Here are some terms and definitions to know for this unit:
We'll be talking about static electricity and moving electrons around in objects.
These are the two types of materials we'll be using:
Insulators: things such as plastic, rubber, and glass. Insulators hold electrons very tightly and tend to hold electrons in one place.
Conductors: mostly metals and saltwater. Conductors have loose electrons, and they tend to turn positive. It conducts charges very well (hence the name, "conductors".).
When we rub two neutral items together and charge them by friction, they gain static charge, because one material has taken some electrons from the other, making both oppositely charged. This is useful for things like saran wrap and car paint.
You might be wondering which items tend to lose electrons and which tend to gain; here's a spectrum of materials.
Voltage is the amount of work needed to move electrons, also called electrical potential energy.
A source supplies electrical energy, examples being outlets and batteries.
Voltage is measured in volts (V), measured by a voltmeter.
Lightning and batteries are both polarized, but batteries are controlled and lightning isn't.
Electric current is the number of electrons passing through a given point in the span of a unit of time, usually seconds.
Electrons flow from negative to positive poles, called standard current. The older and now unaccepted conventional current has it going the other way round.
Current is measured in amperes (A), often shortened to "amps". Milliamperes are one thousandth of an amp.
To have electric current, electrons must flow in a closed circuit through conductors to even out charges between a negative and positive pole.
An electric circuit is a complete path for electrons to flow.
It is made of a source, a conductor (where current flows), a load (what uses the electricity) and a switch.
There are three scales on the meter-- 0 to 25, 0 to 10, and 0 to 5. Each line increments by 0.5, 0.2, and 0.1.
If you are using it yourself, turn the knob to the highest and then go down till you get a reading.
Read where the needle is on the scale of your choice, then multiply by dial#/scale#. Scale# is the number the scale ends in; 25, 10, or 5.