Study Guide for Electricity and Magnetism

Vocabulary: Electric charge: A basic property of the tiny particles that make up matter. They can be positive or negative.

Static electricity: The buildup of electric charges in one place.

Electric field: The area (space) around electric charges, where electric forces can act.

Electric current: A flow of electric charges.

Electric circuit: A continuous pathway that can carry an electric current.

Series circuit: An electric circuit with only one pathway for current.

Parallel circuit: An electric circuit with two or more paths for current.

Resistance: How much a material opposes or resists the flow of electric current.

Short circuit: A flaw in a circuit that allows a large current to flow through where it isn’t wanted.

Conductor: A material through which heat and electricity flow easily.

Insulator: A material that slows the flow of heat and electricity. In other words, it does not conduct electricity.

Electromagnet: A temporary magnet that has coils of current-carrying wire around an iron core.

What I need to know and be able to apply… Each vocabulary word If two objects have the same electric charge, they will repel. Example: negative will repel negative

and positive will repel positive. If two objects have the opposite electric charge, they will attract. A negatively material will attract a

positively charged material. Negative charges move easily through conductors. Most nonmetals are good insulators. Examples of insulators: rubber, plastic, cardboard, foam In a series circuit, if one bulb burns out (or other device), all of the lights in the circuit with stop

working. In a series circuit, the more light bulbs (or other device) you add, the dimmer they will become. To build an electric circuit you need, wires, light bulbs, battery. The electric current flows from the

battery, through the wire, to the light bulb, through the wire, and back to the battery. In a parallel circuit, if you remove a light bulb (or device), the other bulbs will continue to work. The advantages of using a parallel circuit is that there is more than one path for the electric current

to take. So, one light or device will not affect the other devices in the circuit. An electromagnet is a temporary magnet. It has a magnetic force only when an electric current

passes through the wire coil. To make the field stronger on an electromagnet, wrap the wire around a magnetic material, like an

iron nail. You can also increase the electric current. For example, add more batteries. In order to build an electromagnet, you need a battery, insulated wire, and an iron bar.

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