Lessons

• 1 What Gives Matter A Charge?• 2 How Does Electrical Energy Get

Around?• 3 How Do You Make Electricity Do What

You Want?• 4 What’s the Best Pathway for Electrons?

Lesson 1:What Gives Matter a Charge?

In the activity “Opposites Attract, Likes Repel” on pages 12-13, you made two observations:

Objects with opposite charges (one negative, one positive) will attract each other.

Objects with like charges (both negative or both positive) will repel each other.

You also learned that the build-up of electrical charges in one place is called STATIC ELECTRICITY.

Let’s see what else you remember!

A particle with a positive charge is called a/an _______________.

protonelectron

neutron

A particle with a negative charge is called a/an _______________.

protonelectron

neutron

_________ means to push away.

_________ means to pull together.

charge

attract

repel

charge

attract

repel

If an electrically-neutral object GAINS electrons, what charge does it now have?

positive negativ

e

neutral

If an electrically-neutral object LOSES electrons, what charge does it now have?

positive negativ

e

neutral

Static electricity is placed on an object by _____________ such as combing hair or rubbing a balloon with a wool cloth.

currents neutron

s

contact

How did you do?

I did great! I understand static electricity!

I’m getting there, but I’d like some more practice.

Go on to Lesson 2

Lesson 2:What is the difference

between open and closed circuits?

Click on a term to reveal its definition.

circuit

open circuit

closed circuit

Proceed to quiz

Circuit:

A closed-loop path of conduction through which an electric current flows

Open circuit:

An incomplete path that will not permit an electric current to flow

Closed circuit:

A complete path for electric current

Quiz:

What type of circuit is shown in each of the following examples?

Open circuit

Closed circuit

Open circuit

Closed circuit

Open circuit

Closed circuit

Open circuit

Closed circuit

Open circuit

Closed circuit

Now that you’re done, do you feel like you understand the difference between open and closed circuits?

Yes, I understand.

No, I’d like more practice.

Go on to Lesson 3

Lesson 3:How Do You Make

Electricity Do What You Want?

You have just completed the “Will it Conduct?” activity on pages 34-35. Let’s briefly review what you learned!

Click on a term to reveal its definition and examples.

Conductor

Insulator

Continue

Insulator: a substance through which electricity cannot flow readily

Examples…

wood plasticrubber

sulfur glass

Conductor: a material through which electrons can move easily

Examples…

brass aluminumcopper

graphite water

Which of these items are conductors?

Which of these items are insulators?

Are you confident in your understanding of conductors and insulators?

Yes, I’m confident.

No, I’d like more practice.

Go on to Lesson 4

Lesson 4:What’s the Best

Pathway for Electrons?

You have learned that there are two main types of circuits:

Parallel

Seriesand

Parallel circuits are circuits with more than one pathway through which electrons can flow.

Series circuits are circuits with only one pathway through which electrons can flow.

What type of circuits are shown in the following examples?

parallel

series

parallel

series

Flashlight

parallel

series

parallel

series

Home lighting

parallel

series

Holiday lights

parallel

series

Car headlights

parallel

series

Security systems

How did you do? Were you certain about your answers?

Yes, I knew them.

No, I’d like more practice.

If you’d like to read more about electricity, check these out!

Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by his good mouse Amos by Robert Lawson. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1939.

Blinkers and Buzzers: Building and Experimenting with Electricity and Magnetism by Bernie Zubrowski. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1991.

Simple Electrical Devices by Martin J. Gutnik. New York: Franklin Watts, 1986.

Superconductivity: From Discovery to Breakthrough by Charlene W. Billings. New York: Dutton, 1991.

Wires and Watts: Understanding and Using Electricity by Irwin Math. New York: Macmillan, 1981.