Electricity Notes - GCSE Physics

4.2.1 Current, potential difference and resistance

4.2.1.1 Standard circuit diagram symbols

Content Additional Notes from Dr C

Circuit diagrams use standard symbols. You need to be able to use all
these symbols correctly.
They need to be exactly the
same as the diagram, not
your interpretation of it!

For instance, note that the

line does not go through the
circles for voltmeters and
ammeters.

Students should be able to draw and interpret circuit diagrams.

4.2.1.2 Electrical charge and current

Content Additional Notes from Dr C

This means that if you want

For electrical charge to flow through a closed circuit the circuit must
a current to flow you must
include a source of potential difference.
put a battery in the circuit!

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Content Additional Notes from Dr C

Electric current is a flow of electrical charge. The size of the electric Current is how quickly the
current is the rate of flow of electrical charge. Charge flow, current electrons are moving round
and time are linked by the equation: the circuit.
Each electron carries a
charge f low = current × time small charge, so the
equation tells us that if you
Q   = I t
have a lot of charge in a
charge flow, Q, in coulombs, C short time then there is a
big current.
current, I, in amperes, A (amp is acceptable for ampere)
time, t, in seconds, s Note time is in seconds.
This is a common trick in
A current has the same value at any point in a single closed loop.
exam questions when time
is given in minutes or hours
4.2.1.3 Current, resistance and potential difference and must be converted.

Content Additional Notes from Dr C

The current (I) through a component depends on both the Resistance is a measure of
resistance (R) of the component and the potential difference (V) how easy it is for the
across the component. The greater the resistance of the component electrons to get through.
the smaller the current for a given potential difference (pd) across So if resistance is high, the
the component. electrons find it hard to get
through, so move slowly
Questions will be set using the term potential difference. Students which means the current is
will gain credit for the correct use of either potential difference or low.
voltage.

Current, potential difference or resistance can be calculated using This equation gets used a
the equation: lot. You can use it on the
whole circuit or just on
potential di f f erence = current × resistance
single components. Often
V   = I R you have to do both.
potential difference, V, in volts, V
current, I, in amperes, A (amp is acceptable for ampere)
resistance, R, in ohms, Ω

Required practical activity 3:

Use circuit diagrams to set up and check appropriate circuits to investigate the factors affecting the
resistance of electrical circuits. This should include:
• the length of a wire at constant temperature
• combinations of resistors in series and parallel.
AT skills covered by this practical activity: AT 1, 6 and 7.
This practical activity also provides opportunities to develop WS and MS. Details of all skills are
given in Key opportunities for skills development (page 91).

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Required practical - Resistance
This is the circuit that you need. You will be expected to be able to draw this. Note that the ammeter is in
series and the voltmeter in parallel across the thing you want to know the voltage across i.e. the wire in
this case.

The major sources of error in this experiment are

1. the length of the wire. Because the crocodile clips have a certain width, it is difficult to get
this very accurate. This can be solved by using something thinner e.g. a probe or another
piece of wire, to connect the wire into the circuit.
2. When you pass a current through a wire it gets hot. this increases its resistance. This is
more likely to be a problem for short lengths when the resistance is small and thus the
current is high. This means your graph may not pass through the origin even though it is
suppose to.
The solution to this is to keep the current low, turn circuit off between readings and use a
long piece of wire so you don't have very short lengths.

Important Point about resistance

in metals.
Current is carried through a metal by the
delocalised electrons. Metals have a lot of these
which is why they are good at conducting
electricity. The metal ions are left in their fixed
positions.
When a current is passed through a metal the
metal gets hotter. This means that the ions
vibrate more. Therefore it is harder for the
electrons to get past the ions and so the
resistance increases.
The hotter the metal gets, the higher its
resistance.
Note: This is only true for metals. Some
circuit components are made of
semiconductors for which different rules apply.
 GCSE Physics 8463. GCSE exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.0 21 April 2016

4.2.1.4 Resistors
Content Additional Notes from Dr C

Students should be able to explain that, for some resistors, the You need to be able to draw
value of R remains constant but that in others it can change as the the circuit diagrams for
current changes. each of these experiments
The current through an ohmic conductor (at a constant and draw and explain the
temperature) is directly proportional to the potential difference shape of the graphs.
across the resistor. This means that the resistance remains
constant as the current changes. The circuit required is

Just replace the resistor with

light bulb or diode as
required.
The variable resistor is
The resistance of components such as lamps, diodes, thermistors required so that you can get
and LDRs is not constant; it changes with the current through the different values of current
component. and voltage so that you can
The resistance of a filament lamp increases as the temperature of draw a graph.
the filament increases.
The gradient of the graph is
1/resistance so if the
gradient is high, the
resistance is low. If the
gradient is small, the
resistance is high.

The lightbulb graph, the

gradient starts high so the
resistance is low.
The current through a diode flows in one direction only. The diode The gradient then gets
has a very high resistance in the reverse direction. smaller so the resistance is
higher. This is because the
filament gets hot as
previously discussed.

For the diode, the gradient

starts at zero so the
resistance is infinite
(because 1/0 is infinity).
The gradient then becomes
very large therefore
resistance is small.

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Content Additional Notes from Dr C

The resistance of a thermistor decreases as the temperature Thermistors and LDR's are
increases. made of semiconductors.

The applications of thermistors in circuits eg a thermostat is Note they both go the

required. same way - the more light/
The resistance of an LDR decreases as light intensity increases. heat the lower the
resistance
The application of LDRs in circuits eg switching lights on when it This is how street lamps
gets dark is required. work.
Students should be able to:

• explain the design and use of a circuit to measure the resistance This is exactly the same
of a component by measuring the current through, and potential circuit as the resistance of
difference across, the component the wire, but with the wire
• draw an appropriate circuit diagram using correct circuit replaced by LDR or
symbols. thermistor

Students should be able to use graphs to explore whether circuit

elements are linear or non-linear and relate the curves produced to
their function and properties.

Required practical activity 4: use circuit diagrams to construct appropriate circuits to investigate
the I–V characteristics of a variety of circuit elements, including a filament lamp, a diode and a
resistor at constant temperature.
3).

4.2.2 Series and parallel circuits

Content Additional Notes from Dr C

There are two ways of joining electrical components, in series and

in parallel. Some circuits include both series and parallel parts.
For components connected in series:
• there is the same current through each component The voltage across each of
• the total potential difference of the power supply is shared the resistances will add up to
between the components the voltage of the battery.
• the total resistance of two components is the sum of the The total resistance is the sum
resistance of each component. of the individual resistances.

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 GCSE Physics 8463. GCSE exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.0 21 April 2016

Content Additional Notes from Dr C

Rtotal = R1 + R2 The voltage

across each of
resistance, R, in ohms, Ω
these resistors
For components connected in parallel: is the same.
The current in
• the potential difference across each component is the same
each branch
• the total current through the whole circuit is the sum of the will add up to
currents through the separate components the total
• the total resistance of two resistors is less than the resistance of current
the smallest individual resistor. through the
Students should be able to: battery.

• use circuit diagrams to construct and check series and parallel Every time you add another
circuits that include a variety of common circuit components resistor in parallel the total
• describe the difference between series and parallel circuits resistance of the circuit
• explain qualitatively why adding resistors in series increases the decreases, even if it is a
total resistance whilst adding resistors in parallel decreases the big resistor.
total resistance This is because there are
more routes for the current
• explain the design and use of dc series circuits for measurement to go down so electrons
and testing purposes can go faster

• calculate the currents, potential differences and resistances in dc You need to practice these..
series circuits Plenty of examples to be
• solve problems for circuits which include resistors in series using found in textbook or on
the concept of equivalent resistance. website.

Students are not required to calculate the total resistance of two

resistors joined in parallel.

4.2.3 Domestic uses and safety

4.2.3.1 Direct and alternating potential difference

Content Additional Notes from Dr C

Mains electricity is an ac supply. In the United Kingdom the You need to remember these
domestic electricity supply has a frequency of 50 Hz and is about two numbers.
230 V.
Alternating p.d. constantly
Students should be able to explain the difference between direct changes direction. Direct
and alternating potential difference. p.d. always goes in same
direction.

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4.2.3.2 Mains electricity
Content Additional Notes from Dr C

Most electrical appliances are connected to the mains using three- This is pretty straightforward.
core cable. You just need to learn this.
The insulation covering each wire is colour coded for easy
identification:
live wire – brown
neutral wire – blue
earth wire – green and yellow stripes.
The live wire carries the alternating potential difference from the
supply. The neutral wire completes the circuit. The earth wire is a
safety wire to stop the appliance becoming live.
The potential difference between the live wire and earth (0 V) is
about 230 V. The neutral wire is at, or close to, earth potential (0 V).
The earth wire is at 0 V, it only carries a current if there is a fault.
Students should be able to explain:
• that a live wire may be dangerous even when a switch in the
mains circuit is open
• the dangers of providing any connection between the live wire
and earth.

4.2.4 Energy transfers

4.2.4.1 Power
Content Additional Notes from Dr C

Students should be able to explain how the power transfer in any The second equation
circuit device is related to the potential difference across it and the comes from combining the
current through it, and to the energy changes over time: first one with V=IR
power = potential di f f erence × current
Remember that Power is a
P  = V  I measure of how quickly the
energy is used.
2
power = current × resistance A Watt is the same as a
Joule per second or J/s.
P  =  I 2 R
power, P, in watts, W
potential difference, V, in volts, V
current, I, in amperes, A (amp is acceptable for ampere)
resistance, R, in ohms, Ω

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 GCSE Physics 8463. GCSE exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.0 21 April 2016

4.2.4.2 Energy transfers in everyday appliances

Content Additional Notes from Dr C

Everyday electrical appliances are designed to bring about energy You should know that a light
transfers. bulb uses more energy if you
leave it on longer!
The amount of energy an appliance transfers depends on how long
the appliance is switched on for and the power of the appliance.
Students should be able to describe how different domestic Work done is back you will
appliances transfer energy from batteries or ac mains to the kinetic notice. It comes up all over
energy of electric motors or the energy of heating devices. the place from which we can
infer that it is important.
Work is done when charge flows in a circuit.
The amount of energy transferred by electrical work can be
calculated using the equation:

energ y trans f erred = power × time erWe already know this

equation which comes
E  = P t directly from the definition
energ y trans f erred = charge f low × potential di f f erence of power.

E  = Q V This one means that there

energy transferred, E, in joules, J is more energy transfered
if the voltage is bigger or if
power, P, in watts, W there is more charge. It is
time, t, in seconds, s an easy one to forget but is
useful.
charge flow, Q, in coulombs, C
potential difference, V, in volts, V

Students should be able to explain how the power of a circuit device Every appliance in your
is related to: home will have a power
rating on it.
• the potential difference across it and the current through it
A kettle is typically 3kW.
• the energy transferred over a given time. A microwave 900W
Students should be able to describe, with examples, the
relationship between the power ratings for domestic electrical A lightbulb 10W
appliances and the changes in stored energy when they are in use.

4.2.4.3 The National Grid

Content Additional Notes from Dr C

The National Grid is a system of cables and transformers linking How transformers work
power stations to consumers. comes back later.

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Content Additional Notes from Dr C

Electrical power is transferred from power stations to consumers Power = current x voltage
using the National Grid. So to get a big power you
need either a big current or
Step-up transformers are used to increase the potential difference
a big voltage.
from the power station to the transmission cables then step-down
If you have a big current
transformers are used to decrease, to a much lower value, the
then the wires will get hot
potential difference for domestic use.
and lots of energy will be
Students should be able to explain why the National Grid system is lost therefore it is very
an efficient way to transfer energy. inefficient so they transmit it
at a very high voltage.
4.2.5 Static electricity (physics only)
4.2.5.1 Static charge
Content Additional Notes from Dr C

When certain insulating materials are rubbed against each other

Remember that everything is
they become electrically charged. Negatively charged electrons are
assumed to start electrically
rubbed off one material and on to the other. The material that gains
neutral so if you remove
electrons becomes negatively charged. The material that loses negative charge i.e. electrons
electrons is left with an equal positive charge. it will become positively
When two electrically charged objects are brought close together charged.
they exert a force on each other. Two objects that carry the same
Only the negative charge ever
type of charge repel. Two objects that carry different types of moves i.e. the electrons.
charge attract. Attraction and repulsion between two charged
objects are examples of non-contact force.
Students should be able to:
• describe the production of static electricity, and sparking, by
rubbing surfaces
• describe evidence that charged objects exert forces of attraction
or repulsion on one another when not in contact
• explain how the transfer of electrons between objects can
explain the phenomena of static electricity.

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 GCSE Physics 8463. GCSE exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.0 21 April 2016

4.2.5.2 Electric fields

Content Additional Notes from Dr C

A charged object creates an electric field around itself. The electric This is a new bit so I bet it
field is strongest close to the charged object. The further away from will be on the exam.
the charged object, the weaker the field. The words make it sound
complicated but it really
A second charged object placed in the field experiences a force. isn't.
The force gets stronger as the distance between the objects It is just saying that the
decreases. closer you are to the
charge, the stronger the
Students should be able to: field is.
• draw the electric field pattern for an isolated charged sphere
• explain the concept of an electric field

• explain how the concept of an electric field helps to explain the Just like gravity, because
non-contact force between charged objects as well as other there is an electric field it
electrostatic phenomena such as sparking. means that charges do not
need to be touching to put a
force on each other. This is
the definition of a non-
contact force. The other
important one is the
magnetic force and field.