Electricity
What is electricity?
a form of energy that involves the flow of electric charges
What are magnets?
an object that attracts certain metals
What is an electromagnet?
a magnet that forms when electric current flows through a wire that is wrapped around a piece of metal
What is a circuit?
an unbroken path through which negative electric charges flow
What are atoms?
tiny particles that have electric charges
What is static electricity?
when electric charges build up on the surface of an object
Where on a magnet is magnetism the strongest?
at the poles
How can you make an electromagnet stronger?
increase the electric current flowing through the electromagnet's wire by wrapping it around a piece of metal
What is a conductor?
a material that allows electricity to flow through it easily
How can magnets be helpful?
- pick up spilled metal pieces
- hold paper on a board
- used in electronics
What is current electricity?
negative charges have a continuous flow through a material
What is magnetism?
the pushing or pulling force caused by a magnet
How is an electromagnet temporary?
it has a switch that turns electric current on and off
What is an insulator?
a material that does not allow electricity to flow through it easily
How have electromagnets helped people solve real-life problems?
- maglev trains make transportation faster
- MRI machines help doctors keep people well
- used in doorbells, TVs, and computers
Which type of charge can move from one object to another?
negative
What is a magnetic field?
the area around a magnet where the force of a magnet can act
Objects with the same kind of electric charge _____ each other, whereas opposite electric charges _____.
repel
attract
What is the difference between a closed circuit and an open circuit?
In a closed circuit current electricity will flow through the wires. If one wire is not connected the electricity cannot flow through the open circuit.
Why should we learn about conductors and current electricity?
- keep people safe by avoiding electric shock
An object with an equal amount of positive and negative charges is considered to be _____.
neutral
How can you observe the invisible magnetic field?
sprinkle iron fillings around the magnet
DAILY DOUBLE
How does a maglev train work?
Large electromagnets lift the train above the rails. Magnetic forces push and pull the train along. There is no friction because the train does not touch the rails. This allows the train to travel very fast!
DAILY DOUBLE
How do squirrels avoid getting shocked when running across electric power lines?
To complete the circuit, the squirrel would need to touch two wires at the same time or touch the wire and the ground.
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How does a compass work?
The earth is like a giant magnet. The magnetic needle in the compass always points to the magnetic north pole of the earth.