Physics (The Characteristics of Electricity)

Grade 9 (Applied) Overall Expectations:

1 – Assess some of the costs and benefits associated with the production of electrical energy from renewable and non‑renewable sources, and analyse how electrical efficiencies and savings can be achieved, through both the design of technological devices and practices in the home.

• Analyse the design of a technological device that improves its electrical efficiency or protects other devices by using or controlling static electricity (e.g., paint sprayers, photocopiers, lightning rods, grounding wires) [AI, C].
  • Lightning Rod (HowStuffWorks)
  • How Photocopies Work (HowStuffWorks)
  • How it Works: Paint Sprayer (Popular Mechanics)
  • Electrical Ground (HowStuffWorks)
  • How Can Static Electricity Damage a Computer? (Techwalla)

• Assess some of the social, economic, and environmental implications of the production of electrical energy in Canada from renewable and non‑renewable sources (e.g., wind, solar, hydro, coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear) [AI, C].
  • Wind Energy Pros and Cons (Energy Informative)
  • Solar Energy Pros and Cons (Energy Informative)
  • Toxic Chemicals in Solar Panels (Sciencing)
  • Pros and Cons of Hydropower (Energy Sage)
  • Hydropower and the Environment (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
  • Pros and Cons of Coal Energy (Sciencing)
  • Coal and the Environment (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
  • Pros and Cons of Oil (Clean Energy Ideas)
  • Natural Gas 101 Pros and Cons (Environmental Science)
  • Nuclear Energy Pros and Cons (Energy Informative)
  • Radioactive Waste (Government of Canada)

• Produce a plan of action to reduce electrical energy consumption at home (e.g., using EnerGuide information when purchasing appliances), and outline the roles and responsibilities of various groups (e.g., government, business, family members) in this endeavour [IP, AI, C].
  • Energuide in Canada (Government of Canada)
  • Energy Star (Energystar.gov)
  • Canada’s Standard for Efficient Light Bulbs (Natural Resource Canada)
  • High-Efficiency vs. Conventional Washing Machine (Doc’s Appliance Service)
  • 15 Home Appliances That Use Energy When Turned Off (Homestar)

2 – Investigate, through inquiry, various aspects of electricity, including the properties of static and current electricity, and the quantitative relationships between potential difference, current, and resistance in electrical circuits.

• Use appropriate terminology related to electricity, including, but not limited to: ammeter, amperes, battery, current, fuse, kilowatt hours, load, ohms, potential difference, resistance, switch, voltmeter, and volts [C].
  • Electrical Terms (Southwest Tech)
  • Electricity Glossary (Physics for Kids)

• Conduct investigations into the transfer of static electric charges by friction, contact, and induction, and produce labelled diagrams to explain the results [PR, AI, C].
  • What is Static Electricity? (Live Science)
  • Static Electricity (ExplainThatStuff!)
  • 6 Fun Static Electricity Experiments (iSwitch)
  • Friction and Static Electricity (Siyavula)
  • Charging by Conduction (Physics Classroom)
  • Electrostatic Induction (YouTube)

• Predict the ability of different materials to hold or transfer electric charges (i.e., to act as insulators or conductors), and test their predictions through inquiry [IP, PR].
  • What are Conductors and Insulators? (BBC Bitesize)
  • Conductor or Insulator (Education.com)
  • 10 Examples of Electrical Conductors and Insulators (Thought Co.)

• Plan and carry out inquiries to determine and compare the conductivity of various materials (e.g., metals, plastics, glass, water) [IP, PR, AI, C].
  • How to Make Electrical Conductivity Test (Energizer)
  • Conductivity Tester (Science World)
  • Basic Circuit Kit (YouTube)
  • How to Test the Conductivity of Metal (Sciencing)

• Design, draw circuit diagrams of, and construct series and parallel circuits (e.g., a circuit where all light bulbs go out when one light bulb is removed; a circuit that allows one of several light bulbs to be switched on and off independently of the others), and measure electric current I, potential difference V, and resistance R at various points in the circuits, using appropriate instruments and SI units [IP, PR, AI, C].
  • How to Draw Simple Electric Circuits (YouTube)
  • Circuit Diagram (Circuit-diagram.org)
  • What are Series and Parallel Circuits? (All About Circuits)
  • Series and Parallel Circuits (YouTube)
  • Measuring Electric Currents (Institute of Physics)
  • How to Measure Current on an Electronic Circuit (Dummies)
  • Potential Difference and Resistance (BBC Bitesize)
  • Measuring Potential Difference and Current (Southeastern.edu)
  • How to Use an Ammeter (Institute of Physics)
  • Online Circuit Construction Kit (Phet Interactive Simulations)

• Analyse and interpret the effects of adding an identical load in series and in parallel in a simple circuit [AI, C].
  • The Simple Circuit (Nissan Technician)
  • What are Series and Parallel Circuits? (All About Circuits)
  • Types of Electrical Loads (Sciencing)

• Investigate the quantitative relationships between current, potential difference, and resistance in a simple series circuit [PR, AI].
  • The Simple Circuit (Nissan Technician)
  • Ohm’s Law (The Physics Classroom)
  • Ohm’s Law (All About Circuits)

• Solve simple problems involving potential difference V, electric current I, and resistance R, using the quantitative relationship V = IR [AI, C].
  • Ohm’s Law and Resistance (TOPPR)
  • Ohm’s Law and Resistance Test Questions (BBC Bitesize)
  • Ohm’s Law Test Quiz (Ducksters)

• Determine the energy consumption of various appliances, and calculate their operating costs (e.g., using the kilowatt hour rate from a utility bill) [AI, C].
  • Electricity Rates (ENWIN)Understanding Your ENWIN Bill (ENWIN)
  • Electricity Price in Canada (Energy Hub)

• Calculate the efficiency of an energy converter, using the following equation: percent efficiency = (Eout /Ein) × 100% [AI, C].
  • Energy Conversion (TOPPR)
  • Efficiency Calculator (OMNI)
  • Efficiency of Energy Conversion Devices (Penn State)

3 – Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of static and current electricity.

• Identify electrical quantities (i.e., current, potential difference, resistance, and electrical energy), and list their symbols and their corresponding SI units (e.g., electric current: I, ampere).
  • Basic Electrical Quantities (Khan Academy)
  • Defining the Standard Electrical Units (Khan Academy)
  • Electrical Units of Measure (Electronics Tutorials)

• Explain the characteristics of conductors and insulators and how materials allow static charge to build up or be discharged.
  • Conductors and Insulators (TOPPR)
  • What are Conductors and Insulators? (BBC Bitesize)
  • Conductors and Insulators (Khan Academy)

• Compare and contrast static electricity with alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) (e.g., the charge on a charged electroscope, the charge in a functioning circuit).
  • Static Electricity Explained (The Electricity Forum)
  • Alternating Current (AC) vs Direct Current (DC) (Sparkfun)

• Identify the components of a simple DC circuit (e.g., electrical source, load, connecting wires, switch, fuse), and explain their functions.
  • DC Circuit (Khan Academy)
  • The Four (and More) Basic Parts of an Electrical Circuit (Hunker)
  • Fuses (All About Circuits)

• Explain the characteristics of electric current, potential difference, and resistance in simple series and parallel circuits, noting how the quantities differ in the two circuits.
  • Series and Parallel Circuits (Sparkfun)
  • Resistors in Parallel (Khan Academy)
  • Resistors in Series (Khan Academy)
  • Simple Series Circuits (All About Circuits)
  • Simple Parallel Circuits (All About Circuits)

• Describe, qualitatively, the interrelationships between resistance, potential difference, and electric current (e.g., the effect on current when potential difference is changed and resistance is constant).
  • What is the Relationship Between Electric Current and Potential Difference? (A Plus Topper)
  • Current and Resistance (Khan Academy)
  • Potential Difference and Resistance (BBC Bitesize)

• Explain what different meters (e.g., ammeters, voltmeters, multimeters) measure and how they are connected within an electrical circuit to measure electrical quantities.
  • Voltmeters and Ammeters (Khan Academy)
  • DC Ammeters and Voltmeters Review (Khan Academy)
  • How to Use a Multimeter (Sparkfun)

• Explain how various factors (e.g., wire length, wire material, cross-sectional area of wire) influence the resistance of an electrical circuit.
  • Factors Affecting Resistance (CK-12)
  • Factors Affecting Resistance (Physics About)