| Your Results | Global Average | |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 5 | 5 |
| Correct | 0 | 3.58 |
| Score | 0% | 72% |
Silver and gold are among the most highly conductive elements. Why is copper used much more often as a conductor in electrical circuits?
copper is durable and relatively cheap |
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silver and gold are costly |
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silver and gold are brittle |
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all of these |
All conductors have resistance and the amount of resistance varies with the element. But, resistance isn't the only consideration when choosing a conductor as the most highly conductive elements like silver and gold are also more expensive and more brittle than slightly less conductive elements like copper. A balance needs to be struck between the electrical qualities of a material and its cost and durability.
The valence shell of a semiconductor is how full of electrons?
empty |
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half full |
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more than half full |
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less than half full |
Semiconductors have valence shells that are exacly half full and can conduct electricity under some conditions but not others. This property makes them useful for the control of electrical current.
You would measure the amount of resistance at a certain point in a circuit with a(n):
potentiometer |
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ohmmeter |
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ammeter |
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voltmeter |
Resistance is opposition to the flow of current and is measured in ohms (Ω). An ohmmeter is used to measure the amount of resistance at a certain point in a circuit.
One of the lights on your Christmas tree burns out and this causes the rest of the lights connected to that strand to go dark. How are the lights in that strand connected?
series |
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perpendicular |
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series-parallel |
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parallel |
Lights connected in series form a chain with each light connecting to adjacent lights via one wire. Therefore, if one of the lights burns out and breaks the series, none of the other lights will receive power and they'll go dark. Lights connected in parallel each connect to the positive and negative nodes of the power source and would not go dark if one of their neighbors burnt out.
The electrical potential difference between two points is called:
voltage |
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resistance |
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conductance |
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current |
Voltage (V) is the electrical potential difference between two points. Electrons will flow as current from areas of high potential (concentration of electrons) to areas of low potential. Voltage and current are directly proportional in that the higher the voltage applied to a conductor the higher the current that will result.