Static Electricity
Give three examples of static electricity.
Lightning, socks sticking to clothes out of the dryer, shocked by a metal doorknob.
Electricity can only flow when a circuit is _______.
Closed
Metals like aluminum, copper, and steel are examples of ______.
Conductors.
Give an example of Electrical energy → Radiant energy.
Lamp/flashlight.
If I have a nail wrapped in copper wire, how do I make an electromagnet? Draw a picture.
Connect a battery/dry cell.
Static electricity happens when ______ build up on an object.
Electrons or negatively charged particles.
Name three things you need to make a complete simple circuit.
Battery, wires, and a bulb.
What am I trying to figure out:
- Cotton
- Rubber
- Wood
- Paper
What materials are insulators.
Hair dryers and toasters transform electrical energy into this type of energy.
Thermal energy.
Iron-bearing metals.
Objects with opposite charges ________ and objects with the same charge do this ________.
Opposites attract; same repel.
Why are wires needed in a circuit?
They provide the pathway for electrical energy/the current electricity to flow through them.
Why are wires wrapped in plastic OR why do electricians wear rubber boots and gloves?
Plastic is an insulator that keeps electricity on the circuit path.
Fans and motors transform electrical energy into this type of energy.
Mechanical energy.
An electric current flowing through a wire creates a _________.
Magnetic field.
Why do you feel a "shock" when touching a metal doorknob after walking on a carpet?
A sudden discharge of built-up electrons.
What is the purpose of a switch in a circuit?
To open and close the circuit and allow/not allow electricity to flow.
Explain how you could test if an object is a conductor or insulator.
Place it in a closed circuit. If the bulb lights, it’s a conductor.
Name two different types of energy electrical energy can transform into.
Thermal, radiant, mechanical.
Name two things that can make an electromagnet stronger.
More coils, more current, thicker wire, or bigger iron core.
Describe how lightning forms using what we know about static electricity.
Electrons build up in clouds and discharge to the ground or other clouds.
A student wants to build a working circuit. Explain or draw and label how to create one that turns on/off and has a bright light.
Connect batteries (more than one for more light) --> wire --> bulb --> wire --> switch --> wire.
A student touches a metal spoon and feels a shock, but touching a wooden spoon, nothing happens. Explain why.
Metal conducts electricity, letting charge move; wood is an insulator and blocks the flow.
A student uses a hair dryer. What evidence shows electrical energy changed into thermal energy?
The hair dryer turned on and is producing heat.
What are two differences between a permanent magnet and an electromagnet? Give an example of both.
Permanent magnet: found in nature and can't be turned on/off: bar magnet, refrigerator magnet
Electromagnet: man-made and can be turned on/off: car crane, MRI, headphones