Educator Guide: Observing
Electricity and Magnets
This document is a resource for teachers whose classes are participating in the Museum of Science’s Observing Electricity and Magnets Traveling Program. The information in this document may be used as a classroom resource and/or as background information for the teacher concerning the subjects of electricity and magnetism. Table of Contents:
Vocabulary List……………………………………………………………………………2
Further Background Reading…………………………………………………………...5
Suggested Classroom Materials……………………………………………………... 6
Activity Descriptions………………………………..…………………………………...8
Video Descriptions……………………………………………………………………... 9
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Vocabulary List
Below are common terms that teachers may wish to be familiar with for the program. This list also suggest both basic and advanced vocabulary for students participating in the Observing Electricity and Magnets program to be familiar with, though prior study of these words is not required for student participation. Atoms – tiny particles that make up the world around us and are far too small to see. Atoms are made up of a positively charged nucleus in the middle surrounded by negatively charged electrons.
Attractive Force – a pull that draws one object to another
Battery – an object that creates an electric force which can make a current flow. The negative end of a battery repels negative charges, and the positive end attracts them.
Circuit – a loop through which charges can flow. For charges to flow and make a current there needs to be a complete loop. This loop is called a closed circuit. A basic circuit can be made out of a battery, light bulb, and wires. When connected together in a loop with no gaps, charges are able to flow from the battery, through the light bulb, and back to the other side of the battery. This lights up the bulb. If there is a gap, though, the charges will get stuck with nowhere to go. This is called an open circuit. Conductor – a material through which electric charges can flow easily. These are materials with low resistance.
Current – moving electric charges
Electric Charge – a basic property of all matter that gives rise to the electric force. Everything in the world that we can see and touch is built out of electric charges. There are two types of charges: positive and negative. In atoms, the electrons are negative and the protons are positive. Objects that have an electric charge create and feel the electric force.
Electrons – particles often found around the nucleus (center) of atoms that have a negative charge 2
Electric Force – the force that causes electric charges to either attract one (pull together) another or repel apart (push apart)
Electromagnet – a magnet created by running an electric current through a coil of wire. The moving charges create a magnetic force. Unlike a permanent magnet, you can turn this on and off.
Electromagnetism – a subject in science that deals with the electric force, magnetic force, and how the two are connected
Energy – the ability to do work. There are many different types of energy, and they can change into one another. Some examples are light, sound, heat, electric, and magnetic energy.
Force – a push or a pull. Some examples of forces are wind, gravity, and pushes from our muscles.
Insulator – a material through which electric charges can barely flow, if at all. These are materials with high resistance. Magnetic Force – a force created and felt by magnets. Magnets have north and south poles which attract and repel due to this force.
Permanent Magnet – like on our refrigerator, these magnets stick around
Protons – a particle inside the nucleus (center) of atoms that has a positive charge
Repulsive Force – a push that deters one object from another
Resistance – a measure of how hard it is for electric charges to flow through a material. High resistance means it is difficult for charges to flow, and low resistance means they can flow easily.
Spark – the effect we can see, hear, and (sometimes) feel when charges are pushed with enough electric force to make it through an insulator
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Static Electricity – the noticeable electric force when charges are unbalanced. For instance, if you rub a balloon in your hair, you will notice a force between the balloon and your hair.
Voltage – a measure of the amount of energy each electric charge has 4
Further Background Reading
This is a suggested reading list for teachers looking to improve their understanding of electricity and magnetism. Books
Basic Physics: A Self-Teaching Guide. Karl Kuhn. Wiley. 1996.
Electricity And Magnetism: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You
Can Teach It by William C. Robertson. NSTA. 2004.
Electricity Demystified. Stan Gibilisco. McGraw-Hill Professional. 2005.
Instant Physics: From Aristotle to Einstein, and Beyond. Tony Rothman.
Ballantine Books. 1995.
Links
Electricity and Magnetism, a good linear introduction to the concepts –
http://theory.uwinnipeg.ca/mod_tech/node83.html
HyperPhysics Concepts, a good reference for concepts and definitions –
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/emcon.html#emcon
Articles on “Electricity” New Explanations, Alternate Mental Toolkit by William
Beaty –
http://amasci.com/ele-edu.html
NDT Resource Center –
http://www.ndted.org/EducationResources/HighSchool/Electricity/hs_elec_index.htm
Electromagnetism –
http://www.school-for-champions.com/SCIENCE/electromagnetism.htm
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Classroom Materials
Below are some suggestions for books, videos, and websites to help students increase their understanding of electricity and magnetism. Books
Flash, Crash, Rumble, and Roll. Franklyn M. Branley. Collins. 1999.
Magnets. Anne Schreiber. Grosset & Dunlap. 2003.
Magnets: Pulling Together, Pushing Apart. Rosinsky. Picture Window Books.
2004.
Switch on, Switch Off. Melvin Berger. Collins. 1990.
The Magic School Bus and the Electric Field Trip. Joanna Cole. Scholastic
Paperbacks. 1999
The Shocking Story of Electricity. Anna Claybourne. Usborne Books. 2006.
What is Electricity? Lisa Trumbauer. Children’s Press. 2004.
What Magnets Can Do. Allan Fowler. Children’s Press. 1995.
What Makes a Magnet? Franklyn M. Branley. Collins. 1996.
Videos
1) The Earth is a Giant Magnet. DVD. 2008.
2) Curious George Episode 11: Animal Magnetism.
Synopsis: On a mission to find magnets to hang his newest masterpiece on the refrigerator, George learns a lot about magnets. His new knowledge comes in handy when he has to save his precious artwork from a giant magnetic crane at the junkyard. 6
Educational Objective (Science): To illustrate several characteristics of magnets: they attract and repel each other; they attract certain kinds of other metals; objects made of certain metals can be magnetized.
Where to find episode: http://www.amazon.com/Curious-George-PlaysAwesome-Activities/dp/B000WC39M2/ref=ntt_tv_ep_opt_013
or
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00337O89Q What Makes a Magnet?
Franklyn M. Branley. Collins. 1996.
Links
Curious George, Episode 11: Animal Magnetism. Live Action Segment: Magnets
http://www.pbs.org/parents/curiousgeorge/program/ep_desc_s1.html
Arthur: Magnet Mania Activity
http://www.pbs.org/parents/arthur/activities/acts/magnet_mania.html?cat=science
Physics4Kids: Electricity & Magnetism –
http://www.physics4kids.com/files/elec_intro.html
Static Electricity: Learn about static charge and static shock –
http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/static.html
Science Snacks – Exploratorium’s list of experiments
about electricity: http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/iconelectricity.html
about magnetism: http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/iconmagnetism.html
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Activity Descriptions
See the “Documents” section on the website to download these activities. Electricity Medley
Electricity is all around us, but we do not always think about the attractive and repulsive forces at work. However, using simple materials, students can “see” these invisible forces in action. In this activity, students will have the opportunity to think about the science behind common electricity experiments with balloons (i.e.: rubbing a balloon on their hair), while trying out a few new ones. This compilation of experiments is designed to give students multiple examples illustrating the concept that opposite charges attract, and like‐charges repel. Magnet Maze
Whether it is on a refrigerator in the kitchen, a toy at home, or a latch on a door, children love playing with magnets. Magnets provide young learners an opportunity to explore invisible forces in their world, such as attraction and repulsion, and ignite curiosity as they attempt to understand how they work. In this experiment, students will have an opportunity to explore some of the properties of magnets, and use their knowledge to guide a paper clip through a maze. 8
Video Descriptions
See the “Media” section on the website to download these videos. Balloon and Hair
This video shows what is happening when we rub a balloon in our hair. Since electric charges are far too small to see, in this video we’ve drawn in the charges. We can see that extra negative charges move into the balloon, and the opposite charges in the balloon and the hair will attract. Van de Graaff Generator
This video shows what happens when we hook someone up to a Van de Graaff generator. Again, we’ve drawn in the charges to make them visible. In this case, extra negative charges move into the metal dome and then our volunteer. The extra negative charges repel from one another. At the end of the video, another person reaches in from the side and gives our volunteer a shock. 9