INDEX QUESTIONS – ELECTRICITY

Grade:7-Answerkey
TASK: 1

Q1. Distinguish between open and closed circuits with well labelled diagram and draw the direction of conventional
current and flow of electron.

Ans: open circuit, closed circuit

Any circuit which is not complete is considered an open circuit. A complete circuit which is not performing any actual
work can still be a closed circuit. For example, a circuit connected to a dead battery may not perform any work, but it
is still a closed circuit.

A circuit is considered to be closed when electricity flows from an energy source to the desired endpoint of the circuit.
The open status of the circuit doesn't depend on how it became unclosed, so circuits which are manually disconnected
and circuits which have blown fuses, faulty wiring or missing components are all considered open circuits.

Conventional current: positive to negative

Flow of electrons: negative to positive

Q2. Why is a good fuse wire made of tin?

Ans: Fuse is a type of sacrificial overcurrent protection device. Its essential component is a metal wire or strip that
melts when too much current flows, which interrupts the circuit in which it is connected. A fuse is a thin wire made
of a material like tin or tin-lead alloy having low melting point which melts and breaks off the circuit if the current
exceeds the safety limit.

A copper wire cannot be used as a fuse wire because it has a high melting point. It will not melt easily when a high
electric current passes through it and may prove harmful to the appliances attached to it and the user of the
appliances

Q3.a. What are MCBs?

Ans: A circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from
damage caused by excess current, typically resulting from an overload or short circuit. Its basic function is to interrupt
current flow after a fault is detected.
b. Explain the construction and working of an electric bulb with suitable diagram.

Ans: The light bulb has a tungsten filament as the light emitting media and is specially manufactured by
precision machines to give the correct cross sectional area. The tungsten filament is coiled to give a very
high resistance and is encased in a glass envelope. This glass envelope or bulb is filled with a low pressure
inert gas such as nitrogen or argon. When electricity passes through the coiled tungsten filament, it becomes
hot and glows. The inert gas conducts the heat generated by the filament to the glass bulb from where the
heat is radiated into the atmosphere.

TASK: 2

Q1. Describe a simple experiment to show that an electric current produces a magnetic effect.

Ans: Oersted Experiment to Demonstrate the Magnetic Effect of Electric Current

 First of all make a simple electric circuit by joining a long straight wire with a battery and a plug. Now, take a
magnetic compass needle and place the straight wire parallel and over the compass needle. Then switch on the
circuit so that current flows through the wire from south to north directions. Now, you will found that the north pole
of compass needle gets deflected towards the west.

But, if the direction of current in the wire is reversed then the north pole of the compass needle gets deflected
towards the east.

The direction of deflection of magnetic needle can be easily determined by SNOW rule. According to SNOW
rule, when current flows through a conductor from South to North direction and the wire is held over magnetic
needle then the north pole of the magnetic needle deflects towards west.

Q2. Do you think an electromagnet can be used for separating plastic bags from a garbage heap? Explain.

Ans: No because plastic bags are non-magnetic and cannot be attracted by electromagnet.

Q3 a. Explain the working of an electric bell. Give a diagram to support your answer.

Ans: An electric bell contains an electromagnet, consisting of coils of insulated wire wound round iron rods. When an
electric current flows through the coils, the rods become magnetic and attract a piece of iron attached to a clapper.
The clapper hits the bell and makes it ring.

b. Write some applications of an electromagnet.

Ans: Electromagnets are widely used as components of other electrical devices, such as motors, generators, relays,
loudspeakers, hard disks, MRI machines, scientific instruments, and magnetic separation equipment.