Electricity Knowledge Organisor:

Static Electricity Voltage and Potential Difference

Static Electricity is caused when by electrons are transferred from one Voltage Voltage is the difference in electrical potential and is
Static Electricity measured in V.
insulator to another by friction
Measuring Voltage The voltmeter must be connected in parallel.
If an object gains electrons, it become s negatively charged.
Static Charges Resistance
If an object loses electrons, it becomes positively charged. Measures how hard it is for electrical to pass
Resistance current
Electric Fields through a component
Things with an electric charge experience a force when placed in an  As the cross-sectional area increases, resistance
Electric Charge
electric field. decreases.
Factors Effecting  As the increases the resistance increases.
Resistance length
 As the temperature increases the resistance increases.
 The material of the component effects the resistance.
Ohm’s Law
𝑉 = 𝐼𝑅
Symbols and Units
Electric Fields An electric field is formed around electrically charged objects.
I is the current in
Like charges repel and opposites charges are attracted to each other. amps, A
t is the time in
 Draw lines and arrows to show the interaction between the seconds, s
positive and negative charges. V is the voltage in
volts, V
R is the resistance in
Ohms, Ω
In a closed circuit electric charge moves from high potential difference
Flow of Charge
to low potential difference.
Conventional ‘Conventional current’ moves from high voltage to low voltage, but
Current’ electrons which are –ve move from low to high voltage.
Electrical Current
Current in a Loop In a single closed loop the current is the at all points.
same
Measuring Current The ammeter must be connected in s
eries.
 Circuit

Symbols

Open Closed
Cell
Switch Switch

same
Battery Ammeter Voltmeter
shared
𝑅1 + 𝑅2
Resistor Variable
Lamp
Resistor

Current Voltage Graphs

Resistor Lamp

sum

same
less

alternates

230
 Series Circuits
Components are connected along a single path
Series Circuits

Current in Series Circuits The current is the at all points

Voltage is Series Circuits
Resistance in Series Circuits
The total potential difference of the power
supply is across all components.
𝑅𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 =
Parallel Circuits
Components are connected along multiple paths

Parallel Circuits

The total current is the of the current

Current in Parallel Circuits
across each component.
Voltage in Parallel Circuits The voltage is the at all points
The total resistance of two resistors is than
Resistance in Parallel
the resistance of the smallest resistor.
Current flow
DC Electricity flows in a single direction i.e. from batteries.
AC The current and regularly changes direction i.e.
Mains electricity.
Mains Mains electricity is the electricity supplied by the National Grid.
It is an AC supply and is V.