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Electricity: Circuits and their Components

Two kinds of electricity

A torch cell and a wall socket both give electricity. They are not the same kind.

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The idea

Reversing means turning to flow the other way.

Direct current, or DC, flows one way.
Step 1 of 4
  1. Direct current, or DC, flows one way.
  2. Alternating current, or AC, keeps reversing.
  3. A cell gives DC.
  4. A wall socket gives AC. This supply is called mains. Never use it for experiments.

A cell gives direct current, which flows one way. A wall socket gives alternating current, which keeps reversing.

A cell is enough for a torch or a clock. A fan or a fridge takes power from the socket.

Mains electricity can kill. Never touch a plug, a socket or a switch with wet hands. Only a trained electrician works on mains.

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This track

  1. 0 Start here
  2. 1 The loop has to be unbroken
  3. 2 A switch is a gap you can close
  4. 3 Some things let the loop through
  5. 4 A drawing everyone reads the same way
  6. 5 Two or more cells make a battery
  7. 6 One loop, one break, everything stops
  8. 7 Cells are for experiments
  9. 8 Checkpoint: loops, switches, parts and safety
  10. 9 An LED has a right way round
  11. 10 Two kinds of electricity
  12. 11 Why a lamp may stay dark
  13. 12 Checkpoint: LEDs, kinds of current and faults
  14. 13 The big picture
  15. 14 Track quiz

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