Module:1

Basics of electricity
 Voltage
 Current
 Electric Power
 Ohm’s Law

 Different types of Conductors, Cables

 Selection Criteria
 Different types of Domestic Electrical
Appliances
 Voltage (also known as electric potential difference, electromotive force emf,
electric pressure, or electric tension) is defined as the electric potential
difference per unit charge between two points in an electric field. Voltage is
expressed mathematically (e.g. in formulas) using the symbol “V” or “E”.

 Current is the flow of electrical charge carriers like electrons. Current flows
from negative to positive points. The SI unit for measuring electric current is
the ampere (A).

 Electricity is the type of energy which involves flow of electrons.

The flow of electrical charge through a conductor.

The electricity that we are using is a secondary source of energy. Because it is
produced by converting primary energy sources such as coal, natural gas,
nuclear energy, solar energy, and wind energy, etc into electrical energy.

 Electric power is the rate at which electrical energy is transferred by an

electric circuit. The SI unit of power is the watt.
 OHM’S LAW
Ohm’s law states that the voltage across a conductor is directly proportional to
the current flowing through it, provided all physical conditions and
temperatures remain constant.
current-voltage relationship is written as,

In the equation, the constant of proportionality, R, is called Resistance and

has units of ohms, with the symbol Ω.
The same formula can be rewritten in order to calculate the current and resistance
respectively as follows:

Ohm’s law only holds true if the provided temperature and the other physical
factors remain constant. In certain components, increasing the current raises
the temperature.
 Conductors
A substance which offers low resistance to the flow of electric current is called a
conductor.
Almost all pure metals are good conductors of electricity. Some important conductors
in the order of their conducting ability are:
1. Silver 9. Nichrome
2. Copper 10. Tungsten
3. Aluminium 11. Iron
4. Brass 12. Nickel
5. Zinc 13. Tin
6. Manganin 14. Lead
7. Eureka 15. German silver
8. Mercury
Properties of a good conductor
(i) It should be of low cost.
(ii) It should be easily available in the market.
(iii) It should have sufficient tensile strength.
(iv) Its joint should easily be made and
soldered.
(v) It should have sufficient mechanical
strength.
(vi) It should not be much effected by
changing atmospheric conditions.
(vii) It should be malleable and ductile
 Classification of Conductors
Conductors can be classified as under:
i. Bare conductors, and
ii. Insulated conductors.

Bare conductors: conductors which are not covered with insulation are known
as bare conductors. They are used in overhead lines for transmission and
distribution.
Insulated conductors: conductors which are covered with insulation are called
insulated conductors. They are used for indoor wiring installations and
underground distribution systems.
 Classification of conductors

Bare conductor Insulated conductor

 Common conductors
– their properties and uses
•The following are the best conductors of the electricity
i. Silver: silver is the best conductor and has very low specific resistance. The
metal is very costly and is generally used in industries in limited. However, it is
still used in electrical instruments, relays and contact points of high-current
starters. Its conductivity is approximately 98%
ii. Copper: copper is the next best conductor. It is mostly used for all commercial
purposes. Its resistivity is a little higher than silver. Has conductivity
approximately 90% that of silver. It has all the properties of a good conductor
and can be exposed to any wether.
iii. Aluminium: it has 60% electrical conductivity as compared to that of copper
and is light in weight. It is affected by the surrounding atmosphere. It soldering
is little difficult. It can also be made into wires, but they are not as strong as
copper wires. To make it strong, a steel wire is used in the centre of the
stranded aluminium conductors.the conductor is then called as aluminium
cored steel rainforced conductor (A.C.S.R) these conductors are used in
overhead –lines, cables,etc.
 Silver

Copper

Aluminium
iv. Brass : it is harder alloy of copper and zinc and is used for making terminals of
more or less all types of electrical accessories, such as terminal of holders,
switches, wall sockets, etc. it is resistant to corrosion. Its conductivity is about
48% as compared to silver.
v. Iron and steel: it has approximately 8 times higher resistance than that of copper
of the same length and area. It can easily made into small wires and is used in
automobiles and electrical traction steel rails as a return conductors.
vi. G.I wire: iron oxidises easily. To make resistant to corrosion it is coated with
zinc, which is then called galvanised iron wire. It is used for telephone lines and
overhead-lines as guard wires, stay wires, earth wires,etc.
vii. Tungsten : it is a good conductors of electricity and has a high melting point. It
is also made into small wires and is used for making electrical lamps,fluorescent
tubes and radio valves,etc
viii. Tin: it has low melting point and is not effected by oxidation owing to its low
melting point it is used in fused wires.
 Brass
GI wires

Tungsten bulb filament Tin solder

ix. Zinc: it is also a good conductor and is used for making containers for dry cells
and for galvanizing iron.
x. Lead: its melting point is higher than that of tin and is not effected by the
surrounding atmosphere. It is used as a sheating
xi. Mercury: it is a liquid conductor which on heating evaporates. It is used in
mercury vapour lamps, mercury floating switches.
xii. Electrolyte : it is also a liquid condutor water containing the acid is called
electrolyte. Thus all electrolytes are liquid conductors. The resistance decreades
with rise in temperature. They are used in primary cells secondary cells and vats
of electroplating.
xiii. Gaseous : There are certain gases which allow current through them, such as
helium, argon, neon, etc. at low temperature they have high resistance and at
comparatively very high temperature they have less resistance
Zinc for galvanizing iron

Mercury vapour lamp

Lead sheating