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Circuits

+Why can’t you use lightning to power electrical devices?

Lightning releases large amount of electricity.

Devices need CURRENT to flow.

+What is electric current?

Continuous flow of electrons through a material

+What is the rate of electric current?

Amount of charge that passes through a wire in an amount of time

+What is an Ampere or amp?

Amount of charge flowing past a point each second

Andre Marie Ampere

+Wire A or Wire B. Wire A has more amps…

More amps means more electricity flowing

There is more charges (electrons) flowing in wire A than in wire B.

+Does electric current automatically exist in a material? NO WAY!!!

What does it need?

A specific and completed path to flow or follow

+To produce electric current…

Charges must flow from one place to another

+What is an electric circuit?

A complete, unbroken path through which electrons can flow

+Why is a racetrack like an electric circuit?

Cars can flow in a complete loop. If a piece is missing the cars can’t move.

+What would happen if a piece of the racetrack was removed?

Current couldn’t flow, so the cars couldn’t move.

+Closed versus Open

Closed Circuit

Closed, complete, unbroken path

Open Circuit

Incomplete or broken path

+What features do all circuits have?

1. Device run by electrical energy called a resistor

2. Source of electrical energy

3. Connected by conducting wire

+What are the roles of the following in a circuit?

Energy Source Makes charges move around or flow in a circuit

Resistor Transforms electrical energy into something (like light)

Switch Opens and closes the circuit

+Racetrack

+Racetrack

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+Symbols

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