Physics S4 Workbook

1.3 The electric current intensity

When particles flow together in one direction, this is called a current in physics. You know currents from everyday
life, such as a flow of water, a flow of lava or a flow of people. But which particles flow in an electric current?

To answer this question, watch the following video, which was recorded at a gas station:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1dTSuwz0R8

What's going on here? Take notes.

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 Physics S4 Workbook

A) Definition of the electric current intensity

electric current
An a
Definition:___________________________________________
is flow
of electrons one direction
in
____________________________________________________

An electron is negativelycharged
____________________________________________________

This is why electrons

____________________________________________________
are
from a negatively charged
____________________________________________________
moving
Section which has an excess in
____________________________________________________
electrons to a positively charged
____________________________________________________

section which has a lack

____________________________________________________

electrons
of
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

Electrons elementary particles

are
____________________________________________________

and the charge

____________________________________________________

e carry 10 19C
f6
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

Example: light bulb connected to a battery

An electric current can flou

__________________________________________

only in a closed electric

__________________________________________

circuit tu this example

__________________________________________

electrons flow from the

__________________________________________

negative terminalCtelectronexass
__________________________________________

to the positive terminal slack

__________________________________________

of electrons a
__________________________________________
passing
which lights
lightbulb
__________________________________________

due to the flowinget

__________________________________________
At the negative terminal (-) of a battery there is an excess of
electrons and is therefore negatively charged. up
current I
__________________________________________
There is a lack of electrons at the positive terminal (+) of a battery
__________________________________________
and thus is positively charged.

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 Physics S4 Workbook

B) Analogies between the water circuit and the electric circuit

The electric current intensity I is comparable to the intensity of a water current:

A
water current is the stronger the
Water current:____________________________________________________
more water drops are flowing
_________________________________________________________________
second through
fer
_________________________________________________________________
a waterpipeline
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Au electric current is the stronger the

Electric current:____________________________________________________
more electrons ie the the charge quantity
_________________________________________________________________
AQ Ne higher Second
_________________________________________________________________
are
flowing fer
through a metal Wire
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Formula for calculating the electric current intensity I

I
Electric currentintensity
II
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 Physics S4 Workbook

C) Unit of electric current intensity

The electric current is measured

in the unit Ampere with unit
symbol A
When charge quantity Q 1C
a

is flowing in a time span At 1s the

electric current is
I 1A

Exercise 3:
If the quantity of charge ∆Q=1C flows through an electrical component such as an electric
hair dryer in a period of time ∆t=1s, the electric current I has a strength of I=1A.

How many electrons flow at a current strength I=1A per second?

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 Physics S4 Workbook
C) Direction of the electric current
In physics and engineering, it is important to distinguish between the conventional current flow and the
flow of electrons. Mostly physicists use the flow of electrons and engineers the conventional current flow,
but this is not a strict separation and even varies from textbook to textbook.

 When Benjamin Franklin was studying charges, the structure of an atom and atomic particles were
unknown. Hence he assumed the point of charge accumulation as positive and the point which is
deficient of charges as negative. Therefore, the charge is said to flow from positive to negative. This
is called conventional current.

 But in reality, an electric current is a flow of electrons. Electrons are negatively charged particles and
are attracted towards the positive charge. Also, many experiments have shown that it is free
electrons in a conductor that flow. Negatively charged electrons move from the negative terminal
to the positive terminal.

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 Physics S4 Workbook
Exercise 4:
Why does this woman's gas tank catch fire when she fills up? Explain in your own words!

Norelle

Übung 5:
During a thunderstorm, a cloud charged with 5C discharges in a flash of 200,000 A current.
How long does the lightning last?

given AQ 5C

IGÉ
I 200000f

AQ
I Ef I At

A 2Ff00A 0,000025 se 25.1065 25µs

One Microsecond is
1µs 1.106s
Answer The Lightning lasts At 25µs

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 Physics S4 Workbook
Exercise 6:
How much charge flows through a wire when an electric current of 2 mA flows in it for 7s.

given
I
At
2mÉÊÜzA
7s
Searched IQ

I At AQ7sIQ 0,002
0,002A 75
I
AQ 0,014C 14 103C 14 me
Answer A charge of IQ 14mL is flowing through
the wire

Exercise 7:
What is the (average) current when 0.2 mC discharges within 8µs?

given AQ 0,2mL 0,2 103C

6
At 8µs 8 10 s

searched I AQ
92.103C
I II 8 10 65 25 A I At

Answer The current is I 25A

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