CHAPTER 17

Practical Electricity

© 2013 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Private Limited

Chapter 17 Practical Electricity

17.1 Uses of Electricity

17.2 Measuring Electrical Energy
17.3 Dangers of Electricity
17.4 Safety Features in Home
Circuitries
17.1 Uses of Electricity

Learning Outcome
At the end of this section, you should be able to:
• describe how electricity can be converted into
thermal energy by household appliances such
as electric kettles.
17.1 Uses of Electricity

• Electricity can be converted into many forms of energy.

• One such energy form is thermal energy.

Electric Heating
• Most household appliances that convert electrical
energy to thermal energy have heating elements that
are made of nichrome.
• Nichrome is used because it has high resistivity
and can withstand high temperatures.
• When an electric current passes through these
heating elements, they heat up rapidly.
17.1 Uses of Electricity

Electrical energy  Thermal energy

via

Heating elements
in appliances such as

Electric Electric
kettle radiator

Electric Electric
iron hotplate
 17.1 Uses of Electricity

Filament Lamp
• Filament lamps convert electrical
energy to light energy.
• The filament in the lamp is a
tungsten wire.
– It has a small cross-sectional area
and is coiled.
– When an electric current flows
through it, it is heated to about
2500°C.
– This intense heating effect
generates light.
• Tungsten is used because of its
high resistivity and high melting
point (3400°C).
Chapter 17 Practical Electricity

17.1 Uses of Electricity

17.2 Measuring Electrical Energy
17.3 Dangers of Electricity
17.4 Safety Features in Home
Circuitries
17.2 Measuring Electrical Energy

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this section, you should be able to:
• recall and apply the formulae P = VI and E = VIt;
• calculate the cost of using electrical appliances
where the energy unit is in kWh.
17.2 Measuring Electrical Energy

Electrical Power
• In Chapter 6, we learnt that power is the rate of
work done.
• In Chapter 15, we learnt that potential difference
is the work done to drive a unit charge through a
component.

W
P=
t VQ
P= P = VI
t
W
V=
Q Q
I=
t
17.2 Measuring Electrical Energy

Electrical Power

P = VI

V = IR

V2 P = I 2R
P=
R

• The SI unit of power is the watt (W).

• One watt is equal to one joule per second.
17.2 Measuring Electrical Energy

Electrical Energy
• Power is also defined as the rate of energy
conversion.
E
P=
t

• Rearranging this equation, we get an equation

to find the electrical energy E used in time t.
E = Pt

P = VI

E = VIt

• The SI unit of energy is the joule (J).

17.2 Measuring Electrical Energy

Electrical Energy

V2
P = VI P= P = I 2R
R

Multiply with time t

to get energy

E = VIt V2t E = I2Rt

E=
R
17.2 Measuring Electrical Energy

Worked Example 17.1.1

If a 20 W bulb operates for 10 s, how much energy
is consumed?

Solution
Energy consumed
=P×t
= 20 W × 10 s
= 200 J
 17.2 Measuring Electrical Energy

Worked Example 17.1.2 A

The bulb in the circuit is rated as

switch
60 W, 240 V. Determine the 240 V closed

resistance of the bulb.

Solution 1: Solution 2:
V2
Power of the lamp, P = VI Power of the lamp, P =
60 W = 240 V × I R
I = 0.25 A (240 V)2
60 W =
R
p.d. across the lamp, V = RI
R = 960 Ω
240 = R × 0.25
R = 960 Ω
17.2 Measuring Electrical Energy

Calculating the Cost of

Electricity Consumption

• The cost of electricity consumed

is based on the number of
kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electrical
energy consumed.
• 1 kWh
= the energy consumed by a
1 kW device in 1 h
= 1 kW × 1 h
= 1000 W × (60 × 60) s
= 3.6 × 106 J
17.2 Measuring Electrical Energy

• Electricity consumption is measured in

kilowatt-hours (kWh).
17.2: Measuring Electrical Energy

From the Figure in previous slide, under the

heading ‘Electricity Services’, the number of
units of electricity consumed is 149 kWh at a
rate of $0.2728 (or 27.28 cents per kWh).

Therefore, the cost of electricity consumption is

149 × $0.2728 = $40.65
which is correctly indicated in the last column
of the bill.
 Work Example 17.2.1
Calculate the total cost of using a 3kW electrical
kettle for 20 minutes and a 100 W filament bulb for
5 hours if the cost of electricity is 27 cents per unit
(kWh).

Answer:
Electrical energy used by electric kettle,
E1 = P × t = 3 kW × (20/60)h = 1 kWh
Electrical energy used by bulb,
E2 = (100/1000)kW × 5 h = 0.5 kWh
Total energy used E = E1 + E2 =1+0.5 = 1.5 kWh
Hence the total cost =1.5×27=40.5cents=$0.41
Practice time
Workbook Worksheet 17
(Page 153 – 159)

Section A Q1, 3,
Section B Q2, 5
Section C Q1
Chapter 17 Practical Electricity

17.1 Uses of Electricity

17.2 Measuring Electrical Energy
17.3 Dangers of Electricity
17.4 Safety Features in Home
Circuitries
17.3 Dangers of Electricity

Learning Outcome
At the end of this section, you should be able to:
• state how the use of electricity can be hazardous.
17.3 Dangers of Electricity

Dangers of Electricity

Two major dangers:

• Electric shock
• Fire

They are caused by:

• Damaged Insulation
• Overheating of Cables
• Damp (wet) Environments
 17.3 Dangers of Electricity
Damaged Insulation

exposed wires

• When the insulating material covering the conducting

wires gets worn or damaged, the conducting wires
may be exposed.
• Exposed conducting wires can cause electric shocks
if touched.
• damaged insulation between live and neutral wire may
result in a short circuit leading to fire
17.3 Dangers of Electricity

Overheating of Cables
• Overheated cables can lead to fires.
• Two common causes of overheated cables:
– Overloaded power sockets
When a power socket is
overloaded, an unusually
large current flows through the
wires.
– Use of inappropriate wires
Appliances that require high
power to function need thicker
wires.
17.3 Dangers of Electricity

Damp Environments

• Water is a good conductor of electricity

• Water in contact with exposed electrical wires
provides a conducting path for current.
• This can lead to electric shocks.
• Electrical appliances should be kept in dry places and
handled with dry hands.
• Wet skin has resistance (less than 1000 Ω) much
lower than dry skin (resistance 100 000 Ω or more)
and thus more dangerous.
17.3 Dangers of Electricity

Current and its effects

17.3 Dangers of Electricity

Work Example 17.3.1

If an electrician accidentally touches a live wire of 240 V,
what possible effect would he experience if his skin
(a) were dry and had a resistance of 100 000 Ω,
(b) were wet and had a resistance of 1 000Ω.

Answer:
𝑉𝑉 240
(a) I = = = 0.0024 𝐴𝐴 (harmless shock)
𝑅𝑅 100 000

𝑉𝑉 240
(b) I = = = 0.24 𝐴𝐴 (uncoordinated contraction of heart)
𝑅𝑅 1000
Chapter 17 Practical Electricity

17.1 Uses of Electricity

17.2 Measuring Electrical Energy
17.3 Dangers of Electricity
17.4 Safety Features in Home
Circuitries
17.4 Safety Features in Home Circuitries

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this section, you should be able to:
• describe the function of fuses and circuit
breakers;
• explain why metal cases should be earthed and
double insulation is important;
• define the terms live, neutral and earth;
• describe the wiring in a mains plug, and the
safety mechanisms in place;
• explain why switches, fuses and circuit
breakers are fitted to the live wire.
17.4 Safety Features in Home Circuitries

Safety features that can be found in our homes:

1. Circuit breakers
2. Fuses
3. Switches
4. Earthing
5. Three-pin plugs
6. Double insulation
17.4 Safety Features in Home Circuitries

Circuit Breakers
• Circuit breakers are safety devices that can switch off
the electrical supply in a circuit when large currents
flow through them.
• Without circuit breakers, a surge of current can
damage home appliances or even cause a fire.
• Circuit breakers are connected to live wires.
Circuit Breakers
• Circuit breakers are an application of
electromagnetism.

• A circuit breaker is a safety device

that switches off the electrical supply
when there is excessive current flow.

• One of the core components of the

circuit breaker is the electromagnet.
 Circuit Breakers
➊ Switch is in ‘on’ position
➋ Current is below limit

Magnetic field produced by

solenoid is weak

Soft iron latch is not

attracted to solenoid

➌ Safety bar stays in position and

circuit breaker interrupt point
under normal remains closed
conditions
Current flows normally
 Circuit breakers

➍ Short circuit or
overloading

Surge in current

➎ Magnetic field produced

by solenoid is strong

Circuit breaker when Soft iron latch attracted

current is excessive to solenoid
 17.4 Safety Features in Home Circuitries
Fuses
• Fuses have the same function as circuit breakers.
They prevent excessive current flow.
• However, unlike a circuit breaker that can be reset after it
trips, a fuse must be replaced after it blows.
• Fuses are connected to live wires.
• Fuse rating should be slightly higher than operating current

– A fuse consists of short, thin piece of wire.

– If the current flowing through it is too large,
the wire heats up and melts.
– This causes the circuit to be opened
(current no longer flows in the circuit).
17.4 Safety Features in Home Circuitries

Fuses

Common fuse rating:3A, 5A, 13A

Correct usage:
Choose a fuse which can take a
current slightly larger that the
maximum current that is allowed to
run through it.
17.4 Safety Features in Home Circuitries

Worked Example
Which of the following fuses is suitable fuse for
an electrical iron rated ‘240V, 900 W’?
A 1A B 3A C 5A D 10A
P=VI
900 = 240 I
I = 3.75 A

Answer: 5 A ( C )
(Fuses should have a current rating that is just
slightly higher than the current used by the
electrical appliance).
17.4 Safety Features in Home Circuitries

Question
Which circuit diagram shows the correct way of
connecting a fuse? Why?
A B
appliance appliance

live wire neutral wire live wire neutral wire

mains mains

Answer: A . Fuse must be connected along the live

wire so that when it melts, it will cut off the high
potential from the appliance.
 17.4 Safety Features in Home Circuitries

Switches
• Switches are designed to break or complete an electric
circuit.
• They should be fitted to the live wire of the appliance.
Due to an electrical fault,
the live wire touches the
metal casing of the
appliance.

1 • However, the switch fitted on the live wire

2 No current flows
disconnects the metal casing from the live through the person
wire when it is opened. touching the casing.
• The metal casing is at low voltage (almost
0 V).
 17.4 Safety Features in Home Circuitries

Earthing
There are usually three wires in a home
circuit:
• Live wire (colour: brown) earth neutral
– connected to a high voltage and delivers
current to the appliance
– is the wire to which circuit breakers,
fuses and switches are fitted
• Neutral wire (colour: blue)
– completes the circuit by providing a
live
returning path to the supply
– at 0 V
• Earth wire (colour: yellow and green)
– low resistance wire
– connected to the metal casing of
appliances
17.4 Safety Features in Home Circuitries

Earthing
• Imagine that an electrical fault causes the live
wire to be in contact with the washing machine’s
metal casing.
• What will happen if you touch the washing
machine’s metal casing?
• You will get an electric shock!
17.4 Safety Features in Home Circuitries

Earthing
• Earthing can prevent electric shocks.

• Even though the live wire is in contact with the metal

casing, the current flows to the ground through the
earth wire and not the person.
17.4 Safety Features in Home Circuitries

Three-Pin Plug
• The fused plug used in Singapore is a three-pin plug.
It is also known as a safety plug.
• Safety features:
– The cartridge fuse
protects the appliance
when there is an
electrical fault.
– The earth wire protects
the user from electric
shocks in the event that
an electrical fault
causes the appliance to
be live.
17.4 Safety Features in Home Circuitries

Double Insulation
• Do you notice that not all electrical appliances
have a three-pin plug? For some of them, their
plugs have only two pins each.
• These appliances do not have an earth wire.
• Instead, they have double insulation to protect
users from electric shocks.
– The electric cables are insulated from the internal
components of the appliance.
– The internal components are insulated from the
outer casing.
17.4 Safety Features in Home Circuitries

Double Insulation
• Appliances with double insulation typically have
non-metallic casings (e.g. plastic).
Household Electrical Wiring
 Lighting Circuits

Lighting Circuits
•Each circuit has its own fuse in the consumer unit

Question:
If all three bulbs are switched on at the same time,
what is the total current?
Is the 5 A fuse suitable?
 Chapter 17 Practical Electricity

Dangers
Electrical energy E • Damaged insulation
have
(SI unit: J) • Overheated cables
consumed in households • Damp conditions
can be calculated
using

E = VIt Safety features

where • Circuit breakers
V = potential difference • Fuses
I = current • Correct placement
t = time taken of switches
cost of energy • Earthing
related to
consumed • Three-pin plugs
electrical power
calculated using P by • Double insulation
Kilowatt-hour E
P=
t
P = VI
Practice time
Workbook Worksheet 17
(Page 153 – 159)

Section A Q2, 4, 5
Section B Q1, 3, 4
Section C Q2 - 4