Electricity and Magnetism Study Guide

Vocabulary Charge Static electricity Electric field Measurement of an object’s extra positive or negative particles. Charge that stays on an object. Space around an object where electric forces occur.

Vocabulary Electric current Circuit Electric cell conductor Flow of electric charges Path made for an electric current. Supplies energy to move charges through a circuit. Material that electric current can pass through easily.

vocabulary Insulator Resistor Series circuit Parallel circuit Material that electric current can’t pass through. Material that resists but doesn’t stop the flow of current Circuit with one path for electric current. Circuit with more than one path for current.

Resister

Insulator Conductors Do you remember the copper atom that we discussed? Do you remember how its valence shell had an electron that could easily be shared between other atoms? Copper is considered to be a conductor because it “conducts” the electron current or flow of electrons fairly easily. Most metals are considered to be good conductors of electrical current. Copper is just one of the more popular materials that is used for conductors.

Conductors and Insulators Conductors are made of materials that electricity can flow through easily. These materials are made up of atoms whose electrons can move away freely. Some examples of conductors are: Copper Silver Aluminum Water Platinum trees Gold people and animals Silver

Electricity will always take the shortest path to the ground. Your body is 60% water and that makes you a good conductor of electricity. If a power line has fallen on a tree and you touch the tree you become the path or conductor to the ground and could get electrocuted

The rubber or plastic on an electrical cord provides an insulator for the wires. By covering the wires, the electricity cannot go through the rubber and is forced to follow the path on the aluminum or copper wires.

Insulators Insulators are materials opposite of conductors. The atoms are not easily freed and are stable, preventing or blocking the flow of electricity. Some examples of insulators are: Glass Porcelain Plastic Rubber

vocabulary Magnet Magnetic poles Magnetic field electromagnet Object that attracts things made of iron or steel. Ends of a magnet Space around a magnet where the force acts. Arrangement of wire wrapped around a core.

An object has what charge if it has more negatives than positives? Negative

When two objects both have positive charges, the objects……. Repel each other

We use copper wire in our circuits because it ______________ electricity. Conducts

A bar magnet’s pull is strongest at…. Both poles

Magnets attract each other at… Opposite poles

Name 3 ways to control an electromagnet.  Turn the current on and off  Add coils of wire around the core  Decrease the amount of current by using a smaller battery

If a light bulb burns out, will the others stay lit? What type of circuit is this? No. A series circuit.

What type of circuit is this? If a light bulb burns out will the others stay lit? A Parallel circuit. YES.

Essay questions What two magnets make a compass work? How do they interact? The earth is a large magnet. The needle of a compass is a magnet. The needle is attracted to the north and south poles of the earth.

Essay question In what ways are electricity and magnetism alike? Both use a flow of electrons to push and pull objects. They both have positive and negatives. The opposites attract and repel.

Essay question What will happen if you put a compass next to an electromagnet that is switched on? The compass needle will turn because an electromagnet produces a magnetic field. The compass needle will move to line up with the flow of electrons.