If you have a light bulb, a battery, and a wire, how can you make the bulb light up?

Allow for a range of responses and diagrams. Look for the idea of a completed circuit.

What causes an incandescent (traditional) bulb to light up?

As electricity moves through the wire in the bulb, the electricity is transformed into thermal energy that heats up the filament in the bulb, causing the heated filament to glow.

What are some examples of materials that conduct electricity?

Metals like copper, aluminum, gold, and silver conduct electricity.

Why are the wires of our household appliances and lamps wrapped in a plastic coating?

The metal wire allows the electricity to flow, but the plastic coating prevents the electricity from transferring to another conductor.

Why do all the lights on a string of holiday lights go out when one bulb burns out?

Holiday lights are connected in a series circuit, which means every light is connected together and to the source of electricity.

What measure do we use to determine the amount of potential energy in a battery?

Volts are a measure of potential energy. The higher the volts, the more potential energy is stored.

Electricity is the flow of electrical energy from one place to another.

Why is a closed circuit needed for electricity to power our electronics?

For electricity to flow, it needs a closed path from the source, through a conductor, and back to the source.

What would be an advantage of a series circuit? Of a parallel circuit?

In a series circuit, you could turn on and off all the lights or devices at the same time, instead of turning each one on and off separately. In a parallel circuit, each light or device has its own path to the source, so you can control each one separately. If one light or device goes out, the other devices in the circuit are not affected.

What could you do to control the brightness of a light bulb or the spin of a motor in a circuit?

You could use a higher or lower volt battery to control the brightness of a light bulb or the spin of a motor in a circuit. Volts are the measure of potential energy in a battery; the higher the volts, the more potential energy. Or you could add or remove resistors from the circuit, as resistors reduce the amount of electricity flowing through a circuit. Or you could add a potentiometer to the circuit and change the amount of electricity flowing by adjusting a knob or a slider. Students might even mention using a transistor in an integrated circuit to boost the electrical signal.

What are some advantages of using circuit boards in electronic devices?

Circuit boards allow all of the components (fuses, LED, capacitors, resistors, transistors, potentiometers, etc.) to be integrated into a small package. Minimizing circuit boards has been a major advancement in electronics. Using a circuit board makes it easier to switch components as needed.

What are some careers that require knowledge and use of circuits?

Electrical engineers design circuits for a vast range of things—robots, video games, electric cars, computers, phones, prosthetics, power grids, drones, space shuttles, and more.

Electricity & Circuits

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What you will learn from this videoWhat you will learn

Electricity is the flow of electrical energy from one place to another.
Electricity flows through conductors, but it cannot flow through insulators.
A closed circuit is needed for electricity to flow and power our electronics.

Discussion Questions
- Before Video
  If you have a light bulb, a battery, and a wire, how can you make the bulb light up?ANSWER
  - Allow for a range of responses and diagrams. Look for the idea of a completed circuit.
  What causes an incandescent (traditional) bulb to light up? ANSWER
  - As electricity moves through the wire in the bulb, the electricity is transformed into thermal energy that heats up the filament in the bulb, causing the heated filament to glow.
  What are some examples of materials that conduct electricity?ANSWER
  - Metals like copper, aluminum, gold, and silver conduct electricity.
  Why are the wires of our household appliances and lamps wrapped in a plastic coating? ANSWER
  - The metal wire allows the electricity to flow, but the plastic coating prevents the electricity from transferring to another conductor.
  Why do all the lights on a string of holiday lights go out when one bulb burns out?ANSWER
  - Holiday lights are connected in a series circuit, which means every light is connected together and to the source of electricity.
  What measure do we use to determine the amount of potential energy in a battery?ANSWER
  - Volts are a measure of potential energy. The higher the volts, the more potential energy is stored.
- After Video
  What is electricity? ANSWER
  - Electricity is the flow of electrical energy from one place to another.
  Why is a closed circuit needed for electricity to power our electronics?ANSWER
  - For electricity to flow, it needs a closed path from the source, through a conductor, and back to the source.
  What would be an advantage of a series circuit? Of a parallel circuit? ANSWER
  - In a series circuit, you could turn on and off all the lights or devices at the same time, instead of turning each one on and off separately. In a parallel circuit, each light or device has its own path to the source, so you can control each one separately. If one light or device goes out, the other devices in the circuit are not affected.
  What could you do to control the brightness of a light bulb or the spin of a motor in a circuit? ANSWER
  - You could use a higher or lower volt battery to control the brightness of a light bulb or the spin of a motor in a circuit. Volts are the measure of potential energy in a battery; the higher the volts, the more potential energy. Or you could add or remove resistors from the circuit, as resistors reduce the amount of electricity flowing through a circuit. Or you could add a potentiometer to the circuit and change the amount of electricity flowing by adjusting a knob or a slider. Students might even mention using a transistor in an integrated circuit to boost the electrical signal.
  What are some advantages of using circuit boards in electronic devices? ANSWER
  - Circuit boards allow all of the components (fuses, LED, capacitors, resistors, transistors, potentiometers, etc.) to be integrated into a small package. Minimizing circuit boards has been a major advancement in electronics. Using a circuit board makes it easier to switch components as needed.
  What are some careers that require knowledge and use of circuits?ANSWER
  - Electrical engineers design circuits for a vast range of things—robots, video games, electric cars, computers, phones, prosthetics, power grids, drones, space shuttles, and more.
Vocabulary
- Electricity DEFINE
- Circuit DEFINE
- Conductor DEFINE
- Insulator DEFINE
- Volts DEFINE
- Resistor DEFINE
- Potentiometer DEFINE
- Series circuit DEFINE
- Parallel circuit DEFINE
- Capacitor DEFINE
- Transistor DEFINE
Reading Material
DIY Activity Guide
Lesson Plan
Teacher Guide
Assessment
Online Quiz Game Paper Quiz Exit Ticket