“The day when we shall know exactly what electricity is

will chronicle an event probably greater, more important

than any other recorded in the history of the human race.
The time will come when the comfort, the very existence,
perharps, of man will depend upon that wonderful agent.”
- Nikola Tesla
Building Electrical Systems
 SUBTOPIC 1.1
ELECTRICAL THEORY AND OHMS LAW
 Subtopic 1.1
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOME

At the end of this discussion the student are expected to:

➢ Name and define common electrical terminology and relate

voltage, amperage, resistance, energy and power.
Electricity – it is a property of matter that results from
the presence or movement of electric charge. According
to modern theory, matter is electrical in nature.
1. Matter – it is anything that occupies space and has mass.
2. Atom – it is the smallest particle of an element that is capable of
independent existence.
3. Molecule – it is the smallest particle of matter (an element or a
compound) that is capable of free existence.
4. Element – it is a substance that cannot be decomposed any further
by chemical action.
5. Compound – it is a combination of two or more elements.
Mixture – it is a material composed of two or more substances, each of
which retains its own characteristic properties.
1. Proton – it is a positively charged particle.
2. Electron – it is negatively charged particle.
3. Neutron – it is a particle with neutral charge (no charge).
4. Atomic Number – it represents the number of protons or electrons of an atom.
5. Atomic Mass – it represents the sum of protons and electrons of an atom.
6. Ion – it is an atom or a group of atoms that has a net positive or negative charge
resulting from unequal number of positively charged protons and negatively charged
electrons.
7. Shell – it is an energy level or region about the nucleus of an atom in which
electrons move. The atom has 5 shells, namely, the K-shell (first orbit), the L-shell
(second orbit), the M-shell (third orbit), the N-shell (fourth orbit) and the O-shell (fifth
orbit)
8. Valence electrons – is the electrons found in the outermost shell (valence shell)
or orbit of an atom.
• Electrical Conductors – these are materials that allow the essentially free
passage of current when connected to a battery or other source of electrical
energy.

• Electrical Insulators – these are materials that posses low conductivity or

offer a relatively high resistance to the flow of electric current. They are also
called as dielectrics.

• Electric Semiconductors – these are materials that have conductivity

about midway between good conductors and good insulators.
Electric Current (I) – it is the motion or transfer of
charges from one region of a conductor to another. Its
unit is the Ampere (A) named after Andre Marie Ampere.
The following are the methods by which electric
current can be produced:
• Static electricity from friction
• Thermoelectricity is electricity from heat
• Piezoelectricity is electricity from pressure
• Electrochemistry is electricity from a chemical action
• Photoelectricity is electricity from light
• Magnetoelectricity is electricity from magnetism
• Electric Voltage (V or E) – it is the driving force behind current flow. The unit of voltage is
the Volt (V). Voltage level governs the amount of current flow. An increase in voltage causes
more current flow and vice versa.

• Electric Current (I) – it is the motion or transfer of charges from one region of a conductor
to another. Its unit is the Ampere (A).

• Electric Potential Difference – it is the difference in the electric potentials of two charged
bodies. Its unit is the volt.

• Electric Resistance (R) – it is the property of a material that limits the amount of flow of
current and converts electric energy to heat energy. Its unit is the Ohm (Ω).
According to Ohm’s Law, “At steady state condition, the voltage across a resistor is directly
proportional to the current flowing through it with the temperature remaining constant.”
• Ohm’s law can be applied either to the entire circuit or a part of
a circuit.

• When Ohm’s law is applied to a part circuit, part resistance and

the potential difference across that part resistance should be
used.

• Ohm’s law can be applied to both dc and ac circuits.

Ohm’s law is not applicable to the following:

• For metals which get heated up due to the flow of current through them
• For electrolytes where enormous gases are produced on either electrode
• For vacuum radio valves
• For arc lamps
• For semiconductors
• For gas-filled tubes, in which the ions are generated as a result of current
flow
• For appliances such as metal rectifier and crystal detectors, in which the
operation depends on the direction of current
Electrical Power (P) – it is defined as the rate at which electrical energy is expended or
used up. It is the rate electric energy is converted into another form, such as light, heat or
mechanical energy (or converted from another form into electrical energy). Its unit is the
Watt (W).
 SUBTOPIC 1.2
Energy, Series and Parallel Circuit
 Subtopic 2
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOME

At the end of this discussion the student are expected to:

➢ Name and define common electrical terminology and relate

voltage, amperage, resistance, energy and power.
• Energy – it is the capacity to do work. It is measured in Joules (J).
• Electrical Energy Consumption – it is the rate at which power is consumed over a specified period
in of time.
Electric Circuit – it is a collection of electrical elements interconnected in
some specific way through which electric current flows or it is intended to
flow.
• Closed Circuit – it is an uninterrupted path that allows a continuous flow
of current through an electrical circuit. In a building, the circuit is closed
when a switch is turned on.

• Open Circuit. If the path of current flow is interrupted such as if the switch
in a circuit is open (turned off), an open circuit results.

• Short Circuit. If an inadvertent shortcut develops in a circuit that permits

current flow through an unintentional path, a short circuit is created. A short
circuit occurs when current leaks out of the intended conductor path such as
out of a wire with damaged insulation.
1. Series circuit
2. Parallel circuit
3. Combinational Circuit

a. Series-parallel circuit – it is a combinational circuit when

simplified will result into a series circuit.

b. Parallel-series circuit – it is a combinational circuit when

simplified will result into a parallel circuit.
1. Series Circuit – the circuit elements are said to be
connected in series when they all carry the same
current.
2. Properties of a Series Circuit:
➢ The same current flows through all the resistances.
➢ There will be voltage drop across each resistance.
➢ The sum of the voltage drops is equal to the applied
voltage.
3. Equivalent Resistance of a Series Circuit:
1. Four coils having resistances of 3, 5, 10 and 12 ohms are connected in series
across 120 V. Determine (a) equivalent resistance of the circuit, (b) current flowing
through the circuit and (c) voltage drop across individual coils.
2. An electric iron is rated at 1 kW, 250 V. Calculate the current taken by it if it is
connected to 220 V supply.
3. Three resistors are connected in series across a 12 V battery. The first resistor has
a value of 1 Ω, second has a voltage drop of 4 V and the third has a power dissipation
of 12 W. Calculate the value of the circuit current.
1. Parallel Circuit – circuit elements are connected in
parallel when the same voltage is common to all of them.
2. Properties of a Parallel Circuit:
➢ The voltage across each resistance of the parallel
combination is the same.
➢ There are as many current paths as the number of
branches.
➢ The current in each branch is given by Ohm’s law.
➢ The total current of the circuit is equal to the sum of
branch currents.
3. Equivalent Resistance of a Parallel Circuit
1. The equivalent resistance of four resistors joined in parallel is 20 ohms. The
currents flowing through them are 0.6, 0.3,0.2 and 0.1 ampere. Find the value of each
resistor.
2. Two bulbs of 250 W, 230 V each, are connected across a 200 V supply. Calculate the
total power drawn from the supply if the bulbs are connected (a) in parallel and (b) in
series.
(a)When the bulbs are connected in parallel,
(b) When the bulbs are connected in series,
3. Two resistances, one of 30 ohms and another of unknown value are connected in
parallel, the total power dissipated in the circuit is 450 watts when the applied voltage
is 90 volts. Find the value of the unknown resistance.
4. Find the equivalent resistance of the circuit given in figure 1 between the following points (a)
A and B (b) C and D (c) E and F (d) A and F and (e) A and C.
5. What is the value of the unknown resistor R in figure 2 if the voltage
drop across the 500-Ω resistor is 2.5 volts?
6. A resistance R is connected in series with a parallel combination of two resistances
12 Ω and 8 Ω. Calculate R if the power dissipated in the circuit is 70 W when the
applied voltage is 20 V across the circuit.
A utility company will charge its customers for the electric energy
consumed.

• Energy Charge – is the cost of electrical energy consumed.

• Maximum Demand – is the user’s highest rate at which energy is

consumed in kilowatts.

• Demand Charge – is the billing fee related to the maximum charge.

1. A 60 W lamp remains lighted for 24 hours per day for 30 days. Determine (a) the
electrical energy consumed over this period, (b) the energy charge for the billing
period at a rate of Php 5.93/kWh.

Solution:

(a) For the electrical energy consumed over this period

(b) For the energy charge for the billing period at a rate of Php 5.93/kWh
2. A large residence consumes 1155 kWh of electrical energy over a billing period.
Determine the total charge for billing period based on the rate schedule given below:
Service Charge Php 261.18
First 1000 kWh of billing period Php 5.92 per kWh
Next 2000 kWh of billing period Php 5.52 per kWh
• Alexander, C. K. and Sadiku, M. (2013). Fundamentals of Electric Circuits,
5th Edition. McGraw-Hill
• Bird, John. (2017). Electrical Circuit Theory And Technology, 6th ed.
Routledge
• Edminister, Joseph & Nahvi, Mahmood. (2017). Schaum's Outline Of
Electric Circuits, 7th ed. McGraw-Hill
• Irwin, J. David. (2008). Basic Engineering Circuit Analysis 9th Edition.
New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
• Rizzoni, Giorgio. (2009). Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering
International Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill
• Hayt. (2019). Engineering Circuit Analysis, 9th edition.
Feel free to ask questions!