1

ELECTRIC CURRENT

Moving Electric Charges

In your notebook, write down a question or two that you would like
answered on the topic of electrodynamics.
 Today’s class 2

1. Driving Questions
1. What is an electric field?
2. What is the difference between DC and AC current?
3. What are the characteristics of a series circuit?
4. What are the characteristics of a parallel circuit?
5. What are the characteristics of a combination series and
parallel circuit?
6. Create a circuit with a three-way switch.
2. Review the NGSS which apply to electric current
lessons
3. Conclusions
Electric and Magnetic fields 3

 Electric charges produce electric fields, moving electric charges produce

both an electric field and a magnetic field (electromagnetism).

Source: Lessons In Electric Circuits, Volume I – DC By Tony R. Kuphaldt (2006),

http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/assets/pdf/direct-current.pdf
Electrical Resistance 4
Describes how easily electric current flows through materials

Component Resistance (Ω)

Electrical Resistance is determined by:
1 meter of copper wire
0.02[4] • What the object is made of
with 1mm diameter
• The objects size (wire length)
1 km overhead power • The objects shape (wire diameter)
line 0.03[5]
(typical)
AA battery (typical
0.1[6] [8]100,000 ohms for dry skin contact,
internal resistance)
1000 ohms for wet or broken skin
Incandescent light bulb contact. High voltage breaks
200-1000[7]
filament (typical) down the skin, lowering resistance to
500 ohms. Other factors and
Human body 1000 to 100,000[8] conditions are relevant as well.
Source:
Bulb, Wire and Battery Activity 5

 Given a light bulb, wire and battery create a circuit that lights the
bulb.
 SAFETY: If the wire or battery get hot, immediately let them go.
Direct Current 6
 Direct current (DC) results when electrons flow between points in a wire.
 Example: Electrons flow through a wire from a DC source, such as a battery, through a
resistance, such as a light bulb, and back to the battery.
 Both electrons and energy flow through the wire.
 DC electricity is used in devices that require batteries (flashlights, cellphones, etc.)
 https://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/demos/waves/wavemotion.html

The diagram shows two wires. The upper wire has

no potential difference (voltage) across it. The
electrons are randomly moving in all directions
with no flow in one particular direction. Therefore
this wire is not carrying any current.
The lower wire has a potential difference across A
and B. It makes the electrons flow in a particular
direction; this wire is carrying a current.
Source:
https://www.howequipmentworks.com/electricity_
basics/
Alternating Current 7

 Alternating current (AC) results when electrons vibrate back and forth in a wire.
 Example: Electrical energy is pushed through a wire when an AC source, such as a
generator, causes electrons to vibrate back and forth in a wire. The electrical energy
(not the electrons, which only vibrate back and forth) flows through a resistance, such
as a light bulb, and back to the generator.
 AC electricity is used in houses, generally in voltages of 120 V or 240 V.
 Animation of electrons moving in an alternating current.
 https://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/demos/waves/wavemotion.html
 Energy moves from point to point in the wire, but electrons just vibrate back and forth
Generator Creating 8

Alternating Current
 The animation shows an AC
generator in action. As one side of
the loop moves to the other pole
of the magnetic field, the current
in it changes direction. The two slip
rings of the AC generator allow
the current to change directions
and become alternating current.

 Source:
 https://www.school-for-
champions.com/science/electrica
l_generation.htm#.XAYFssCZ3Bs
Series circuits 9

 When series circuit is closed, electricity flows

from the – end of the battery, through the
wire and resistances in the wire, and back to
the + end of the battery.

 There is only one path for electrons to move

through a series circuit.
 When the single path is broken, current no
longer flows.

 Source: https://www.school-for-
champions.com/science/dc_circuits.htm#.XAYSNsCZ3Bs
Parallel Circuits 10

 When the parallel circuit is closed, electricity

flows from the – end of the battery, through the
wire and resistances in the wire, and back to
the + end of the battery.

 There are multiple paths for electrons to move

through a series circuit.

 When one part of the circuit is open, electricity

can still flow through the other parts of the
circuit.

 Source: https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/direct-
current/chpt-5/what-are-series-and-parallel-circuits/
Combination Series and Parallel 11

Circuits
 In which part of this circuit are the resistances
in series?

 In which part of the circuit are the resistances

in parallel?

 This type of circuit is common in home wiring.

Several series circuits are wired in parallel.
Each series circuit has it own fuse or circuit
breaker.

 Source:
https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/dir
ect-current/chpt-5/what-are-series-and-
parallel-circuits/
Current Electricity – NGSS 12

Performance Expectations
 4-PS3-2. Make observations to provide evidence that
energy can be transferred from place to place by
sound, light, heat, and electric currents.
 [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include
quantitative measurements of energy.]
Current Electricity – NGSS 13

Performance Expectations
 4-PS3-4. Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and
refine a device that converts energy from one form to
another.*
 [Clarification Statement: Examples of devices could include
electric circuits that convert electrical energy into motion
energy of a vehicle, light, or sound; and, a passive solar
heater that converts light into heat. Examples of constraints
could include the materials, cost, or time to design the
device.] [Assessment Boundary: Devices should be limited to
those that convert motion energy to electric energy or use
stored energy to cause motion or produce light or sound.]
Current Electricity– NGSS 14

Science and Engineering Practices

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Planning and carrying out investigations to answer
questions or test solutions to problems in 3–5 builds on K– 2
experiences and progresses to include investigations that
control variables and provide evidence to support
explanations or design solutions.
 Make observations to produce data to serve as the
basis for evidence for an explanation of a phenomenon
or test a design solution. (4-PS3-2)
Current Electricity – NGSS 15

Disciplinary Core Idea

PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer
1. Energy is present whenever there are moving objects, sound,
light, or heat. When objects collide, energy can be transferred
from one object to another, thereby changing their motion. In
such collisions, some energy is typically also transferred to the
surrounding air; as a result, the air gets heated and sound is
produced. (4-PS3-2),(4-PS3-3)
2. Light also transfers energy from place to place. (4-PS3-2)
3. Energy can also be transferred from place to place by electric
currents, which can then be used locally to produce motion,
sound, heat, or light. The currents may have been produced to
begin with by transforming the energy of motion into electrical
energy. (4-PS3-2),(4-PS3-4)
Current Electricity – NGSS 16

Crosscutting Concepts
 Energy and Matter
 Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects.
(4-PS3-1), (4-PS3-2),(4-PS3-3),(4-PS3-4)
MOSART test question, K-4 test 17

 The arrangement of
a complete
electrical circuit is
addressed in this
item.
 66% gave the
correct answer, C.
 10% chose D, which
is not connected to
both terminals of
the battery
 11% indicated
several
arrangements in the
group (E) should
light the bulb.
MOSART test question, K-4 test 18

 22% gave the correct

answer, C.
 58% chose B; note that light
2 is closer to the battery
than light 1, a likely source
of the misconception that 1
is dimmer than 2.
 20% chose E
Conclusions 19

 Review and classify starting questions about electric circuits

 Electric charges produce electric fields, moving electric charges
produce both an electric field and a magnetic field.
 Resistance describes how easily electric current flows through an
object
 Direct current (DC) results when electrons flow through a circuit.
 Alternating current (AC) results when electrons move back and forth
through a circuit, causing electric energy to flow.
 In a series circuit current has only one path to flow.
 In a parallel circuit there are multiple paths through which current is
able to flow.