Electricity Notes

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Charge
● All material objects are made of atoms.
● There are different types of atoms known as elements.
● The nucleus of the atom contains protons. Protons have positive charges.
● An electron is a particle with a negative charge.
● The number of electrons that surround the nucleus will determine whether
or not an atom is electrically charged or electrically neutral.
● An equal amount of protons and electrons results in neutral.
● A positive charge has more protons than electrons.
● A negative charge has more electrons than protons.

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 What is electricity?
Electricity Definition = The movement and
transfer of the energy of charged particles
(electrons).

The flow of electricity is energy that is available

for doing work. This energy is used to power
motors, lights and appliances. What are some
ways you use electricity in your home?
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Current Electricity

Current electricity is a constant

flow of electrons. There are two
kinds of current electricity: direct
current (DC) and alternating current
(AC). With direct current electricity
the electrons move in one direction.
Batteries produce direct current. In
alternating current, electrons flow in
both directions.
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 Current
Current is a flow of
electrons, or individual
negative charges. When
charge flows, it carries
energy that can be used
to do work. Scientists
measure current with
units called amperes.
Current flows from
areas of high potential
energy to low potential
energy.
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Electric Potential Energy

Electrical potential energy is the

ability to move an electrical charge
from one point to another.
High electrical potential energy have
LOTS of electrons stuffed into a small
space. You can give an object more
electrical potential energy by adding
MORE electrons to it.
Electricity will always flow from areas
of high electric potential energy to low
electric potential energy.
Electricity (the flow of electrons) goes from areas of
high concentration of electrons to lower
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concentration
 Conductors and Insulators
A conductor is a material through
which an electrical charge flows
through easily.
An insulator is a material that
does NOT allow an electric charge
to transfer easily.
Think back to heat transfer demonstration with
styrofoam cup

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Conductor Metals are good
conductors of electricity
(and heat) because their
outermost electrons are
loosely bound to nucleus
and can fall off.
That means the electrons
can easily move from one
atom to the next
(Electricity can flow)
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 Static Electricity
When two materials touch one another, electrons can move from one material
to another. This can cause an imbalance of positive and negative charges and
result in static electricity.
Static electricity can be produced by nonmetallic materials. The more
electrons on an object the greater the charge of that object.

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When you rub the balloon
with a piece of wool, some
electrons are transferred to
the balloon. This leaves the
balloon with a negative
charge (more electrons).
When you place the balloon
near the head of a person, the
negatively charged electrons
are attracted to the positively
charged protons in the hair
the hair.
When a negative and positive
material touch, the opposite
charges attract each other
and the materials stick
together- static cling! 10
 Electrical Attraction and Repulsion
Objects with the same electric charge repel one another,
and objects with the opposite charges attract one another.

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 Static Electricity
Balloon Attracted to Wall

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 Electrical Field
All charged objects create an
electric field that extends outward
into the space that surrounds it.
The charge alters that space,
causing any other charged object
that enters the space to be affected
by this field. The strength of the
electric field is dependent upon how
charged the object creating the field
is and how far it is from the other Electrical fields can exist around
object. objects just like magnetic fields
can exist around objects
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 What is a Field??
A field is the area around an object.
Van De Graaff Generator can
help you see the field.

Van De Graff
Generator
Video

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Adapted from: http://www.physics4kids.com/files/elec_field.html 15
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Adapted from: http://www.physics4kids.com/files/elec_field.html
 Distance and ELectrical Field Strength

Adapted from: http://www.physics4kids.com/files/elec_field.html 17

 Distance Size of Charge
Further apart = Strong electric
weaker strong charge = stronger
field

Closer together=
Weaker electric
stronger field
charge = weaker field 18
 Electrical Field
Electrical field is the
area around a
charged object.

An object can have a

positive or negative
charge.

The object
experiences an
electric force
depending on the
amount of charge and
the distance between
the objects. Moving an electrical field can result in magnetic properties.
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 Magnets and
Electromagnetism
Magnetism and Electricity are closely related

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 Magnetic Field
Magnetic fields are a region where a magnetic force can be
detected.

Magnets are the source of the magnetic field.

● Magnetic strength is based on the material that the object is made of.

● A magnetic object can attract (pull) or repel (push) another magnetic

object.

● The closer the objects are to each other the stronger the magnetic field.

● The further away the magnets are to each other the weaker the
magnetic field.

● Magnetic poles are the points where the magnetic field lines begin and
end.

● When you move a magnetic field, an electric current is generated.

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 Magnetic Field
Magnetic forces are NOT related to gravity.
The amount of gravity is based on an
object's mass, while magnetic strength is
based on the material that the object is
made of.

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Earth’s Magnetic Field
The Earth has a huge magnetic field. Because the core of our planet is filled with molten iron (Fe),
there is a large field that protects the Earth from space radiation and particles such as the solar wind.
When you look at tiny magnets, they are working in a similar way. The magnet has a field around it.

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 Electromagnetism
All magnets have two poles: North (N)
and South (S)

Opposite poles attract (North/South)

Like poles repel (North/North) and

(South/South)

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● The flow of electric current produces magnetic fields.
● A device that is magnetized by current electricity is
called an electromagnet.
● Wire carrying electric charge has a magnetic field
around it. The electric current becomes stronger when
the wire is wrapped into a tight coil. The coils make the
magnet stronger.

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Electromagnets
Some materials can
become magnetized when
an electrical current is run
through them. This is an
electromagnet. AN
electromagnet can be
turned on or off by turning
the eclectic current on and
off.
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