Day 2: Parts of a Circuit

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Day 2 Parts of a Circuit
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Simple Circuits

• An electric circuit is the path that an electric
  current follows

• Current is flowing charges, like cars on a
  highway THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM STATIC
  ELECTRICITY!!!

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Circuit Diagrams

• Battery
• Switch
• Light bulb
• Wire

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All electric circuits have three parts

• Source of electric energy (battery or wall
  outlet)
• Wires
• Device that uses the energy (light bulb, stereo,
  etc.)

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Electric current in a circuit

Circuits flow in a circular path from positive
to negative
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Open or Closed?
http//phet.colorado.edu/new/simulations/sims.php?
simCircuit_Construction_Kit_DC_Only

• In order for electricity to move through a
  circuit it must be closed
• If a circuit is open then the electricity cannot
  flow
• Switches are objects that are used to determine
  whether a circuit will be closed or opened

open
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There are two types of circuits

• Series
• Parallel

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Types of Circuits
What is the difference between the wiring?
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Series Circuits

• This is the simplest type of circuit

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• Series Circuits

• The electric charges can follow only one path
  through the wires of the circuit
• If one part goes out, they all go out. Ex.
  Old-style Christmas lights are wired this way

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Series Circuits
Burned out light bulb
If this light bulb does not turn on,
neither light bulb will turn on.
The circuit is broken and the current cant flow
to this bulb here.
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Parallel Circuits

• The electric current can follow more than one
  path (branch)

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Parallel Circuits
The current divides because it has more than one
path to flow.
Even though the path is stopped, the other light
turns on because its circuit is not broken.
Burned out light bulb
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Parallel Continued

• So would series or parallel be better to wire a
  house?
• Parallel because if one light is missing or not
  working, the other lights have alternate paths to
  follow and will STAY LIT!

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Building Circuits

• Materials
• Wire
• Cell
• Bulbs
• switch

• Build a series circuit with a switch to control
  the light bulb
• Build a parallel circuit with 2 light bulbs and a
  switch that controls one light bulb only