Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region V
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF CAMARINES SUR
NABUA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
San Miguel, Nabua, Camarines Sur

BASIC ELECTRONICS
GRADE 9 SOC
School Year 2022-2023

ELECTRIC CURRENT

Electric current is the amount of the charge

passing through any point in a conductor per unit time.
The SI unit of a current is Ampere (A), named after the
French scientist and mathematician André Marie
Ampére.
In symbols,

𝑞
𝐼=
𝑡
Where q is the charge in coulombs, t is time in
seconds, and I is the current in ampere. Hence, 1 ampere
is equal to 1 coulomb per second.

𝐶
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ 1𝐴=1
c0/Ampere_Andre_1825.jpg 𝑠
Sample problem 1.1

A car battery operates with a total charge of 200 C for 10 s to start the engine.
How much electric current was used during this period?

Solution

Using the equation

𝑞
𝐼=
𝑡

200 𝐶
𝐼=
10 𝑠

𝑰 = 𝟐𝟎 𝑨

Name of School: NABUA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Address: San Miguel, Nabua, Camarines Sur
Email Address: nabuanhs@yahoo.com
Contact Nos.: 054) 288-3758
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region V
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF CAMARINES SUR
NABUA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
San Miguel, Nabua, Camarines Sur

Practice Exercise 1.1

From https://www.physicsclassroom.com/calcpad/circuits/problems

Over the course of an 8-hour day, 3.8x104 C of charge pass through a typical
computer (presuming it is in use the entire time). Determine the current for such a
computer. Show your solution

Sample problem 1.2

A car battery uses 20 A for 10 s to start the engine. How many electrons pass
during this time interval?

Solution

Using the equation

𝑞
𝐼=
𝑡

𝑞
20 𝐴 =
10 𝑠

𝒒 = 𝟐𝟎𝟎 𝑪

To get the number of electrons, divide the total charge by the charge of an
electron, which is -1.6 x 10-19 C. (We may disregard the sign of the charge)

200 𝐶
𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑠 =
1.6 𝑥 10−19
𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛

= 1.25 x 1021 electrons

Practice Exercise 1.2

A 12 V battery is rated 80 ampere hour. (a) What does it mean? (b) Ampere hour
is a unit of what? (c) How many coulombs of charge can it deliver? Show your solution
for letter c.

Name of School: NABUA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Address: San Miguel, Nabua, Camarines Sur
Email Address: nabuanhs@yahoo.com
Contact Nos.: 054) 288-3758
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region V
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF CAMARINES SUR
NABUA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
San Miguel, Nabua, Camarines Sur

DIRECTIONS OF CURRENT

Electric current constitutes a flow of charges. But which charges, the positive or
the negative charges?

Wacth this to answer this question:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBNLzgr9T6w

Conventional Flow

Historically, it was assumed that the positive charges were the ones that flow in
a wire. Therefore, the direction of the flow is from POSITIVE to NEGATIVE.

Electron Flow

In reality, electric current is a stream of electrons flowing in a direction opposite

that of the conventional flow. Therefore, the direction of the flow is from NEGATIVE to
POSITIVE. However, the electron flow is just equivalent to the conventional flow thus,
we still follow the conventional flow of current.

Direct current or DC

Current that flows in one direction at all times. It is used in battery-operated

devices, automobiles, and cellular phones.

Watch me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN9aR2wKv0U

Alternating current or AC

Current that changes directions at regular interval (normally 60 times in one

second). Alternating current is produced/ distributed by electric companies, like
CASURECO, and is used in most of our appliances.

Watch me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN9aR2wKv0U

Prepared by: Jan Ervin S. Babor | Science Teacher

Name of School: NABUA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Address: San Miguel, Nabua, Camarines Sur
Email Address: nabuanhs@yahoo.com
Contact Nos.: 054) 288-3758