Materials: dry cell/battery
20 cm copper wire
1.5 V lightbulb
Name:
Procedure: Try to make the light bulb light with only using a wire and a battery
four different ways.
Data:
1. Take a picture of the 4 different ways you got the bulb to light and insert below
2. Based on your success, make a rule about the position of the materials that will light the bulb.
Now with your partner brainstorm how to do the following:
3. Light the bulb without letting it touch the dry cell (hint 2 wires.) Insert picture of your successful setup.
4. To light the bulb, where must the wires touch the dry cell?
5. Where must the wires touch the bulb for it to light?
6. Now use one dry cell to light TWO bulbs and take a picture. Insert picture of your setup.
7. What do you observe about the brightness of the two bulbs? How can you explain your observations?
8. Now use TWO dry cells, 1 bulb and 1 wire to make the one bulb light. Take a picture of your setup.
9. What do you observe about the brightness of the light? How can you explain your observations?
10.
Explain why many devices need a series of dry cell batteries in order to operate.
Conclusion/HW
11. Describe how you think your house is wired. Use terms such as series or parallel and support your
answer.
12. Use this website, http://www.ndt-ed.org/EducationResources/HighSchool/Electricity/directcurrent.htm
to compare AC and DC. What type did we use? What would be an example of the other type?