Basic electrical circuit consists of an electric cell, key, conducting wires and an electrical gadget (say bulb). When switch is closed, current flows through the circuit and the bulb glows.
definition
Rheostat as a current controller
The electrical component rheostat, have 3 terminals. Two terminals are the begining and end of the wire(T1 and T2), while the 3rd terminal is the movable contact which can be moved along the length of the wire(T3).Now by using two terminals(One of them T3), Rheostat functions as a current limiter. The value of current flow depends on the resistance in its path, so by adjusting the contact the value of resistance exhibited can be altered thus the current flow can be controlled. This can accomplished in two ways:In Shunt or in Series.
