Important terms

used in electricity
 ION
It is a charged atom or
molecule. An atom can acquire
a positive charge or a negative
charge depending on whether
the number of electrons in an
atom is greater or less then the
number of protons in the atom.
 SWITCH
An electrical switch is any
device used to interrupt the
flow of electrons in a circuit.
Switches are essentially binary
devices: they are either
completely on (“OPEN”) or
completely off (“CLOSED”).
 POLE OF SWITCH
POLE-The amount of circuits
controlled by switch.
2 Types of Poles
• Single Pole (SP)
• Double Pole (DP)
 THROW OF SWITCH
THROW – Is the number of
separate positions that the
switch can adopt
 4 Types of Switches
1. SPST (Single Pole Single
Throw)– Is a basic on/off
switch that just connects or
breaks the connection
between 2 terminals .It is also
called as toggle switch.
 4 Types of Switches
2.SPDT (Single Pole Double
Throw)- is a 3 terminal
switch, one for input and the
other two for the outputs.
 4 Types of Switches
3. DPST (Double Pole Single
Throw)- Double pole means
that the unit contains 2
identical switches side by side
and operated by 1 single lever.
 4 Types of Switches
4. DPDT (Double Pole Double
Throw) – is equivalent to 2 SPDT
switches. It routes 2 separate
circuits connecting each of 2
inputs to 1 of 2 outputs.
Direct current(DC) 
Is an electric current that
is uni-directional, so the
flow of charge is always in
the same direction.
Alternating current(AC)
Alternating current is an
electric current which
periodically reverses
direction and changes its
magnitude continuously
with time.
 Alternating Current vs Direct Current

• As useful and as easy to understand as

DC is, it is not the only “kind” of
electricity in use. Certain sources of
electricity naturally produce voltages
alternating in polarity, reversing
positive and negative over time.
• Either as a voltage switching polarity
or as a current switching direction back
and forth, this “kind” of electricity is
known as Alternating Current (AC): 
 Frequency
Frequency is the rate at
which current changes
direction per second. It is
measured in hertz (Hz), an
international unit of measure
where 1 hertz is equal to 1
cycle per second.
 Ammeter
• An ammeter (from Ampere
Meter) is a measuring
instrument used to measure
the current in a circuit.
 Control Circuit
A control circuit that operates
on low voltage and uses solid-
state components to amplify
input signals and
perform control functions, such
as operating a relay or providing
an output signal to position an
actuator.
 Ohm
The ohm is defined as an electrical
resistance between two points of a
conductor when a constant
potential difference of one volt,
applied to these points, produces in
the conductor a current of one
ampere, the conductor not being
the seat of any electromotive force.
 “Amp"
An "amp", short for ampere, is a
unit of electrical current which
defines in terms of other base
units by measuring the
electromagnetic force between
electrical conductors carrying
electric current.