In the section on electrical current we learned that
for electricity to do anything, there has to be a complete circuit -- a path
that the current can follow from one end of a battery (or other source of
electrical power) to the other. We also learned how to represent electrical
systems using diagrams.
This page is an opportunity to explore the materials we will be using.
You should record what you do and learn in your journal.
If it has been a while since you last played with the electrical
components in the kit, put together some circuits using one or two batteries,
to make the light bulb light and make the buzzer sound.
Which components are sensitive to the direction of the current, and
in what way?
Compare their behavior when you use one battery and when you use two
batteries connected in series (end-to-end).
Find the light-emitting diodes in your kit. They look like the picture
at right.
We will study them later, but it's OK to try to figure them out
now.
Here are three ways to connect a motor to a pair of batteries. In each case,
what happens when the switch is up, and what happens when it is down? Suggest
a use for each circuit.
The refrigerator light is only on when the door is open.
Draw a circuit diagram for this.
You should record what you do and learn in your journal.
We will study them later, but it's OK to try to figure them out
now.
