06. Current affairs

What factors affect the size of the current in an electrical circuit?

Electric current

An electric current is a flow of of charge, and in a wire this will be a flow of electrons. We need two things for an electric current to flow:

1. something to transfer energy to the electrons, such as a battery or powerpack,

2. a complete path for the electrons to flow through.

Current

current is a measure of how much electric charge flow through a circuit. The more charge that flows, the bigger the current.

Current is measured in amperes. The symbol for ampere is A. The word 'ampere' is often abbreviated to 'amp', so people talk about how many amps flow.

Current can be measured using an ammeter, ammeters are connected in series in a circuit.

Activity - using the electrical circuit kits construct circuits to answer the following questions:

A. How does the current change in different parts in a circuit (series & parallel)?

B. How does the number of batteries in a circuit affect the current in a circuit (series & parallel)?

C. How does the number of bulbs in a circuit affect the current in a circuit (series & parallel)?

For each experiment you should take a photo, draw a circuit diagram on the whiteboard and write an explanation that answers the question.

You can record your work using the comic life app on the iPads.