Electricity & Magnetism

Chapters 17, 19, 20, 21 and 22-2

Chapter 17 - Charge

The two different kinds of Electric

charges are positive and negative
Like charges repel unlike charges
attract
Protons and neutrons are relatively fixed
in the nucleus of the atom but electrons
are easily transferred from one atom to
another.

What causes charge?

All charge is a result of the movement

of electrons.

All atoms begin as neutral- with no

charge.
If you take away negative electrons then
the atom has a positive charge.
If you add negative electrons then the
atom becomes negatively charged.
All atoms with a charge are called ions.

How do we charge objects?

What causes the electrons to move?
Friction! When objects rub together
electrons are moved from one object
to the other.
This causes one object to be
positively charged and the other to be
negatively charged and the process is
called charge by contact.

Calculating charge

1 electron contains 1.6 X 10-19

coulombs of charge
C (coulomb) is the SI unit of electric
charge
1.0 C contains 6.2 X 1018 electrons

Example problem

How many electrons are in 0.85 C of charge?

1 electron
18
0.85 C

5.3

10
electrons
19
1.6 10 C
OR
6.2 10 electrons
18
0.85 C
5.3 10 electrons
1C
18

Types of Materials

Materials in which electric charges

move freely are called conductors.

Materials in which electric charges do

not move freely are called insulators.

Ex: Copper, Aluminum, most metals

Ex: Wood, glass, styrofoam

Semiconductors are materials

between conductors and insulators.

Ex: silicon, germanium

More Terms to Know

Grounding is when a conductor is

connected to the Earth by another
conducting object such as copper
wire. Many times it is a safety
precaution in electrical devices.
Induction is the process of charging
a conductor by bringing it near
another charged object and
grounding the conductor.

More Terms to Know

Electric Force two or more charged

objects near one another may
experience motion either toward or
away from each other because each
object exerts a force on the other
objects.
Electric force is an example of a field
force (a force which does not require
physical contact to act).

Coulombs Law

Fe

k q1 q2
r

F = Electric Force (N)

q = charge (C)
r = distance between charges (m)
k = 8.99 X 109 Nm2/C2

Electric Field

Electric field a region in space

around a charged object in which a
stationary charged object experiences
an electric force because of its
charge.
No contact needs to take place for
this to occur

What is the electric force between a proton

and an electron if they are separated by
2 cm?

r = 2 cm = 0.02 m
k = 8.99 x 109
F=?
k q1 q2

(proton)

&q

Fe

(electron)

= 1.6 x 10-19 C

r
9
19
19
(8.99 10 )(1.6 10 )(1.6 10 )
Fe
0.022
Fe 5.75 1025 N

Current, Resistance &

Voltage
Chapter 19

Electric Current

Current is the rate at which electric

charges move through a given area.

SI unit is the Ampere or Amp.

1 A = 1 C/s

I = Q/t
Current = charge / time

Example problem
The current in a light bulb is 0.835 A.
How long does it take for a total
charge of 1.67 C to pass a point in the
wire?
Q = 1.6 C I = 0.835 A t= ?
I = Q/t
t = Q/I
t= 1.6C/0.835A
t= 2.00s

Electric Current

Batteries maintain electric current

by converting chemical energy into
electrical energy.
Generators convert mechanical
energy into electrical energy.

AC/DC

There are two kinds of current:

Direct current is where charges are
always moving in the same direction.

Batteries produce direct current because

the positive and negative terminals
always stay the same.

AC/DC

Alternating current is where the charges

change the direction of flow constantly.

Power plants supply alternating current to

homes and businesses by using giant
electromagnets to change positive and
negative terminals.

In the US current alternates (changes

direction) 60 times every second while in
Europe, current alternates 50 times
every second.

Resistance

Resistance- The opposition to the flow of

current in a conductor
R = V/I
Resistance = Potential
difference/Current
SI unit ohm
Symbol- (omega)

Resistance

Resistance depends on length, crosssectional area, material and

temperature.

Length: short = R; long = R

Area: skinny = R; wide = R
Material: insulator = R; conductor =
R
Temperature: hot = R; cold = R

Resistance

Resistance is important in controlling

the amount of current in a circuit.
If the voltage is constant, resistance
is the only way to adjust the current.

Change the material of the wires, or add

resistors to the circuit.

Example Problem

The resistance of a steam iron is 19.0 .

What is the current in the iron when it is
connected across a potential difference of
120V?
R= 19.0
V= 120V I= ?
R=V/I
I=V/R
I=120V/19.0
I= 6.32 A

Potential Difference

The electric potential is the amount of

energy contained in each unit of charge.
Only differences in electric potential from
one point to another are measured and
used in calculations.
Potential Difference is the change in
energy per unit of charge.
Potential Difference is also known as
VOLTAGE, and is measured in volts (V).

Potential Difference

Potential Difference

The potential difference between the

positive and negative ends of batteries:
All AA, AAA, C, D Cell Batteries = 1.5 V

The only difference is how long they

produce the 1.5 V.

Car battery = 12 V

Positive and Negative

slots of an electrical outlet = 120 V

Electric Power
Electric power is the rate of
conversion of electrical energy
Formula for Electric Power:
P = IV
Electric power = current X potential
difference

Electric Power
Because P= IV and V=IR we can also
say;
P= IV = I(IR) = I2R
P = I2R
Or, because I = V/R, we can also say:
P = IV = (V/R)V = V2/R
P=V2/R

Electric Power

An electric space heater is connected

across a 120 V outlet. The heater
dissipates 1320 W of power in the
form of electromagnetic radiation and
heat. Calculate the resistance of the
heater.
P = V2/R
R = V2/P
R = 1202/1320
R = 10.9

Electric Power

Power companies measure energy not

power, using the kilowatt-hour as the
unit
One kilowatt-hour = the energy
delivered in 1 hour at the constant rate
of 1 kW.
To convert between kWh and the SI unit
of Joule:
1 kWh = 3.6 X 106 J

Example Problem

How much does it cost to operate a

100.0 W light bulb for 24 h if
electrical energy costs $0.080 per
kWh?
P= 100W = 0.100 kW;
t= 24 h
Energy = Pt = 0.100 kW*24 h = 2.4
kWh
Cost = 2.4 kWh*$0.080 = $0.19

Circuits
Chapter 20

Schematic Diagrams and

Circuits

Schematic Diagram or Circuit

Diagram: diagram which depicts the
construction of an electrical circuit.

Symbols

Since bulbs have internal resistance,

sometimes bulbs are drawn as
resistors in circuit diagrams and
treated as resistors in calculations.
Electric circuit- a set of electrical
components connected so that they
provide one or more complete paths
for the movement of charges.
Load- energy user of a circuit

All complete circuits must contain a source

of potential difference and a load.

Closed vs. Open

Closed circuit- there is a closed-loop

path for the electrons to follow
Open circuit- no complete path, no
charge flow, no current.

Resistors in series

Series- describes a circuit or portion of a

circuit that provides a single conduction
path without junctions.
If any one bulb burns out, all of the bulbs
go out because the broken filament
becomes a break in the circuit.

Resistors in series
When connected in series, the current is
the same in all bulbs (or resistors).
The equivalent resistance (Req) in a
series circuit is the sum of all
resistances.
V = I/R can be used to find current and
potential difference in a series circuit.

Resistors in parallel

Parallel- describes two or more

components in a circuit that are
connected across common points or
junctions, providing separate conduction
paths for the current
Because of this, a bulb can burn out and
will not effect any other bulbs.

Resistors in series vs. parallel

Circuit

Series

Parallel

Current

I = I1= I2= I3

I = I1 + I 2 + I3

Current is the same for each

resistor and the same as total
For Total Current:
I = V/Req

Sum of currents = total

current
Current across a resistor:
I1=V/R1 and I2=V/R2 ,etc.

Potential
V = V1 + V2 + V3
Difference Sum of potential differences =
total potential difference.
Potential difference across a
resistor:

V = V1 = V2 = V3
Same for each
resistor and same as
total

V1 = IR1 and V2 = IR2 ,etc.

Equivalent Req = R1 + R2 + R3
resistance Sum for each resistor

1/Req = 1/R1 + 1/R2

+ 1/R3
Reciprocal sum of
resistances

A 9V battery is connected to four light bulbs. Find

the equivalent resistance for the circuit and the
current in the circuit.

Req = R1 + R2 + R3 + R4

Req = 2+4+5+7 = 18

I = V/R
I = 9V/18 = 0.5 A

A 9V battery is connected to four resistors. Find

the equivalent resistance for the circuit and the
total current in the circuit.

1/Req = 1/R1+1/R2+1/R3+1/R4

1/Req = 1/2+1/4+1/5+1/7 =
0.92
I = V/R
I = 9V/0.92 = 9.8 A

Magnetism
Chapter 21

Magnets

Every magnet has poles which

contain opposite charges.
Like poles repel each other, and unlike
poles attract each other due to their
magnetic fields.

Magnetic Fields

Magnetic Field (B) region

around a magnet with magnetic
force
Magnetic Fields are measured in
Teslas (T)
The direction of the magnetic
field at any location is the
direction in which the north pole
of a compass needle points at
that location

Earths Poles

A compass is a magnet
Its north pole points north with
regard to the Earth
That means the magnetic South pole
of the Earth is near the geographic
North pole and the magnetic North
pole of the Earth is near the
geographic South pole!

Electromagnetism

When a wire is carrying a current it

creates a magnetic field of concentric
circles around the wire.
We use the right hand rule to
describe the direction of the field
around the wire. If the current
changes direction the magnetic field
changes direction.

Electromagnetism

Right hand rule: Pretend the wire is

grasped in your right hand with your
thumb pointing in the direction of the
current. Your fingers curl around the
wire in the direction of the magnetic
field.

Solenoids

When wires are looped, the magnetic field

works the same way.
Several closely spaced loops create a
device called a solenoid.
Solenoids generate a strong magnetic field

The more loops, the stronger the magnetic field

The magnetic field can also be increased by
inserting an iron rod through the center of the
loops

Solenoid

Electromagnetism