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Lesson 7 of 16
  • Year 10

Electronic calculations

I can use calculations to determine the resistance, voltage or current at a given point in a control system.

Lesson 7 of 16
New
New
  • Year 10

Electronic calculations

I can use calculations to determine the resistance, voltage or current at a given point in a control system.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Ohm's law descibes the relationship between voltage, resistance and current.
  2. We can use Ohm’s law formula to calculate the value of voltage, current and resistance in electrical circuits.
  3. When calculating component values we often need to change the prefix.
  4. The technical specifications and dimensions of components are detailed on datasheets.

Keywords

  • Voltage (V) - the measure of the ‘push’ from a battery that causes charge to be transferred around a circuit

  • Current (I) - the rate of flow of charge in a circuit

  • Ohms (Ω) - the unit of resistance

  • Resistance (R) - is a property of a material, such as a metal, that opposes the flow of current

  • Ohm’s law - the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance in an electrical circuit

Common misconception

When we select a component, they are all the same.

Different circuits and control systems require different value components. Changing one will affect the others.


To help you plan your year 10 design and technology lesson on: Electronic calculations, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

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Teacher tip

Equipment

Access to tinkercad and calculators.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
What types of data could be collected from a greenhouse control system?

Correct answer: soil moisuture levels
annual rainfall
hours of daylight
Correct answer: light levels
Correct answer: temperature

Q2.
Order these units of measurement.

1 - 6mm
2 - 1.2cm
3 - 75cm
4 - 0.8m
5 - 1.2m
6 - 67m
7 - 6.7km

Q3.
What is it called when information is gathered which is then fed back into the system?

give back
take back
read back
Correct answer: feedback
review

Q4.
Match the unit of measurement to the definition.

Correct Answer:Watts,measurement of energy consumption

measurement of energy consumption

Correct Answer:Amps,measurement of the flow of electrons

measurement of the flow of electrons

Correct Answer:Volts,measurement of the electromotive force

measurement of the electromotive force

Correct Answer:Resistance,measurement of opposition to the flow of electric current

measurement of opposition to the flow of electric current

Q5.
AC and DC are types of current, match the descriptions.

Correct Answer:Direct current,current flows in one direction only

current flows in one direction only

Correct Answer:Alternating current,current direction periodically reverses

current direction periodically reverses

Q6.
What are the benefits of virtually simulating an electronic circuit or control system?

Correct answer: less expensive
Correct answer: test without damaging components
Correct answer: change the design quickly
specialist equipment needed
takes a long time

Assessment exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
Ohm's law is the relationship between ...

Correct answer: voltage.
watts.
Correct answer: current.
Correct answer: resistance.
amps

Q2.
A can be used to measure the current, voltage or resistance in a circuit, both physically and virtually.

Correct Answer: multimeter

Q3.
Order these current measruements from smallest to largest.

1 - 1000mA
2 - 2A
3 - 000.3kA

Q4.
What does a component data sheet show?

Correct answer: component dimensions
component reviews
Correct answer: component technical specifications
component comparisons