Definitions and Concepts for Edexcel Physics GCSE
Topic 10: Electricity and Circuits
Definitions in bold are for higher tier only
Definitions marked by ‘*’ are for separate sciences only
Alternating Current: Current flow consisting of charges that continually change
direction. These oscillations usually occur at a set frequency.
Ammeter: A device connected in series with a component to measure the current
that flows through it.
Amperes (Amps): The unit of current.
Circuit Breaker: A safety device that cuts off the power supply if a surge of
current passes through it. Circuit breakers can be reset and are quicker acting
than fuses.
Coulomb: The unit of charge.
Currents at a Junction: The sum of the currents entering a junction must always
equal the sum of the currents leaving it. This is a consequence of the conservation
of charge.
Diode: A component that only allows current to flow through in the forward
direction. They have very large resistances in the reverse direction.
Direct Current: Current flow consisting of charges flowing in a single direction
only. Batteries and cells provide direct current.
Earth Wire: The green and yellow striped safety wire connected to metal casings,
that prevents an appliance from becoming live.
Electric Current: The rate of flow of electrical charge. Its value is the same at any
position in a single closed loop. In metals, the charges that flow are electrons.
Energy Transfers in Circuits: Electrical energy is transferred to thermal energy
when current does work against a resistance. In metals this is a result of collisions
between electrons and ions.
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Filament Lamp: A light emitting component consisting of an enclosed metal
filament. Its resistance increases as the filament’s temperature increases.
Fuse: A safety device consisting of a thin metal filament that melts and cuts off the
power supply if there is a surge in current. Fuses are connected to the live wire.
Light Dependent Resistor (LDR): A light sensitive component whose resistance
decreases as its temperature increases.
Light Emitting Diode: A device that gives out light when a current flows through
it. Current can only flow through it in one direction, and a minimum voltage must
be applied across it before it illuminates.
Live Wire: The brown coloured wire that carries the alternating current from the
supply in a mains power supply.
Mains Electricity: An a.c supply, which in the UK has a frequency of 50Hz a
value of 230V.
Neutral Wire: The blue coloured wire that completes the circuit in a mains power
supply.
Ohmic Conductor: A conductor whose current flow is directly proportional to the
potential difference across it, when held at a constant temperature.
Ohms: The unit of resistance.
Ohm’s Law: The current flowing through an Ohmic conductor at constant
temperature is directly proportional to the potential difference across it.
Parallel: Components connected in parallel have the same potential difference
across each component. The total current is equal to the sum of the currents
flowing through each component.
Potential Difference: The energy that is transferred per unit charge between two
points in a circuit. It is often also called a voltage.
Power: The rate at which an appliance transfers energy. For a circuit component,
it is equal to the product of the current passing through it and the potential
difference across it.
Resistance: A measure of the opposition to current flow.
Resistors in Parallel: The total resistance is less than the lowest individual
resistance.
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Resistors in Series: The total resistance is equal to the sum of the resistances of
the individual resistors.
Series: Components connected in series have the same current passing through
each component but share the total potential difference of the power supply.
Thermistor: A temperature dependent component, whose resistance increases
as its temperature decreases.
Volt: The unit of potential difference. One volt is equal to one joule per coulomb.
Voltmeter: A device that is connected in parallel with a component to measure the
potential difference across it.
Watt: The unit of power.
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