CBSE G+07 Electric+Current+and+Its+Effects Notes

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Class Notes

Electric Current and its Effects


Grade 07
Topics to be Covered

1 Electric Components
1.1 Symbols of electric components
1.2 Electric cell and battery

2 Electric Circuits
2.1 Open and closed circuits
2.2 Circuit diagram

3 Heating Effect of Electric


Current
3.1 Factors affecting heat generation
3.2 CFLs and ISI mark
3.3 Electric fuses and MCBs
Topics to be Covered

4 Magnetic Effect of
Electric Current
4.1 Oersted's experiment

5 Electromagnets
5.1 Strength of an electromagnet
5.2 Uses of electromagnets
5.3 Electric bell
1. Electric Components

An electric circuit consists of various components such


as cell, switch, bulb, etc.

1.1 Symbols of electric components

• Symbols ease the representation of an electric


component.

• It makes the circuit drawing easier and more compact.

• Symbols of different components are given below:

Electric bulb

Switch on

Switch off

Wire

Electric Cell

Battery
1. Electric Components

1.2 Electric cell and battery

• An electric cell is a common


source of electricity,
which converts chemical energy
stored in it to electrical energy.

• It has a positive and a negative Electric cell


terminal.

• A battery is defined as a combination of two or more


cells. In a battery, the negative terminal of one cell is
connected to the positive terminal of the next cell and
so on.

+ _ + _ _ _
+ +

Battery of four cells

• Batteries are used in several devices such as toys,


remote control, torches, etc.
2. Electric Circuits

An electric circuit provides a complete path for the


flow of electric current. A simple circuit consists of an
electric cell, a bulb, a switch, and connecting wires.

2.1 Open and closed circuits

• If any part of a circuit is Bulb


broken, electric current
does not flow through it Switch
and such a circuit is Wire
called an open circuit.
Cell

• If there are no breaks Bulb


in a circuit, it provides a
closed path for the flow
of electric current and Switch Electric
such a circuit is called a Current
closed circuit.
Cell

• Electric current can flow only through a closed


circuit.

• In a closed circuit, electric current flows from the


positive terminal of the battery to its negative
terminal.
2. Electric Circuits

2.2 Circuit diagram

• An electric circuit can be drawn on a paper with the


help of the symbols that are used for representing the
electric components. Such a representation of an
electric circuit using its symbols is called an electric
circuit diagram.

Bulb

Switch Wire

Cell

Bulb

Current
Switch
Wire

Cell

An electric circuit and its circuit diagram


3. Heating Effect of Electric Current

When an electric current flows through a conductor,


the conductor gets heated up. This is known as
the heating effect of electric current.

• Electric irons, room heaters, incandescent bulbs,


geysers are some of the electric appliances which work
on heating effect of electric current.

Electric iron Room heater Incandescent bulb

• All these heating devices have a coil of wire called an


element. When the appliance is switched on, the
element becomes hot and gives out heat.

Heating element
Electric iron
3. Heating Effect of Electric Current

3.1 Factors affecting heat generation

The heat that is produced in the wire depends upon


the following factors (Provided that the current
flowing through the wires is the same):
• The material of the wire
• The length of the wire
• The thickness of the wire

Material of the wire Length of the wire Thickness of the wire

3.2 CFLs and ISI mark

• CFLs and LEDs are preferred over


bulbs because they consume less
energy due to less wastage in the
form of heat.

• If any appliance holds an ISI mark,


it means that it is safe to use, and it
will lead to minimum wastage of
electricity.
3. Heating Effect of Electric Current

3.3 Electric fuses and MCBs

A fuse or an electric fuse is a safety device which is


used to protect the electric circuit and devices in the
circuit from excess current passing through them.

Household fuse Appliance fuse

• Electric fuse works on the principle of the heating


effect of electric current. It is made up of an alloy of
tin and lead and has a low melting point.

• When current in a circuit exceeds the safe limit, the


fuse wire gets heated and melts. This breaks the
circuit, thus saving appliances connected in the
circuit.

• Excessive current can flow in the circuit due


to overloading or short circuit.
3. Heating Effect of Electric Current

3.3 Electric fuses and MCBs

• A miniature circuit breaker or MCB is generally


preferred over a fuse.

MCB

• MCB is preferred over an electric fuse because in


electric fuse, the fuse wire melts and needs to be
replaced when excess current flows through it.

• MCB is a switch which


automatically turns OFF when ON
current in a circuit exceeds
the safe limit. It can be turned
ON to make the circuit OFF
complete again.
4. Magnetic Effect of Electric Current

When electric current passes through a wire, it


behaves like a magnet. This is called the magnetic
effect of electric current.

4.1 Oersted's experiment

• Hans Christian Oersted, a scientist, discovered that


the needle of a compass deflects when an electric
current is passed through a wire placed near the
compass.

Current

OFF ON

Deflection in compass needle due to electric current


5. Electromagnets

• An electromagnet is a device that acts as a magnet


when electric current flows through its coil.

Iron nail

Coil wire

Iron pins

• It consists of a magnetic material such as a soft iron


piece and a coil of insulated copper wire tightly
wound around it.

• The material on which the insulated wire is wound is


called its core.

• It is a temporary magnet that loses its magnetism


when the current through the circuit is stopped.
5. Electromagnets

5.1 Strength of an electromagnet

The strength of an electromagnet can be increased by


increasing:

• the amount of current flowing through the coil.

Less current More current

• the number of turns of coil.

Less number of turns More number of turns


5. Electromagnets

5.2 Uses of electromagnets

• Electromagnets are used in toys.

• They are used in cranes to separate magnetic


materials from junk and to lift heavy objects such as
cars.

Scrap metal collector

• They are used by doctors to remove any magnetic


materials that have fallen in the eyes.

• Electromagnets are used in domestic appliances such


as electric bells, speakers, etc.
5. Electromagnets

5.3 Electric bell

Components of an electric bell:

• A coil of wire wound over an iron piece that forms the


electromagnet
• An iron strip with a hammer at one end
• A contact screw attached to the iron strip
• A battery
• A switch
• A gong which when struck by the hammer
produces sound.

Gong
Hammer

Contact screw Electromagnet

Iron strip

Battery Switch
5. Electromagnets

5.3 Electric bell

Working of an electric bell:

• When the switch of the bell is ON, an electric current


flows through the coil which makes the iron piece
attached to it act as an electromagnet.

• As a result, the iron piece attracts the hammer towards


itself. The hammer thus hits the gong and produces
sound.

• As the hammer moves towards the iron piece, it moves


away from the contact screw and breaks the circuit.

Contact
breaks
5. Electromagnets

5.3 Electric bell

Working of an electric bell:

• As the circuit breaks, no current flows through the coil


which makes the electromagnet lose its magnetism. As
a result, the hammer returns to its original position.

• The hammer then makes a contact with the contact


screw and thus completes the circuit.

• This again turns the iron piece into an electromagnet


and the whole process continues until the bell is
switched OFF. This results in the continuous ringing of
the bell.
Mind Map

Open and
Circuit diagram
closed circuits

Electric Factors affecting


circuits heat generation

Electric
components
and their
Heating
symbols
effect
Electric
Current and
its Effects Electric fuses
and MCBs

Magnetic Effect Oersted’s


experiment

Electromagnets

Applications Electric bell

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