REE Introduction to

Electricity

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 • What is electricity?
• The difference between static and current
electricity
• Direct current: why it’s important and where
Outline it’s used.
• Alternating current: why it’s important and
where it’s used.
• Key concepts in electricity
• Formulas and power units of measurement.

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 What is Electricity

• Electricity is the result of the movement of

electrons, creating electric static charges
or electric current.
• An atom is in balance when the charges of
protons and electrons are equal.
• When a force is applied to the atom,
pushing electrons out of their orbit,
electricity is created.

Source: EIA, Electricity Explained Copyrighted by BlocksEDU Learning Corporation - all rights reserved.
Electricity is a Secondary
Energy Source
• Primary Energy
• Energy that can be used directly and as it appears in the natural
environment: coal, oil, natural gas, wood, the sun, the wind, tides,
mountain lakes, the rivers.
• Secondary Energy
• Energy that first needs to undergo transformation from a primary
energy source.
• Electricity is a Secondary Energy Source
• Benjamin Franklin is famous for expanding our
understanding of static electricity.
• Alessandro Volta is famous for expanding our
understanding of current electricity and potential
electricity.

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 Static vs Current Electricity
Basis for Comparison Static Electricity Current Electricity
Definition The electricity that exists when there is a build- The electricity that exists when charges are able
up of opposite charges on objects separated by to constantly flow through a conductor.
an insulator.

Material Static electricity develops both in the Current electricity develops only in a
conductor and insulator. *Insulators do not conductor.
typically enable electricity flow.

Magnetic Field Does not induce a magnetic field. It induces a magnetic field.

Time Period Exist for short time. Exists for long time.
Measuring Devices Gold leaf electroscope Analog and digital meter.

Examples Lightning strikes, rubbing balloons on hair, Transmission lines, home appliances, lights,
etc. etc.

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Direct Current vs
Alternating Current

• Direct Current = electrons flow in

the same direction
• Alternating Current = electrons
constantly reverse direction

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Direct Current: Why it’s
important
Pros
• Relatively simple
• Voltages are easier to manipulate than with AC. Small, portable,
battery-compatible.

Cons
• Often requires the support of a source of AC.
• High power loss over distance due to transmission line resistance.

Common Example:
• Inside any commercially available product that uses a battery, you will
find a circuit that uses DC power.

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Alternating Current: Why it’s
important
Pros
• AC motors are powerful.
• Efficient transmission over great distances.
• Low maintenance, high life-expectancy.

Cons
• Typically more expensive.
• Power transmission requires dangerously high voltages and transformers.
• Delicate circuits.

Common Example:
• Most modern cars use an AC alternator to transform the kinetic energy created
by the internal-combustion engine into electrical energy that can be easily
stored for later use in its batteries.
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 Conservation of Energy (1st law of thermodynamics):

• Energy is always conserved; it cannot be created or destroyed.

Some Key Kirchoff’s 1st Law

• Electrons follow the path of least resistance.

Concepts in Electricity cannot be stored

Electricity • Supply must match consumption instantaneously.

Ohm’s Law

• The current in a circuit is directly proportional to applied voltage and

inversely proportional to resistance.

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 Current (I)

• I = Voltage (V) / Resistance (R)

• Measured in Amperes

Voltage (V)

• V = Current (I) * Resistance (R)

Formulas for • Measured in Volts

Measurement Resistance (R)

• R = Voltage (V) / Current (I)

• Measured in Ohms

Power (W)

• W = Voltage (V) * Current (I)

• Measured in Watts

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 Watts
• W = Current * Voltage
• Basic Unit of Measurement

Kilowatts (kW) = 1000 W

Power Units • Most houses consume less than 100 kW

Megawatts (MW) = 1,000 000 Watts

of • Most large industries would use less than 5 MW
Measurement Gigawatt (GW) = 1,000, 000, 000 Watts
• Alberta has about 16 GW of generating capacity.

Watthours
• Wh = Watts(W) * Time (h)
• Measures the energy provided by electricity over time.

Copyrighted by BlocksEDU Learning Corporation - all rights reserved.

 • What is electricity?
• The difference between static and current
electricity
• Direct current: why it’s important and where
Summary it’s used.
• Alternating current: why it’s important and
where it’s used.
• Key concepts in electricity
• Formulas and power units of measurement.

Copyrighted by BlocksEDU Learning Corporation - all rights reserved.