Conductor vs. Insulator

Standard Students will understand features of static and current electricity and that electricity is a form of energy

Review

 Examples of Static Electricity Laundry sticking together Hair standing up after jumping on a trampoline Combing or brushing clean dry hair Getting “shocked” by someone Shuffling across carpet Lightning

 How do you know static electricity is present A crackling sound A spark can be seen and felt Items cling together

Lightning is a giant spark of static electricity that forms in the clouds. Lightning is caused by the movement of positive and negative charges toward one another. During a storm the particles in a cloud become statically charged by the action of the wind blowing Them around the cloud. The stronger source of static electricity moves towards the weaker source causing the flash that we see as lightning. What is Lightning?

What holds a static charge? Metal, Wood and Glass Plastic and Rubber What does not hold a static charge?

What holds a week attraction? Tissue Paper, Glitter, Sawdust, Paper Dots, Puffed Rice Erasers, Yarn, Pins, Paperclips What holds a strong attraction?

Does everything hold a static charge? No

 Static Electricity: Builds charges in one place Current Electricity: A discharge of electricity that moves along a pathway Definitions

 Incomplete Circuit: A piece not connected – the light is off Complete Circuit: A finished circuit with every piece attached – the light is on Definitions

 Power Source: The source of electricity = battery Pathway: The path the electricity follows = wire Definitions

 Load: Uses the electricity = light bulb Switch: Opens and closes the pathway = switch Definitions

Illustrate the Circuit

Illustrate and Label a Switch __________________________ ______ load pathway switch power source

 How does changing the power source affect the circuit? The more batteries there are, the brighter the light Power Source

 How does changing the pathway affect the circuit? The more wires there are, the light doesn’t change Pathway Source

 How does changing the load affect the circuit? The more bulbs there are, dimmer the light Load Source

 How does changing the switch affect the circuit? All switches have to be in the on position in order for the light to turn on Switch Source

Conductor vs. Insulator

 Conductor: A substance through which electricity passes easily Insulator: A substance through which electricity doesn’t pass easily Resistor: A substance through which electricity passes with difficulty Definitions

 Experiment Time

 What items were conductors? PennyPencil (Wood)Pencil (Metal)EraserPaperclip NailYarnDrinking StrawRubber Band Popsicle Stick What do they have in common? Electricity flows through What do they have in common? Why does electricity flow? They are made with a type of metal

 What items were insulators? PennyPencil (Wood)Pencil (Metal)EraserPaperclip NailYarnDrinking StrawRubber Band Popsicle Stick What do they have in common? Electricity doesn’t flow What do they have in common? Why doesn’t electricity flow? They are not made with a type of metal

What We Learned We learned what type of items are conductors of electricity and what items are insulators