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Day 3 - 4 |
Lab |
Vocabulary Test
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What happens when an object with an excess of electrons touches a neutral object? |
Video
Electricity and Magnetism: Current Electricity
Current electricity is the flow of electrons. To move from one place to another, Current electricity needs what is called a complete circuit.The circuit is made up of a source of electrons, a path for the electrons to travel along, and a device to use the electricity.
Grades: 9 Runtime: 17:58 ©2004 United Learning
Electric charge is defined by subatomic particles. Electrons and protons have opposite charge properties. Electrons are assigned a negative charge (-) and protons a positive charge (+). In normal atoms, there are equal numbers of each of these particles, giving the atom a "neutral" electric charge over all. While changing the number of protons in an atom is very difficult, atoms gain or loose electrons relatively easily. When an atom gains electrons, there are more electrons than protons and the atom will have a "negative" charge over all. When an atom looses electrons, there are more protons than electrons and the atom will have a "positive" charge over all.
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Electric field: An area around a charged particle in which forces of attraction or repulsion are noticeable.
Static electricity:
Electricity with high voltage and low power output.
Static electricity is found in any area or object with unequal electric charges. Large amounts can be produced using a Van de Graaff Generator. 
This assignment must be completed by the end of class today to receive credit.
Scoring criteria
Use Powerpoint to graphically show the following:
Show the slide to your science facilitator when finished.
- A flat, circular, positively charged containment field is established.
- Three protons are placed into this containment field.
- Where are the protons in this field?
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Any volunteers may ask the science facilitator for a Van de Graaff Generator and try your luck producing static electricity. |
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Power poles carry either one, two, or three electric lines. What is significant about the different numbers of lines? |
Electric current: Electricity with high power output and low voltage. 
2 types of electric current:
Direct Current, DC: current flows in one direction only.
Alternating Current, AC: current flow changes direction.
Take a virtual tour of a plasma physics lab. 
Experiment with a Tokamak Nuclear Reactor.
Play the game Mortal Kontact.
Test Your Concept Understanding: 
- Learn about TVA Power Generation.
- Most power plants use high pressure steam to turn the generator turbines. What is the temperature of the steam and how much pressure is it under?
- How many tons of coal can be carried by one coal train car?
- Learn how a battery works.
- Who is credited with building the first battery?
- Batteries have positive and negative terminals. Describe the direction of current flow between these terminals when the battery is in use.
- Four 1.5 volt batteries are connected in series. Describe the result.
- The same four batteries are connected in parallel. Describe the result.
- Describe the construction of a 9 volt battery.
- Learn how an electric power grid works.
- Electricity distributed by an electric power plant is "3-phase" electricity. Write a paragraph explaining 3-phase electricity.
- When electricity is transmitted through power lines
- What is typically considered the maximum distance electricity can be transmitted?
- What is the purpose of a power substation?
- There is a transformer on the power pole that leads from the power grid to your house. The purpose of this transformer is to change the voltage of the electricity. How many volts come into the transformer from the grid and how many volts leave the transformer in the wire to your house?
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Why does a battery stop producing electricity? |
Electrician |
Conductors: Materials that easily allow the flow of an electric current.
Conductors do not hold their valence electrons tightly. Most metals are good conductors.
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Insulators: Materials that do not easily allow the flow of an electric current.
Insulators hold their valence electrons tightly. Most nonmetal solid materials are insulators.
Voltage: The electric potential difference between two points.
The electric potential difference between two points. The greater the difference, the greater the "push" behind the electrons.
Ampere: A measure of the amount of current flowing past a given point per second.
| Amperes = Volts / Ohms |
Ohm: A measure of the resistance to the flow of current.
Resistance in a conductor can be thought of as friction. Like friction, resistance causes heat to build up.
There are four factors that determine the resistance of a material:
Ohm's Law: The current in a wire is equal to voltage divided by resistance.
| Current = voltage / resistance |
Electrochemical cells changes chemical energy into electrical energy. Whether wet or dry, these cells provide a source of charged particles.
| Wet Cell | Dry Cell |
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Battery: A series of cells.
Electric circuit: A complete, closed path for an electric current.
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Series circuit:
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There is only one path for the electrons to take. |
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Parallel circuit:
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There is more than one path for the electrons to take. |
Electric power: A measure of the rate at which electricity does work or provide energy.
Emergency switch:
Fuse
- Contains a wire that will melt when too much current flows. Circuit Breaker
- A switch that flips open when too much current flows.
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Test Your Concept Understanding:
- Connect 4 light bulbs in a series circuit.
- Connect 4 light bulbs in a parallel circuit.
- Find out what makes an electric current fatal.
- What characteristic of electricity causes the seriousness of an electric shock?
- What is the lowest value of this characteristic that is considered lethal?
- Compare the electrical resistance of dry skin and wet skin.
Research Links:
When an object with an excess of electrons touches a neutral object, electrons are passed to the neutral object.
