Electricity

• Electricity is generated by burning fuels, coal, oil and natural gases.
• A Power station consists of three major parts:

  1. Builder
  2. Turbine
  3. Generator.

  The chemical energy of the fuels is changed into heat energy, which builds the water. The heat energy in steam is changed into kinetic energy in the turbine. The kinetic energy is changed in electrical energy.
• Energy conversion diagrams

  1. Solar Panel -> Fan = Solar -> Electrical -> Kinetic
  2. Battery to buzzer = Chemical (potential) -> Electrical -> Sound
  3. Battery to light = Chemical (Potential) -> Light or Heat
• Voltage = The potential difference (strength of current)
• Current = Number of electrons passing per second
• Resistance = How slow the current is (stoppage power)
• Electricity is the movement / flow of electrons
• A conductor is a substance that allows electricity to flow e.g. Metal

  An insulator is a substance that does not allow electricity to flow e.g. rubber, wood, plastic
• Voltage is measured in Volts (V)

  Current is measured in Amperes (A/Amps)

  Resistance is measured in Ohms
• A circuit is a complete pathway
• Ohms law states that Voltage = Resistance x Current
• A series circuit has one pathway for electricity to flow through, while a parallel circuit has multiple paths for electricity to flow through.
• In a parallel circuit, if one component fails, the other components still work because they have their own separate pathways for the current to travel along.
• In a series circuit, if any part breaks down or stops working then no current will be able to pass through it as there is only one pathway for the current to travel along.