3/15/2016

UnderstandingElectricityLearnaboutelectricity,current,voltageandresistance
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Home>Support>UnderstandingElectricity

News
2527/03/2015
LeonicsparticipatedintheElectric,
Power&RenewableEnergy
Malaysia2015(EPRE2015)

UnderstandingElectricity
WhatisElectricity?
Current,VoltageandResistance
HowtomeasureCurrent,VoltageandResistance
HowElectricityworks?

12/01/2015
Leonicsinverterhavebeen
officiallyapprovedbySEDA
(SustainableEnergyDevelopment
AuthorityMalaysia)
22/12/2014
LeonicsparticipatedSolarPower
Investment(SolarFarmSolar
Roof)Seminar&Exhibition

WhatisElectricity?
Anyappliancesthatweuseinourdailylives
suchashouseholdappliances,office
equipmentsandindustrialequipments,
almostallofthosethingstakeelectricity.
Therefore,weshouldunderstandelectricity.

01/05/2014
LeonicsisnowoneofHOMER
preferpartnerprogram
20/12/2013
LeonicssponsorsKMUUTTeam
inSolarDecathlonEurope2014
competition

Thefirstquestionthatwewillfindoutthe
answeris"wheredoeselectricitycome
from?"

Allmattersaremadeupofatoms.Thenaskthenextquestion,"Whatareatoms?"
Atomsarethesmallestpartofanelement.Theyarecomposedofnucleusandelectrons,electronssurroundnucleus.
Elementsareidentifiedbythenumberofelectronsinorbitaroundnucleusofatomsandbythenumberofprotonsinnucleus.

20/11/2013
Seminaron"SolarPVRooftopin
Thailand"TheBigChangeforall
andSustainabilityEnergy

Nucleusismadeupofprotonsandneutrons,andthenumberofprotonsandneutronsarebalanced.Neutronshaveno
electriccharge,protonshavepositivecharges(+)andelectronshavenegativecharges().Apositivechargeofproton
equalsanegativechargeofelectron.
Electronsareboundintheirorbitbyattractionofprotons,butelectronsintheouterbandcanbecomefreeoftheirorbitby
someexternalforces.Thesearereferredtoasfreeelectrons,whichmovefromoneatomtothenext,electronflowsare
produced.Thesearethebasisofelectricity.Materialsthatallowmanyelectronstomovefreelyarecalledconductorsand
materialsthatallowfewfreeelectronstomovearecalledinsulators.
Allmattersaremadeupofatomsthathaveelectriccharges.Therefore,theyhaveelectriccharges.Forthematterthathasa
balancedthenumberofprotonsandelectrons,positivechargeforceandnegativechargeforcearebalanced.Itiscalled
neutralstateofanatom.(Thenumberofprotonsandelectronsremainsequal.)

"Staticelectricity"representsasituationthatallthingsaremadeupofelectriccharges.Forexample,therubbingofmaterial
againstanothercancausethestaticelectricity.Freeelectronsofonematerialmoveforcefullytilltheyarefreedoftheirorbits
aroundnucleusand move to another. Electrons of one material decrease, it presents positive charges.At the same time,
electronsofanotherincrease,ithasnegativecharges.

Ingeneral,chargeproducingofthemattermeansthematterhaselectriccharges.Ithaspositiveandnegativecharges,which
isexpressedincoulomb.
Current,VoltageandResistance
WhatisCurrent?
Anelectricalphenomenoniscausedbyflow
offreeelectronsfromoneatomtoanother.
Thecharacteristicsofcurrentelectricityare
oppositetothoseofstaticelectricity.

Wiresaremadeupofconductorssuchas
copperoraluminum.Atomsofmetalaremade
upoffreeelectrons,whichfreelymovefrom
oneatomtothenext.Ifanelectronisaddedin
wire,afreeelectronisattractedtoaprotonto
beneutral.Forcingelectronsoutoftheirorbits
cancausealackofelectrons.Electrons,
whichcontinuouslymoveinwire,arecalled

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UnderstandingElectricityLearnaboutelectricity,current,voltageandresistance
ElectricCurrent.
Forsolidconductors,electriccurrentreferstodirectionalnegativeto
positiveelectronsfromoneatomtothenext.Liquidconductorsandgas
conductors,electriccurrentreferstoelectronsandprotonsflowinthe
oppositedirection.
Currentisflowofelectrons,butcurrentandelectronflowintheopposite
direction.Currentflowsfrompositivetonegativeandelectronflowsfrom
negativetopositive.

Currentisdeterminedbythenumberofelectronspassingthroughacrosssectionofaconductorinonesecond.Currentis
measuredinamperes,whichisabbreviated"amps".Thesymbolforampsisaletter"A".
Acurrentofoneampmeansthatcurrentpassthroughacrosssectionoftwoconductors,whichareplacedinparallel1
meterapartwith2x107Newtonpermeterforceoccurineachconductor.Itcanalsomeanchargesofonecoulomb(or
6.24x1018electrons)passingthroughacrosssectionofaconductorinonesecond.
Whatisvoltage?
Electriccurrentisflowofelectronsina
conductor.Theforcerequiredtomake
currentflowthroughaconductoriscalled
voltageandpotentialistheothertermof
voltage.Forexample,thefirstelementhas
morepositivecharges,soithashigher
potential.Ontheotherhand,thesecond
elementhaschargesthataremorenegative
soithaslowerpotential.Thedifference
betweentwopointsiscalledpotential
difference.
Electromotiveforcemeanstheforcewhich
makescurrentcontinuouslyflowsthrougha
conductor.Thisforcecanbegeneratedfrom
powergenerator,battery,flashlightbattery
andfuelcell,etc.
Volt,abbreviated"V",istheunitof
measurementusedinterchangeablyfor
voltage,potential,andelectromotiveforce.
Onevoltmeansaforcewhichmakescurrent
ofoneampmovethrougharesistanceofone
ohm.

Whatisresistance?
Electronsmovethroughaconductorwhenelectriccurrentflows.Allmaterialsimpedeflowofelectriccurrenttosomeextent.
Thischaracteristiciscalledresistance.Resistanceincreaseswithanincreaseoflengthordecreaseofcrosssectionofa
material.
TheunitofmeasurementforresistanceisohmsanditssymbolistheGreekletteromega().Theresistanceofoneohm
meansaconductorallowsacurrentofoneamptoflowwithavoltageofonevolt.
Allmaterialsaredifferenceinallowingelectronsflow.Materialsthatallowmanyelectronstoflowfreelyarecalledconductors
suchascopper,silver,aluminium,hydrochloricsolution,sulphuricacidandsaltwater.Incontrast,materialswhichallowfew
electronstoflowarecalledinsulatorssuchasplastic,rubber,glassanddrypaper.Anothertypeofmaterials,
semiconductorshavecharacteristicsofbothconductorsandinsulators.Theyallowelectronstomovewhilebeingableto
controlflowofelectronsandexamplesarecarbon,siliconandgermanium,etc.
Theresistanceofconductordependsontwomainfactorsasthefollowings:
1. Typesofmaterial
2. Temperatureofmaterial

Howtomeasurecurrent
Theinstrumentusedtomeasurecurrentiscalledamperemeterorammeter.
StepsforcurrentmeasurementConnectasmalllightbulbtoadrycell.Measurecurrent
thatpassesthroughlightbulbbyconnectingpositiveterminal(+)ofammetertonegative
terminal()ofadrycell(seefigure)
Safetyinstructionsforcurrentmeasurement
1. Estimatecurrentthatrequiredmeasuringthenchooseasuitableammeter,since
eachammeterhasdifferentlimitofcurrentmeasurement.
2. Besurethattheconnectiontopositiveterminal(+)andnegativeterminal()of
ammeterarecorrect.
3. Donotdirectlyconnectammeterterminalstodrycellterminals.Sinceitcandamage
themeter.
Howtomeasurevoltage
Theinstrumentusedtomeasurevoltage,differencepotentialorelectromotiveforceiscalledvoltmeter.
Stepsforvoltagemeasurement
Connectasmalllightbulbtoadrycell.Avoltmeteriswiredinparallelwiththelightbulbto
measurevoltageacrossthelightbulb.Connectpositiveterminal(+)ofvoltmeterto
positiveterminal(+)ofadrycellandconnectnegativeterminal()ofvoltmeterto
negativeterminal()ofadrycell(seefigure).
Safetyinstructionsformeasuringvoltage
1. Estimatevoltagethatrequiredmeasuringthenchoose
asuitablevoltmeter,sinceeachvoltmeterisdesignedwith
thelimitofvoltagemeasurement.
2. Besurethattheconnectingofpositiveterminal(+)andnegativeterminal()of
voltmeterarecorrect.
Howtomeasureresistance

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UnderstandingElectricityLearnaboutelectricity,current,voltageandresistance
Theinstrumentusedtomeasureresistanceiscalledtestmeterormultimeter.Themultimeterortestmeterisusedtomake
variouselectricalmeasurementssuchascurrent,voltageandresistance.Itcombinesthefunctionsofammeter,voltmeter
andohmmeter.
Stepsforresistancemeasurement
Turnthefacedialtoapositionforrequiredmeasuring,resistance,thentouch
bothofterminalsofmultimeter(seefigure1)andadjustthemeterrangeto0
.Touchbothofterminalsofmetertoaresistanceandtakethereading(see
figure2).

HowElectricityworks?
Electriccurrentistheabilitytodowork.Electriccurrentcanbeconvertedtoheat,powerandmagnetism,tonameafew.
Electriccurrentisclassifiedbyitsfunctionsandthreeprimarytypesare:
1. Heatandpower
2. Electrochemistry
3. Magnetism
1.Heatandpowerisusedtomakeheatandpower.
Forexample,currentcarryingnichromwirethatnichromwirehasahighresistanceandcreatesheat.Thisisappliedto

becomponentofelectricovens,toasters,electricironsandlightbulbs,etc.

Experimentismadebymeasuringheatquantityofwaterbycalorimeter.Increasevoltageacrosswirebythevariacand
connectammeterandvoltmetertomeasurecurrentandvoltage.
Setthevariacscaletoadjustvoltageandcurrentvalueofnichromwireandcurrentispassedthroughperiodicallyand
measureheatquantityfromnichromwire.Thereareanyindicationsofvoltageandcurrent.Ifvoltage,currentandtime
increase,heatquantitywillalsoincrease.Theyareexpressedbytherelationasbelow.

ThisiscalledJoule'slaw.Heatquantitydependsonvoltagetimecurrentandintervaloftime.FromOhm'slaw,V
(Voltage)=I(Current)xR(Resistance)therefore

Heatquantitydependsoncurrentsquaredtimesresistanceandintervaloftime.

Whencurrentispassedthroughnichromwireinwater,currentisconvertedtoheatandtemperaturerises.Workisdone
byheatgeneratedinanelectricalcircuit,whichiscalledElectricpower.

ElectricpowerismeasuredinWattshour(Wh)andheatquantityismeasuredincalories(Cal).

Workisdonebyheatgeneratedinanelectricalcircuitiswritteninpower,whichitmeansthattherateworkisdoneina
circuitwhen1Ampflowswith1VoltappliedanditsunitofmeasurementisWatt.

Conclusion

2.Electrochemistry
Forexample,whencurrentispassedthroughsodiumchloride(NaCl)solution,achemicalreactioncalledelectrolysis

occurs.Thisisappliedtoproduceelectrolysis,galvanizingandbattery,etc.
Experimentismadebysoakingtwoplatinum(Pt)platesin
moltensalt.Connectbatteriestotwoplatinumplates,
currentispassedthroughmoltensaltandproduces
chlorinebubblesaroundpositiveplate(+)andhydrogen
bubblesaroundnegativeplate()sincesodiumchloride
composesofsodium(Na)andchloride(Cl).Whensodium

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UnderstandingElectricityLearnaboutelectricity,current,voltageandresistance
chloridemeltsinwater,theelementsareseparated.
Sodiumhaspositivecharges(+),whilechlorinehas
negativecharges()andthesechargesarecalledions.
Themoltensalthasbothpositivecharges,calledanodes,
andnegativechargescalledcathodes.Thestateof
separatedelementsiscalledionization.Ifsaltismelted
bywater,solutionisavailableions,calledelectrolyte
solution.Andifcurrentispassedthroughelectrolyte
solution,achemicalreactionknownaselectrolysis
occurs.

3.Magnetism
Theexampleofthiselectricworkisacurrentcarryingwire,magneticlinesoffluxoccur.Thisisappliedtoproduce

electricmotors,electrictransformersandtaperecorders,etc.
Understandingmeaningofmagnetism:
Whatismagnetism?
ThecompoundformulaofmagnetisFe3O 4.Allmagnetshavetwocharacteristics.First,
theyattractandholdiron.Secondary,iffreetomovelikethecompassneedle,theywill
assumeanorthsouthposition.Anymaterialshavethesecharacteristics,theyarecalled
magnet.
Thecharacteristicsofmagnetare
Everymagnethastwopoles,onenorthpoleandonesouthpole.
Oppositepolesattracteachother,whilelikepolesrepeleachother.
Electricityandmagneticfield
Whenmagneticneedleisplacednearelectricwire,whichcurrentis
passedthrough,magneticneedleturnsonthedirectionofcurrent
flow(seefigure1and2).Therefore,electriccurrentflowalso
producesanassociatedmagneticforceoritissaidthatelectricityis
abletoproducemagneticfield.

Whenmagneticneedleisplacedinwirecoilwithoneloop(see
figure)andcurrentispassedthroughwirecoil,magneticneedle
turnsonthedirectionasshowninabovefigure.Andthedirectionsof
magneticlinesoffluxareshownbythearrows.

Whenmagneticneedleisplacedinwirecoilwithmanyloopsas
showninrightfigure,thencurrentispassedthroughcoil.The
directionofmagneticlinesoffluxparallelswirecoil.The
characteristicsofmagneticlinesoffluxlikethecharacteristicsof
magnet,butnomagneticpole.

Whenacurrentcarryingwirecoilisplacednearironbar,theironbar
moveslightly(seefigure1).Ifcoreisplacedinawirecoil,theiron
barisattractedstrongly(seefigure2).Becausecoreisasoftiron,
whichconductsmagneticlinesofforce,whencurrentispassed
throughwirecoilaroundcore,thecorebecomesmagnetizedwith
highpowerthatiscalledelectromagnets.Thisfunctioniswidely
appliedforusinginindustries.

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