Lesson 2

Using Electrical Energy

 Focus Question

How do we use electrical energy?

 New Vocabulary

super conductor
kilowatt-hour
 Review Vocabulary

thermal energy: the sum of the kinetic energies

and potential energies of the particles
 Electrical Energy, Resistance, and Power

• Energy that is supplied to a circuit can be used in

many different ways.
• Motors convert electric energy to mechanical
energy.
• Lamps change electric energy into radiant energy.
• Hot plates convert electrical energy into thermal
energy.
• All devices convert some electrical energy into
thermal energy.
 Electrical Energy, Resistance, and Power

• Current moving through a resistor causes it to heat

up, because flowing electrons bump into the atoms
in the resistor.
• These collisions increase the atoms’ kinetic energy
and, thus, the temperature of the resistor.
• Household appliances act like resistors when they
are in a circuit.
 Electrical Energy, Resistance, and Power

• When charge (q) moves through a resistor, its

potential difference is reduced by an amount (ΔV).
The energy change is represented by qV.
• Thus power dissipated by a resistor is P = qV/t.
Recalling that I = q/t, power dissipated by a resistor
can be written as

Power
 Electrical Energy, Resistance, and Power

• The last two parts of this expression are the result of

substituting ΔV = I R and I = ΔV/R.
• A superconductor is a material with zero resistance.
• There is no restriction of current in superconductors,
so there is no potential difference (ΔV) across them.
• Because the power that is dissipated in a conductor
is given by the product I ΔV, a superconductor can
conduct electricity without loss of energy.
Electrical Energy, Resistance, and Power
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
Use with Example Problem 3. • Use the relationship among current,
Problem potential difference, and resistance.
A water heater operates at 240 V, and the V 240 V
resistance of its heating element is 12 Ω.
I    2.0101 A
R 12 
How much current does it demand, and how
much thermal energy will it produce in 30 • Use the relationship among energy,
minutes? current, resistance, and time.
E  Pt  I 2Rt
Response
 
2
SKETCH AND ANALYZE THE PROBLEM  2.010 A 12 3600 s
1

• List the knowns and unknowns.

 8.6 MJ
KNOWN UNKNOWN
ΔV = 240 V I=? EVALUATE THE ANSWER
• The units of energy (joules) are correct.
R = 12 Ω E=?
t = 30 min = 1800 s
 Providing Electrical Energy
• Power is the rate at which energy is delivered.
When consumers pay their home electric
bills, they pay for electric energy, not power.
• A kilowatt-hour is equal to 1000 watts delivered
continuously for 3600 s (1 h), or 3.6×106 J.
 Providing Electrical Energy

• Energy often must be transmitted over long

distances to reach homes and industries.
• It is desirable that the transmission occur with as
little loss to thermal energy as possible.
• To reduce this loss, either the current (I ) or the
resistance (R) must be reduced.
 Providing Electrical Energy

• Because the loss of energy is proportional to the

square of the current in the conductors, it is more
important to keep the current in the transmission
lines low.
• The current is reduced without the power being
reduced by an increase in the voltage. Some long-
distance lines use voltages of more than
500,000 V.
 Quiz

1. What do a space heater, a hot plate, and the

heating element in a hair dryer act like in a circuit?

A a capacitor C a battery

B a resistor CORRECT D a potentiometer

 Quiz

2. Which is a correct unit for power?

A volt

B ampere

C watt CORRECT

D ohm
 Quiz

3. What is the resistance in a typical superconductor?

A 0 CORRECT

B greater than zero

C more than 100 ohms

D less than zero

 Quiz

4. Which unit is used for commercial sales of electrical

power to residential customers?

A mW

B kW CORRECT

C W/s

D MW