08 07 technology u4a

Module

4A

Film Fest

Electricity everywhere

brass holder

All ordinary electrical phenomena depend
on forces between electrical charges carried
by protons and electrons. Protons contain the
positive charges and electrons contain the
negative charges.
Mankind began to understand electricity
from simple observation of natural
phenomena. In the past 100 years or so, man
learnt how to harness and use electricity.
This brought about a drastic transformation
in all industrial societies.
Photocopiable © Ediciones Santillana S.A. / Richmond 2011

Electricity is a form of energy that occurs
everywhere in nature: in space, in the
atmosphere, in atoms and molecules. In
animals, including man, weak electrical
impulses are transmitted from one nerve cell
to the next, and they provide signals for the
brain and other parts of the body.
Electric power runs electric motors in

factories, provides street lighting in cities
and runs appliances and lights in homes.
It also plays an important role in many
industrial processes, such as the electric arc
welding of metals.
turbine
brushes
side contact
conductor

base
brass cap
glass mount

wires to
ouside
circuits

S

conductor
hook

glass bulb
filament

ring

N

magnetic
field
Thomas Alva Edison (1847 - 1931)
invented the electric light bulb. Which
were his other famous inventions?

argon

Activities
1 Choose the correct option.
a Electricity occurs...
...everywhere in nature.
...in all human cells.
...in every industrial process.
b It provides...
...street lighting.
...electric nerves.
...signals for the atmosphere.

c Protons contain...
...the neutral charges.
...the positive charges.
...the negative charges.

English Toolkit 1 - Technology


Module

4A

2Match each expression with its definition.
1 a system in which all the conductors and apparatus are
electrically connected to a common source of electromotive force
2 a type of oscillograph that visually displays an electrical wave on
a fluorescent screen
3 a source of electricity, especially one that transforms mechanical
or heat energy into electric energy
4 a battery of electromechanical cells for generating electric current
5 part of an electric lamp
6 condenser

a electric
generator
b light bulb
ccapacitor
d oscilloscope
estorage
battery
f electrical
system

3In your notebook, write a short description of this diagram.

fuel

electric transformer
steam generator
steam turbine
plant

transportation

substation

home
user

comercial
user

industrial
user

Photocopiable © Ediciones Santillana S.A. / Richmond 2011

138,500
765,000 V

12,500
25,000 V

120 V

120 V
12,500 V

34,000 V
600 V

street

lights

distribution
transformer

4Ask questions for these answers.
a

?

d

Energy occurs everywhere in nature.
b

?
It provides street lighting in cities.
c
?
It depends on forces between electrical
charges.

?
In protons and electrons.

e

?

It drastically transformed all industrial

societies.
f
?
From simple observation of natural
phenomena.

5Translate the definitions in activity 2.
a
b
c
d
e
f
English Toolkit 1 - Technology