A closed path through which electrons flow is known as a circuit. Many people have different styles of explaining this. Any conductor which enables the electrons to flow through it and is closed is known as a circuit. If you can comprehend this basic thing, then all the simple as well as complicated things that revolve around it are understandable.
In your daily life, electric circuits have an important role to play. They are connected in many forms of practical applications. An electric circuit is based on three simple components: a device or tool, a source of electrical energy and a conductor with a closed loop. Still, if you want to better understand electric circuits, read on further for more information on the same.
Source of Energy
The foremost thing is the source of electrical energy, which allows the electrons to flow. The source can be anything, be it a battery, hydroelectric plant or solar cell. A hydroelectric plant is a place that contains positive and negative terminals through which the charge flows from one to the other. The intensity or push of the electric charge is referred to as voltage. It is measured in volts.
The device
Of course, the source of electrical energy is important. Apart from it the second thing is the device. It should respond to the passing current. In today’s world, anything which can be plugged into a socket and enables the use of electricity is a circuit device.
Moreover, the loop must be closed. It is done by incorporating the use of conducting material. The most commonly used closed loop of conducting material is a wire. This doesn’t mean that no other material can close the loop.
There are several of them available. For instance, a television has several metal strips, collectively deposited on its plastic surface. In other cases, the device’s chassis can also be the closed circuit if used correctly.
The Resistance In Electric Circuit
The third but most crucial part is the resistance. There should be some resistance in the flow of electrons. To form a wire, the electrons collide with each other. The collision gives birth to heat. This is a natural occurrence as transferring the energy from one form to another means that some energy will be lost as heat. The push of electrons can accelerate it.
Understanding Electric Circuit In A Flashlight
If you want to study a device that incorporates all the above three components, then it’s the flashlight. It’s a simple device that operates on the source of batteries.
A simple device should have a source, resistance, device and switch. The light bulb of the flashlight is the device towards which the current moves. The current passes through a filament which usually gets heated up at a quite high temperature, which is, in turn, responsible for the filament glowing brightly.
The circuit is closed with a metal strip located on the downside of the flashlight’s side barrel. To use the electrical source from the battery, a coil of wire is attached at the end of the flashlight, which is extended to the contact points for the battery. The other strip of wire encloses the circuit.
Other Components- Switch, Fuse & Circuit Breakers
Until now, we have discussed the component necessary to make a circuit. There are other components, such as a switch, fuse and circuit breakers. There are also several outlets in a circuit. Calculating the number of outlets in a circuit is easy. If there are numerous outlets, then the circuit should be strong enough to manage all the inflow and outflow of electrical energy.
A switch breaks the continuous flow of electrons in a conduction material. On the other hand, a fuse is the more extreme version of the switch. It is made so that it burns up if the current gets too high. It is used to prevent fires.
Types Of Electric Circuits
There are only two kinds of circuits that are commonly found in the household:
Series Circuits
A series circuit contains various devices connected in a single loop. All connected devices may have different voltages, but the current that flows through them is the same.
The downside of this one is if any device connected to the series circuit is broken. The whole connection of the circuit fails.
Parallel Circuits
The parallel circuit is quite the opposite of the series one. It also has several devices, but their arrangement is such that the voltage is supplied through a single source to different loops of conducting material like a wire. The voltage is the same, but the current that flows in the devices is different. The bright side of this one is that if any one device gets broken, the other ones are unaffected.
Conclusion
If you want to use electrical devices, having circuits in your house or any other workplace is essential. Circuits are also protected with conduits, tubes or boxes so that it’s safe for you to be around them. Moreover, circuits have become a necessity in our day-to-day practical lives. Without these, you can’t operate any device that conveniently works on electricity. Thus, you need circuits everywhere as today’s world depends entirely on electricity.
