Electricity Week 5 Ask for what students know about electricity

What is Electricity Electricity: the flow of electric charges The steady flow of electricity is called an electrical current and moves in a circuit. Talk about a few devices that need electricity; what happens when they unplug

Circuits Open Circuit: A broken path that does not allow electricity to flow Closed Circuit: A closed path that allows electricity to flow Circuit means to “go around” Discuss what occurs when a light bulb burns out (filament disconnects => open circuit) Ask for other examples

The Battery Battery: a device that generates electricity by combining certain chemicals The battery is the power source of a circuit. A stack of electrical cells creates a battery. What chemically happens when batteries run out? Positive and negative ends of batteries

Conductor Conductor: Material that allows electricity to pass through easily Metals are good examples of conductors. Discuss wires (copper, silver, gold)

Insulator Insulator: Material that does not allow electricity to pass through easily An example of an insulator is plastic. Discuss rubber/plastic insulation on wires. Electric shocks

Resistor Resistor: a material that resists, but doesn’t stop the flow of current. A material that resists has resistance. Resistance: a material’s opposition to the flow of electricity Talk about how power lines need to be large in order to prevent electricity loss Discuss how all electricity loses voltage over distance