ELECTRIC CIRCUIT AND ITS COMPONENTS

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT AND ITS COMPONENTS

All electrical appliances like lamps, heaters and air-conditioners, which work on electricity, are called Loads.

To pass electric current through any 'Load', it has to be connected to a source of electric power through wires called conductors.

A source of electric power (battery), loads and switches connected together through wires form an Electric Circuit.

There are many components or elements of an electric circuit:

Connecting wires: They are also called conductors.

Resistors, Rheostats: It consists of wires made of Manganin and constantan alloys. Resistors provide fixed resistance whereas rheostats provide variable resistance.              

Resistor	Rheostat

Battery: It is a combination of two or more cells.

Galvanometer: It is a device used for detecting flow of current.

Ammeter: Also called as ampere-meter, it is used to measure current. It is always placed in series with the circuit.

Voltmeter: Used for measuring potential difference. It is always connected in parallel across the circuit.

Closed electric circuit: In this, key is closed and current flows in the circuit continuously.

Open electric circuit: In this, key is open and no current flows in the circuit.

Wires crossing without joining

An electric cell

Electric bulb