Hello everyone!
This term, for science, we have been learning about what electricity is and how it works. As a way of showcasing our knowledge, we had to write a blog post explaining our answers to some questions, based on our understanding of this topic. This post will contain my answers for our electricity blog assessment.
Part 1: Constructing a series circuit and a parallel circuit with two bulbs and one switch
- Series circuit
PHET circuit:
Real circuit:
Drawn circuit:
- Parallel
PHET circuit:
Real circuit:
Drawn circuit:
Part 2: Defining current and voltage – identifying their differences
1. Definitions
Current:
Electrical current is the rate at which tiny negative particles, known as electrons, travel through a conductor in a circuit, such as a metal wire. In other words, it’s the rate of electrical charge flowing from place to place.
This starts when a power source, like a battery, pushes electrons to one side. This creates an imbalance, leaving one side of the circuit crowded with extra negative electrons, while the other lacks them. The circuit acts as a path for these electrons to travel through conductors toward the positive side, and that’s what creates the electric current as they race to balance everything out. To measure how much current is flowing, we use a unit called amperes (amps). The tool used to measure this is called an ammeter, which needs to be wired directly into the circuit and connected in series. This is so that the flowing electrons can pass through it to be accurately measured.
Voltage:
Voltage is the electrical pressure that forces electrons to move. It is part of what creates the current, as it provides an energy difference between two points.
Like the electric current, this begins when imbalance occurs and one side of the circuit is positively charged while the other is negatively charged. Due to the tightly squished electrons that desperately want to push away from each other, an electrical pressure (voltage) is created. That voltage acts as a driving force that pushes the electrons forward, aiming to balance out the positive and negative sides. To measure this electrical pressure, we use a unit called volts (V). The tool used to measure this is called a voltmeter, which is connected in parallel across a component. This ensures precise measuring regarding the energy difference between two separate points.
2. Comparisons
Differences:
While both elements work together as a team, sharing the same goal of balancing out the sides, voltage and current have two completely different jobs. Voltage is the electrical pressure that forces the electrons to navigate between two points. On the other hand, current is the actual flow of those electrons themselves as they travel through the circuit. In short, voltage is the driving force that makes the electricity move, and current is the actual movement of the electricity itself.
Brightness distinction:
In a parallel circuit, the bulbs are brighter than ones placed in series. This is because of how voltage and current behave across the setups. In a parallel circuit, each branch receives the full voltage of the power source, which means every bulb gets the full electrical pressure and its own path for current to flow through. In comparison, in a series circuit, the voltage is divided among all the bulbs, and the single pathway restricts the total current. Therefore, all of this results in a series circuit having dimmer bulbs than parallel circuits.