Physics (5054) for Grade 11

Chapter 19: “Current Electricity”

Kindly follow these instructions

 Please keep your mic on MUTE and camera OFF throughout the session.
 Use the Chat Box option in case of any query.
 Converse in English only.
 Avoid unnecessary chat.
Objective
Candidates should be able to:
(a) state that a current is a flow of charge and that current is measured in amperes.
(b) recall and use the equation charge = current × time.
(c) describe the use of an ammeter with different ranges.
(d) explain that electromotive force (e.m.f.) is measured by the energy dissipated by a source in
driving a unit charge around a complete circuit.
(e) state that e.m.f. is work done/charge.
(f) state that the volt is given by J / C.
(g) calculate the total e.m.f. where several sources are arranged in series and discuss how this is
used in the design of batteries.
(h) discuss the advantage of making a battery from several equal voltage sources of e.m.f.
arranged in parallel.
(i) state that the potential difference (p.d.) across a circuit component is measured in volts.
(j) state that the p.d. across a component in a circuit is given by the work done in
the component/charge passed through the component.
(k) describe the use of a voltmeter with different ranges.
(l) state that resistance = p.d./current and use the equation resistance =
voltage/current in calculations.
(m) describe an experiment to measure the resistance of a metallic conductor using
a voltmeter and an ammeter and make the necessary calculations.
(n) state Ohm’s Law and discuss the temperature limitation on Ohm’s Law.
(o) *use quantitatively the proportionality between resistance and the length and
the cross-sectional area of a wire.
(p) calculate the net effect of a number of resistors in series and in parallel.
(q) describe the effect of temperature increase on the resistance of a resistor and a
filament lamp and draw the respective sketch graphs of current/voltage.
(r) describe the operation of a light-dependent resistor.
Quick Revision
Past Paper Question # N15/P1/Q29

Correct Answer is B
CURRENT ELECTRICITY
Current
The flow of charges in a circuit is called current.
Current (I) is measured in Amperes (A) and milli ampere (mA).
Conventional current direction is from positive to negative.
Electrons flow from negative to positive
Past Paper Question # N10/P1/Q28

Correct Answer is A
The more the charges passing through the wire in one second, the bigger the
current is. Then we can say that current (I) is the rate of charge flowing.
Q=I×t

The electric current flowing in a circuit can be measured by an

AMMETER

symbol
Example question 1

In 10 second 60 C of charge flows around the circuit. Calculate the

current trough the circuit.
Solution:
 
Q=I×t
Example question 2

A current of 150 mA flows around a circuit for 3

minute. How much electric charge flows around the
circuit in this time?
Solution:
First convert time into second = 3 × 60 = 180
sec
Then convert current into ampere = 150 / 100o=
0.15 A
Q = I × t= 27 C
Past Paper Question # J13/P1/Q32

Correct Answer is D
Past Paper Question # J11/P1/Q27

Correct Answer is B
Common Electrical Symbols
Electromotive force (e.m.f)
Electromotive force (e.m.f.) is measured by the
energy dissipated by a source (battery) in driving a
unit charge around a complete circuit.
Or
The electromotive force (e.m.f.) of a cell can be
defined as the energy supplied to each coulomb of
charge within it.
 

   

The unit of e.m.f is J/C or Volt (V)

Potential difference (p.d) or Voltage
Energy carried by charges is consumed in components like resistance, lamp,
or heater of the circuit. When the charges flow through the lamps in a
circuit, their energy is converted to other forms such as heat and light.
The energy converted per unit charge passing through a component is called
potential difference (p.d), across the component.
The p.d. across a component in a circuit is given by the work done in the
component/charge passed through the component.

The unit of potential difference is volt (V)

Potential difference across a component in a circuit is measured by a
voltmeter.

symbol
Resistance(R)

Resistance is the hindrance in flow of current. The greater the resistance, the
smaller the current will flow through a conductor. The resistance of a
component is measured in Ohm (Ω) and is defined by this equation:

 
Resistors:
A resistor is a conductor in a circuit that is used to control
the size of the current flowing in a circuit. Resistors can
have ranges from a few ohms to several million ohms.
Types of resistors

1. fixed resistor:
It allows a fixed value of resistance in a circuit.
e.g. 100 ohm,250 ohm etc.

symbol
Variable resistor (Rheostat)

A variable resistor or rheostat is used to vary the

current in a circuit. A sliding contact moves, it
varies the length of the wire in the circuit and
hence the resistance will be changed.
Measuring resistance
Connect an electrical component or a conducting
wire in series to the battery and ammeter. Then
connect the voltmeter parallel to the electrical
component or wire as shown below.

Measure the voltmeter and ammeter reading in

the circuit. Resistance of the wire or electrical
component can be calculated by using the formula
Past Paper Question # J10/P1/Q31

Correct Answer is B
Past Paper Question # J10/P1/Q30

Correct Answer is B
Worked example
Diagram shows a resistor connected in a circuit.
The current in the circuit shown in the ammeter is
2 A and voltage across the resistor is 15 V.
Calculate the resistance of the resistor.
Worked example
Diagram shows a resistor connected in a circuit.
The current in the circuit shown in the ammeter is
2 A and voltage across the resistor is 15 V.
Calculate the resistance of the resistor.

solution
 

7.5 Ω
Past Paper Question # N13/P1/Q28

Correct Answer is B
Measuring resistance
Current / A p.d. / V Resistance /

The circuit below can be used to 0.2A

Ω

1V 5Ω
investigate how current trough a 0.4A 2V 5Ω

conductor depends on the p.d. 0.6A 3V 5Ω

0.8A 4V 5Ω
across it. The conductor in this 1A 5V 5Ω

case is a coiled-up length of

nichrome wire, kept at a
constant temperature by
immersing it in a large amount
of water. The p.d. across
nichrome wire can be varied by
adjusting variable resistor.
Typical results are shown in the
table and graph below.
The result in the table shows that when the
voltage increases the current also increases
within constant temperature. And the gradient of
the graph is constant value (voltage / current is
equals to constant value of resistance).
So we can conclude that under constant
temperature voltage is directly proportional to
the current. This is called Ohm’s law.
 Ohm’s law(Statement)
Ohm’s law states that the current passing
through a metallic conductor is directly
proportional to the potential difference across
it, provided that physical conditions (such as
temperature) remain constant.
Non-Ohmic conductors
is a conductor which does not
A non-Ohmic conductor
obey Ohm's law. An Ohmic conductor
would have a linear relationship between
the current and the voltage. With non-
Ohmic conductors, the relationship is not
linear.
1. Filament lamp
2. Diode
3. Thermistor
Filament lamp
The resistance of most
conductors becomes higher if the
temperature of the conductor
increases. As the temperature
rises, the metals ions vibrate
more and provide greater
resistance to flow the electrons.
For example filament lamp, as
the current flows through the
metal filament, it gets hotter so
its resistance increases. This
means the current varies with
voltage is not directly
proportional and not give straight
line for current-voltage graph.
Past Paper Question # N13/P1/Q30

Correct Answer is A
Past Paper Question # J13/P1/Q33

Correct Answer is B
DIODE

Diode conducts in one direction only . At low voltages

diode is a non ohmic conductor as shown below.
 THERMISTOR
Resistance of thermistor decreases at high
temperatures and current increases.
Past Paper Question # N13/P1/Q30

Correct Answer is C
Resistivity
Factors affecting resistance
Length of wire
For a wire of uniform cross sectional area, the resistance is proportional to the
length of wire. The longer the wire, the further electrons have to travel, the more
likely they are to collide with metal ions and so the greater the resistance. So if the
length of wire increases resistance also increases.
R  l ------ Equation (1)

Cross-sectional area
For a wire of fixed length, its resistance is inversely proportional to the cross
sectional area. The greater the cross sectional area of the wire, the more electrons
there are available to carry charge along the wire length and so the lower
resistance. So, if cross-sectional area of a wire increases resistance of the wire
decreases.
R  1/A ------ Equation (2)
Combining equation (1) and (2)

R  l/A
R=  l/A
Where
R= Resistance of the wire (in Ω)
(Rho, a constant)= Resistivity, a fixed property of the wire’s material (in Ωm)
l= length of the wire (in m)
A= cross-sectional area of the wire (in m2)
 Worked Example
In an electrical heater, 15m of nichrome wire of cross-sectional area 2X10 -7 m2
is used to make the heating element.
(a) Calculate the resistance of the nichrome wire given that the resistivity of nichrome is
100X10-8 Ω m.
(b) If the nichrome is replaced by a copper wire of identical length and cross-sectional
area, what will the resistance of copper wire be?
(Resistivity of copper is 1.7X10-8 Ω m.)
(c) Using the answers obtained in (a) and (b), comment on the suitability of the
nichrome and copper wires as heating elements.
Solution
Temperature
For metallic wires, as temperature increases, the resistance
of it also increases. But for some materials like silicon and
germanium (semiconductors), as temperature increases
resistance decreases.

Material
Resistance depends on the kind of substance.
Copper is a good conductor and is used for connecting wires.
But Nichrome has more resistance and is used in the heating
elements of electric heater.
Past Paper Question # N11/P1/Q27

Correct Answer is B
Past Paper Question # J11/P1/Q28

Correct Answer is A