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Electricity & Magnetism

Cambridge IGCSE Physics (0625) · 16 topics

Simple phenomena of magnetism

Magnetic and Non-Magnetic Materials A material can be described as magnetised or unmagnetised . Magnetic materials can be magnetised by a magnet, and in their…
Electric charge

Types of Electric Charge There are two types of electric charge: positive (+) and negative (−) Like charges repel two positive charges push apart, and two…
Electric current

What is Electric Current? An electric current is a flow of electric charge in metals, current is the flow of free electrons Defining Current Extended Only…
Electromotive force and potential difference

Electromotive Force (e.m.f.) Electromotive force (e.m.f.) is the electrical work done by a source in moving a unit charge around a complete circuit e.m.f. is…
Resistance

What is Resistance? The resistance of a conductor is the opposition it offers to the flow of electric current a good conductor has low resistance; a poor…
Electrical energy and electrical power

Energy Transfer in Circuits Electric circuits transfer energy from a source (an electrical cell or mains supply) to the circuit components , and then into the…
Circuit diagrams and circuit components

Circuit Symbols Circuit diagrams use standard symbols to represent components - you need to be able to draw and interpret each of these. Standard circuit…
Series and parallel circuits

Series Circuits In a series circuit , components are connected end-to-end in a single loop there is only one path for current to flow The current is the same at…
Action and use of circuit components

Voltage and Resistance Relationship For a constant current through a circuit, the p.d. across a conductor increases as its resistance increases from Ohm's law,…
Electrical safety

Electrical Hazards Several conditions create electrical hazards when using a mains supply: Hazard Risk Damaged insulation Exposed live wires can cause electric…
Electromagnetic induction

What is Electromagnetic Induction? Electromagnetic induction is the production of an e.m.f. (and hence current in a closed circuit) when there is relative…
The a.c. generator

Structure of a Simple A.C. Generator An a.c. generator converts kinetic energy to electrical energy using electromagnetic induction. The coil rotates between…
Magnetic effect of a current

Magnetic Field Around a Straight Wire When current flows through a straight wire, a magnetic field is produced around it. Oersted's Discovery In 1819, Hans…
Force on a current-carrying conductor

The Motor Effect When a current-carrying conductor is placed in a magnetic field , it experiences a force . This is called the motor effect . If the wire is…
The d.c. motor

The Motor Effect in Action A d.c. motor converts electrical energy to kinetic (rotational) energy using the motor effect. A current-carrying coil in a magnetic…
The transformer

What is a Transformer? A transformer changes an alternating voltage from one value to a greater or smaller value. It only works with a.c. , not d.c. A…