Circuit Symbols and Current Flow
Learning circuit symbols is like learning a new language – once you know them, you can read any electrical diagram. The most important ones include the switch (controls flow), lamp (converts electrical to light energy), resistor (opposes current), ammeter (measures current), and voltmeter (measures potential difference).
Current is simply the flow of electrical charges, measured in amperes. Here's something that might surprise you: conventional current flows from positive to negative, but electrons actually move the opposite way! Don't worry – we use conventional current in all our calculations.
Understanding charge is straightforward too. It's measured in coulombs and represents the amount of electrical "stuff" flowing. You can calculate it using: charge = current × time.
Quick Tip: Remember that current flows from positive to negative in circuit diagrams, even though electrons move the other way!