Conductors and Insulators
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Conductors are materials that allow electricity, heat, or sound to move through
them easily.
Metals are good conductors.
Insulators are materials that do not allow electricity, heat, or sound to move
through them easily.
Rubber and plastic are good insulators.
Have students brainstorm occasions that insulators might be used: oven mitt,
covering of wires, coats during the winter, sound proofing for band practices
Questions:
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What is a conductor? List some examples of good conductors.
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What is an insulator? List some examples of good insulators.
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Why do electric cords have both a conductor (the wires) and insulator (the plastic
around the wires)? What would happen if there was no insulator on the outside?
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Why are most cooking pots and pans made out of metal?
Electric Circuit/ Electric Current
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An electric circuit is a pathway that electrons flow through.
The constant flow of electrons is called an electric current.
Circuits allow electrical energy to be changed into other forms of energy.
Circuits must have a source for electrons (battery or outlet), conductors to carry
the electric current, and usually a switch to start and stop the flow of electrons.
Closed circuits allow electrons to flow. They are complete circuits.
Open circuits do not allow electrons to flow. They are incomplete circuits.
Questions:
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Describe how the circuit in a flashlight works.
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Why do the lights turn off in the classroom when the switch is down?
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What does electrical energy turn into when you turn a stereo on?
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What does electrical energy turn into when you turn on a TV?