Thursday, 29 January 2015

2b) Mains electricity

Safety hazards of plugs:


  • If damaged -----> live parts could be exposed and you could get a shock
  • Frayed -----> live parts may not be covered 
  • Too long -----> trip hazard 
  • No water near electrical objects -----> very good conductors 
  • Metal conducts electricity -----> shock   
Earthing and fuses:
  1. If a fault develops -----> case is earthed down to earth wire 
  2. Surge in current -----> blows (melts) the fuse which cuts of live supply 
  3. Isolates the whole appliance -----> impossible to get an electric shock -----> prevents fires   
Resistors:
  • electric current -----> energy transfer 
  • heating effect -----> increases resistance 
  • can cause components to melt -----> circuits stop melting 
  • Fuses use the effect to protect circuits 
  • Advantages: good for toasters and old style light bulbs -----> due to heat 
Electrical Power -----> rate at which an appliance transfer energy 
  • high power rated appliances transfer a lot of energy in a short time; energy comes from current 
  • fuses are rated 
  • Power is measured in watts 
Electrical Power = Current x Voltage 
P = I x V 

Circuit breakers > Fuses:
  • electrical safety devices -----> (like fuse) protect circuit from damage 
  • detect a surge and break the circuit opening a switch 
  • can be easily reset -----> more convenient than fuses (they melt and have to be replaced) 
When a current flows through a component, energy is transferred

Energy Transferred = Current x Voltage x Time 
E = I x V x T 

Alternating Current:

the signal is a wavy line

Direct Current: 
the signal is a flat line at 1.5V

No comments:

Post a Comment