A.

Importance of Electricity
We use electricity almost every minute, from the time we get up in the morning until we go to bed at night. We use it in our homes, businesses and schools. It is an important source of energy as everything around us needs it to function. Examples include electrical appliances like the television, computer, refrigerator, electric fan, air conditioner, and rice cooker. Petrol stations cannot pump petrol without it. Businesses have to close because their cash registers would not work without it. Restaurants cannot cook food without it. In short, our lives almost come to a standstill without electricity.

B. Sources of Electricity
2. There are many different sources of electrical power.

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The two main sources of electricity are power stations and batteries. Most of the electricity that we get in our homes and offices is generated by power stations. The flow of electric power is as shown:

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For us to obtain e le ctricity, all we need to do is just to plug a n electrical appliance into the electric power point on the wall and turn the switch on. For lighting in rooms, the flick of the switch that is connected to electric cables will give us the n eeded electricity.

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An electric current is a flow of electricity. Just as water is pushed through pipes by a pump, electric current is pushed through wires' a battery. Electric current does work by heating fires, lighting lam, and ringing bells. A battery is a chemical source of electricity. It is a convenient porta so ur ce . Ho w e ve r , it pr od u ce s m u ch le ss el ec tri cit y t ha n a pow generator. Examples of some of the things that make use of batter io include the laptop, camera, video camera, CD player, portable ra d watch, mobile phone, alarm clock and torch.

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Batteries come in different shapes and sizes, and some give greater amounts of electricity than others.

7. Electricity can also be generated through other means. Sun through light energy ________ ----> electrical energy the use of solar cells wind / kinetic energy ________ ----> electrical energy turbine generator flow of water turbine generator

w i n d
waterfalls

rivers and ____ ----> kinetic energy from ______ > electrical energy

We can also obtain electricity from geothermal source, nuclear plants and the force of tidal waves.

8. The electricity that powers our home appliances and other devices come from many different types of power plants, mostly from coal plants, natural gas plants, and nuclear facilities. Other ways to generate electricity are shown in the diagrams below: Instead of using coal, some power plants use other ways to make electricity.

C. Electric Circuits
9. A battery ha s two poles: positive pole ( + ) and negative pole ( ).

10. A bulb will light up w he n it is properly connected by wires to the positive a nd negative pole s of a battery. The bulb lights up because electricity flows through the bulb.

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The wire, the battery and the bulb form an electric circuit. An electric circuit is a path that allows electricity to flow. It is made up of a power source (battery) and circuit components (wires, switches and bulbs). In a closed circuit, the electric circuit is complete and electricity can flow through smoothly.

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In an open circuit, the electric circuit is not complete and electricity cannot flow through the broken path.

14. Electricity usually flows through wires in an electric circuit. The wires are usually made of copper and other materials that can conduct electricity easily. 15. A bulb lights up when electricity flows through the circuit. The parts of a bulb are summarised as follows:

16. The switch controls the flow of the electric current in a circuit; it joins or breaks the connection.

D. Circuit Diagrams
17. A circuit diagram represents an actual circuit. Different components of a circuit are represented by different symbols.

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A circuit diagram is useful when testing a circuit and for understanding how it works. T i p s f o r d r a w i n g a c i r c u i t d i ag r a m : Make sure you use the correct symbol for each component. Draw connecting wires as straight lines (use a ruler). Put a dot () at each junction between wires. Make sure your drawing is clear and tidy. An example of a good and bad circuit diagram is shown below:

20. Here are some examples of circuit diagrams. (a) One battery with one bulb and a switch

(b)

Two batteries with two bulbs and a switch

E. Factors Affecting the Brightness of a Bulb

21. There are many factors affecting the brightness of a bulb. Number of batteries The brightness of a bulb in an electric circuit is dependent on amount of electric current flowing through it. The greater the amount of electric current flowing through bulb, the brighter it will be.

 Ar ra nge m e n t of ba tt e rie s If there is only one battery in a circuit, the arrangement of the battery does not affect the brightness of the bulb.

If two or more batteries are used in a circuit, they can be arranged in two ways: series and parallel. In a series, the positive pole of one battery is connected to the negative pole of the other battery, either directly or by means of a wire.

In a parallel arrangement, the batteries are arranged such that each battery is connected to the bulb by a separa te path from the others.

 Number of bulbs
When bulbs are arranged in series, their brightness decreases when the number of bulbs increases.

When bulbs are arranged in a parallel arrangement, the brightness of each bulb is the same.

In a series arrangement, there is only one path for electric current to flow. If one bulb is removed from the connection, the other will not light up because there is a gap in the path.

In a parallel arrangement, the re is more tha n on e pa th for electric current to flow and each path is connected to one bulb independently. If one bulb is removed, the other bulb will continue to light up. The circuits in our homes and schools are arranged in parallel. This means that if any bulb is da ma ge d or re move d, it will not affect the remaining bulbs. Switching on or off a fan would not affect the other electrical appliances.

26. Many metals are good conductors of electricity and heat. Thus, materials that are good conductors of electricity are generally good conductors of heat.

G.Using Electrical Appliances Safely

27. Electric currents can cause fatalities. Here are some safety rules when using electricity. Alw a ys switch off all ele ctrica l a pplia nces a fter use. Do not p ut f or e ig n o bj e ct s i nt o ele ct ri c pow e r p oi nt s. Do not touch electrical appliances or switches when hands are wet. Water is a conductor of electricity. Do not repair electrical appliances on your own. Get a qualified electrician. Do not carry out e xperiments involving electricity on your own. Ensure that there are no exposed wires in an electrical equipment. D o n o t o v e r l o a d a s o ck e t w it h t o o ma n y p l ug s . Use safety devices such as circuit breakers and fuses to break a circuit when there is too much current flowing through the circuit.

H. Conserving Electricity
28. Conserving electricity does not mean depriving ourselves of comforts and conveniences. Conservation simply means to guard against waste, to be aware of the inefficient ways electricity can be used, and to do something about it. In Singapore, we are dependent on imported fuel to meet our energy needs. The cost of fuel accounts for about half the total cost of electricity. While we cannot control the cost of fuel, we can control the way we use energy. Saving energy is always a good habit: not only do you save money, but you also save the environment by causing less fuel to be burnt. So plan wisely how you spend energy as you do with your money. Tips on energy saving: Switch off electrical appliances when not in use. Do not leave them on 'standby' mode. Use energy-saving bulbs instead of incandescent, fluorescent or halogen bulbs. Switch off the air conditioner when not in the room. Clean the filters regularly. A timer can be set during the night for the air conditioner to cool the room after which it will be automatically switched off. Use fans instead of air conditioners.

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 Choose an appropriate sized refrigerator for your family. Adjust the thermostat to a recommended setting. Check the seals and hinges for air leakage. Cook food in a pot with the lid covered. Thaw frozen food in the open rather than using a microwave oven. Switch on the water heater just before you shower and switch it off immediately after you have finished showering. Dry your clothes under the Sun instead of a dryer. Configure the computers to auto -shutdown after nightly backups.