Electricity and Electromagnetism Study Guide
1. What is electricity? the flow of electrons
2. What is the difference between static electricity and current electricity? static
electricity is the build up of charge on the surface of an object; current electricity is
the flow of electrons through a conductor/circuit
3. What are the three ways you can charge an object? Explain and give an example of
each.
4. Why does electric discharge occur? due to the difference in charge. The build up of
negative charges in an object is attracted to a positively charged object; therefore,
the electrons move from negative to positive. Lightening is an example of electric
discharge
5. What is a circuit? a complete path through which electrons can move
6. What three things are needed to build a complete circuit?
1. energy source (battery)
2. conductors (wire)
3. load (light bulb)
7. In the table below, compare and contrast series and parallel circuits. Draw a picture
of each using the correct symbols.
Series
Parallel
1. one path for electrons to flow
2. when you add bulbs, the bulbs get dimmer because
they share the current
3. one goes out, they all go out
1. more than one path
2. same brightness when you add bulbs
3. when one goes out, only the bulbs on that circuit go
out
