My friend told me how electricity is measured and I was like Watt! In the hands-on activity, learners explore electricity by building circuits, both parallel and series. They also determine how increasing the number of light bulbs and...

Engage your aspiring physicists in a series of lab activities directied at demonstrating the behavior of electric force. In completing these exercises, learners will explore Coulomb's and Gauss's Laws. Well-written directions to four...

Young scholars explain concepts of charge storage, how a capacitor works and how DRAM uses capacitors to store memory. They construct a capacitor and use a multimeter with capacitance meter capability to measure the stored charge in the...

Students experiment with a Leyden Jar, a device that stores electrical charges. A large voltage can be built up in this jar by adding more and more charge. The modern name for this device is a capacitor.

Compare the drift speed of conduction electrons in a current-carrying wire to the signal speed of changes in current. They also distinguish between DC and AC and describe how AC is converted to DC.

Students compare a stepper motor from a traditional motor. In this physics lesson, students summarize how it works. They build their own stepper motor and explore its uses.

Students explore static electricity using the Van de Graaff generator. In this physics instructional activity, students construct their own Van de Graaff using simple materials. They explain how charges accumulate on this device.

Young scholars study the concept of electricity, what an electric current is and its relationship between voltage and resistance.In this electrical activity students solve problems using Ohm's law, and research alternative sources of...

Electrons flow from negative to positive, but the general consensus is that current flows from positive to negative. Scholars explore current through construction of circuits in both series and parallel. The focus is on voltage,...

Groups work together to design a lighthouse, from designing and drawing the wiring diagram, to creating prototypes of the switch and circuit, to envisioning and building a scale model along with a blueprint. By including different...

Students explore tesla coil through various experiments. In this physics lesson plan, students build their own tesla coils based on a given procedure. They discuss its real world applications.

Students use the CBL and voltage probe to observe electricity. In this algebra activity, students use the TI calculator with the CBL to explore Ohm's Law. They discuss exponential equations and how it relates to Ohm's Law.

If your future physicists know how to construct simple circuits, include resistors, and use a multi-meter to measure voltage, then you might employ this instructional activity on Ohm's law. Each lab group investigates the...

Students investigate the properites of a semiconductor device known as a diode. They recognize a diode as a one way conducting device. They describe alternating current and the use of a diode to convert it to direct current. Students...

Middle schoolers identify the internal and external components of computers, robots and fan. In this physics activity, students draw a circuit diagram of their electronic components. They create a battery tester in the lab.

In this electrostatic worksheet, students determine the potential of a charge that moves in an electric field. Students define a coulomb, This worksheet has 5 multiple choice questions and 2 problems to solve.

Young scientists study the construction of a battery through experimentation. They engage in five experiments which combine to create a thorough study of the history of batteries beginning with a model of the first battery.

Students explore the different types of lifters through a series of activities. In this physics instructional activity, students explain the mechanics involved in the lifter designs. They compare aluminum versus zinc lifters.

Students are introduced to several key concepts of electronic circuits. They learn about some of the physics behind circuits, the key components in a circuit and their pervasiveness in our homes and everyday lives. Students learn about...