Exploring the Basics of Electricity for High School Students

[Fabian901]

Hi guys,
Basically I'm studying electricity at high school level and I need recommendation on a decent book that covers the basics on electricity as the official textbook misses a lot of detail and there's limited practice questions. I've been to several libraries but the books I've found, most of them at a University, are definitely at a higher level than what I need. The topics that I need to cover are the following:
- Circuit rules
- Resisstance (in series, in parallel..)
- Emf and internal resisstance
- More circuit calculations (circuits with cells in series, in parallel..)
- The potential divider
- Alternating currents
- Using an oscilloscope and how to use it as a dc voltmeter
I would also appreciate if those books come with a number of exercises to practice.
Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[RonL]

Hi guys,
Basically I'm studying electricity at high school level and I need recommendation on a decent book that covers the basics on electricity as the official textbook misses a lot of detail and there's limited practice questions. I've been to several libraries but the books I've found, most of them at a University, are definitely at a higher level than what I need. The topics that I need to cover are the following:
- Circuit rules
- Resisstance (in series, in parallel..)
- Emf and internal resisstance
- More circuit calculations (circuits with cells in series, in parallel..)
- The potential divider
- Alternating currents
- Using an oscilloscope and how to use it as a dc voltmeter
I would also appreciate if those books come with a number of exercises to practice.
Thanks a lot in advance!

I found this book and it became my go-to book most often.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0810459523/?tag=pfamazon01-20

If you need some practice projects on the cheap, Radio Shack has some pretty good ones by Nims.

 

[AdityaDev]

1)Halliday resnick and krane (contains both mechanics and electricity but cover all the important theories)
2)Halliday resnick and Jearl Walker(more basic)
3)try khanacademy.org

 

[Fabian901]

Thanks a lot for the help! One quick question that I came across. If I have a circuit with a battery of 6v and 2 resistors connected in parallel (one is 10 ohms and the other one is 0 ohms) what would be the current across the circuit? I know that the equivalent resistance would be 0 so the current wouldn't lose any energy would it? I'm assuming that there is no resistance in the wire and no internal resistance.

 

[AdityaDev]

Thanks a lot for the help! One quick question that I came across. If I have a circuit with a battery of 6v and 2 resistors connected in parallel (one is 10 ohms and the other one is 0 ohms) what would be the current across the circuit? I know that the equivalent resistance would be 0 so the current wouldn't lose any energy would it? I'm assuming that there is no resistance in the wire and no internal resistance.

Parallel combination formula
1/R = 1/a + 1/b
Where a and b are value of resistance provided a and b not equal to zero Since 1 divided by perfect zero is not defined.
In your question, and in every circuits, current has a tendency to take a path having least resistance. If your circuit is ideal (that is the wires used to connect have zero resistance), then all current passes though the "zero resistor" and indirectly you just short circuited the battery.
Since there is no potential drop and no loss in energy die to resistor, no energy is lost.[/B]

 

[davenn]

no energy is lost.[/

you sure about that ? ... try hanging onto a wire shorting out a battery and see if you change your mind

Really ... DONT DO IT ... you will find masses of energy lost as heat and it will burn you easily !

Dave

 

[Fabian901]

Okay, thanks for the answers :)!