What materials are the best conductors

Possible Materials Aluminum Foil Paper Clips Wood Plastic Rubber Bands String

Equipment 6V Battery 3 wire leads with alligator clips at each end 6V light bulb with wire leads Flat, insulating surface (Cutting Board)

Questions to be answered How do electrons flow through different materials? How is resistance measured? How can different materials be tested for conductivity

Terms to know  Electricity  Circuit  Electrons  Current  Resistance  Conductor  Insulator

Experimental Procedure  1. Set up your circuit board that you will use to test your materials. You will need three pieces of wire with an alligator clip at each end. You can make your own, or you can buy an insulated alligator clip lead set from a store like Radio Shack.

Procedure (continued)  2. Attach one clip of the black wire to the (−) battery terminal by clipping the alligator clip securely to the terminal.

Procedure (continued) ► 3. Attach one clip of the red wire to the (+) battery terminal by clipping the alligator clip securely to the terminal.

Procedure (continued)  4. Attach the other end of the black wire to one of the light bulb leads.

Procedure (continued) 5. Attach the one clip of the yellow wire to the other light bulb lead. 5. Attach the one clip of the yellow wire to the other light bulb lead.

Procedure (continued)  6. You will connect your different materials between the free ends of the red wire and the yellow wire.

Procedure (continued) 7. Make a data table for your results, including a place to write the type of material, source of material and the brightness of the light bulb: 7. Make a data table for your results, including a place to write the type of material, source of material and the brightness of the light bulb: Type of Material Type of Material Source of Material Source of Material Brightness of Bulb (e.g., off, dim, bright) Brightness of Bulb (e.g., off, dim, bright)

Procedure (continued)  8. Next, place the first material into the circuit by clipping one end to the free red clip and the other end to the free yellow clip.

Procedure (continued) 9. Does the light bulb light up? How bright is it? Write down the results in the data table. 9. Does the light bulb light up? How bright is it? Write down the results in the data table.

Procedure (continued) 10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 for each different material you want to test. Remember to write down, in your data table, how bright the light bulb appears for each material you test.10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 for each different material you want to test. Remember to write down, in your data table, how bright the light bulb appears for each material you test.

Procedure (continued)  11. How do the different materials compare? Do some materials have make the light bulb glow brightly while others only make it glow dimly? Do some materials not make the light bulb light at all?

Procedure (continued) 12. Categorize the materials according to your results. Put materials with high brightness readings (high brightness = low resistance) into the conductor category. Put materials with ‘dim’ brightness readings into the ‘poor conductor’ category. Put materials with ‘off’ brightness readings (no brightness = high resistance = low conductivity) into to the insulator category. 12. Categorize the materials according to your results. Put materials with high brightness readings (high brightness = low resistance) into the conductor category. Put materials with ‘dim’ brightness readings into the ‘poor conductor’ category. Put materials with ‘off’ brightness readings (no brightness = high resistance = low conductivity) into to the insulator category. Insulator Insulator Poor Conductors Poor Conductors Conductors Conductors