Circuits and Electricity

1. Circuits and Electricity

2. Using the wire, battery, and light bulb, build a complete circuit. • Once the light bulb lights up, draw a picture of the circuit in your lab notebook. Label all parts of the circuit. • How did you make the light bulb light up? • What role did the battery play in your circuit? • What role did the wire play in your circuit? Complete a circuit

3. Use the three insulated wires to create an open and closed circuit. • Once you demonstrate you have an open and closed circuit, draw a picture of it in your lab notebook. • Were you able to make a circuit complete with the use of a switch? • Define closed circuit. Closed circuit– a path that allows electrons to flow. • Define open circuit. Open circuit– a path that is broken and does not allow electrons to flow. Switch

4. Take each item and use your complete circuit to test whether it is a conductor of electricity or not. • If the bulb lights up when you add the item to your circuit, the item is a conductor. • If the bulb does not light up, the object is an insulator. • Draw and label the items as electrical conductors or electrical insulators in your lab journal. Test for conductors

5. Discuss findings about conductors and insulators • Remember that wood, glass, air, wax, cloth, and rubber are all insulators • Metal, water, copper, steel, and iron are conductors. • Your body contains water and since water is a conductor of electricity, our bodies can get an electrical shock. Findings

6. Electrical Conductors- Conductors are materials that electricity easily passes through. They do not resist the flow of electricity. Examples: Metal, water, copper, steel, and iron are conductors. • Electrical Insulators- Insulators are materials that resist the flow of electricity. Electricity does not pass easily through them. Examples: wood, glass, air, wax, cloth, and rubber are all insulators Definitions

7. What patterns did you observe in testing the electrical conductivity of the materials? • Where do you see examples of electrical conductive and insulating materials? • Successful circuits are called closed, complete, and working circuits. • Unsuccessful circuits are called open, incomplete, and broken circuits. Discussion questions

8. Series and Parallel Circuits

9. http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/science/energy_electricity_forces/electric_current_voltage/revision/2/http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/science/energy_electricity_forces/electric_current_voltage/revision/2/ Website for electricity

10. A series circuit has a SINGLE path along which the electricity flows from its source to operate a device, such as a light, bell, or buzzer. • When there is a break in the series circuit, such as a burned out light bulb, ALL of the devices in the circuit will cease to function. • Example: older version holiday lights Series Circuit

11. Series Circuit

12. A parallel circuit is a circuit where there are SEVERAL paths for the electricity to travel through. • This allows several different devices to each have their OWN complete path to and from the electrical source, within the same circuit. • If there is a break in a parallel circuit, such as a burned out light bulb, the other devices WILL CONTINUE to work because they each have their own closed path to and from the electrical source. • Example: light fixtures in your home or school, electrical toys, newer holiday lights Parallel Circuit

13. Parallel Circuit

14. Sound and Mechanical Energy using circuits

15. Use the buzzer, switch, battery, and wires to make a complete circuit. • Use the motor, switch, battery, and wires to make a complete circuit. • Draw and label both in your journal once you have completed them. Sound and Mechanical