It is much easier to use symbols to represent circuits. These are the most common symbols:!

Finalmente:!
Do the following activities (Oxford book): !
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Page 243, activity 3. Page 245, activities 5 and 6. Page 246, activity 7. Page 258, activity 1 and 3. !
Leer del libro de Santillana en espaol las pginas: !
126, 127, 128, 130 y 131.!

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