Simple Science Experiments: Electricity and Magnets

Simple Science Experiments: Electricity and Magnets — page 3
Moving electron Electric What is ELECTRICITY Electricity is a kind of energy and a major source of power for much of the world It powers many of the machines we use every day Electricity is produced in power stations either by burning coal oil or gas or by using water or nuclear reactors to turn huge turbines Creating a flow Electricity as a power source depends on electrons which are tiny parts of atoms When electrons are pushed they hop from one atom to the next When billions of electrons are pushed electricity flows The push comes from a battery or a power station Electric circuits An electric circuit is an unbroken loop of conducting material along which electricity can flow The three basic parts of an electric circuit are an energy source such as a battery a conductor and an object for the circuit to power such as a light bulb Light bulb Conductor Battery 6 wire Atom Materials Conductors are substances through which electricity can flow Metals such as copper conduct electricity well Insulators are materials such as wood and plastic that do not allow electricity to flow An electric current flows through the copper conductor on the inside of the wire The outer covering is made of a plastic insulator to stop electricity from escaping