electrician glossary

20 terms

My name is Alex Bernier, I have been studying Social Science since last year, so it's been a year and a half. I came to the CEGEP because of the hockey, so I don't think I'm going to go to university, so my glossary would be for electricians. My glossary can help beginners to understand some of the words that electricians uses on the job site. Mine contain 20 words that can help them, I find the majority of them on a site with all the words that can be use when you'r an electrician. Now I want you to read the glossary and try to understand it, and after you will be more familiar like the pros.

Breaker: It is an electrical safety device, a switch that automatically interrupts the current of an overloaded electric circuit, ground faults, or short circuits.
Cable: Two or more insulated conductors wrapped in metal or plastic sheathing.
Circuit: It’s a closed system of interconnected conductive elements through which electric current can flow under the influence of an applied voltage.
Conductor: It’s a substance or material that allows electricity to flow through it.
Connector: It’s a fitting intended to terminate a cable or raceway into a box, panel, etc.
Diode: A two-terminal semiconductor (rectifying) device that exhibits a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic. The function of a diode is to allow current in one direction and to block current in the opposite direction. The terminals of a diode are called the anode and cathode.
Frequency: In ac systems, the rate at which the current changes direction, expressed in hertz (cycles per second); A measure of the number of complete cycles of a wave-form per unit of time.
Fuse: It’s an electrical safety device that protects an electric circuit from excessive electric current.
GFCI: It’s a safety device that senses shock hazard and automatically stops electrical flow in a circuit Conduit.
Grounding: It provides a measure of safety against electric shocks by acting as a safety line to redirect electric current in the event of short circuits.
Hertz: A unit of frequency equal to one cycle per second. 2) In alternating curent, the number of changes of the negative and positive poles per second.
Hot Wire: The higher voltage conductor carrying electrical current (usually black) in a 120V single phase system.
Inrush current: The initial surge of current experienced before the load restance of impedance increases to its normal operating value.
Insulator: It’s a material that reduce or prevent the transmission of electricity, heat, or sound. Conductors are materials that allow relatively easy transmission.
Polarity: The electrical Term used to denote the voltage relationship to a reference.
Power factor: The ratio of energy consumed (watts) versus the product of input voltage (volts) times input current (amps). In other words, power factor is the percentage of energy used compared to the energy flowing through the wires. Adding capacitors to the system changes the inductive effect of the ballast coils, converting a Normal Power Factor (NPF) to a High Power Factor (HPF) system.
Range: Nominal operating limits, specified by the lowest calibration point to the highest calibration point.
resistance: It’s a measure of the opposition to the flow of current in an electrical circuit. It is influenced by the material's properties, length, cross-sectional area, and temperature.
Voltage: It’s the pressure from an electrical circuit's power source that pushes charged electrons (current) through a conducting loop, enabling them to do work such as illuminating a light.
WATT: It’s a measure of the power an electrical device consumes; [volts x amps = watts].