How does my lighthouse work?

My lighthouse needs: A battery The battery is a source of electrical energy. If pupils have not come across the term “energy” before, “electrical energy” could be changed to “electricity”.

My lighthouse needs: A light The light turns electrical energy into light energy. If pupils have not come across the term “energy” before, change this to “electricity makes the light work”.

My lighthouse needs: Wires The wires connect the battery to the light. If pupils have not come across the term “energy” before, change this to “electricity makes the light work”.

Why do we need two wires? Electric lights only work if the electricity can get from the battery to the light… …and get back to the battery again. Of course, this is true for all electrical devices.

You’ll hear people talking about electric circuits. Why do you think it’s called a circuit? Talk about racing circuits – the cars have to be able to get back to the beginning.

Why does a battery need two wires, but some plugs need three? The third wire in a plug is a safety wire. The third wire (the middle one) in a plug is the earth wire. It protects against injury if the casing becomes live (dangerous to touch).

Staying safe Never do experiments with electricity from a socket. Never take something with a plug on it apart. Never stick your fingers into a socket. We don’t need to be scary, but have to be aware that this activity might stimulate their curiosity about electricity.

Staying safe Never poke about inside a piece of electrical equipment that plugs into the socket. Don’t worry. Your lighthouse is perfectly safe!