- Electric current
- The rate of flow of electric charge through a conductor (current = charge ÷ time); measured in amperes (A).
- Potential difference
- The work done to move one coulomb of charge between two points in a circuit; measured in volts (V).
- Resistance
- The opposition of a component to the flow of electric current, equal to potential difference divided by current; measured in ohms (Ω).
- Ohm's law
- The current through a conductor is directly proportional to the potential difference across it, provided its temperature stays constant.
- Series circuit
- A circuit in which components are connected end to end in a single path, so the same current flows through each.
- Parallel circuit
- A circuit in which components are connected across common points, providing more than one path for the current, with the same potential difference across each branch.
- Electromotive force
- The energy supplied by a source to move one coulomb of charge around a complete circuit; measured in volts (V).
- Internal resistance
- The resistance within a source of electromotive force, such as a cell, which causes some energy to be lost inside the source.
- Electrical energy
- The energy transferred by an electric current, equal to power multiplied by time; measured in joules (J).
- Electrical power
- The rate at which electrical energy is transferred or used (power = potential difference × current); measured in watts (W).
- Resistivity
- A property of a material that measures how strongly it opposes the flow of current, independent of the size or shape of the sample; measured in ohm metres (Ω m).
- Electric charge
- A basic property of matter that causes it to experience a force in an electric field; measured in coulombs (C).
What "Electricity" terms cover
This group collects the 12 SPM Physics terms in Electricity. Getting these definitions exactly right is some of the cheapest marks in Paper 2, a "define" or "state" question wants one precise sentence with the correct unit.
The key terms to get right
- Electric current, The rate of flow of electric charge through a conductor (current = charge ÷ time); measured in amperes (A).
- Potential difference, The work done to move one coulomb of charge between two points in a circuit; measured in volts (V).
- Resistance, The opposition of a component to the flow of electric current, equal to potential difference divided by current; measured in ohms (Ω).
- Ohm's law, The current through a conductor is directly proportional to the potential difference across it, provided its temperature stays constant.
- Series circuit, A circuit in which components are connected end to end in a single path, so the same current flows through each.
- Parallel circuit, A circuit in which components are connected across common points, providing more than one path for the current, with the same potential difference across each branch.
- Electromotive force, The energy supplied by a source to move one coulomb of charge around a complete circuit; measured in volts (V).
- Internal resistance, The resistance within a source of electromotive force, such as a cell, which causes some energy to be lost inside the source.
- Electrical energy, The energy transferred by an electric current, equal to power multiplied by time; measured in joules (J).
- Electrical power, The rate at which electrical energy is transferred or used (power = potential difference × current); measured in watts (W).
- Resistivity, A property of a material that measures how strongly it opposes the flow of current, independent of the size or shape of the sample; measured in ohm metres (Ω m).
- Electric charge, A basic property of matter that causes it to experience a force in an electric field; measured in coulombs (C).
How this vocabulary is examined
These terms appear as define/state items in Paper 1 and Paper 2, and inside explain and calculate questions where using the wrong word costs marks. Learn each term with its unit and one example of correct use.
Source: DSKP KSSM Physics Form 4 and 5 (Versi English) (Bahagian Pembangunan Kurikulum (BPK), KPM)