Electricity and Circuits - Revision Notes

 CBSE Class–VI Subject Science

Revision Notes
CHAPTER – 12
Electricity and Circuits


  • Electiricity :- It is a flow of electic current.
  • SOURCES OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY :- Electrical energy is available to us from electric power houses,domestic generators, batteries, and dry cells.
  • Electric Current :- The Electic current is a flow of elcetric charges ( electron ).
  • Electric current flows in one direction only.
  • Electric Circuit:  The complete ath from one terminal of the cell ( say positive ) through the bulb and back to the other terminal of the cell ( say negative ) is calle an electric circuit .
  • CLOSED CIRCUIT :- An unbroken path travelled by electrIcity is known as a CLOSED CIRCUIT.
  • OPEN CIRCUIT :- A broken path is known as an OPEN CIRCUIT.
  • Circuit Diagram: It is a symbolic representation of the electric circuit and the electrical parts ( electrical components) .

Component of Electricity:

  1. Connecting wires: Help to conduct the electric current and complete the circuit. A metalic wire used for connections in an circuit is also called a 'lead'.
  2. Bulb: Lights up when an electric current flows through it. An electric bulb has a filament that is connected to its  terminals. An electric bulb glows when electric current passes through it. The filament of an electric bulb is made of a tiny , coiled tungsten wire.
  3. Battery :- A  series combination of two or more cells.
  4. Switch: Switch is a simple device that is used to either break the electric circuit or to complete it. When a switch is on, a gap in the circuit is bridge by a conducting material through which the current flows.
  5. Electric cell or dry cell : An electric cell has two terminals; one is called positive (+ ve) while the other is negative (– ve).Inside the electric cell the electric charges flows from negative (- ive ) terminal to the positive ( + ive ) terminal.

Connecting wires, bulb, switch and electric cell is used in Torch, Battery, LED (Light Emitting Diode), etc.


Electric current is carried by Conductor.

Conductor: Materials that allow electic current to pass through them. All metals are good conductors of electricity. Carbon is the only non-metal which is a good conductor of electricity.

Electric current is stopped by Insulators.

Insulators: Materials which do not allow electric current to pass through them. Example: plastic, rubber, wood, glass, polythene, PVC, etc.


Electricity can give us magnetism

Electricity is a form of energy which helps us with ,

  • heating effect,
  • light effect , and
  • magnetic effect.