Table of Contents
Voltage attempts to make a current flow, and current will flow if the circuit is complete. It is possible to have voltage without current, but current cannot flow without voltage.
Why does no current flow if there is no voltage?
Now, you can’t have currents without voltages because if there’s a current there’s a charge moving, and every charge produces a voltage, but you can have currents without voltage differences in space.
What is necessary for current to flow?
In order for a current to flow, the circuit must be closed; in other words, there must be an uninterrupted path from the power source, through the circuit, then back to the power source. Voltage is sometimes called electric potential and is measured in volts.
Does current flow when voltage is zero?
If you have ZERO volts then you don’t have a voltage therefore you have no current. The ohms law you quoted is not applicable for ZERO volts. When you DO have current flow, then SOMEWHERE there is a voltage that is not ZERO.
Why do I have voltage but no amperage?
The most common cause of no amperage is a bad contact somewhere between the rectifier and the load. To determine if this is the case, measure the voltage between the load and the anode bar. If you have little or no voltage, there is a bad connection somewhere and you must find it and correct it.
What makes current flow?
Electric current is flow of electrons in a conductor. The force required to make current flow through a conductor is called voltage and potential is the other term of voltage. For example, the first element has more positive charges, so it has higher potential.
How current is generated?
When a voltage is applied to a conductor or semiconductor, electric current starts flowing. In conductors, positively charged protons are held in a fixed position and the negatively charged electrons move from one place to another place by carrying the charge. Thus, electrons conduct electric current in conductors.
What causes electricity to flow?
Electricity is created when an outside force causes electrons to move from atom to atom. The flow of electrons is called an “electrical current.” What causes the electrons to move? Voltage is the “outside force” that causes electrons to move.
Will current flow if there is no resistance?
Short version: Yep. That’s what a short circuit is. Typically, you will get current to flow as long as it has a path with finite resistance (even zero), a voltage difference, and a supply of charge carriers (e.g., electrons).
What happens if there is no current?
When there is no current in the wire, their is no magnetic induction. The moment we allow a current to flow through, there is a magnetic induction and thus we get an electromagnet.
Does current flow in short circuit?
A short circuit implies that the two terminals are externally connected with resistance R=0 , the same as an ideal wire. This means there is zero voltage difference for any current value. This means that zero current can flow between the two terminals, regardless of any voltage difference.
What voltage is too low for a 12 volt battery?
12.0 volts or below – At 12.0 volts your battery is considered to be fully discharged or ‘flat’ and should be recharged as soon as possible. The lifespan of your battery will be severely affected if it remains within this voltage range for extended periods of time.
Why do I have power to my outlet but nothing works?
There can be a number of reasons a receptacle stops working. The problem could be as simple as a loose connection; the wires could also be damaged, which might require a brand new circuit. A device might still be working, but could have serious—and potentially dangerous—underlying issues.
Why does a dead battery still have voltage?
In general, the more surface area the chemicals have to deposit charge onto, and take charge away from, the higher the current the battery can produce. A nearly dead battery still provides 1.5 volts, but has a very high internal resistance so that drawing even a trickle of current zeros out the voltage gain.
What direction does current flow?
The direction of an electric current is by convention the direction in which a positive charge would move. Thus, the current in the external circuit is directed away from the positive terminal and toward the negative terminal of the battery. Electrons would actually move through the wires in the opposite direction.
What stops the flow of electricity?
You can stop the current from flowing by putting a switch into the circuit. You can open the circuit and stop electrons from moving. A piece of metal or wire can also be used to produce heat. When an electrical current passes through such metal it can be slowed down by resistance.
Why does electricity return to its source?
Electricity always returns to the source of the power supply (a transformer or substation). When electrical current cannot flow through a neutral conductor, due to some type of damage or defect in the circuit, more current will use a path through the earth to return to the power supply.
Can current be produced?
Electric current can be generated by moving a metal wire through a magnetic field. It is also different than static electricity, which is the accumulation of charges on a surface. Electric generators rotate a coil of wires through a magnetic field.
When current is produced?
The outermost electrons, or valence electrons, require the least amount of force to be freed from an atom. When free electrons find new atoms to latch onto, they “kick out” an existing electron and the process begins all over again, producing an electric current.
What is a free current?
Since every charge carrier is fixed to an atom and immobile, the only free currents that could exist are currents that we “put there”, for example by conceptually adding free charges to the system. In this way, we “control” the free currents and charges, and hence are able to make the statement that they are zero.
