Experiment 6

How does Electricity Flow from Batteries

 and Through Light Bulbs?

Materials Needed:

• 2 flashlight batteries
• 1 flashlight bulb
• 1 LED (light emitting diode)
• 12 in of wire
• sandpaper
• masking tape

Now that you have been exploring magnets it's time for you to construct a real electrical circuit. When you finish with this last experiment you will be ready to put all of these ideas together in the projects that follow. Electricity is the movement of tiny particles known as electrons, in which the electrons are part of every atom. When it comes through a battery, these particles come from the negative side ( - ) and return to the battery's positive side ( + ). The best way electrons move is through metal, so this is the reason why we are going to use wire. This particular wire is made from shiny metals called copper, ( to move electrons to and from the battery). We have already remove the insulation in the wire that is included in your kit. When the electrons move through the wire and rub against other electrons in the wire, this friction will cause heat. So, if you attach a light bulb this light bulb will light up because it is so hot.

Try this:

Tape one end of the wire to the flat end of the battery which is the negative side of the battery (pic 1). Then take the other end of the wire wrap it around the side of the light bulb, one or two times is enough, (pic 2). Now, touch the bottom of the light bulb to the end of the positive side of the battery and see how the light bulb lights up (pic 3).

You can try this again, but this time using the LED light included in your kit. This LED light needs two batteries in order to light up. Tape two batteries together really tight. Then tape one end of the wire to the flat end of the battery like you did before. Now wrap the other end of the wire to the short leg of the LED light (pic 4). Now, place the long leg of the LED light to the positive side of the battery and see it light up (pic 5)