the electricity from electric sockets and circuits in a home

a brown wire in a mains circuit that has a voltage of ±230 V

a blue wire in a mains circuit that has a voltage of 0 V

a current passing through a person’s body that can be painful and sometimes harmful

a property of materials that makes it harder for current to flow

Danger from electric shock

Physics

Short circuits and earth wires

Power of an appliance or electric circuit

Calculating with electric charge

The National Grid

Energy resources

In the Circuit components unit, pupils learnt how the resistance of filament lamps and diodes change with current and about the properties and applications of light dependent resistors and thermistors.

This unit covers UK domestic a.c. supply, mains wiring safety, energy changes in electrical systems, power ratings, and energy transfer. It explains the National Grid, transformers, energy sources, and calculations for energy changes and power transmission efficiency.

Mains electricity

a complete circuit with a very small resistance, often caused by a loose wire

two layers of electrical insulation, including the outer casing of an appliance

a thin wire that melts when a dangerously large current flows through it

a wire connected between a metal casing and the ground (0 V)

a switch that is turned off by an electromagnet when a dangerously large current flows through it

the amount of energy transferred each second

the unit of power; equal to the number of joules of energy transferred each second

a unit of power; 1 kilowatt is equal to 1000 watts

an electrical property; it can either be positive or negative

the amount of electric charge flowing past a point in a circuit each second

the amount of energy transferred by each coulomb of charge, passing between two points in a circuit

a high voltage transmission system for getting electricity to where it is needed

a high voltage cable often seen between electricity pylons

a device that can change lower alternating voltages to higher ones

a device that can change higher alternating voltages to lower ones

the transfer of energy into the surroundings by heating

an energy resource that can be replenished as quickly as it is used or will not run out

an energy resource that cannot be replenished as quickly as it is used and will eventually run out

energy sources formed over millions of years from the remains of dead organisms

using energy resources so that, in the future, there will be enough for people's needs

Primary

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Secondary

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Mains electricity

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