Passives Education

For a given amount of water pressure, which will flow a greater rate of water: a small (restrictive) nozzle or a large (unrestrictive) nozzle? Explain how this relates to the study of voltage, current, and resistance in a simple electric circuit.

The smaller the cross-sectional area of any given wire, the greater the resistance for any given length, all other factors being equal. A wire with greater resistance will dissipate a greater amount of heat energy for any given amount of current, the power being equal to P=I2R. Dissipated power due to a conductor’s resistance manifests itself in the form of heat, and excessive heat can be damaging

Calculate the total resistance of resistors in parallel with ease!

∫f(x) dx Calculus alert! Calculus is a branch of mathematics that originated with scientific questions concerning rates of change. The easiest rates of change for most people to understand are those dealing with time. For example, a student watching their savings account dwindle over time as they pay for tuition and other expenses is very concerned with rates of change (dollars per year being spent). In calculus, we have

In this experiment, we will aim to learn about the following concepts: • Capacitor charging action • Capacitor discharging action • Time constant calculation • Series and parallel capacitance Capacitor Charging and Discharging Experiment Parts and Materials To do this experiment, you will need the following: • 6-volt battery • Two large electrolytic capacitors, 1000 µF minimum (Radio Shack catalog # 272-1019, 272-1032, or equivalent) • Two 1 kΩ resistors • One toggle switch, SPST (“Single-Pole, Single-Throw”) Large-value capacitors are required

∫f(x) dx Calculus alert! One of the fundamental principles of calculus is a process called integration. This principle is important to understand because it is manifested in the behavior of inductance. Thankfully, there are more familiar physical systems which also manifest the process of integration, making it easier to comprehend. If we introduce a constant flow of water into a cylindrical tank with water, the water level inside that

Dielectric strength in kilovolts per inch (kV/in): Material* Dielectric strength ========================================= Vacuum --------------------- 20 Air ------------------------ 20 to 75 Porcelain ------------------ 40 to 200 Paraffin Wax --------------- 200 to 300 Transformer Oil ------------ 400 Bakelite ------------------- 300 to 550 Rubber --------------------- 450 to 700 Shellac -------------------- 900 Paper ---------------------- 1250 Teflon --------------------- 1500 Glass ---------------------- 2000 to 3000 Mica ----------------------- 5000 * = Materials listed are specially prepared for electrical use

Write an equation describing the precise mathematical relationship between electric charge (Q), capacitance (C), and voltage (V).

Identify which trigonometric functions (sine, cosine, or tangent) are represented by each of the following ratios, with reference to the angle labeled with the Greek letter “Theta” (Θ): X R = X Z = R Z =

This calculator helps you compute the inductance of a rectangle loop.

A formula for capacitance in picofarads using practical dimensions:

Wiring for AC and DC power distribution branch circuits are color coded for identification of individual wires. In some jurisdictions all wire colors are specified in legal documents. In other jurisdictions, only a few conductor colors are so codified. In that case, local custom dictates the “optional” wire colors. IEC, AC: Most of Europe abides by IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) wiring color codes for AC branch circuits. These are listed

Capacitors, like all electrical components, have limitations which must be respected for the sake of reliability and proper circuit operation. Capacitor Working Voltage Working voltage: Since capacitors are nothing more than two conductors separated by an insulator (the dielectric), you must pay attention to the maximum voltage allowed across it. If too much voltage is applied, the “breakdown” rating of the dielectric material may be exceeded, resulting in the capacitor

Explain how an ohmmeter is able to measure the resistance of a component (in this case, a light bulb) when there is no battery or other source of power connected to it: Also, identify the reading you would expect the ohmmeter to indicate if the light bulb were burnt out (failed “open”).

Reminders When Using Ohm’s Law One of the most common mistakes made by beginning electronics students in their application of Ohm’s Laws is mixing the contexts of voltage, current, and resistance. In other words, a student might mistakenly use a value for I (current) through one resistor and the value for E (voltage) across a set of interconnected resistors, thinking that they’ll arrive at the resistance of

Before we begin to explore the effects of resistors, inductors, and capacitors connected together in the same AC circuits, let’s briefly review some basic terms and facts. Resistance This is essentially friction against the flow of current. It is present in all conductors to some extent (except superconductors!), most notably in resistors. When alternating current goes through a resistance, a voltage drop is produced that is in-phase with the

The first, and perhaps most important, the relationship between current, voltage, and resistance is called Ohm’s Law, discovered by Georg Simon Ohm and published in his 1827 paper, The Galvanic Circuit Investigated Mathematically. Voltage, Current, and Resistance An electric circuit is formed when a conductive path is created to allow electric charge to continuously move. This continuous movement of electric charge through the conductors of a circuit is called a

What is Conductance? In the study of DC circuits, the student of electricity comes across a term meaning the opposite of resistance: conductance. It is a useful term when exploring the mathematical formula for parallel resistances: Rparallel = 1 / (1/R1 + 1/R2 + . . . 1/Rn). Unlike resistance, which diminishes as more parallel components are included in the circuit, conductance simply adds. Mathematically, conductance is the reciprocal of resistance, and each 1/R term in the “parallel

By definition, a low-pass filter is a circuit offering easy passage to low-frequency signals and difficult passage to high-frequency signals. There are two basic kinds of circuits capable of accomplishing this objective, and many variations of each one: The inductive low-pass filter in Figure below and the capacitive low-pass filter in Figure below. Inductive Low-Pass Filter Inductive low-pass filter The inductor’s impedance increases with increasing frequency. This high impedance

The Skin Depth of Copper in Electrical Engineering As previously mentioned, the skin effect is where alternating current tends to avoid travel through the center of a solid conductor, limiting itself to conduction near the surface. This effectively limits the cross-sectional conductor area available to carry alternating electron flow, increasing the resistance of that conductor above what it would normally be for direct current: Skin effect: skin depth decreases with