10/22 Identifying circuits that will work

Look at the circuits below. In only one of them will the bulb be lit. Sketch the one circuit that will work, and explain how it is different than the others.

  • Circuit A will not work because the switch is open.
  • Circuit B will not work because the switch is open and there is a wire missing on the top left side.
  • Circuit C will not work because there is a small gap in the wire between the bulb and the magnet wire.
  • Circuit D will work!
  • Cicuit E will not work because it is missing a battery, so there is no energy in the circuit.

10/21: Creating magnets with electricity

In this activity, groups created magnets by creating a circuit that included magnet wire wrapped around a large nail. The results were:

  • The greater the number of wraps around the nail, the stronger the magnet—the more staples it could pick up.
  • To make the circuit work, you need to have a complete path of wire from one side of the battery to the other.