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Basic Direct Current (DC) Theory
A.
Bhatia
Overview
Direct current or DC
electricity is the continuous movement of electrons from an area of negative (-)
charges to an area of positive (+) charges. A DC circuit is necessary to allow
the current or stream of electrons to flow. Such a circuit consists of a source
of electrical energy (such as a battery) and a conducting wire running from the
positive end of the source to the negative terminal.
DC circuits may be in
series, parallel or a combination. Understanding DC circuits is important for
learning about the more complex AC circuits. This
course introduces the basic electricity and electrical circuit concepts
associated with direct current. Topics include calculation of current, voltage,
resistance and power in series, parallel and combination circuits with direct
current (DC) power sources.
The 4-hr course material
is based entirely on US Department of Energy training materials
DOE-HDBK-1011/1-92, Fundamentals Handbook, Electrical Science; volume 1 of 4 and
covers module 2, Basic DC Theory.
The reader must take a
multiple-choice quiz consisting of twenty-one (21) questions at the end of this
course to obtain PDH credits.
Specific Knowledge or Skill Attained
This course teaches the
following specific knowledge and skills:
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How is DC voltage
produced and what does an electric circuit consist of
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What is a rectifier and
how half-wave bridge rectifiers differ from full-wave bridge rectifiers
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What is the difference
between a schematic diagram, one-line diagram, block diagram and wiring
diagram
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What is resistivity and
how temperature affects the resistance of materials
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What is the difference
between open circuit, close circuit, and short circuit
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What primary
characteristics identify a series, parallel or a combination circuit
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How to calculate the
current and voltage drop in series, parallel or combination circuits
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How to calculate the
equivalent resistance for a series, parallel or combination circuit
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What is meant by the
terms voltage divider and current division
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How is electron flow
theory different from conventional current theory
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What is Kirchoff’s law
and how it can be used to solve voltage and current problems in complex
circuits
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What are the effects of
opens and shorts in series and parallel circuits
Course
Click on the following
PDF attachment and review the document prior to taking
a quiz for credit.
Basic DC Theory (1.1 MB)
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To obtain PDH credits for this course, you will need to take a quiz for
credit. Click on the link below.
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