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Electricity Class 10th Notes - Free NCERT Class 10 Science Chapter 12 Notes - Download PDF

Electricity Class 10th Notes - Free NCERT Class 10 Science Chapter 12 Notes - Download PDF

Edited By Vishal kumar | Updated on Jul 04, 2025 06:43 PM IST

Ever wondered how electric bulbs glow or why wires heat up when current flows through them? These kinds of questions you will learn in Class 10 Science Chapter 11: Electricity. This chapter helps you to understand how electric current flows, how circuits work and how to calculate electrical energy. NCERT Notes class 10 science chapter 11 electricity topics are important for board exams and science olympiads like NSO, NSEJS etc.

These Notes are created by a Careers360 subject matter expert as per the latest CBSE syllabus. These NCERT notes cover important concepts like electric current, potential difference, Ohm’s Law, resistance, resistors in series and parallel, and the heating effect of electric current. These NCERT notes also include key formulas, diagrams, and real-life examples to make understanding and revision easy for every student.

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NCERT Class 10 Science Chapter 11 Notes

Electric Current and Circuit

Electric Current

The rate of flow of electric charges through any cross-section of a conductor is called electric current. If a net charge Q passes through a cross-section in time t, then electric current l is

I=Qt= charge  time 

(i) The current is a fundamental quantity in physics with unit ampere (A). So 1 A is the amount of current flowing in the circuit if 1 C of charge moves across it in 1 s .
(ii) The conventional direction of current is taken to be the direction of flow of positive charge or opposite to the direction of flow of electrons.
(iii) A conductor remains uncharged when current flows through it.
(iv) For a given conductor, the current flowing through it does not vary as its cross-sectional area varies.

Electric Potential and Potential Difference

Electric potential may be defined as the amount of work done in bringing a unit positive charge from infinity to a point under consideration, while the electric potential difference between two points in an electric circuit may be defined as the amount of work done to move a unit positive charge from one point to another. Thus, when a charge Q is moved from point A to point B in an electric circuit, and WAB work is done, then potential difference between them is


VBVA=WABQ

The SI unit of electric potential difference is volt (V), named after Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), an Italian physicist. One volt is the potential difference between two points in a current carrying conductor when 1 joule of work is done to move a charge of 1 coulomb from one point to the other.

 Therefore, 1 volt =1 joule 1 coulomb 

Circuit Diagram

  • A conducting path between the terminals of a source of electricity and other electronic devices in continuity is called an electric circuit.

  • A schematic diagram showing the way different electronic devices are connected in a circuit is known as a circuit diagram.

The various conventional electrical symbols used to represent some of the most commonly used electrical components in an electrical circuit diagrams are as follows :

Ohm’s Law

  • The current (I) flowing through a conductor is directly proportional to the potential (V) across its ends at a constant temperature.

    VIV=RI

    where, R is the constant of proportionality and is called the resistance of the conductor. It is the property of a conductor to resist the flow of charges through it.

  • The property of conductors to resist the flow of current is known as Resistance.

  • S.I. unit of resistance = ohm (Ω).

  • R=V/I gives us 1 Ohm=1Vol/1Ampere

Factors on Which the Resistance of a Conductor Depends

The resistance of a conductor of uniform thickness depends on the length of the conductor ( L ) and the area of cross-section ( A ).

R length of conductor R1 Area of cross-section of the conductor RLA or R=ρLA ( ρ is pronounced as rho) 

where ρ (constant of proportionality) is called the specific resistance or resistivity of the conductor. It depends on the nature of the material of the substance, not on its shape and size. It is defined as the resistance offered by a wire of the material of unit length and unit cross-sectional area or we can also define resistivity as the resistance of a unit meter cube of that material.
The SI unit of resistivity is ohm-metre ( Ωm ). Reciprocal of resistivity is termed as conductivity. The conductivity or the specific conductance measures material's ability to conduct electric current.

 Conductance =1 Resistance 


It is represented by G and its unit is mho.

Resistance of a System of Resistors:


When multiple resistors are connected in a circuit, their total or equivalent resistance depends on how they are arranged:


1. Resistors in Series:


Total Resistance: Rtotal =R1+R2+R3+

  • Current remains the same through all resistors.
  • Voltage divides across each resistor.

2. Resistors in Parallel:


Total Resistance: 1Rtotal =1R1+1R2+1R3+

  • Voltage remains the same across all resistors.
  • Current divides across each resistor.

Comparison or advantage of parallel combination over series combination


(i) In parallel combination we can operate each devices with its individual switch which is not possible in series combination.
(ii) All equipments work at same voltage.
(iii) As different equipments have different current ratings so they need different current and this possible only in parallel combination

Heating Effect of Electric Current

We have seen that when the electric current passes through a resistor, it becomes hot because the electric energy spent or electric work done in moving the charges is converted into heat energy.
Joule gave the law on heating effect of current known as Joule's law, which states that the heat produced in a resistor is directly proportional to the
(i) Square of the electric current for a given resistance, i.e., HR2.
(ii) Resistance for a given current, i.e., HR.
(iii) Time for which the current flows through the resistor, i.e., Ht.

So, by this law, we get

H=I2Rt


So, H=I2Rt=V2Rt=VIt

Practical Applications of the Heating Effects of Electric Current

  • Electrical appliances like iron, oven, and heater are a few devices that are based on Joule’s Law of Heating.
  • This phenomenon is also applied to produce light in a bulb.
  • One of the most important applications of Joule’s Law of Heating is the fuse used in electric circuits.

Electric Power

Electrical power is the electrical work done per unit time or the rate at which electric energy is dissipated or consumed in an electric circuit.

P= Work done  Time taken P=Wt

  • S.I. unit of power = Watt (W).

  • 1 Watt of power is consumed when 1 A of current flows at a potential difference of 1 V.

  • The commercial unit of electric energy is in kilowatt-hour (kWh), which is generally known as a Unit.

  • 1kWh=3.6MJ

Class 10 Chapter Wise Notes

NCERT Solutions of Cass 10 Subject Wise

NCERT Class 10 Exemplar Solutions for Other Subjects:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are the important concepts covered in the Science chapter 11 notes for Class 10?

 The main topics covered in Chapter 10 of NCERT for Class 11 Science are

  • Current

  • Potential difference

  • Resistance

  • Resistivity

  • Combination of Resistances

  • Heating effect of electric current

2. How will CBSE Class 10 Science chapter 11 notes benefit students?

The notes for Chapter 11 of Science in Class 10 were created by subject experts and will give you further knowledge on the subject. You can solidify your foundation with these notes from class 10 Electricity notes. Here, key ideas are thoroughly discussed. The segment covers all aspects of electricity.

3. State Ohm’s Law.

As given in the Class 10 Science Chapter 11 notes pdf download;

At constant temperature, the current (I) flowing through a conductor is directly proportional to the potential difference (V) across its ends.

V∝I

VI=constant

V/I=R

V=IR

 R is the constant of proportionality, which is called Resistance.

4. Sate Joule’s law of heating

The law states that the heat produced in a resistor is directly proportional to the

 o Square of the current in the resistor

 o Resistance of the resistor

 o Time for which the current flows through the resistance 

It’s mentioned vividly in the NCERT notes for class 10 Science chapter 11.

5. Define Potential Difference.

Given in, Class 10 Science chapter 11 notes that The amount of work done to transport a unit charge from one point to another is known as the potential difference (V).

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A block of mass 0.50 kg is moving with a speed of 2.00 ms-1 on a smooth surface. It strikes another mass of 1.00 kg and then they move together as a single body. The energy loss during the collision is

Option 1)

0.34\; J

Option 2)

0.16\; J

Option 3)

1.00\; J

Option 4)

0.67\; J

A person trying to lose weight by burning fat lifts a mass of 10 kg upto a height of 1 m 1000 times.  Assume that the potential energy lost each time he lowers the mass is dissipated.  How much fat will he use up considering the work done only when the weight is lifted up ?  Fat supplies 3.8×107 J of energy per kg which is converted to mechanical energy with a 20% efficiency rate.  Take g = 9.8 ms−2 :

Option 1)

2.45×10−3 kg

Option 2)

 6.45×10−3 kg

Option 3)

 9.89×10−3 kg

Option 4)

12.89×10−3 kg

 

An athlete in the olympic games covers a distance of 100 m in 10 s. His kinetic energy can be estimated to be in the range

Option 1)

2,000 \; J - 5,000\; J

Option 2)

200 \, \, J - 500 \, \, J

Option 3)

2\times 10^{5}J-3\times 10^{5}J

Option 4)

20,000 \, \, J - 50,000 \, \, J

A particle is projected at 600   to the horizontal with a kinetic energy K. The kinetic energy at the highest point

Option 1)

K/2\,

Option 2)

\; K\;

Option 3)

zero\;

Option 4)

K/4

In the reaction,

2Al_{(s)}+6HCL_{(aq)}\rightarrow 2Al^{3+}\, _{(aq)}+6Cl^{-}\, _{(aq)}+3H_{2(g)}

Option 1)

11.2\, L\, H_{2(g)}  at STP  is produced for every mole HCL_{(aq)}  consumed

Option 2)

6L\, HCl_{(aq)}  is consumed for ever 3L\, H_{2(g)}      produced

Option 3)

33.6 L\, H_{2(g)} is produced regardless of temperature and pressure for every mole Al that reacts

Option 4)

67.2\, L\, H_{2(g)} at STP is produced for every mole Al that reacts .

How many moles of magnesium phosphate, Mg_{3}(PO_{4})_{2} will contain 0.25 mole of oxygen atoms?

Option 1)

0.02

Option 2)

3.125 × 10-2

Option 3)

1.25 × 10-2

Option 4)

2.5 × 10-2

If we consider that 1/6, in place of 1/12, mass of carbon atom is taken to be the relative atomic mass unit, the mass of one mole of a substance will

Option 1)

decrease twice

Option 2)

increase two fold

Option 3)

remain unchanged

Option 4)

be a function of the molecular mass of the substance.

With increase of temperature, which of these changes?

Option 1)

Molality

Option 2)

Weight fraction of solute

Option 3)

Fraction of solute present in water

Option 4)

Mole fraction.

Number of atoms in 558.5 gram Fe (at. wt.of Fe = 55.85 g mol-1) is

Option 1)

twice that in 60 g carbon

Option 2)

6.023 × 1022

Option 3)

half that in 8 g He

Option 4)

558.5 × 6.023 × 1023

A pulley of radius 2 m is rotated about its axis by a force F = (20t - 5t2) newton (where t is measured in seconds) applied tangentially. If the moment of inertia of the pulley about its axis of rotation is 10 kg m2 , the number of rotations made by the pulley before its direction of motion if reversed, is

Option 1)

less than 3

Option 2)

more than 3 but less than 6

Option 3)

more than 6 but less than 9

Option 4)

more than 9

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