Electric Current

The flow of charges

Electric Current
The electric current I
is defined as the
amount of charge per
unit time that crosses
the imaginary
surface.
Sample Problem
If 30.0 C of electric charge flows past a
point in a wire in two minutes, what is the
current in the wire?
Sample Problem
The current flowing through a lamp is 0.2
A. If the lamp is switched on for two hours,
what is the total electric charge that
passes through the lamp?
Sample Problem
The battery pack of a scientific calculator
has a voltage of 3.0 V and delivers a
current of 0.17 mA. In one hour of
operation,
how much charge flows in the circuit
(a)

and
how much energy does the battery
(b)

deliver to the calculator circuit?

Circuit Symbols
Conventional
Current
vs
Electron Flow
Types of Current
Direct Current (d.c.)
the charges move around a circuit in
the same direction at all times
Alternating Current (a.c.)
the charges move first one way and
then the opposite way, changing
direction from moment to moment
VOLTAGE
Voltage (Potential Difference)
the pressure from an
electrical circuit's power
source that pushes
charged electrons
(current) through a
conducting loop
Electromotive Force (e.m.f.)

The potential
difference of a
battery/outlet.
VOLTAGE
RESISTANCE
Resistance

1. The instructions for an electric lawn mower suggest that a

20-gauge extension cord can be used for distances up to 35
m, but a thicker 16-gauge cord should be used for longer
distances, to keep the resistance of the wire as small as
possible. The cross-sectional area of 20-gauge wire is
2. 5.2 x 10-7 m2, while that of 16-gauge wire is 13 x 10-7 m2.
Determine the resistance of (a) 35 m of 20-gauge copper
wire and (b) 75 m of 16-gauge copper wire.
Superconductors
Substances that offer no resistance to the
electric current when it becomes colder than a
critical temperature
OHM’S LAW
OHM’S LAW
OHM’S LAW
1. The filament in a light bulb is a resistor
in the form of a thin piece of wire. The
wire becomes hot enough to emit light
because of the current in it. The figure
shows a flashlight that uses two 1.5-V
batteries (effectively a single 3.0-V
battery) to provide a current of 0.40 A in
the filament. Determine the resistance
of the glowing filament.
OHM’S LAW
1. 1. A small light bulb is connected to a 6 V battery
and draws 2 A of current. What is the net resistance
of the bulb?
2.

2. A motor with an operating resistance of 32 Ω is

connected to a voltage source. The current in the
circuit is 1.5 A. What is the voltage of the source?
3.

3. Determine the amount of current going through a

50 Ω resistor with a voltage of 120 V.
OHM’S LAW

1. An electronic device has a resistance of

20 Ω and a current of 15 A. What is the
voltage across the device?

2. A current of 0.2 A passes through a 1.4

kΩ resistor. What is the voltage across it?
Types of Circuit Connection

Series Connection Parallel Connection

The components are The components are

connected one after connected to the power
another in a single loop source in two or more loops
Series Connection
Series Circuit
Series Circuit
Current in Series Circuit

Series wiring means that the devices are

connected in such a way that there is the same
electric current through each device.
Series Circuit

Suppose that the resistances in a series circuit

are R1 = 47 Ω and R2 = 86 Ω, and the battery
voltage is 24 V. Determine the equivalent
resistance of the two resistors and the current
in the circuit.
Series Circuit
Three resistors of 2 Ω, 4 Ω, and 6 Ω are
connected to a 6-V dry cell in series.
a. What is the effective resistance of the three
resistors?
b. What is the current measured by A1 and
A2?
c. Calculate the voltage across each resistor.
Electric Eel
Defibrillator
Defibrillator
Parallel Circuit
Parallel Circuit
Parallel Circuit
Most receivers allow the user to connect “remote” speakers
(to play music in another room, for instance) in addition to the
main speakers. The figure shows that the remote speaker and
the main speaker for the right stereo channel are connected
to the receiver in parallel. At the instant represented in the
picture, the ac voltage across the speakers is 6.00 V. The main
speaker resistance is 8.00 Ω, and the remote speaker
resistance is 4.00 Ω. Determine (a) the equivalent resistance of
the two speakers, (b) the total current supplied by the
receiver, (c) the current in each speaker, and (d) the power
dissipated in each speaker.
1. The drawing shows three different resistors in two
different circuits. The battery has a voltage of V = 24.0 V, and
the resistors have values of R1 = 50.0 Ω, R2 = 25.0 Ω, and R3 =
10.0 Ω.
(a) For the circuit on the left, determine the current through
and the voltage across each resistor.
(b) Repeat part (a) for the circuit on the right.
2. The drawing shows a circuit that contains a battery, two
resistors, and a switch. What is the equivalent resistance of
the circuit when the switch is (a) open and (b) closed?
3. Three resistors, 25, 45, and 75 Ω, are connected in series,
and a 0.51-A current passes through them. What are
(a) the equivalent resistance and

(b) the potential difference across the three resistors?

4. Find the equivalent resistance between the points A and B
in the drawing.
5. A circuit composed of a 24-V battery and four resistors,
whose resistances are 110 Ω, 180 Ω, 220 Ω, and 250 Ω.
What is the total current supplied by the battery? (b) the
voltage between points A and B in the circuit.
6. Each resistor in the circuit has a value of 45 Ω.
a. Find the total resistance in the circuit.

b. If the battery is 24 V, what is the current that flows

through the circuit?

6. Each resistor in the circuit has a value of 45 Ω.
a. Find the total resistance in the circuit.

b. If the battery is 24 V, what is the current that flows

through the circuit?