Automotive Automotive ElectricalElectricalTerms To KnowTerms To Know

Capacitance - Capacitance - The The property of a capacitor or condenser property of a capacitor or condenser that permits it to receive and retain that permits it to receive and retain

an electrical charge.an electrical charge.

Circuit – Circuit – A source, A source, resistance, and path to carry a resistance, and path to carry a

flow from the source to the flow from the source to the resistance and back to the resistance and back to the source. An example is an source. An example is an

electrical circuit. The wires electrical circuit. The wires (path) allow electricity from the (path) allow electricity from the

batter (source) to flow to a batter (source) to flow to a headlamp (resistance) and back headlamp (resistance) and back

to the battery.to the battery.

Conductor –Conductor –Any material Any material that can form a path for that can form a path for

electrical current.electrical current.

Voltage - Voltage - the rate at the rate at which energy is drawn from a which energy is drawn from a source that produces a flow of source that produces a flow of

electricity in a circuit;electricity in a circuit;

Ohms – Ohms – Unit of Unit of measurement for resistance to measurement for resistance to the flow of electric current in a the flow of electric current in a

given unit or circuit.given unit or circuit.

Current – Current – The movement The movement of free electrons in a conductorof free electrons in a conductor

Resistance - Resistance - The The measure of opposition to measure of opposition to electrical flow in a circuit.electrical flow in a circuit.

Electromagnetism - Electromagnetism - The physics of the The physics of the

electromagnetic field: a field electromagnetic field: a field which exerts a force on particles which exerts a force on particles

that possess the property of that possess the property of

electricelectric

Electromotive Electromotive force (EMF) - force (EMF) - voltage: the rate at which voltage: the rate at which

energy is drawn from a source energy is drawn from a source that produces a flow of that produces a flow of

electricity in a circuit; expressed electricity in a circuit; expressed

in voltsin volts

Induction – Induction – The The imparting of electricity to an imparting of electricity to an

object by magnetic fields.object by magnetic fields.

Insulator - Insulator - a material a material such as glass or porcelain with such as glass or porcelain with negligible electrical or thermal negligible electrical or thermal

conductivityconductivity

Ohm’sOhm’s law – law – Formula for Formula for computing unknown voltage, computing unknown voltage,

resistance, or current in a circuit resistance, or current in a circuit by using two known factors to by using two known factors to

find the unknown value.find the unknown value.

Amperage - Amperage - the the strength of an electrical current strength of an electrical current

measured in amperesmeasured in amperes

Parallel circuit – Parallel circuit – An An electrical circuit that has two or electrical circuit that has two or more resistance units wired so more resistance units wired so that current can flow through that current can flow through

them at the same time.them at the same time.

Potential Energy - Potential Energy - the mechanical energy that a the mechanical energy that a

body has by virtue of its body has by virtue of its

position; stored energyposition; stored energy

Semiconductors - Semiconductors - A A substance, such as silicon, that substance, such as silicon, that acts as a conductor or insulator, acts as a conductor or insulator,

depending on its operating depending on its operating condition and application.condition and application.

Series Circuit – Series Circuit – A A circuit with only one path for circuit with only one path for

current to flow.current to flow.

Series Parallel Series Parallel circuit – circuit – A circuit in which A circuit in which a series and parallel circuits are a series and parallel circuits are

combined.combined.

Valence ring - Valence ring - The The outermost orbital ring of outermost orbital ring of

electrons in an atom.electrons in an atom.

Voltage drop – Voltage drop – A A lowering of circuit due to lowering of circuit due to excessive lengths of wire, excessive lengths of wire,

undersize wire, or through a undersize wire, or through a resistance.resistance.