Electrical charge and current: Electricity: Physics: GCSE (9:1)

• Charge

  A property of something which experiences a force when placed in an electric field

  
• Electrons


  Negatively charged particles that transfer energy through wires

  
• Current


  The rate of flow of electric charge (electrons) around a circuit

  
• Ammeter


  A device used to measure current through a component (must be placed in series with that component)

  
• Direct current (dc)


  An electric current which flows consistently in one direction around a circuit

  
• Alternating current (ac)


  An electric current that continually reverses direction and changes size

  
• Q = It


  The equation linking charge flow, current and time

  
• Q


  The symbol for charge flow
• I


  The symbol for current
• t

  The symbol for time
• Amps/amperes (A)


  The SI unit for current

  
• Coulombs (C)


  The SI unit for charge flow

  
• Seconds (s)


  The SI unit for time