PRINCIPLES OF

ELECTRICITY
 “
In order to become a proficient in the
maintenance, adjustment and troubleshooting of
the ignition system and the other electricity
systems associated with a powerplant, it is
essential to that the aviation maintenance
technician have a good understanding of the
basic principles2 of electricity.
THE ELECTRIC
CURRENT

3
PRINCIPLES

The first requirement for an

understanding of electricity is to know
what electricity consists of and where it
originates. We therefore, must consider
the nature of matter itself.

MATTER - is anything which has substance

and occupies space. Air, liquids, metals,
wood, plastics, and gases all represent
various forms of matter
4
At the present time, matter
in its many forms is known to
consist of more than 100
elements .

The element is composed of

atoms. Which are the
smallest particle of the
substance which can exist
without changing the nature
of the substances 5
Some substances are compounds, and these
are made up of chemical combination of
elements.
Compounds – composed of
molecules, the molecule
being a chemical
combination of two or
more atoms.
WATER– hydrogen and oxygen
6
The basic component
of electricity is the
electron, which is
found in the atom.
Every atom consist of a nucleus with one or
more orbiting electrons.
The atom of hydrogen has a single particle as
a nucleus and a single electron orbiting this
7
particle.
8
The nucleus of the hydrogen atom,
called a proton, carries positive (+)
charge, and electron carries a
negative (-) electrical charge.

The + charge of the proton is equal to

the – charge of the electron.

9
It is sufficient to
state here that the
electrons around the
nucleus of an atom are
arranged in levels
called, “Shells”, and
that the electrons which
make up the electric
current come from the
outer shells of the
atoms. 10
 11
ARRANGEMENT OF ELECTRONS AROUND THE NUCLEUS
FREE ELECTRONS – Electrons which
move from one atom to another.
A substance which
contains many free
electrons is a good
conductor of electric
current, and a substance
with very few free
electrons is an
insulator. 12
 ELECTRICAL CHARGES
▣ An electrical charged, may be negative or
positive.
▣ A body which possesses (-) charge has an
excess of electrons.
▣ If the body has a deficiency of electrons, it
carries a (+) charge.
▣ When a negatively charged body with a
conductor, the excess electrons of the
negative body will flow to the positive body
until the charges are equalized.
▣ Therefore, the flow of an electric current is
normally from (-) negative
13
to (+) positive
SITUATION

Any person who has ridden in an automobile many

times will have experienced an electrical shock
as the result of electrical charges.

These charges are developed when his clothing

slides along the plastic covering of the seat.

If the person touches the metal handle of the

car door after the charge is developed, a small
spark will jump between the handle, and the hand
or other part of the body which touches the door
handle. 14
Any two dissimilar dry substances when rubbed
together will be likely to generate electrical
charges, one substance becoming negative (-) and
the other becoming positive (+).

If a piece of fur is used to

rub a glass rid, the fur will
acquire a positive (+) charge
and the glass rod will have a
negative (-) charge.

15
ELECTRICAL CHARGES are generated by
friction because one substance gives up
electrons more easily than the other.

When the two are rubbed together,

electrons from one substances move to the
other substance, thus, leaving one (-)
negatively charged and the other (+)
positively charged.

16
The STATIC ELECTRICAL CHARGE described often
create problems in the operation of aerospace
vehicles.
They cause radio interference, they may start
fires when build up on aircraft in flight to
the extent that a very strong spark discharge
could take place when the aircraft lands.
The charge on an airplane is usually
dissipated by means of static discharge
devices and static conducting tires, which are
treated to make them reasonably good
conductors of electricity.
17
VOLTAGE, AMPERAGE
AND RESISTANCE

18
The first value to consider is the force
which causes the electricity to flow in
the circuit.
This force is measured in volts, and it
may be considered electrical pressure.
It is called electromotive force and
abbreviated emf.

19
Electric current – a movement of electrons
through a conductor, and it may be compared
with a flow of water through a pipe.
In an electric circuit, must start at the
generator or battery and then must have a
complete path back to the generator or
battery.

20
The flow of electricity through
a conductor is measured in
amperes.
Amperes represents a flow of
one coulomb of electricity past
a certain point in a circuit on
one second.
The coulomb is said to be equal
to approximately 6.24X1018
electrons.
21
Observe carefully that the ampere is a
rate of flow and not a quantity.
 If we consider the flow of a liquid,
we may say that it is flowing at a
rate of so many gallons per second.
 The gallons is the quantity and the
gallon per second is the rate of flow.
 In like manner, the coulomb is the
quantity and the ampere is the rate of
flow.
22
Another factor which is most important
in the operation of electric circuits is
resistance because it is found in every
circuit.
 Resistance may be called “electrical
friction”.
 Also defined as the property of a
substance which opposes the flow of an
electric current.
 The unit of resistance is the ohm.
23
Voltage, amperage and resistance is explained
by Ohm’s law.
Ohm’s Law states that:
“The current flow in a given
circuit is directly proportional to
the voltage and inversely George Ohm

proportional to the resistance”

Also states that:
“One volt of electromotive force
will cause one ampere to flow
through a circuit having one ohm of
resistance.” 24
I=current, (amp)
E/V= electromotive force, (volts)
R= resistance, (ohms)
25
Relative effects of voltage, amperage and resistance
can be understood by considering this simple water
system
▣ As pressure (voltage)
increases when pressure
regulator adjusts, the
rate of flow (ampere) will
increase.
▣ If we decreases the
opening of the value
(increase resistance)
while the pressure remains
constant, the rate of flow
26
will decreases
 ELECTRICAL POWER
POWER is the rate of doing work.
 1 hp is equal to 33,000 ft-lb per min
or 550 ft-lb per sec.
▣ W=IE
 In electricity, the power is the
watt, and it is equal to about ▣ W = power,
0.00134 hp. We may also state 746 watts
watts is equal to approximately 1 ▣ I=current, amp
hp.
▣ E=electromotive
 Using the electrical unit already force, volts
defined, we can determine the power
consumed in a circuit with the
following formula 27
 ELECTRICAL POWER

If a current of 20 amp is flowing

in a circuit in which the voltage
▣ W=IE
is 110, the power being consumed in
the circuit is 2200 watts. ▣ W = power,
watts
▣ I=current, amp
To obtain horsepower we divide 2200
by 746 to obtain about 2.95 hp. ▣ E=electromotive
force, volts

28
 ELECTRIC CIRCUITS
A simple electric circuit consists of a source of
electric power, a load, and conductors to carry the
current from the source to the load and back to the
power source.

29
 ELECTRIC CIRCUITS

 CIRCUIT WITH
30
A SWITCH
 ELECTRIC CIRCUITS
 Single wire circuit

31
 Series Circuit
ELECTRIC CIRCUITS

 Parallel
32 Circuit
 ELECTRIC CIRCUITS

 Series-Parallel
33 Circuit
 “
PRINCIPLES OF ELECTRICITY

34