Thomas Edison’s: Bright Idea

Finding the Electric Circuit Thomas Edison was a young man born in the 1800’s who loved to ask questions, and find out interesting things about the world he lived in. You see, when Mr. Edison was growing up, things were very different. Electricity was brand new, so not everyone even had it in their homes! That’s right, no Ipods or TV’s! Thomas Edison in Fifth Grade!

A home in the 1800’s. This is when Thomas Edison was born Thomas Edison and other people in his time did not have the use of light bulbs. It was very hard to do anything at night since light was only provided by candles. Also during this time, many house fires happened because the use of gas lamps were unsafe, and caused disgusting soot to pollute the air! How Thomas Edison lived An actual gas lamp, used in most home in the 1800’s

Thomas Edison, the scientist knew that energy called, electricity, could be used in a way to light the homes of America. Though others had tried, he began work on a useful electric light bulb, that would use a circuit in order to produce light, and would be easy to use in any home! After many experiments, Edison found that if an electrical current was present the energy running through the light bulb over a filament to produce light. This would be done by creating a complete circuit. There are now over 20 million light bulbs sold per year!

Edison found that connecting wires to a one side of a battery, to a bulb, and back to the other side of the battery would create a path for the electricity to travel. As the current traveled through the complete circuit ,the energy from electricity would travel through the filament and create a reaction of light in the light bulb. Thomas Edison’s First Light Bulb What we know as a light bulb today One Hot Idea Edison also found that these light bulbs would last for a very long time. Though the light would last long, the container of the electricity would become extremely hot! Make sure to remember not to touch a light bulb after it has been on for an amount of time.

Edison’s Other Inventions Thomas Edison had many bright ideas besides the light bulb such as…. Phonograph Kinetoscope Moving Picture Machine Typewriting Machine

Light Socket Light Bulb Battery Wire Battery Holder Complete Circuit

Who am I? Conductors Insulators

Light up the words of Electricity! Place a bright light bulb under the words that are part of electricity Wire Swimming Pool Light Socket Football Electric Current Light Bulb Circuit Battery Battery Holder Sledding

Conductors Electricity’s Best Friend Conductors are materials that allow electricity to pass through. Below are things we use everyday that can conduct electricity!

Insulators Electricity’s stealing enemy Insulators are materials that do not allow Electricity to pass through Insulators steal the energy from electricity, and keep it for themselves! Here are some examples…

Fahnestock clip Conductor Insulator Light Socket Keeps the bulb in place Helps to hold the wire as we test the circuit Does not let electricity pass Allows electricity to pass through

switch contact points battery holder electric current Where wires must be placed in order to create a circuit The flow of electricity through a circuit What stops and starts the electricity through a circuit Holds the battery in place

Holding it all together Do you have to hold a wire to a battery in order to turn on a light? Scientists found materials that help to hold the circuit together. Now these materials do the work! Fahnestock Clip- Holds the wire to the contact point on the battery. Battery Holder- Keeps the battery in place, so the wires will stay connected. Light Switch- Starts and stops the flow of electricity through the circuit. Light Socket- holds the light bulb in place.

Drag these pieces to create a complete circuit

Insulator vs. Conductor Does not allow electricity through Allows electricity to flow through

The last two pieces of the puzzle… Contact Points- points on the battery that conduct electricity Circuit Tester- Created to test for a complete circuit

An object that does not allow electricity through __________ The points on a battery that give the circuit electricity ___________ An object that does allow electricity through _______________ The tool that holds the wire to the battery __________________ Lights up when electricity is inside it _________________ What holds the battery in place for the circuit __________________ Insulator Fahnestock Clip Battery Holder Contact Points Conductor Light Bulb

Holds the Light Bulb in place _________ The complete circle of electricity __________ Used to check if the circuit is complete _________ What fuels a complete circuit ____________ Turns the electricity on and off in our homes ______ Light Socket Circuit Tester Electricity Switch Electric Circuit

1.) Explain why the light bulb only lit up some of the time. 2.) Classify which numbers were hidden circuits. 3.) Construct a list made up of the circuits points that did not work. 4.) How can you explain to a younger student what the light bulb needs in order to light? 5.) Choose which side of the circuit box has more connected circuits and explain why.

Series Circuit Parallel Circuits What do you notice about these circuits?

A parallel circuit is set up just as the one on this page. In a parallel circuit, electricity flows along more than one path around the circuit. There are junctions in a circuit, where the electric charge must “decide” whether to go along one path or the other. It cannot go along both paths at a junction, but must split up. Parallel Circuit Junction Wire Source of Electricity

Series Circuit In a series circuit, electricity has only one path to travel from one point on the circuit. Electricity travels through the wires, batteries, and bulbs, and back to the starting point.

Discovering Parallel and Series Circuits Click on the light bulb to play a game about these circuits!

Batteries in a Parallel Batteries in a parallel circuit, the brightness of the bulb will remain the same as it was with one battery. This is because the electric charge has picked up the energy of only one battery, since it cannot go through both batteries at the same time. Batteries in a Series Batteries in a series, the energy across the bulb is increased causing the bulb to glow more brightly. This is because the electric charge flowing through the circuit has picked up the energy from one battery then the next, effectively doubling its energy.

Time to Review! Drag the word to the correct definition Electricity has one path to travel. Series Circuit Parallel Circuit Electricity arrives at junctions as must travel different ways. Junctions Where electricity must “decide” to go different ways The flow of Electricity through the circuit Electric Current Battery The source of Electricity in a circuit Two batteries in a circuit where more energy is produced Batteries arranged in series Two batteries in a circuit where less energy is produced. Batteries in a parallel Drag the word to the correct definition