1. Electricity

2. Lessons 1 What Gives Matter A Charge?
2 How Does Electrical Energy Get Around?
3 How Do You Make Electricity Do What You Want?
4 What’s the Best Pathway for Electrons?

3. What Gives Matter a Charge?
Lesson 1:
What Gives Matter a Charge?

4. In the activity “Opposites Attract, Likes Repel” on pages 12-13, you made two observations:
Objects with opposite charges (one negative, one positive) will attract each other.
Objects with like charges (both negative or both positive) will repel each other.

5. You also learned that the build-up of electrical charges in one place is called STATIC ELECTRICITY.

6. Let’s see what else you remember!

7. A particle with a positive charge is called a/an _______________.
proton
neutron
electron

8. A particle with a negative charge is called a/an _______________.
proton
neutron
electron

9. charge charge attract attract repel repel
_________ means to push away.
_________ means to pull together.
charge
charge
attract
attract
repel
repel

10. positive neutral negative
If an electrically-neutral object GAINS electrons, what charge does it now have?
positive
neutral
negative

11. positive neutral negative
If an electrically-neutral object LOSES electrons, what charge does it now have?
positive
neutral
negative

12. currents contact neutrons
Static electricity is placed on an object by _____________ such as combing hair or rubbing a balloon with a wool cloth.
currents
contact
neutrons

13. How did you do? I did great! I understand static electricity!
I’m getting there, but I’d like some more practice.

14. Marvelous!
Go on to Lesson 2

15. What is the difference between open and closed circuits?
Lesson 2:
What is the difference between open and closed circuits?

16. circuit open circuit closed circuit
Click on a term to reveal its definition.
circuit
open circuit
closed circuit
Proceed to quiz

17. Circuit:
A closed-loop path of conduction through which an electric current flows

18. Open circuit:
An incomplete path that will not permit an electric current to flow

19. Closed circuit:
A complete path for electric current

20. Quiz:
What type of circuit is shown in each of the following examples?
Open circuit
Closed circuit

21. Open circuit
Closed circuit

22. Closed circuit
Open circuit

23. Open circuit
Closed circuit

24. Open circuit
Closed circuit

25. Now that you’re done, do you feel like you understand the difference between open and closed circuits?
Yes, I understand.
No, I’d like more practice.

26. Way to go!
Go on to Lesson 3

27. How Do You Make Electricity Do What You Want?
Lesson 3:
How Do You Make Electricity Do What You Want?

28. You have just completed the “Will it Conduct?” activity on pages Let’s briefly review what you learned!

29. Click on a term to reveal its definition and examples.
Insulator
Conductor
Continue

30. Insulator: a substance through which electricity cannot flow readily
Examples…
wood plastic rubber
sulfur glass

31. Conductor: a material through which electrons can move easily
Examples…
brass aluminum copper
graphite water

32. Which of these items are conductors?

33. Which of these items are insulators?

34. Are you confident in your understanding of conductors and insulators?
Yes, I’m confident.
No, I’d like more practice.

35. Great job!
Go on to Lesson 4

36. What’s the Best Pathway for Electrons?
Lesson 4:
What’s the Best Pathway for Electrons?

37. and You have learned that there are two main types of circuits:
Parallel
Series
and

38. Parallel circuits are circuits with more than one pathway through which electrons can flow.
Series circuits are circuits with only one pathway through which electrons can flow.

39. What type of circuits are shown in the following examples?
parallel
series

40. Flashlight
parallel
series

41. parallel
series

42. Home lighting
parallel
series

43. Holiday lights
parallel
series

44. Car headlights
parallel
series

45. Security systems
parallel
series

46. How did you do? Were you certain about your answers?
Yes, I knew them.
No, I’d like more practice.

47. Fantastic!
Keep up the good work!

48. If you’d like to read more about electricity, check these out!
Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by his good mouse Amos by Robert Lawson. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1939.
Blinkers and Buzzers: Building and Experimenting with Electricity and Magnetism by Bernie Zubrowski. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1991.
Simple Electrical Devices by Martin J. Gutnik. New York: Franklin Watts, 1986.
Superconductivity: From Discovery to Breakthrough by Charlene W. Billings. New York: Dutton, 1991.
Wires and Watts: Understanding and Using Electricity by Irwin Math. New York: Macmillan, 1981.