A series circuit is one in which electric current ( I ) travels along a closed path that does not split apart: *** Note: Conventional current consists of positive charges that flow from the positively charged anode to the negatively charged cathode. In reality, negatively charged electrons flow in the opposite direction. *** The diagram,Continue reading “INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS: Series Circuits”
Tag Archives: voltage
INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS: Electron Volts vs. Kilowatt Hours ( Part 1 )
Although related, voltage ( V ) and power ( P ) are fundamentally different entities. The voltage within an electrical system is a measure of how many joules ( J ) of energy each coulomb ( C ) of charge ( q ) carries with it. Power is a measure of the rate at whichContinue reading “INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS: Electron Volts vs. Kilowatt Hours ( Part 1 )”
INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS: Direct Current ( DC ) Voltage, Current, and Resistance
An introductory discussion of electronics would be remiss without a conceptual analysis of DC voltage ( Vdc ), current ( I ), and resistance ( R ). Most students readily adapt to teaching strategies that relate new topics to familiar themes and everyday life experiences. Visual aids are of preeminent importance to new and seasonedContinue reading “INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS: Direct Current ( DC ) Voltage, Current, and Resistance”
ELECTRONICS: Kirchhoff’s Laws
Q: What are the values of the currents ( I ) and unknown voltage drops ( V ) across the resistors ( R ) pictured below? A: The first problem-solving step involves assigning labels to the junctions ( j ) in the circuit: We must now sketch the currents flowing in the circuit: The currentContinue reading “ELECTRONICS: Kirchhoff’s Laws”
ELECTRICITY: Wattage
Q: A parallel electrical circuit connects the electrical outlets located within a room. A 20-A fuse is put into place to protect the circuit from unexpected surges of current ( I ). The voltage drop across each circuit element is V = 120 V. What is the maximum power ( W ) output that canContinue reading “ELECTRICITY: Wattage”
FINDING THE LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR ( LCD ) OF FRACTIONS AND DETERMINING THE TOTAL RESISTANCE ( Rt ) OF PARALLEL ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS:
FINDING THE LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR: Let’s first envision putting two half pieces of a pie together to get a full pie. Numerically, this would involve adding ( 1/2 ) + ( 1/2 ) = ( [ 1 + 1 ] / 2 ) = ( 2/2 ) = 1 whole pie. This example was madeContinue reading “FINDING THE LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR ( LCD ) OF FRACTIONS AND DETERMINING THE TOTAL RESISTANCE ( Rt ) OF PARALLEL ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS:”
ELECTRICITY: Series and Parallel Electrical Circuits
Note: The problem is much easier when one is familiar with what a series vs. parallel circuit looks like. Fortunately, plenty of examples can be found on the internet. Q: Two resistors are submitted to a 12 V potential. When linked together, the current is of 1.33 A. When in parallel, the current is 5.4Continue reading “ELECTRICITY: Series and Parallel Electrical Circuits”
ELECTRICITY: Direct Current and Parallel Resistors
INTRODUCTION TO DIRECT CURRENT ( DC ) ELECTRONICS : Note: Assuming each resistor ( R ) = 64 Ohms, what is the equivalent resistance of the circuit from points A to B ? Symmetry regarding the flow of electrons is the key to calculating the total resistance ( R ) of this circuit. Let’s suppose theContinue reading “ELECTRICITY: Direct Current and Parallel Resistors”
ELECTRICITY: Kirchhoff’s Rules and Negative Current Values
Voltage, where V = IR, is the product of the current ( I ) of Amperes in an electrical circuit in units of coulombs per second ( q/s ), and resistance ( R ) in Ohms. Likewise, voltage is defined as the amount of energy in Joules ( J ) a coulomb of charge carriesContinue reading “ELECTRICITY: Kirchhoff’s Rules and Negative Current Values”