Essential Concepts of Electric Circuits and Power

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Key Electrical Terminology

  • Electric circuit: Circuito eléctrico
  • Electric current: Corriente eléctrica
  • Flow of electrons: Flujo de electrones
  • Load: Carga
  • Cells: Células
  • Battery: Batería
  • Electrochemical cell: Célula electroquímica
  • Wires: Cables
  • Light bulb: Bombilla
  • Resistor: Resistencia
  • Switch: Interruptor
  • Push button: Interruptor de botón
  • 3-Way switch: Interruptor de 3 salidas
  • Fuse: Fusible
  • Conductor: Conductor
  • Insulator: Aislante
  • Semiconductor: Semiconductor

Fundamentals of Electric Circuits

  • An electric circuit consists of a generator, a switching device, and a load.
  • The amount of energy that a generator can transfer to electrons depends on its voltage (V), measured in volts (V).

Circuit Connection Types

  • Series: Two or more elements are connected in series when the output of one element is the input of the next. The current flowing through all elements is the same.
  • Parallel: Two or more elements are connected in parallel when they share the same input and output. The potential difference of each element is the same.
  • Combination: If a circuit has some elements in series and others in parallel, it is a combination circuit.

Current, Energy, and Power

  • Electric current: The charge or number of electrons that flow through the cross-section of a conductor every second. It is measured in amperes or amps (A).
  • Electrical energy: The energy that keeps the electrons of a circuit in motion. Provided by a generator and consumed by loads, it is measured in joules (J).
  • Electric power: The amount of energy a load can transform over time. Measured in watts (W) or kilowatts (kW). Calculated as P = V x I.

Measurement Units

  • Voltage: Measured in volts.
  • Electric current: Measured in amps.
  • Resistance: Measured in ohms.
  • Electrical power: Energy consumed over time, measured in watts (W) or kilowatts (kW).

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