L1 -Circuit symbols

©2022 Kapow Primary

www.kapowprimary.com

©2023 Kapow Primary

Circuit symbols

www.kapowprimary.com

©2022 Kapow Primary

www.kapowprimary.com

Contents

©2022 Kapow Primary

www.kapowprimary.com

1

Using symbols

2

Electrical circuit symbols

4

Modelling a circuit

Checking circuit symbols

3

Using symbols

©2022 Kapow Primary

www.kapowprimary.com

©2023 Kapow Primary

www.kapowprimary.com

1

Click on the image to reveal the questions.

Electrical circuit symbols

©2022 Kapow Primary

www.kapowprimary.com

2

Click on the anagram to reveal information about the component and its symbol.

©2023 Kapow Primary

www.kapowprimary.com

lcle

tbayter

riew

pnoetiswhc

edsclo tiswhc

ulbb

zzuerb

trmoo

Checking circuit symbols

©2022 Kapow Primary

www.kapowprimary.com

3

Cell - a single portable power source.

©2023 Kapow Primary

www.kapowprimary.com

Battery - more than one cell as a power source.

Wire - connects components in an electrical circuit.

Open switch - breaks the circuit.

Closed switch - completes the circuit.

Bulb - lights up.

Buzzer - makes a noise.

Motor - moves.

Modelling a circuit

©2022 Kapow Primary

www.kapowprimary.com

4

©2023 Kapow Primary

Pipes.

Water flows in the pipes.

A radiator transfers heat from the pipes to the room.

A boiler with a pump heats and pushes water through the pipes.

www.kapowprimary.com

Click on the structures to see how they model a circuit.

• The boiler is like the battery.
• It pushes water like the battery pushes electrical charge.
• Energy is transferred here.

A boiler with a pump heats and pushes water through the pipes.

Why do people use symbols?

• The radiator is like the bulb or other components in the circuit.
• Water flows through the radiator just like electrical charge flows through the bulb.
• Energy is transferred here so heat is given out in the room just like light is given out in the bulb.

A radiator transfers heat from the pipes to the room.

A single, portable power source.

Cell

Joins components in an electrical circuit.

Wire

More than one cell used in a circuit.

Battery

Completes the circuit.

Closed switch

• How long would it take an electrician to draw proper pictures of the components?
• What if electricians chose their own symbols?

• What problems may happen if electricians shared diagrams across different countries?

Breaks the circuit.

Open switch

• The flow of water is like the flow of electrical charge.
• Water is contained within the pipes, just like electrical charge is contained within the wires.

Water flows in the pipes.

Lights up in a complete circuit.

Bulb

• The pipes are like the wires of the circuit.
• They do not move but allow something to flow inside (water inside the pipes and electrical charge inside the wires).

Pipes.

Causes movement in a complete circuit.

Motor

Makes a sound in a complete circuit.

Buzzer