Types of Electrical Wire in a Home

parallel circuit. An electric circuit that has more than one path for the electric charges to follow.

Most electrical wire is covered in a rubber or plastic coating called insulation. The purpose of insulation covering the metal part of an electrical wire is to prevent accidental contact with other conductors of electricity, which might result in an unintentional electric current through those other conductors.

• 14-gauge, 15-amp circuits.
• 12-gauge, 20-amp circuits.
• 10-gauge, 30-amp circuits.
• 8-gauge, 40-amp circuits.
• 6-gauge, 55-amp circuits.

A switch has two states Open or closed When a switch is open no current can flow through it. When a switch is closed current flows through it.

Electricity flows through water because it contains ions of dissolved salts and metals. Distilled water, which does not contain impurities, does not conduct electricity.

The liquid (vegetable oil) allows the electric current to pass through. Since, it is a good conductor of electricity. Oil is an insulator and is a bad conductor of electricity.

Oil is an Insulator i.e a Bad Conductor of Electricity. As an Insulator, the oil prevents the outer metallic casing from being electrocuted and being a Good Conductor of heat, it carries the heat from the core to the casing for dissipation.

Complete answer: Lemon juice has citric acid in it. Hence they can conduct electricity as these charged particles are able to flow inside the acid. Even though lemon as well as vinegar are weak conductors of electricity.

Is dirty water a conductor or insulator? Pure water is an insulator, dirty water conducts weakly, and saltwater—with its free-floating ions—conducts well.

Answer. Vinegar and lemon juice conduct electricity but they are weak conductors of electricity. Due to the presence of small amounts of acids in it, rainwater becomes a conductor of electricity.

An electric circuit consists of a completer closed path (or paths) for electric current. A “series” circuit has only one path for the electricity to follow. A “parallel” circuit has two or more paths for the electricity.

In a series circuit, the voltage is equally distributed among all of the bulbs. Bulbs in parallel are brighter than bulbs in series. In a parallel circuit the voltage for each bulb is the same as the voltage in the circuit.

The defining characteristic of a series circuit is that there is only one path for current to flow. In this circuit, the current flows in a clockwise direction, from point 1 to point 2 to point 3 to point 4 and back around to 1.

There are several factors that affect the resistance of a conductor;

• material, eg copper, has lower resistance than steel.
• length – longer wires have greater resistance.
• thickness – smaller diameter wires have greater resistance.
• temperature – heating a wire increases its resistance.

UNDERSTANDING & CALCULATING SERIES CIRCUITS BASIC RULES The same current flows through each part of a series circuit. The total resistance of a series circuit is equal to the sum of individual resistances. Voltage applied to a series circuit is equal to the sum of the individual voltage drops.

The current does not vary as it passes through each individual resistor. 2. In a series circuit the current is the same at any particular point on the circuit. The voltage in a series circuit, however, does not remain constant.

In series circuits, the resistor with the greatest resistance has the greatest voltage drop. Since the current is everywhere the same within a series circuit, the I value of ΔV = I • R is the same in each of the resistors of a series circuit. So the voltage drop (ΔV) will vary with varying resistance.

For light bulbs in series, the sum of the voltages across individual bulbs is the same as the source voltage. The voltage across each light bulb in the circuit decreases as more bulbs are added.

In a series circuit, every device must function for the circuit to be complete. One bulb burning out in a series circuit breaks the circuit. In parallel circuits, each light has its own circuit, so all but one light could be burned out, and the last one will still function.

Voltage is the difference in charge between two points. Current is the rate at which charge is flowing. Resistance is a material’s tendency to resist the flow of charge (current).

An electric current flows when electrons move through a conductor, such as a metal wire. This makes it more difficult for the current to flow, and causes resistance. The resistance of a long wire is greater than the resistance of a short wire because electrons collide with more ions as they pass through.

The current in a circuit is directly proportional to the electric potential difference impressed across its ends and inversely proportional to the total resistance offered by the external circuit. The greater the battery voltage (i.e., electric potential difference), the greater the current.