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CHAPTER 1

ELECTRICAL UNITS Electrical Components Resistors - oppose/ limit the electric current in a circuit. Capacitors - store electrical energy in an electric field. Inductors - store electrical energy in electromagnetic field. Transformers - magnetically couple ac voltages, increasing or decreasing the AC voltage. Electronic Instruments voltmeter for measuring voltage ammeter for measuring current ohmmeter for measuring resistance wattmeter for measuring electric power

Electrical Units Electric circuits are described using measurable quantities. All the quantities and their units have their symbols. SI "System International" is the commonly used system. Basic electrical (DC) quantities, their units and chosen relationships Quantity Name Charge Current Voltage Resistance Conductance Energy Power Frequency cycle Unit Symbol Q I V R G W P f T Name Coulomb Ampere Volt Ohm Siemens Joule Watt Hertz Second Symbol C A V S J W Hz s Some Relationships 1C=6.25 1018 electrons

CHAPTER 1

Scientific Notation In scientific notation, each quantity is expressed as a product of a positive number (usually between 1 and 10) and a power of ten. The power of ten is expressed as an exponent of base 10. This eliminates leading and trailing zeros.
1 7 = 0 ,00 ,00 0 1 0 0 1 6 = , 0 ,00 0 100 0 1 5 =10 ,00 0 0 0 1 4 = 0 ,00 0 1 0 1 3 =100 0 ,0 1 2 =0 0 10 1 1=0 0 1 1 0 = 0 1 1 =01 0 1 . 1 =00 0 2 .1 1 =001 0 3 .0 1 =000 0 4 . 01

The advantage of scientific notation is in the calculation of very small or very large numbers. Very small numbers (less than one) are expressed in scientific notation with negative powers of ten.

.0035 = 3.5x10 3
Very large numbers (greater than one thousand) are expressed in scientific notation with positive powers of ten.

3500 = 3.5 x 10+3

CHAPTER 1

Engineering Notation Engineering notation is an application of SCIENTIFIC NOTATION in which the powers of ten are limited to the multiples of three such as 103; 109; 10-6;10-3. The reason for this is that in engineering and technology all units are expressed with prefixes that symbolize relevant powers of ten. Metric prefixes and their symbols Prefix Metric symbol Tera T Giga G Mega M Kilo k Milli m Micro Nano n Piko p Rules for Calculating using Scientific Notation

Power of ten 1012 109 106 103 10-3 10-6 10-9 10-12

Value 1 trillion 1 billion 1 million 1 thousand one-thousandth one-millionth one-billionth one-trillionth

Addition requires that all added numbers be expressed in the same power of ten. The numbers are added without their powers of ten to get the sum. The power of ten of the sum is the same as for the added numbers.

(1 105) + (2 105) = (1+ 2) 105 = 3 105

Subtraction requires that subtracted numbers be expressed in the same power of ten. The numbers are subtracted without their powers of ten to determine the results. The power of ten of the difference is the same as for the subtracted numbers.

(25 106) (130 107) = (250 107) (130 107) = = (250 130) 10 7 = 120 10 7
Multiplication does not require any prior calculations. The numbers are multiplied directly without their powers of ten. Then the powers of ten must be added algebraically.

(3 106) (2 104) = (3 2) 106+ 4 = 6 1010

CHAPTER 1 Division does not require any prior calculations. The numbers are divided directly without their powers of ten. Then the power of ten of the denominator is subtracted algebraically from the power of ten of the numerator.

8 103 (8 10 ) (4 10 ) = 2 = 2 103+ 2 = 2 105 4 10

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Unit Conversion The same number may be expressed in different ways (prefix).

0000001A = 0001 A = 1 A = 1000nA . . m 250,000W = 250kW = 025MW .

The above is called metric unit conversion. Sometimes it is necessary to convert a quantity from one metric prefixed unit to another. It is best practice to express a number with minimal leading or trailing zeros.