Electric Circuits Exploration Go to the interactive. You will use only need to use the battery, lamp (bulb), and wire. Complete the following tasks: 1. Create a closed circuit with 1 battery and 1 bulb. Keep this circuit, and use it as a comparison. 2. Create a series circuit with 1 battery and 2 bulbs. What do you observe? 3. Create a series circuit with 2 batteries and 1 bulb. Now flip one of the batteries. What do you observe? 4. Create a series circuit with 3 batteries and 1 bulb.

Electric Circuits Exploration Keep the burned out bulb and set it to the side. Do this one more time so you have two burned out light bulbs. 5. Create a parallel circuit with 1 battery and 2 bulbs. 6. Create a parallel circuit with 1 battery and 3 bulbs. What do you observe? Keep this circuit. 7. Create a series circuit with 1 battery and 3 bulbs. Compare it to the parallel circuit with 1 battery and 3 bulbs. What do you observe? 8. Now replace 1 lit bulb in each circuit with a burned out bulb. What do you observe?

Voltage is the force that causes the current in an electric circuit to flow. The unit for the rate of voltage is the volts (V).

High voltage CURRENT VOLTAGE Size of the current depends on the voltage. The greater the voltage, the greater the current. The greater the current means that more charges move in the wire each second. CURRENT VOLTAGE

The smaller the voltage, the smaller the current. Low voltage The smaller the voltage, the smaller the current. The smaller the current means that less charges move in the wire each second. CURRENT VOLTAGE

Electric current Electric current is the rate at which charges pass through a wire at a given point. To produce a current, electrons need to move continuously from one place to another. The unit for the rate of current is the ampere or amp. We can compare this idea to a garden hose.

High current The higher the current, the greater the number of charges that pass through the point each second. Comparison: Turning the handle as far as possible causes a strong current. CURRENT

Comparison: Turning the handle a little causes a weaker current. Low current The lower the current, less charges that pass through the point each second CURRENT Comparison: Turning the handle a little causes a weaker current.

Resistance is an electrical quantity that measures how the device or material opposes (reduces) the electric current flow through it. Resistance is measured in units of ohms (Ω). Comparison: Resistance is greater in a garden hose than in a fire hose because it is smaller in diameter. Therefore, water flow (current) is decreased.

Resistance Factors: Material (conductors allow for less resistance) Length of wire (long wires have more resistance than short wires) Diameter of wire (thin wires have more resistance than thick) Temperature (high temperatures lead to more resistance) Electricity likes to choose the path of least resistance.