DC and AC Principles (SQA HN Unit FY9E 34)

This Unit has been designed to allow you to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in basic electrical and magnetic concepts and theorems that underpin so much of more advanced studies in Electronic and Electrical Engineering. If you have studied these subjects before the early parts of this Unit will provide you with an opportunity to revise the electrical concepts and theorems you have learnt in previous courses.

This Unit will also provide you with an opportunity to study the ways in which resistance-inductance and resistance — capacitance series electrical circuits respond to the sudden application or removal of a dc voltage such as when a switch is closed or opened in such circuits. This in turn will introduce you to the ideas of transient responses that are so important in so many branches of Engineering.

This Unit will also allow you the opportunity to develop the necessary knowledge and skills to solve single-phase ac circuit problems using complex notation. Complex notation is a powerful tool for solving a range of ac circuit problems and a good grasp of this tool will allow you to solve complex problems involving combinations of series and parallel impedances.

It is good to gain sound theoretical knowledge and understanding but it is also important that you are able to set your theoretical knowledge within a practical Electronics and Electrical context. Thus, it is likely during this Unit that you will be provided with the opportunity to relate theory to practice by doing practical experiments and computer simulations on electronic and electrical circuits.

By the end of the Unit you will be expected to solve simple electrical and electronic problems using basic electrical concepts and theorems. You will also be expected to sketch the graphs associated with resistance-inductance and resistance-capacitance series circuits when a dc voltage is suddenly applied or removed from these circuits. You will also be expected to use complex notation to solve a range of single-phase ac circuit problems.

Credit points and level: 1 HN credit at SCQF level 7: (8 SCQF credit points at SCQF level 7).

This is a self study course which means you can study at home, workplace or wherever you choose at times that are convenient for you. You do not have any classes to attend.

The materials for this course are provided as web-pages for you to work through online. As you progress through the course materials you will find written explanations of each feature, followed by practical exercises.

You will be supported throughout the course by a specialist Distance Learning Tutor. Your tutor will contact you (via your College email account) within 7-10 working days of receiving your welcome letter and materials. As you progress they will continue to make regular contact to offer support and guidance, usually by e-mail but sometimes by phone, to ensure you are making good progress and to support your learning throughout. Please note that you must be able to study independently through the course materials.

HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?

The formal assessment for this Unit will consist of a single assessment paper lasting one hour and thirty minutes. The assessment will be conducted under closed-book conditions in which you will not be allowed to take notes, textbooks etc. into the assessment. However, you will be allowed to use a scientific calculator. You will sit this assessment paper at the end of the Unit

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

It would be an advantage for candidates to have a basic knowledge and understanding of electrical, electrostatic and magnetic concepts and theorems, although this is not absolutely essential because some of these concepts and theorems are revised in the first Outcome. Possession of basic knowledge and understanding of these concepts and theorems may be evidenced by possession of a Higher in Electrical Engineering or the following National Qualification Units: D136 12 AC Circuit Theory and Applications; E9RR 12 Circuit Elements; E9RS 12 DC and AC Circuit Responses; E9RV 12 Electromagnetics; E9RW 12 Electrostatics; E9RX 12 Network Analysis; E9S0 12 Single Phase AC.

It may also be an advantage for candidates to take the Mathematics for Engineering 1: Electronics and Electrical Unit before this Unit as the Mathematics for Engineering 1: Electronics and Electrical Unit contains an Outcome on complex numbers which would underpin much of the work in the second Outcome of this Unit.