This module continues exploring the Law of Conservation of Energy even further! Electrical circuits can store and use energy in different ways. Energy can be stored in batteries, capacitors, and inductors. It can be converted to thermal energy (heat) in a wire, used in a magnetic field, or converted to light energy in an LED or light bulb. In today’s lesson, we’ll be exploring how chemical potential energy in a battery is converted into useful electrical energy. We will also explore how to build simple (low voltage and safe) circuits to light up a light bulb.

Once you’ve watched the video and worked through some of the experiments, take our online quiz below.

After this module you will be able to:

• Explain that electrical energy can come from different stored energy sources including batteries and some foods!
• Identify the basic parts of a circuit including a conductor, a resistor, an energy source, and a load.
• Build a simple circuit using basic parts to light up a light bulb or LED.

Materials

• Printable materials
  • Watt Even Is This? Worksheet
  • Watt Even Is This? Worksheet Answer Key
  • Dig Deeper: Homopolar Motor Worksheet
  • Dig Deeper: Homopolar Motor Worksheet Answer Key
• 9 Volt or D cell battery
• AA battery
• Aluminum foil
• Copper wire of various lengths
• Various household items made of different materials (wood, metal, glass, plastic)
• Light bulb from a small flashlight, holiday light string light bulb, or LED
• Insulating Craft Dough & Conducting Craft Dough
  NOTE: Store-bought Play-Doh! can be substituted for Conducting Craft Dough.
  • Conducting Craft Dough or store-bought Play-Doh!
  • Insulating Craft Dough (at this link, scroll down to Step 2)
• 4 Galvanized nails or other small pieces of galvanized metal (zinc)
• Alligator clips or similar wire attachment
  You can make clips by wrapping the ends of copper wire around a paper clip.
• 4 Pennies
• Potatoes (4 small) (required for one experiment)
• Other Foods to try (optional)
  • Orange (4)
  • Banana (4)
  • Carrot (4)
  • Pickle (4)
• Hot glue or electrical tape
• Small Neodymium magnets
• Utility knife or scissors (to remove insulated coating of the copper wire)

Safety

• Read all instructions carefully before attempting any experiment.
• Do all experiments with adult supervision.
• Only use the batteries and items listed in the experiments. Electricity can be very dangerous. DO NOT, under any circumstance, stick anything into a wall outlet that isn’t specifically designed for that electrical outlet. The electrical outlets and fixtures in your house have electrical energy that is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. The energy is high enough to kill you or start a fire! DO NOT PLAY OR EXPERIMENT WITH ELECTRICAL OUTLETS OR FIXTURES.
• Make sure to use the scissors carefully when cutting down your wire.
• Avoid contacting circuits with wet hands or wet materials.
• Use batteries that are in working condition/new.
• Light bulbs can get hot. Secure the bulb in a safe manner to avoid being burned.
• CAUTION: Only use a hot glue gun with adult permission and supervision. Review these safety guidelines prior to use.

Activity

Steps

1. Read the safety precautions and have an adult supervise all your experiments.
2. Print or have the worksheets and materials list handy.
3. Gather your materials for the experiments!
4. Watch the video and follow along with the worksheet.
5. Check out the Dig Deeper: Homopolar Motor Lab to learn more!

Dig Deeper

Try This

Watch Tri’s Dig Deeper Video and try out the Homopolar Motor Lab! Print the worksheet from the materials list, and watch the video to learn how to make your own electrical motor!

• Homopolar Motor Video
• Homopolar Motor Worksheet
• Homopolar Motor Worksheet Answer Key

Read More

• Want to learn more about conductors and insulators, as well as see some more examples of both? Go to this website!
• Click through this model to learn more about Ohm's Law and how voltage, current, and resistance of a circuit relate!

Show What You Know

Meet Our Expert

Meet Dr. Karoline Muller, research associate at the Texas Center for Superconductivity at the University of Houston. Electricity flowing through a wire creates a magnetic field. In the same way, when a magnet moves near a wire an electrical current will also be produced. In fact, that’s how generators work – they spin a magnet which creates an electrical current on copper wires.

We can use that electricity to power your entire home! Here, Dr. Muller demonstrates and explains the relationship between electricity and magnets in more detail. Watch some of her experiments and see if you can figure out how energy is transferred and conserved!

Meet The Teachers

Brandon Rathke
Pre-AP Chemistry Teacher, Dickinson High School, Dickinson Independent School District, University of Houston, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, teachHOUSTON Alumni
Brandon is an alumna of the first teachHOUSTON Alternative Certification Program for STEM. He is a chemistry teacher at Dickinson High School in Dickinson, TX. Brandon earned his Physics degree and minor in Mathematics in 2005 (University of Missouri) and joined the US Navy Nuclear Engineering program. In 2007, he qualified as a submarine nuclear engineer officer and served in the submarine service until 2013. That same year, he finished his MBA (Ohio State University) and moved to Houston. He worked in the oil, gas, and chemical refining industry for five years before starting his teaching career. Brandon loves sailing, playing guitar, and learning. He’s always been interested in astronomy and enjoying nature. His goal is to make students confident, critical thinkers equipped to take on tomorrow’s biggest challenges.

Tri Duong
Mathematics Major, Physics Minor, teachHOUSTON Alumnus, University of Houston, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Tri is a teachHOUSTON and University of Houston alumnus. He is currently an AP Physics 1 & 2 teacher at DeBakey High School for Health Professions. He is really passionate about teaching physics and doing cutting-edge research in particle physics and particle accelerator science and technology at US national laboratories around the country during the summer. In his free time, he likes to code and build robots, and play the cello.

Aerielle Rodriguez
Biology Major, Mathematics and Medicine and Society Minor, teachHOUSTON Preservice Teacher, University of Houston, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Aerielle is a 4th year undergraduate student at the University of Houston majoring in Biology and minoring in Mathematics and Medicine and Society. She is part of the teachHOUSTON Program to become a future high school science teacher. She is equally as passionate about education as she is about health and looks forward to bringing that passion to her future students. Growing up as the daughter of two nurses, medicine always felt like a natural fit, but over time a love for teaching developed. In her free time, she explores other passions such as fitness, TV shows, and plays with her dog Ellie.

Alexander Mathen
Chemical Engineering Major, Chemistry Minor, teachHOUSTON Preservice Teacher, University of Houston, Cullen College of Engineering
Alexander is a 3rd year undergraduate student working on getting his teaching degree from the teachHOUSTON Program, as well as his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering. Alexander is working to become a role model for his future students and is willing to go through great lengths to make sure everyone succeeds! Alexander loves sports, especially basketball and football. He also jogs 3 miles every day.

Amber Ooi
Biology Major, Data Science Minor, teachHOUSTON Preservice Teacher, University of Houston, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Amber is a junior at the University of Houston where she is a Biology major and a part of the teachHOUSTON Program. She is really passionate about Ecology and new discoveries about Biology! She is currently working on research in the lab and her teaching career.

Paul Womack
Mathematics Major, teachHOUSTON Preservice Teacher, University of Houston, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Paul is a 4th year Math undergraduate at the University of Houston and a preservice teacher in the teachHOUSTON Program. Paul is excited to be a Math teacher soon, so he can show his students how Math is actually the most awesome subject. Also, he would like to start sleeping again!

Reshmi Joseph
Biochemistry Major, Chemistry Minor, teachHOUSTON Preservice Teacher, University of Houston, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Reshmi is an undergraduate at the University of Houston majoring Biochemistry and minoring in Chemistry. She is a part of the teachHOUSTON Program to learn how to enhance students’ learning in STEM. She plans to become a medical doctor in the future and to focus on helping communities around her. In her free time, she likes to snuggle with her dog Daisy and watch Bollywood movies with her family.

Stephen Medel
Physics Major, Math Minor, teachHOUSTON Preservice Teacher, University of Houston, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Stephen is an undergraduate at the University of Houston majoring in Physics major and minoring in Mathematics. He is currently the vice president of the teachHouston Student Society at UH for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 and is looking forward to being able to teach Physics and/or Mathematics. He likes to spend time with his adorable dog Murphy and studying Math and Physics.

Liandra Larsen
teachHOUSTON STEM Interactive Video Editor
Liandra is a Research Graduate Assistant for the teachHOUSTON Program. Currently, she’s pursuing her Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Houston. Her research interests include improving the university experience for first-generation and transfer students. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing, binge-watching shows on Netflix, and overspending at Target.