Electricity Lesson

Electricity Lesson

By Crystal Winner

​Learning outcomes

​By the end of the lesson, students should be able to

​

1. ​Describe and explain static electricity

2. Explain electric force

3. Describe conductors and insulators

4. Understand electric current in a circuit

5. Discuss and construct components in parallel circuit

Structure of the Atom

• Protons are POSITIVELY CHARGED Neutrons are NEUTRAL Electrons are NEGATIVELY CHARGED

  
  

• Overall an atom is typically neutral because the protons and electron numbers are the same and the positive and negative charges balance.

Static Electricity

Static Electricity is the build up of negative charge (electrons) when two objects that are really good insulators rub together.

- A material that gains electrons have a negative charge

- A material that loses electrons have a positive charge

Static electricity only occurs in insulating material because the charges in a conductor can move around freely, so a charge cannot build up in one place and spreads out across the surface

Static Electricity

When a charged object comes near to another object the two objects will either attract or repel each other:

•if the charges are the same - they repel

•if the charges are opposite - they attract

•if one is charged and the other is not - they may attract depending on the nature of the substances

Like charges repel, and unlike charges attract.

Multiple Choice

What is the major difference between static electricity and current electricity?

• Current electricity involves a continuous flow of neutrons; static electricity is a sudden transfer of protons
• Current electricity can be deadly; static electricity is almost always safe
• In current electricity, there's a single transfer of electrons; in static electricity, there's a steady flow of electrons
• Current electricity involves a flow of electrons; static electricity involves a single transfer of electrons

Multiple Choice

Static electricity is 

• The balance of electrical charge on an object
• The imbalance of electrical charge on an object
• The discharge of electrical charge
• The build up of protons in the nucleus of an atom 

Multiple Choice

If an object gains electrons, it will be...

• positively charged

• negatively charged

• neutral

Multiple Choice

Two objects that are both positively charged will

• attract each other

• repel each other

• do nothing

Multiple Choice

Is wool a conductor or insulator?

• Conductor

• Insulator

Multiple Choice

Thermal energy is NOT able to travel quickly through this type of material.

• Insulator

• Conductor

Multiple Choice

Conductors are materials that...

• Allow heat to pass through them freely.

• Allow cold to pass through them freely.

• Stop heat from passing through.

• Stop cold from passing through.

Poll

What objects do you think will make the best conductor (Allow the heat from his hand to pass freely through them to the paper)?

• Cardboard Circle

• Shark Tooth

• Penny

• Metal Key Chain

• Plastic Toy

Multiple Choice

Which one of these objects is a good insulator

• Copper wire

• Glass

• Aluminum

• Gold

Current Electricity

The current in a circuit depends on the potential difference and the resistance.

It is easy to think of each of these in the following way:

•the current is the flow of electric charges

•the potential difference provides the 'push‘

•the resistance restricts the flow of charges

Two things that are required for current to flow in a circuit.

1. You require a complete circuit.

2. A power supply which “pushes” the charged particles around the circuit.

Electrical Resistance

The wires and the other components in a circuit reduces the flow of charge through them. This is called resistance.

The unit of resistance is the ohm, and it has the symbol Ω (an uppercase Greek letter omega

What causes resistance?

When electrons move through the wire, some electrons collide with the ions of the material in the wire. It is these collisions that cause electrical resistance. With each collision, some energy is lost to the wire as heat. This explains the heating effect of current.

What happens to the current if the resistance increase? 

•Increasing the resistance decreases the current. You can increase the resistance by adding more components with higher resistance.

What happens to the current if the potential difference increases? 

. The greater the battery voltage (i.e., electric potential difference), the greater the current.

Series Circuits

• if a lamp breaks or a component is disconnected, the circuit is broken and all the components stop working.

• The current is the same everywhere in a series circuit. It does not matter where you put the ammeter

• If you put more lamps into a series circuit, the lamps will be dimmer than before because less current will flow through them.

Parallel Circuits

• In a parallel circuit, different components are connected on different branches of the wire

• If a lamp breaks or a component is disconnected from one parallel wire, the components on different branches keep working.

• When two components are connected in parallel, the current is shared between the components. The current is shared when it reaches the branches, then adds again where the branches meet

Multiple Choice

What is an electric circuit?

• The path which the electric current takes.

• Movement or flow of negatively charged electrons

• A device to control the flow of electricity

• The current flow of electricity that always goes in one direction

Multiple Choice

The flow/movement of electric charges 

• Voltage
• Resistance 
• Current 
• Circuit 

Multiple Choice

Electric current that flows in only one direction. 

• Voltage 
• Direct Current 
• Alternating Current
• Series Circuit 

Multiple Choice

A _____________ is a path that is made of parts that work together to allow current to flow.

• Static electricity

• Circuit

• Insulator

Multiple Choice

What type of electricity do we use everyday?

• Static electricity

• Electric current

Multiple Choice

What kind of circuit is this?

• series
• parallel

Multiple Choice

What kind of circuit is this?

• Series
• Consecutive
• Parallel
• Training

Multiple Choice

The picture shows an electrical circuit. This circuit is a series circuit because: 

• It has 3 light bulbs.
• The same current flows through all three light bulbs.
• It uses a single battery.
• The electrical current is divided between the three light bulbs.

Multiple Choice

Pick the correct sentence.

• This circuit will work because it is a closed circuit.
• Energy will freely flow in this circuit.
• This circuit will not work because there is no energy source.
• This circuit will not work because there is no switch.