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Direct Current - Docx 2

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39 views8 pages

Direct Current - Docx 2

Uploaded by

Ali Bin Sadat
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Direct Current (DC) Electricity

Specific objective
By the end of this topic,
1. Students should be able to state ohms law
2. Explain factors that affect resistance of a conductor
3. Determine the effective resistance in a circuit
4. Describe the measurement of a d.c voltage across high resisitance

Sources of Electricity
Cell, battery (a combination of cells), solar cell, generator, dynamo, thermocouple.

Current electricity is basically electrons in motion.


Simple Electric Circuit
An electrical circuit is a path or line through which an electrical current flows. The path may
be closed (joined at both ends), making it a loop. A closed circuit makes electrical current
flow possible. It may also be an open circuit where the electron flow is cut short because the
path is broken. An open circuit does not allow electrical current to flow.
Below is a basic set of symbols that you may find on circuit diagrams.

Basic Electrical Terms

1. Coulomb (C) is the derived unit for charge in SI. One coulomb is the amount of
charge in one ampere-second. The elementary charge (charge of one proton or (-)
electron) is roughly ∼1.602×10−19C. Moreover, 1C=1As.
Mathematically,
Charge (Q) = Current (I) x time (t)
Thus: Q = It
Where Q is coulombs (C)
I is in amperes (A)
t is in seconds (s)
2. Electric Current:

Electric current is defined as the amount of electric charge passing through a cross section of
a conductor in unit time.

In other words: The rate of flow of electric charge through a cross section of a conductor is
called Electric Current
Mathematically
electric charge (Q)
Electric current (I) =
time(t)

Unit of electric current is ampere (A).


1 ampere = 1 coulomb / 1 sec
Ampere is defined as: current through a conductor will be 1 ampere if one coulomb of
electric charge passes through any cross section of conductor in 1 second.
1 ampere = 1 coulomb / 1 sec

There are two types of current;

1. Electronic current: it flows from negative to positive terminal.

2. Conventional current is taken from higher potential to the lower potential.

Example

Calculate the current I if 24 coulombs of charge pass through a wire at a steady rate in 4
seconds.

Solutions

Q 24
I= = =6 A
t 4
3. Electric Potential (V): (also called the electric field potential or the electrostatic
potential) is the amount of work needed to move a unit positive charge from a
reference point to a specific point inside the field without producing any acceleration.
This is measured with a voltmeter. Voltmeter is connected in parallel in a circuit i.e. it
is connected across the point where a potential difference is required.

4. Electromotive Force (emf): it is defined as the total work done when a cell transfers
a unit charge round a closed circuit. It is measured in volts (V).

5. Resistance (R): Resistance is an electrical quantity that measures how the device or
material reduces the electric current flow through it.
The resistance is measured in units of ohms (Ω).
If we make an analogy to water flow in pipes, the resistance is bigger when the pipe is
thinner, so the water flow is decreased.

6. Rheostat (Variable Resistor): this is a device used to increase or reduce the


resistance of a wire in a circuit by movement of an adjustable slider. The rheostat can
be used as a variable resistor and as a potential divider.
Ohm’s Law
The principle that the electric current passing through a conductor is directly
proportional to the potential difference across it, provided that the temperature remains
constant. The constant of proportionality is the resistance of the conductor.
Mathematically,
Potential difference, V ∝ Current, I i.e. V ∝ I
The constant of proportionality is found to be equal to the resistance, R of the conductor.
Definition of 1 Volt
The unit of electromotive force or electric pressure. It is the electromotive force (pd)
which, if steadily applied to a circuit having a resistance of one ohm, will produce a
current of one ampere.
Definition of 1 Amp
The standard unit of electric current. The current produced by a pressure of one volt in a
circuit having a resistance of one ohm.
Definition of 1 Ohm
The unit by which electrical resistance is measured. One ohm is equal to the current of
one ampere which will flow when a voltage of one volt is applied.

Experiment to Verify Ohm’s Law


Aim
To verify the ohm’s law and hence determine the unknown resistance of the given
material of the wire.
Apparatus
A battery, an ammeter, voltmeter, rheostat, plug key, coil of unknown substance,
connecting wire.
Circuit Diagram

Procedure
1. The circuit is connected as per the circuit diagram.
2. The plug key is inserted and the rheostat is adjusted so that a definite amount of
current (I) flows in the circuit. This value of current is recorded.
3. As the current flows through the unknown resistance a potential difference is
developed which is read from voltmeter (V).
4. The procedure is again adjusted to a different value of current (I) and the
corresponding (V) values are noted down.
5. The procedure is repeated for at least 5-6 current readings and for voltage also.
6. A tabular column is drawn and the readings of I and V are tabulated.
7. Graph of V verse I is drawn. A straight line is obtained.
8. The slope of the graph is found out. The slope gives the resistance (R) of the unknown
resistance.

Observation

Graph

The slope is equal the resistance.


Precautions
1. All the connections must be very tight.
2. Record the current at the regular interval of voltage.
3. While changing the voltage, rheostat must be move in one direction only.
4. Lest count of voltmeter and ammeter must be properly calculated.
5. Do not pass a large current through the resistance.
6. While measuring the voltage and current the needle of meters should not move out of
the scale.
Resistance Calculation

The resistance of a conductor is the product of the resistivity of the conductor's material and
the ratio of the conductor's length and the conductor's cross sectional area.

R is the resistance in ohms (Ω).

ρ is the resistivity in ohms-meter (Ωm)

l is the length of the conductor in meter (m)

A is the cross sectional area of the conductor in square meters (m2)

Resistance calculation with ohm's law

R is the resistance of the resistor in ohms (Ω).


V is the voltage drop on the resistor in volts (V).
I is the current of the resistor in amperes (A).

Temperature Co-Efficient of Resistance


The resistance of a resistor increases when temperature of the resistor increases.
R2 = R1 × ( 1 + α(T2 - T1) )
R2 is the resistance at temperature T2 in ohms (Ω).
R1 is the resistance at temperature T1 in ohms (Ω).
α is the temperature coefficient.
Combinations of Resistors
Resistance of resistors in series

The total equivalent resistance of resistors in series is the sum of the resistance values:
RTotal = R1+ R2+ R3+...
Laws that govern series connection
1. The same current flows through all parts of the circuit
2. The applied potential difference is equal to the sum of the differences across the
separate resistors.
3. The total resistance of a series circuit is equal to the sum of the separate resistances
and is given by: RTotal = R1+ R2+ R3+...
Resistance of resistors in parallel

The total equivalent resistance of resistors in parallel is given by:

Laws govern parallel connection


1. The potential difference across each resistor is the same.
2. The total current is equal to the sum of the currents in the separate resistors.
3. The total resistance of a number of resistors connected in parallel is given by
The Internal resistance of a Cell
It is the resistance offered by the cell due to the chemicals inside iIn the

In the fig. 1 above, the total resistance in the circuit, RT = R + r.


From the definition, E = I RT = I (R + r) = IR + Ir
Cells in Series

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