Struggling to Teach AS Level Electricity: What Analogies Can Help?

AI Thread Summary
Teaching AS level electricity can be challenging, particularly in conveying the relationships between voltage, current, resistance, and charge. Effective analogies, such as those involving water tanks and pipes, can aid in understanding these concepts. Emphasizing the definitions of key units, like 1 Amp equating to 1 coulomb per second and 1 Volt to 1 Joule per coulomb, is crucial for clarity. Students often struggle with distinguishing between circuit resistance and component resistance, as well as applying the correct equations to problems. Developing these skills requires practice and a focus on deconstructing the concepts involved.
hydey287
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Hi there, I am currently attempting to teach AS level electiricity but am finding it really hard understanding some of the aspects of it myself, let alone teach the kids it!

They are really struggling with the concepts of voltage, current, resistance and charge, especially how they all link.

Are there any analogies/explanations out there that I can use?
 
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How about teaching Ohm's Law?
 
For me the most important thing is to 'de-construct' units
Get it clear that 1 Amp means 1 coulomb per second
And the most important of all ! That 1 Volt means 1 Joule per coulomb.
 
Thank you :) I have tried teaching Ohm's Law, unfortunately they find the fact that resistance of the circuit is different from the resistance of a component. They also lack the skill to be able to look at a question and select the appropriate equation, but I guess that that is a skill that comes with practice.
 
What is AS level?
 

Thread 'Why measure the speed of light in one direction?'

It may be shown from the equations of electromagnetism, by James Clerk Maxwell in the 1860’s, that the speed of light in the vacuum of free space is related to electric permittivity (ϵ) and magnetic permeability (μ) by the equation: c=1/√( μ ϵ ) . This value is a constant for the vacuum of free space and is independent of the motion of the observer. It was this fact, in part, that led Albert Einstein to Special Relativity.
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