Materials needed for each student pair for this ppt.’s activities:

• 4 wires about 4 inches long with both ends stripped off• 1 small light bulb• 3 more small light bulbs in holders, or 3 holiday lights with about 4

inches of wire on either side of the bulb, and each end of the wire stripped off. ( I like to demo with bulbs in holders, but let the students work with holiday lights. It is easier for them to handle…but they must be exposed to the holders as that is usually what is on the state tests.

• 2 batteries, one in a holder and one not in a holder for the activity mentioned in slide 2

• 1 large light bulb with the glass broken so students can see inside the light bulb

Electric Electric

EnergyEnergy

To make a light bulb light up, To make a light bulb light up, you must have three things:you must have three things:

• Energy source (for us, a battery)

• Something for the energy to travel on (usually a metal wire with plastic/rubber covering for insulation)

• Something to use the energy (light bulb, motor, door bell, etc.)

Batteries: Our Energy SourceBatteries: Our Energy SourceThere are many different types of batteries:

+-+ -

+-

What Happens Inside a BatteryWhat Happens Inside a Battery

In a battery, electrons want to move from the negative end of the battery to the positive

end of the battery. They can not move inside the battery. The electrons MUST come out of the

negative end of the battery and back into the positive

end of the battery.

But they will not come out unless they can get

back into the battery to get recharged.

Honey, I am not leaving until I know I

can get back in again!!!

What Happens Inside a Battery What Happens Inside a Battery (continued)(continued)

So we use wires for the electrons to travel on....

What Happens Inside a Battery What Happens Inside a Battery (continued)(continued)

When the electrons can travel in and out

of the battery, it is called

an electric current.

What Happens Inside a Battery What Happens Inside a Battery (continued)(continued)

But we are wasting energy...why???But we are wasting energy...why???

We must put something on the current to We must put something on the current to use the energy...not waste it!use the energy...not waste it!

Will it work?Will it work?

MUCH BETTER!!!

Will it work?

Will it work?

Will it work?

Will it work?

Types of CircuitsTypes of Circuits

• Complete or closed circuit: All parts of the circuit are connected, so the light bulb works.

Now you make an closed or Now you make an closed or complete circuit with:complete circuit with:

*one battery in a holder*one battery in a holder*two wires *two wires

*one light bulb*one light bulb

Types of CircuitsTypes of Circuits

• Incomplete or open circuit: Some part of the circuit is not connected, so the light bulb does not work.

Now you make an open or Now you make an open or incomplete circuit with:incomplete circuit with:

*one battery in a holder *one battery in a holder *two wires *two wires *one light bulb*one light bulb

Single circuit: a complete circuit with only one object on the circuit.

Series circuit: a complete circuit with more than one object on the circuit, all located in a single line.

Another example of a series circuit using a door bell and a

light bulb.

Now you make a series Now you make a series circuit with:circuit with:

*one battery in a holder*one battery in a holder*three wires *three wires *two light bulbs*two light bulbs

Will this work?

Add one more light to your Add one more light to your series circuit so you have series circuit so you have

three lights. three lights.

What happens to the What happens to the brightness of the bulbs?brightness of the bulbs?

On a series circuit, all objects MUST SHARE the energy in the battery, so the more objects you add, the dimmer the light becomes.

Disconnect one of the bulbs.

What happens to the other bulbs?

Now make a parallel circuit like the one below.

Notice how bright the bulbs burn.

This is because each bulb has its own pathway to the battery’s energy.

Disconnect one of the bulbs.

What happens to the other bulbs?