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OHM’S LAW AND ELECTRIC POWER

Nature of electricity

Objectives

1. Explain the nature of electricity

2. Describe the materials that interact with electric charges

3. State coulomb's law and its relationship in electric fields

4. Explain Ohm's law

5. Solving problems involving Coulomb’s law and ohm's law

Before understanding the operation of electrical equipment, it is

necessary to know what the word ‘electricity’ means. Electricity is
defined as the flow of the electric charge. Everything is made-up of tiny
atoms, which contains positive and negative charge particles. The
negative charges is called ELECTRONS, while the positive charges is
called PROTONS and are attracted to one another but only electrons
are able to move from one atom to another.

The proton is the bigger and heavier of the two. If an atom loses an
electron, it will attract another electron towards it because unlike
charge attract e.g. Magnets, they have sides with opposite charges
called N & S poles, like sides repels and opposite side attracts. This
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random movement of electrons from atom to atom is going on

continuously and is affected by temperature.

What is Static Electricity?

Static electricity is electricity at rest, it is produced by friction. All

matter contains positively charged particles called protons and
negatively charged particles called electrons. In an uncharged atom, the
proton is neutral. If this neutral atom loses an electron, because it has
an excess of protons, it is said to be positively charged. If the neutral
atom gains an electron, it is said to be negatively charged.

Rubbing can tear electrons loose from certain atoms. Some substances,
because of the character of their atoms, tend to lose electrons and
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become positively charged; other substances gain electrons easily and

become negatively charged.

Static Discharge

Occurs when there is a loss of static electricity due to three possible

things:

Friction - rubbing

Conduction - direct contact

Induction - through an electrical field (not direct contact)

Electricity that moves

- Current; The flow of electrons from one place to another

- Measured in Amperes (Amp
- Kinetic energy

MEASUREMENT OF ELECTRICITY/ELECTRICAL CHARGE

ELECTRIC CURRENT: The flow of electrons is called current. The unit of

current is the ampere (A) and the symbol is I. Amp measure the
electrical (flow) current. It is how quickly electrons can flow past a
specific point in the wire during a given amount of time.

1 milli-ampere (mA) = ampere (A)

Quantity of electricity
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Coulomb’s law is a law of physics that describes force interacting

between static electrically charged particles, or the magnitude of the
force between two equal sized objects.
Fe = K
Where, k (electrostatic constant = 8.99 x 109 N m2/C-2)
q (Charge in Coulombs)
r (distance
tance between the charges)

The unit of electric quantity is the coulomb (symbol Q).

). One coulomb is
the quantity of electricity conveyed in one second by a current of one
ampere (6.3 x 1018 electrons in one second).

1 coulomb (Q
Q) = 1 ampere (I) flowing
ng for 1 second (t)
(

Therefore Q=Ixt

and I (the rate of flow) = .

Coulombs law Examples

A positive charge of 6.0 x 10 -6 C is 0.030m from a second positive

charge of 3.0 x 10 -6 C. Calculate the force between the charges.

Fe = K q2 q2/r2
. .
= (8.99 x 109 N m2/C2)
.
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. )
= (8.99 x 109 N m2/C2)
( . )

= + 1.8 x 10 -8 N

ELECTRIC PRESSURE: The unit of electric pressure is the voltage. Voltage

is a force that pushes/drives the electrons/charge. It is also referred to
as electromotive (It is abbreviated as E or EMF) force or difference in
potential. This difference in charge between the two points is called
voltage. It is measured in volts (V), which technically, is the potential
energy difference between two points that will impart one joule of
energy per coulomb of charge that passes through it. One kilovolt (kV) =
1000V. Voltage source will have a polarity (negative and positive side),
Current flows from negative to positive (changing conventions). One
point has more charge than another.

ELECTRIC RESISTANCE: The friction or how hard the flow of current

needs to work to move through a certain material is called resistance.
It is abbreviated as R. The unit of electrical resistance is the ohm and
the symbol is Ω.

1 microhm (µΩ) = ohm (Ω)

, ,

1 megohm (MΩ) = 1,000,000 ohms

ILLUSTRATION OF VOLTAGE, CURRENT AND RESISTANCE

Charge is represented by amount of water, Voltage is represented by

pressure of water while Current is represented by flow of water.
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VOLTAGE; The more water in the tank, the higher the charge, the more
the pressure is measured at the end of the hose.

CURRENT; The water flowing through the hose from the tank as
current. The higher the pressure, the higher the flow and vice-versa.
When we measure the volume of the water flowing through the hose
over a certain period, then in electrical we measure the amount of
charge flowing through the circuit over a period of time and it’s in
ampere (Amp). Two tanks with same amount of water and different
hose sizes, Amps of the wide hose is more and the narrow is less. But
when the amount of water in the narrow hose is increased the amps
become the same.

RESISTANCE; The same tanks with wide and narrow hose, it makes
sense that we cannot fit as much volume through a narrow pipe as a
wider one at the same pressure. Narrow pipe “resists” the flow.

In electrical terms, two circuits with equal voltages and different

resistances represent this, the circuit with the higher resistance will
allow less current to flow.

OHM’S LAW
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Relationship between Voltage, Current and Resistance

If the resistance (R) to a flow of current (I) is increased, while the

voltage (V) remains constant, the current will decrease. (It is assumed
that the temperature of the resistance remains constant)

An increase in R DECREASES I

I is INVERSELY proportional to R

If the resistance (R) remains constant and the voltage (V) increases, the
current (I) will increase.

An INCREASE in V INCREASES I

I is DIRECTLY proportional to V

I, V and R are related in a general form known as Ohm’s Law, Ohm’s

Law states that the current (I) flowing in a circuit is directly proportional
to the voltage (V) and inversely proportional to the resistance (R) at a
constant temperature. This set of relationships is illustrated in the
formula:

I=

Transposing, V = IR and R =

E.g. – We have a circuit the potential of 1 volt, a current of 1 amp and

resistance of 1 ohm. Using Ohm’s law - 1 V = 1 A x 1 Ω
Illustration: - The tank with wide hose, the amount of water in the
tank as 1 V, the “narrowness” (resistance to flow) of the hose as 1 Ohm
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then the flow (current) as 1 Amp. Then the tank with narrow hose, its
resistance flow is higher as 2 Ohms, same amount of water.

So using Ohm’s law, 1 V =?A x 2 Ω = 0.5 A, the current is 0.5 A because

resistance is higher, Voltage is same.

Example 2

A light bulb operates on a 110 volts circuit. The bulb draws a current of
0.91 amps. What is the resistance of the light bulb?

V = IR

R = V/I

R = 110 V/0.91 A

120.8 Ω

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT

An electrical circuit is a network consisting of a closed loop, giving a

return path for the current. Electric circuits are made up of electrical
components’ (light bulb, wire, battery).
These components must be joined together without any gap in
between to form a closed circuit. Incomplete circuits are called open
circuits. An electric current flow only when there is a source of
electrical energy and a closed circuit.
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CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS

An electric circuit can be in two ways:

ways:-

1. SERIES

2. PARALLEL
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A series circuit connects

onnects the components one after the other.

A single loop is formed.

A break in any part of series circuit stops the flow of current in the
whole circuit.

In series circuit, the total current is equal

Rtotal = R1 + R2 + R3

Vtotal = V1 + V2 + V3

Example

A 110V supplies a load with a resistance of 33Ω,

Ω, 5Ω, and 7Ω respectively,
find the current in the circuit?

Solution

Given V = 110v

R1 = 3
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R2 = 5

R3 = 7

I=?

Rtotal = R1 + R2 + R3 I = V/R

3+5+7 =110/12

= 12 = 9.17A

A Parallel circuit divides into two or more branches.

The current divides and flows through each parallel branch.

If a components breaks or is removed, the other components remain

on.

In parallel circuit, the total voltage is equal

=1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 + 1/Rn

Itotal = I1 + I2 + I3
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A 220 V is connected in parallel with the load. It has a resistance of 5

ohms and 10 ohms. Find the total current, the I1 and the I2.

Solution

Given

V = 220

R1 = 5

R2 = 10

I1 = V/R1 I2 = V/R2

= 220/5 = 220/10

= 44A = 22A

RT = R1 R2/R1+R2 IT = V/RT

= (5 x 10)/ 15 = 220/3.33
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= 3.33Ω = 66.06A

ELECTRIC POWER

What is power? Power is defined as the rate at which energy is

transferred (or transformed). Energy is measured in joules (J). There are
many forms of energy:- mechanical, electrical, chemical, electro-
magnetic, thermal and so on.

CONVERSION OF ENERGY

1. Thermo-electric ( Heat → Electric Energy)

2. Geothermal power ( Heat →Electric Energy)
3. Heat engines (Heat → Mechanical)
4. Ocean thermal power (Heat → Electric Energy)
5. Hydro-electric dams (Gravitational → PotenRal Electric)
6. Electric generator (Kinetic or Mechanical → Electric)
7. Battery (Chemical → Electric)
8. Electric lamp ( Electric → Heat and Light)
9. Windmills (Wind energy → Electric or Mechanical)
10. Solar (Light → Electric)

Electric Power is defined as the rate, per unit time at which electrical
energy is transferred by an electric circuit. The unit of power is the
watt, one joule/sec.

WATT – W = Joule/sec, Calculating Power – P (in watts) = I x V,

As in I = V/R, V = I x R and R = V/I
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Then P=IxV=( x V = V2/

P = I x V = I x (I x R) = I2R
1000 watts = 1 Kilowatt (kW)

Power in series;
E.g. 9 v connected across a 10Ω resistor, what is the power? Apply
Ohm’s law to find I =V/R therefore, 9/10 =0.9 I = 0.9A, P = I x V = 9V x
0.9A =8.1 W.

E.g. A 100 W, 200 V lamp is mistakenly connected to a 100 V supply.

What would be the power consumption of the lamp under these
conditions?

The resistance of the lamp remains constant. As P =V2/R

R = V2/P R (of lamp = = 400 Ω

with applied voltage of 100 V
P = !2/ = = 25 W
Ω

E.g. What is the power consumption of the cooker plate in the low
position if each element is rated at 1 kW and is connected across a 240
V supply? (a) Find the resistance of one element. (b) Calculate total
resistance. (c) Find total power consumption.

Since P = V2/R R = V2/P

R= = 57.6 Ω
As both element are connected in series:
R = R1 + R2 =57.6 Ω+ 57.6Ω = 115.2 Ω
Total watts of elements in series
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P = v2/R = = 500 W.
$.

Power in Parallel: The total power in a parallel circuit is calculated

by adding the individual watts in the circuit. E.g. A three bar fire with
each bar consuming 1kW gives 1kW of heat with one bar, 2 kW and 3
kW with three bars.

Total kW = kW ‘A’ + kW ‘B’ + kW ‘C’.

Note: The power in watts of all appliances in a parallel circuit may be

added, even if their values differ. The most common practical example
is the domestic installation- the rating in watts for all appliances used in
each room added to find total power.