Electrical Circuits Virginia Science Standard There are four parts in a simple electrical circuit. The energy source provides the energy for the electric current. The energy source here is a battery. The load changes the electrical energy into another form. In the image above, the light bulb changes the electric current into light. The wires are the conductors for the electrical current. They attach the energy source to the load. Many electrical circuits also include a switch, which open and close the circuit. Virginia Science Standard 4.3 The student will investigate and understand the characteristics of electricity. b) basic circuits (open/closed, parallel/series)

Closed Circuit The light bulb lights! This image shows a closed circuit. The light bulb lights up because the electric current is able to travel from the negative part of the battery to the positive part on a complete and unbroken path. As the electric current passes through the load, some of the electricity is converted to light. We can identify this as a closed circuit because the wires are connected and the light bulb is lit up.

The light bulb does not light Open Circuit The light bulb does not light The light bulb does not light because there is a break in the path of electric flow.

Series Circuit The electric current passes through the loads (light bulbs) one after another. If one load does not work, then the circuit is broken and none of the other loads will work.

Parallel Circuit In a parallel circuit, there are multiple paths for the electric current to follow. If the path to one load does not work, the current will continue to flow along a different path.