Course 1: Electrical Principles

Course Overview To help us to understand electricity, we must first consider the nature of the fundamental building blocks that all substances and materials are made of. We must therefore start with the theory of atoms. According to the theory of atoms, all substances and materials, also called matter, consists of small particles called atoms. These atoms consists of even smaller particles called electrons, protons and neutrons. All electrical effects are caused either by: The movement of electrons from place to place, or The presence of too many electrons at the same place and at the same time, or The presence of too few electrons at the same place and at the same time.

Course Overview In this Topic, we will look at: The composition of matter – to get an understanding nature of substances and materials; Conductors, insulators & semi-conductors – to understand why certain materials will allow electric current to flow and why certain materials will prevent the flow of electric current; Ionisation – to understand the process by which electrically neutral atoms or molecules are converted to electrically charged atoms or molecules (ions); and Bonding forces within the atomic structure of solids – to get an understanding of how to improve the electrical conductivity of substances or materials.