The Volt
An accumulation of electrostatic charge, such as an excess or shortage of electrons, is always […]
Electrical Units
Current Flow
If a conducting or semiconducting path is provided between two poles having a potential difference, […]
The Ampere
Current is a measure of the rate at which charge carriers flow. The standard unit […]
Resistance and the Ohm
Resistance is a measure of the opposition that a circuit offers to the flow of […]
Conductance and the Siemens
Electricians and electrical engineers sometimes talk about the conductance of a material, rather than about […]
Power and the Watt
Whenever current flows through a resistance, heat results. The heat can be measured in watts […]
A Word about Notation
Have you noticed some strange things about the notation yet? If you’re observant, you have! […]
Energy and the Watt-Hour
Have you heard the terms “power” and “energy” used interchangeably, as if they mean the […]
Other Energy Units
The joule, while standard among scientists, is not the only energy unit in existence! Another […]
Alternating Current and the Hertz
These topics, and this whole first section, is mostly concerned with direct current (dc). That’s […]
Rectification and Pulsating Direct Current
Batteries and other sources of direct current (dc) produce constant voltage. This can be represented […]
Safety Considerations in Electrical Work
For our purposes, one rule applies concerning safety around electrical apparatus: If you have any […]
Magnetism
Electric currents and magnetic fields are closely related. Whenever an electric current flows—that is, when […]
Magnetic Units
The overall magnitude of a magnetic field is measured in units called webers, abbreviated Wb. […]