7.

2 : Electricity
Sources of Electrical Energy
•  Electricity :
Flow of
electrical
energy
through a
conductor
such as
wire
•  Common
sources :
Electric
cells &
batteries
Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  
 7.2 : Electricity
Sources of Electrical Energy
•  Simple cell :
–  Consists of 2
different metal
plates dipped into
a dilute acid,
alkali/ salt solution
–  Chemical reactions
in the cell change
chemical energy
into electrical
energy
–  Can supply 0.5V –
2.5V depends on
the metals &
solution used
–  Cannot be charged
Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  
 7.2 : Electricity
Sources of Electrical Energy
•  Dry cell
–  Commonly used
in electric
torches, clocks &
transistors
–  Changes chemical
energy into
electrical energy
–  Supplies steady
small current at
1.5V
–  Cannot be
charged & cannot
last long

Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  

 7.2 : Electricity
Sources of Electrical Energy
•  Lead-acid
accumulator
–  Consists of lead
plates dipped in
dilute sulphuric
acid
–  Changes chemical
energy into
electrical energy
–  Used in motor
cars
–  Supplies high
current at 12.0V
–  Can be charged &
lasts a long time
if it is looked
properly
Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  
 7.2 : Electricity
Sources of Electrical Energy
•  Bicycle dynamo
–  Supplies
electrical energy
to light a bulb on
a bicycle
–  Changes kinetic
energy to
electrical energy
•  Thermocouple
–  Electrical energy
is produced when
the twisted ends
of the 2 different
wires are heated
–  Changes heat
energy to
electrical energy
Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  
 7.2 : Electricity
Sources of Electrical Energy
•  Mercury battery
–  Changes chemical
energy to
electrical energy
–  Button-shaped
–  Used in automatic
cameras & wrist
watches
–  Supplies a small
steady current
–  Can last but
cannot be
charged
Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  
 7.2 : Electricity
Sources of Electrical Energy
•  Nickel-cadmium
battery
–  Changes chemical energy
to electrical energy
–  Used in handphones & for
emergency lighting
–  Can last a long time
–  Rechargeable
–  Explodes when burnt
•  Solar cell
–  Changes the energy in
sunlight to electrical
energy
–  Used in pocket
calculators & and in
photometers
–  Solar panels are used to
supply electrical energy
to satellites Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  
7.2 : Electricity

Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  

 7.2 : Electricity
Van de Graaff Generator
•  Van de Graaff
Generator : Used
to provide very
high voltage
electrostatic
charges on its
dome
•  Can produce
millions of volts
•  But the one used
in school can
only produce
about 120kV
(very low
current) Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  
 7.2 : Electricity
Van de Graaff Generator
•  When electric motor is
switched on, the two
plastic rollers turn
and move the rubber
belt
•  Friction between the
rollers & belt
produces electrostatic
charges on the belt
•  These charges are
collected on the dome
of the generator
•  Some produces
negative charges &
some positive charges
Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  
7.2 : Electricity

Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  

7.2 : Electricity

Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  

 7.2 : Electricity
Electric current
•  Electric current :
Flow of electrons
•  Electrons usually
orbit around the
nucleus of an atom
•  Some electrons
move about freely
among the fixed
atoms – free
electrons
•  Wire : Good
Conductor of Electric
Current as it has
many free electrons

Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  

 7.2 : Electricity
Electric current
•  In a normal wire, free electrons move about
freely in all directions
•  However, when the wire is connected to a
battery, electrons flows & produce an
electric current

Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  

 7.2 : Electricity
Electric current
•  In a circuit,
electrons flow from
–ve terminal of the
battery to the
external circuit &
then back to the
+ve terminal of the
battery
•  In a circuit, a
current flows from
the positive
terminal of the
battery to the
external circuit
then back to the
negative terminal
of the battery
Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  
 7.2 : Electricity
Voltage
•  Current flows from
a point of high
electric charge to a
point of low electric
charge
•  A force is required
to make electric
charges flow – this
force is called
VOLTAGE (battery)
•  Voltage : Electrical
force which pushes
electric charges
(electrons) from 1
point to another in
a conductor
Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  
 7.2 : Electricity
Voltage
•  Dry cell supplies 1.5V while a car battery supplies
12.0V
•  The higher the voltage, the more current (electrons)
it can push through
•  Hence, higher voltage produces a brighter light than
a low voltage

Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  

 7.2 : Electricity
Resistance
•  Resistance of a conductor
is its opposition to the
flow of a current through
it
•  A conductor which has
little resistance to a
current = Good conductor
•  Unit : Ohm (Ω)
•  Depends on
–  Length : the longer the
higher resistance
–  Diameter : the bigger the
smaller the resistance
–  Material : different metals
with different resistance
–  Temperature : higher
temperature, higher
resistance Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  
7.2 : Electricity
Resistance
•  Rheostat : Used in
lab to control
resistance in a
circuit
•  Principle : The
longer the wire, the
greater the
resistance
•  Resistors : Used to
control current
–  Brightness of a
bulb on stage
–  Speed of an
electric fan
–  Loudnes of a
radio
Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee  
7.2 : Electricity

Prepared  by  Ms  Sue  Soh  Ya  Lee