CURRENT ELECTRICITY

Current: Is the amount of charge flowing in one second, or is the rate of flow of charge.

Current = Charge I= Q
time t

 S.I. unit of current is the ampere(A).

 Equivalent unit is coulomb per second, coulomb per second. ( 1A = 1C/s)
 The instrument to measure current is the ammeter.

Symbol for the ammeter:

A

Electromotive force (e.m.f): Is the amount of energy needed to move a charge of one coulomb or unit
charge (1 C) round the circuit.

 Electromotive force = Electrical energy e.m.f = E

charge Q
 The standard unit of electromotive force (e.m.f.) is a volt.
 The equivalent unit is a joule per coulomb. (J/C).
 The instrument used to measure electromotive force is the voltmeter.

Symbol for the voltmeter:

Potential difference(voltage): Is the energy needed to move unit charge (1C) from one point to another in
the circuit.

 Potential difference = Electrical energy V= E

Charge Q

 The S.I. unit for potential difference is the volt (V).

 The instrument for measuring potential difference is a voltmeter.

Resistance (R): Is opposition to the flow of current.

 Resistance = Potential difference R=V

Current I

 The S.I. unit of resistance is an ohm (Ω)

Symbols for resistors:

Fixed resistor

Variable resistor (rheostat) - The rheostat is for varying the potential difference and current in the circuit.

OR

Symbol for bulb (lamp)

OR
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Examples:

1. If the current through a flood lamp is 5 A, what charge passes in:

(i) 10 s (ii) 5 min

(i) Charge, Q = I x t = 5 A x 10 s = 50 C

(ii) Charge, Q = I x t = 5 A x (5 x 60)s = 1 500 C

2. What is the current in a circuit, if the charge passing each point is:

(i) 20 C in 40s (ii) 240 C in 2 min

(i) current, I = Q = 20 C = 0.5 A

t 40 s

(ii) current, I = Q = 240 C = 2A

t (2 x 60)s

EXPERIMENT TO STUDY THE VARIATION BETWEEN POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE (VOLTAGE) ACROSS A

CONDUCTOR AND THE CURRENT THROUGH IT.

APP: Power supply (d.c.), connecting wires, standard resistor, rheostat (variable resistor), ammeter, and a
voltmeter.

Illustration:
power supply

ammeter A rheostat (variable resistor)

resistor

V
voltmeter

PROCEDURE:

 Set up the apparatus as shown in the diagram.

 Switch on the power supply and adjust the rheostat to obtain minimum values of current, I and
potential difference, V. Record these values.
 Adjust the rheostat to obtain increasing values of current, I and potential difference, V. Record
these values.
 Repeat the procedure to obtain at least six sets of values.
 Plot a graph of potential difference, V against current, I.
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Table of results:

Potential difference, V Current, I (A)

(V)

Graphical sketch of potential difference, V against current I:

p.d /V

A resistance = gradient
= AB
CB

C B

current ,I/A
curr

(The straight line passing through the origin indicates that potential difference is directly proportional to
current)

OHM’S LAW: The potential difference across a conductor is directly proportional to the current through it,
provided the temperature.

Limitations to Ohm’s law:

1. Temperature.

2. Length of a conductor.

3. Thickness (cross-sectional area) of a conductor.

(Changes in the above properties make a conductor no longer obey Ohm’s law)

Note: Conductors that obey Ohm’s law are called ohmic conductors while those that do not are non-ohmic.

EFFECTOF TEMPERATUREON RESISTANCE OF A CONDUCTOR.

 Increase in temperature leads to increase in the resistance of the conductor.

 The rise in temperature results in increase in the rate of vibration of atoms in the conductor,
leading to increase in the opposition to the flow of electrons.

Note: In semi conductors, such as thermistors and diodes; increase in temperature leads to decrease in
resistance. (Temperature increase leads to more electrons being released from the valency band to the
conduction band, thereby increasing the ability to conduct electricity).
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Graphical sketches showing variation between voltage (potential difference) and current in non-ohmic
conductors:

1. Voltage/current variation showing increasing resistance:

(Such as in the filament bulb. In the filament bulb, as the current increases, the filament heats up leading to
increase in the rate of vibration of atoms thus increase in resistance).

I
V
V

Increasing resistance

2. Voltage/current variation showing decreasing resistance: (such as in thermistors and diodes)

I
V
V
decreasing resistance

EFFECT OF LENGTH AND THICKNESS OF A CONDUCTOR (CROSS SECTIONAL AREA) ON RESISTANCE:

1. Effect of length:

Increase in length leads to increase in resistance, i.e. resistance is directly proportional to resistance.
(The new resistance is obtained by multiplying the old resistance by the factor by which the length has changed)

2. Effect of cross-sectional area (thickness):

Increase in cross-sectional area (thickness) leads to decrease in resistance. (resistance is inversely

proportional to cross-sectional area).
(The new resistance is obtained by dividing the old resistance by the factor by which the cross sectional area has changed)
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RESISTOR ARRANGEMENTS:

 Series arrangement.
 Parallel arrangement.

SERIES ARRANGEMENT:

Take three resistors in series connected to a power supply of voltage V, passing current, I.

Illustration:

I I

R1 R2 R3

V1 V2 V3

 For resistors in series, the current passing through is the same because there is only one path of
current flow.
 The supply voltage V, is equal to the sum of the potential differences across the respective
resistors.

V = V1 +V2 + V3

 The effective or combined resistance is equal to the sum of the respective resistances in series.

R = R1 + R 2 + R 3

R, is the effective or combined resistance.

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PARALLEL ARRANGEMENT:

Take three resistors in parallel connected to a power supply of voltage V, passing current I.

Illustration:
V

I I
I1 R1

I2 R2

R3
I3

 For resistors in parallel, the voltage (potential difference) across each resistor is equal to that of
the power supply.
 The current splits up at the junction such that the incoming current(s) is(are) equal to the sum of
the outgoing current(s). The current passing through a given path is such that the higher the
resistance, the lower the current.

I1
I I2

I3

The effective or combined resistance is obtained using the equation below:

I = 1 + 1 + 1
R R1 R2 R3

R is the effective or combined resistance for resistors in parallel.