Principles of Electricity and Building Materials

Atomic Structure and Electric Charge

The nucleus contains protons and neutrons, which make up most of the atom's mass. Electrons orbit around the nucleus. In principle, the nucleus always remains stable; the core of an atom never changes. All electrical processes are related to the movement and exchange of electrons.

Electric Charge: Electrons and protons possess a property called electric charge, which is responsible for all observed electrical phenomena. If an atom has more electrons than protons, it is negatively charged. If it has more protons than electrons, it has a positive charge. In both cases, this occurs by gaining or losing electrons; the number of protons never varies. Static electricity is the buildup of excess electric charge on a material, usually caused by friction.

Electric Current and Circuit Fundamentals

Electric current occurs when electrons pass through a conductor. This happens when there is an imbalance of charge between two points of the conductor. An electrical circuit is a set of connected elements through which an electric current flows. A circuit must include at least three elements: a generator, a conductor (or driver), and a receiver.

To allow the current to circulate, the circuit must be closed. The generator must be connected so that the current, after passing through the circuit, returns to the generator.

Key Circuit Components

• Generator: Responsible for creating and maintaining the voltage needed to produce the current.
• Conductors: The materials through which the current flows.
• Receivers: These receive electrical energy and transform it into other types of energy, such as heat, light, or movement.

Fundamental Electrical Quantities

In electrical circuits, there are three fundamental quantities: voltage (measured in volts), intensity (measured in amps), and resistance (measured in ohms). Voltage is also commonly referred to as potential difference.

Electrical Receivers and Lighting

Lamps are electrical components that convert electrical energy into luminous energy. They can be categorized as filament or discharge lamps.

Filament Lamps: These consist of a glass structure containing a fine wire called a filament. When current passes through the filament, it heats up, becomes incandescent, and emits light and heat. The inside of the glass structure contains an inert gas to prevent the filament from burning. A significant problem with these bulbs is that the majority of the energy is converted into heat, resulting in very low performance efficiency.

Common Construction Materials

The following materials are essential in the construction industry:

• Plaster (Yeso)
• Mortar
• Cement
• Concrete
• Reinforced Concrete
• Stone
• Glass and Ceramics