Definition of a Circuit
Daniel Miller
6 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This study guide covers electric charge and circuits. It explains charge conservation, series and parallel circuits, and defines current. Voltage, resistance, Ohm's Law, and power are also discussed, including their mathematical relationships and graphical representation of Ohm's Law.
As of 2021, College Board only tests Units 1-7 on the AP Physics 1 exam. This page's content will not be tested on the exam, but we kept it online for you all as a resource.
#Enduring Understanding 1.B ⚡
Electric charge is a property of an object or a system that affects its interactions with other objects or systems containing the charge.
#Essential Knowledge 1.B.1
The electric charge is conserved. The net charge of a system is equal to the sum of the charges of all the objects in the system.
#What is a Circuit?
A circuit is a closed loop of electrical current. If the loop is open or doesn’t allow the current to return to its starting position, electricity will not flow through the circuit and any devices on that partial loop will not work. Common ways of breaking a circuit include switches or blow / removed light bulbs.
Circuit components can be connected in either Series or Parallel. A series connection, has 1 path between the...
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