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ELECTRIC CURRENT
➔ Simply current, it is the amount of
charge passing through any point in a
conductor per unit time. In symbols, I
= q/t (where q is the charge in
coulombs and t is the time in seconds.
➔ The unit of current is coulomb/second.
This combination of units is called
ampere (A). Hence, 1A=1C/s.
➔ It represents the flow of electrons. It
tells you the rate at which electrons
are flowing.
CONVENTIONAL CURRENT
➔ Electric current was defined as the
flow of positive charges from the
positive terminal to the negative
terminal of a source of voltage. This
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current is referred to as conventional like Manila Electric Company
current. (Meralco). Alternating current is
ELECTRON CURRENT used in most household appliances.
➔ When an electron was discovered, it
ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE
became clear that the current in a
➔ Simply resistance is the opposition
metallic conductor is actually a flow of
of a material to the flow of electric
electrons from the negative terminal to
current.
the positive terminal. This is called
➔ Provided in a circuit by resistors.
electron current.
➔ They resist the flow of current.
DIRECT CURRENT
➔ Resistance is also defined as the
➔ The current that travels in one
ratio of voltage to the resulting
direction (at all times) is called
current. In symbols, R=V/I. (R is
direct current.
resistance in ohms, V is voltage in
➔ It is supplied by cells or batteries
volt, and I is current in amperes)
and is commonly used in
➔ This equation is known as Ohm’s
flashlights, calculators,
Law, investigated the relationship
automobiles, and cell phones.
between current, resistance, and
ALTERNATING CURRENT
voltage.
➔ The current that changes
➔ The SI unit of resistance is the
directions at a regular interval
ohm, named after Georg Simon
(normally 60 times in one second)
Ohm. (denoted by the symbol
is called alternating current.
omega)
➔ Produced by AC generators and
distributed by electric companies
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➔ Most electrical connections make use
of devices called resistors to regulate
the amount of current passing through
a conductor.
ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE AND
POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE
ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL
DIFFERENCE
➔ Is the difference in electrical potential
energy per unit charge between two
points.
➔ The unit of potential difference is volt
(V). (1 volt = 1 J/ 1 C)
➔ A potential difference must be
supplied to get an electric current
flowing along a wire.
➔ Some common sources of potential
difference are electric batteries, solar
cells, fuel cells, and generators.
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➔ The standard symbol for a cell from the battery and as a result, the
terminal voltage decreased.
➔ As we increased the internal
resistance, the terminal voltage
decreased significantly.
ELECTRICAL POWER AND
➔ An Electromotive Force (EMF)
ENERGY
increases the electric potential of the
POWER
charges. It does work on a charge so it
➔ The rate at which it consumes
increases their electrical potential
electrical energy.
energy, whereas a resistor which
➔ Electrical power is obtained by
consumes energy, it decreases the
multiplying the voltage by the
electric potential energy.
current.
➔ If the current flows from a high
➔ In symbols, P=VI (V is voltage in
potential to a low potential, the
volts, I is current in amperes, and P
charges are losing energy.
is power in watts)
➔ If the current flows from a low
➔ Power may also be expressed in
potential to a high potential, the
terms of resistance.
charges are gaining energy. The source
➔ Whenever you pay your electric
is transferring its energy to the charge.
bills, you pay for the electrical
➔ As we decrease the load resistor, this
energy consumption and not the
caused more current to be drawn away
power.
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➔ Electrical Energy Consumption is
determined by multiplying the power
rating of an appliance by the length of
time, which the appliance is switched
on. (electrical energy consumption =
Pt)
➔ SI unit is Joule. (1 joule is equal to 1
watt-second).
➔ In electric bills, the energy
consumption is given in kilowatt-hour.
REMEMBER!
➔ As the voltage across a resistor is
increased, what happens to the
resistance of the resistor? The
resistance of the resistor stays the
same as it is not manipulated in any
way. While the current of the resistor
will increase because the voltage is
directly proportional to the current
applied to it.
➔ Voltage and Current: Directly
Proportional. If the voltage increases,
the current also increases.
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➔ Resistance and Current: Inversely ➔ A series circuit is a circuit that
Proportional. If the voltage increases, contains more than one electrical
the current decreases. component connected one after the
➔ Voltage and Resistance: They are other in a single path.
directly proportional to each other,
however, they do not have an influence
on each other. If one property
increases, the other property stays the
same value.
➔ In a series circuit, the current
COMBINATION OF RESISTORS flows in a single path and is the
➔ An electric circuit is a group of
same in all parts of the circuit.
electrical components that are
➔ If the circuit is broken at any point,
connected together to form a complete
no current will flow.
path for current.
PARALLEL CIRCUITS
➔ A circuit where current flows in one
➔ A parallel circuit is a circuit in
direction is called direct current (DC).
which two or more electrical
➔ In a DC circuit, it is the battery or the
components are connected across
DC generator that supplies the voltage.
each other in such a way that the
SERIES AND PARALLEL CIRCUITS
current is distributed between
➔ The components of a circuit may be
connected in series, parallel, or a
combination of series and parallel.
SERIES CIRCUIT
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them. ➔ The resistance of this resistor is combination of both series and

called the equivalent resistance parallel.
Rtotal of the combination. ➔ The equivalent resistance of such a
➔ Ohm’s Law may be used to combination of resistors can be
determine the equivalent found by combining the resistors
resistance for the series and part by part until it ends up with
➔ In a parallel circuit, each component
parallel combinations of resistors. only a series or a parallel
operates independently of the others.
connection.
Hence, even if a component fails, the
➔ The resistance of a conductor
current still flows through the others.
increases as it temperature
➔ Circuit diagrams may be used to
increases. This is because
analyze the voltage, current, and power
temperature is a measure of the
dissipation through each component
vibration of the atoms within the
of a circuit.
conductor.
RESISTORS
➔ As the atoms vibrate more, so the
➔ Are almost always part of a DC circuit.
(refer to the lp) electrons collide more often
They may be connected in series,
➔ As more resistors are added in making it more difficult for the
parallel, or a combination of both
series, the equivalent resistance electrons to flow and so increasing
series and parallel.
increases. the resistance.
➔ For any combination of resistors, there
➔ Connecting additional resistors in
is always a single equivalent resistor
parallel decreases the equivalent
that can replace the combination
resistance.
without altering the total current and
➔ Resistors are not only connected in
potential difference.
series or in parallel, but also in a

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PROBLEM-SOLVING ITEMS
1. A current of 3.8A flows in a wire
for 12 minutes. (a) How much
charge passes through any point in
this circuit during this time? (b)
How many electrons would this
represent?
2. A 9V battery is connected across a
250-ohm resistor. (a) How much
current passes through the
resistor? (b) How much power is
dissipated by the resistor? (c) How
much power is delivered by the
battery?
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3. A 12V battery is connected to a
light bulb and draws 150mA of
current. (a) What is the electrical
resistance of the light bulb? (b)
How much power does it consume?
(c) How much will it cost to operate
this bulb for a month if the cost of
electricity is $0.11 per KWh?
4. A motor uses 50W of power and
draws a current of 400 mA. (a)
What is the voltage across the
motor? (b) What is the internal
resistance of the motor?
5. 12.5 Coulombs of charge flow
through a 5 kilo-ohm resistor in 8
minutes. (a) What is the electric
current that flows through the
resistor? (b) How much power is
consumed by the resistor?
6. A 12V battery is connected across a
4 oh, resistor. How much current
will flow in the circuit?
7. A battery is connected across a
light bulb with an internal
resistance of 75 ohms. Using an
ammeter, the current flowing in
the circuit was measured to e 120
mA. What is the voltage of the
battery?
8. A hair dryer pulls a current of 0.8A
from a 12V power source. What is the
internal resistance of the hair dryer?
9. If 3.0 C of charge move through a 12V
potential difference, what is the charge
in electric potential energy?
10. Consider
the circuit shown. (a) Calculate the
equivalents resistance of the circuit. (b)
Calculate the current flowing through
each resistor. (c) Calculate the voltage
across each resistor. (d) Determine the
power absorbed by each resistor. (e)
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Calculate the power delivered by the
battery.
11. An electrician experienced a mild
shock when he accidentally
touched a wire carrying 5.0 mA for
approximately 1.0 s. How many
electrons constitute the given
current?
12. A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL)
uses less energy than its equivalent
incandescent bulb. How much will
a person save if he/she uses a 20 W
CFL instead of a 100 W
incandescent lamp for 6 h in 30
days? Electricity is priced at P
8.17/kW.h.
13. Four resistors when connected in
series give an equivalent resistance
of 75 Ω.Three of the resistors have
values of 18 Ω, 6 Ω, and 24 Ω
respectively. What is the resistance
of the fourth resistor?
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14. Three resistors with values of 60 Ω,
30 Ω , and 20 Ω respectively, are
connected in parallel to a 110 V
battery of negligible internal
resistance. Draw a circuit diagram
and find the (a) equiv- alent
resistance of the combined
resistors, (b) current flowing
through each resistor, (c) volt- age
drop across each resistor, and (d)
the power dissipated by each
resistor.
15. Find the equivalent resistance of the
combination of resistors shown.
16. Determine
the following quantities for each of the
two circuits: (a) equivalent resistance
(b) current from the power supply (c)
current from each resistor) (d) voltage
drop across each resistor (e) power
dissipated in each resistor.
17. A kitchen in North America has three
appliances connected to a 120 V circuit
with a 15 A circuit breaker: an 850 W
coffee maker, a 1200 W microwave
oven, and a 900 W toaster.
a. Draw a schematic diagram of this
circuit.
b. Which of these appliances can be
operated simultaneously without
tripping the circuit breaker?
18. The diagram below shows a circuit
with one battery and 10 resistors; 5 on
the left and 5 on the right. Determine…
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a. the current through

b. the voltage drop across
c. the power dissipated by each resistor